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Mumbai: The Air Intelligence Unit (AIU) of Mumbai Customs on Wednesday intercepted two Indian men at Mumbai airport after they arrived from Bangkok with endangered wildlife species, including two Sumatran striped rabbits, one Waigeou spotted cuscus, three Brown basilisk lizards (one was dead), and 115 green iguanas, concealed in their baggage. Waigeou spotted cuscus and green iguana are listed under Appendix-II of the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species, making their transport strictly regulated.The duo was arrested under relevant provisions of the Customs Act, 1962 and the Wildlife (Protection) Act, 1972. With the help of an NGO and the animal quarantine department, the rescued animals safely secured and deported to their country of origin after due legal process, AIU officials saidAuthorities are continuing their investigation to identify the broader network behind the animal trafficking. Mumbai: The Air Intelligence Unit (AIU) of Mumbai Customs on Wednesday intercepted two Indian men at Mumbai airport after they arrived from Bangkok with endangered wildlife species, including two Sumatran striped rabbits, one Waigeou spotted cuscus, three Brown basilisk lizards (one was dead), and 115 green iguanas, concealed in their baggage. Waigeou spotted cuscus and green iguana are listed under Appendix-II of the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species, making their transport strictly regulated.The duo was arrested under relevant provisions of the Customs Act, 1962 and the Wildlife (Protection) Act, 1972. With the help of an NGO and the animal quarantine department, the rescued animals safely secured and deported to their country of origin after due legal process, AIU officials saidAuthorities are continuing their investigation to identify the broader network behind the animal trafficking.
Bhubaneswar: Nature lovers have a fresh reason to visit Nandankanan Zoological Park in Odisha's Bhubaneswar, as the famed wildlife sanctuary welcomed seven baby yellow anacondas into its reptilian fold on Sunday -- a rare and exciting addition that underscores the zoo's growing reputation as a haven for exotic species. The tiny hatchlings were born to a breeding pair of yellow anacondas brought to Nandankanan from the Madras Crocodile Bank Trust in Chennai in October 2019. With these new arrivals, the zoo now proudly houses a thriving family of 14 yellow anacondas -- two adult males, two adul ...Read More >
Based on data from the Noah's Ark National Biological Diversity Database, managed by the General Directorate of Nature Conservation and National Parks under the Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry, Türkiye is home to 3 phytogeographical regions: Euro-Siberian, Mediterranean and Irano-Turanian. Acting as a natural bridge between Asia and Europe, Türkiye hosts a wide variety of ecosystems, including forests, mountains, steppes, wetlands, coastal, and marine areas, due to the rapid variation in ...Read More >
Hyderabad, Sep 26 (PTI) The Telangana government on Friday said it aims to attract Rs 1 lakh crore in investments in the aerospace industry over the next five years. According to a press release, State Industries Minister Sridhar Babu chaired a special meeting at the secretariat with leading representatives from the aerospace sector, engaging in in-depth discussions on the future of aerospace development in the state. ...Read More >
New Delhi: The Enforcement Directorate has filed a chargesheet against YouTuber Siddharth Yadav alias Elvish Yadav, his friend and singer Rahul Yadav alias Fazilpuriya apart from two others, and charged them with money laundering in an alleged wildlife crime involving protected snakes and lizards, official sources said. The prosecution complaint was filed on October 13 before a special Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA) court in Gurugram, Haryana. The court is yet to take cognisance of the chargesheet. Yadav (28), Fazilpuriya (35), a company named Sky Digital India Pvt. Ltd. and its di ...Read More >
Dehradun (Uttarakhand) [India], July 13 (ANI): In a unique initiative, the Research wing of the Uttarakhand Forest Department has initiated a program of reintroduction of rare and endangered plant species to their old natural habitat. Initially, the program has taken up 14 such plant species which are in the Red List of the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) as endangered or critically endangered or in the list of threatened plant species of the State Biodiversity Board and later on, it will be extended to more such species. Sanjiv Chaturvedi, Chief Conservator of Forest (R ...Read More >
Balasore (Odisha) [India], July 18 (ANI): Forest officials in the Similipal South division of Odisha arrested seven persons for their alleged involvement in a leopard skin trafficking racket, the Office of DIG of Police, Eastern Range, Balasore, said on Friday. The accused were found to be in possession of three leopard skins, which were seized by the investigating team. The investigation revealed that the leopard skins were being kept at the homes of the accused for worship, with the belief that it would bring them wealth. The seized skins are currently undergoing forensic analysis to deter ...Read More >
Patna, July 19 (SocialNews.XYZ) In a major action against corruption, the State Vigilance Unit (SVU) on Saturday arrested Sub-Inspector Putul Kumari, the SHO of the Women's Police Station in Samastipur, for accepting a bribe of Rs 20,000. Her driver was also arrested in the case. The arrest has created a stir within the police department. According to an official, Putul Kumari was caught red-handed while taking the bribe from Rajiv Ranjan, a resident of Chhatauna village under Mufassil police station limits, in connection with an assault case. Rajiv Ranjan had filed a written complaint with ...Read More >
New Delhi, Sep 15 (SocialNews.XYZ) The Supreme Court on Monday accepted the report of the Special Investigation Team (SIT), headed by retired apex court judge Justice Jasti Chelameswar, which gave a clean chit to the Vantara wildlife facility in Gujarat's Jamnagar. A Bench of Justices Pankaj Mithal and Prasanna B. Varale opened the sealed-cover report in open court and read out the conclusion of the SIT, which held that the transfers of wildlife in the facility were in conformity with the statutory mechanism. Saying that it would pass a detailed order in chambers during lunch, the Justice Mi ...Read More >
New Delhi, Sep 15 (PTI) The Supreme Court on Monday said there was "no contravention of law" while accepting a clean chit given by its special investigation team to Vantara, the zoological rescue and rehabilitation centre in Gujarat's Jamnagar. A bench of Justices Pankaj Mithal and P B Varale took the SIT's report on record besides noting the probe team's satisfaction on the compliance and regulatory measures in Vantara. The top court on August 25 constituted a four-member SIT headed by a former apex court judge while hearing two PILs alleging irregularities against Vantara on the basis of r ...Read More >
MUMBAI, Oct 31 -- Indian customs officers have arrested a plane passenger after discovering two endangered gibbons stuffed inside a checked bag, the latest animals seized from smugglers at Mumbai's airport. One of the tiny apes from Indonesia was dead, while the other, in a video shared by Indian Customs, was seen cradled in the arms of an officer, softly hooting before covering its face with its arm. Customs said the passenger, who had travelled from Malaysia via Thailand, was given the rare apes by a wildlife trafficking "syndicate" for delivery in India. Officers acting on "specific inte ...Read More >
Kolkata: The number of Bangladeshi released prisoners languishing in correctional homes across the state has come down to 179 -- as of Jan 1, 2024 -- compared to 495 in 2011. According to the West Bengal Correctional Services data, there were 212 released foreign nationals or 'jankhalash' -- 136 men and 76 women -- in correctional homes in the state as of Jan 1, 2024, out of which 179 were from Bangladesh. Most of these foreigners were lodged in Dum Dum Central Correctional Home (171), while the rest were in Berhampore CCH (24), Jalpaiguri CCH (16), and Presidency CCH (1). On Jan 30, the Sup ...Read More >
Srinagar, June 7: Jammu and Kashmir Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha, on Saturday, congratulated the University of Kashmir for getting an A++ grade in the NAAC inspection. The Lt Governor extended his heartiest congratulations to the Vice Chancellor, faculty, staff, and students of the University of Kashmir for attaining the prestigious A++ Grade by the National Assessment and Accreditation Council (NAAC), and securing an outstanding Cumulative Grade Point Average (CGPA) of 3.68 on a seven-point scale. Calling it a proud moment for J&K UT, the Lt Governor said, "The A++ Grade places the Un ...Read More >
While on patrol last week looking for any tourists who might have gotten stuck in the landslide-prone forests in the southern Indian town of Gokarna, police inspector Sridhar S.R. spotted a statue of a Hindu deity peeking out through the lush green vegetation. Moving closer, he saw makeshift curtains made of red saris that obscured the entrance to a cave. When he looked in, he was surprised to find a woman and two young girls living inside. The discovery on July 9 in Karnataka State set off day ...Read More >
New Delhi: Protest at the Aligarh Muslim University (AMU) against a recently announced fee hike, the long-standing suspension of students' union elections and calls for administrative accountability have entered their sixth day, with students boycotting classes and staging sit-ins at the Bab-e-Syed gate (the iconic entrance of the varsity). The fee structure for different courses has witnessed a sharp revision. Students say the hike ranges from 25% to over 60% across various programmes. Many claim they first learned of the revised fees only while trying to pay through the university's online ...Read More >
Lucknow: Enforcement Directorate's Lucknow unit filed prosecution complaint against YouTuber and Bigg Boss OTT season 2 winner Elvish Yadav and three others under Prevention of Money Laundering Act before a special court in Gurgaon. Court will take cognisance of charges, after which both accused will be summoned. ED also named Chandigarh-based company Sky Digital and its owner as a co-accused in the case.Rs 1 crore assets of Elvish Yadav and his aide Fazilpuria were attached. The duo had used liv ...Read More >
Mumbai Customs officers intercepted a Thane-based woman at Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj International Airport for attempting to smuggle 154 exotic animals. Hidden inside plastic containers in her luggage, the haul included four baby anacondas, iguanas, bearded dragons, tortoises, turtles, lizards, and raccoons. This marks the first time in at least five years that baby anacondas, a foreign snake species, have been seized at Mumbai Airport. The seized species are protected under international law ...Read More >
Jaisalmer, Jun 7 (PTI) To honour the armed forces following Operation Sindoor, a special tribute is taking shape in the border state of Rajasthan - rare Great Indian Bustard (GIB) chicks born under a conservation project in Jaisalmer have been named after key officers and significant milestones linked to the operation. Names like 'Sindoor', 'Atom', 'Mishri', 'Vyom', and 'Sophia' now resonate through the conservation centres at Sudasari and Sam, where science, strategy and national pride are working together to revive one of India's most endangered bird species. "By giving these chicks these ...Read More >
Lucknow, Jul 17 (PTI) To curb illegal mining and transportation, the Uttar Pradesh government is deploying advanced technologies under the Integrated Mining Surveillance System (IMSS), a release said on Thursday. Mining activities are already being monitored through drones, geo-fencing, RFID tags, and AI-powered check gates. Now, the state is set to introduce 'Weigh-In-Motion' (WIM) technology to accurately track vehicle overloading. Also Read | 'Arvind Kejriwal Used Government Funds to Buy Mobiles Costing Up to INR 1.63 Lakh', Claims Delhi Minister Ashish Sood. According to the official re ...Read More >
Setting up the SIT under former judge Justice J Chelameswar, the apex court had on August 25 called for a report on a number of issues, including the acquisition of animals from India and abroad, particularly elephants, and compliance with the Wild Life (Protection) Act, 1972, and rules for zoos. The Supreme Court on Friday said the Special Investigation Team (SIT) inquiring into the affairs of Vantara - the wildlife rescue and rehabilitation centre launched by Reliance Foundation in Gujarat's J ...Read More >
Guwahati: National Green Tribunal (NGT), in an interim order issued on Saturday, stayed the Assam govt's directive to divert 1,600 Assam Forest Protection Force (AFPF) personnel to assist the police during the upcoming assembly elections.The govt order, issued by the special chief secretary, had instructed AFPF staff to report to the additional director general of police by April 3.A two-member NGT Eastern Zone bench, comprising judicial member Justice Arun Kumar Tyagi and expert member Ishwar Singh, issued the interim stay in response to a petition filed by advocate Gaurav Bansal.Conservation ...Read More >
Namsai (Arunachal Pradesh) [India], July 9 (ANI): Arunachal Pradesh Deputy Chief Minister Chowna Mein has launched the Nadi Utsav 2025 at Namsai in a bid to conserve aquatic life and restore fish populations in the river systems. As part of the initiative, 30,000 fingerlings of various fish species, including Rohu, Catla, Mrigal, Grass Carp, Labeo Gonius, and Labeo Kalbasu, were released into the Marua, Teang, and Namtenga rivers on Tuesday. The release also included endangered local freshwater species such as Pavi, Pahum, and Palao, with the goal of restoring their populations in the riveri ...Read More >
A young woman named Oleti Pushpa (22) was killed by her live-in partner Sheikh Shamma (22) in the Ambedkar Konaseema region of Andhra Pradesh, reported India Today. She was living with Sheikh for the past 6 months after she separated from her spouse. The incident took place in Siddhartha Nagar, B Savaram village of Rajolu mandal on 16th July. Shamma reportedly accused Pushpa of having affairs with other men. He forced her to engage in prostitution and frequently instigated fights with her when intoxicated. As per police, Shamma was addicted to ganja. On the fateful night, he against pressuri ...Read More >
While the bandh, which started at 6 am, evoked a massive response in the hilly areas falling under the Tripura Tribal Areas Autonomous District Council - where Tipra Motha Party holds sway with shops remaining closed and vehicles off the roads, the impact was relatively less in the plains, where normal life was not much affected. "The bandh remained peaceful and no untoward incident has been reported till 10 am. The bandh supporters have blocked roads at 36 locations in the state, which has impa ...Read More >
Mandsaur (Madhya Pradesh): The adult male Caracal was spotted in the camera surveillance system of Gandhi Sagar Wildlife Sanctuary, within the Bhanpura-Garot assembly constituency area, along the Chambal River, on Thursday night. This records as the first confirmed sighting of the species in a protected area of the state in several years. Caracals, known locally by the same name, are extremely shy, nocturnal carnivores, renowned for their exceptional agility and speed. Weighing between 7-18 kilograms, these wild cats prefer dry, bushy, rocky terrain and open grasslands. The species is curr ...Read More >
New Delhi, Aug 1 (PTI) Trades worth nearly Rs 3.21 lakh crore have been conducted through the electronic National Agriculture Market (e-NAM) platform during the last five financial years, the government said on Friday. In a written reply to the Rajya Sabha, Minister of State for Agriculture Ramnath Thakur said, "From 1st April, 2020 to 31st March, 2025, trade worth Rs 3,20,766 crore has been conducted through electronic National Agriculture Market (e-NAM)". The minister was replying to a question by Congress member Randeep Singh Surjewala. "The inter-state trade volume on the e-NAM platform ...Read More >
Guwahati, Jul 14 (PTI) Over 40 bird species, including a critically endangered and two endangered ones, have been recorded in the first-ever grassland survey in Assam's Kaziranga National Park, a state minister said on Monday. "Thrilled to share that @kaziranga_'s first-ever grassland survey has recorded 43 grassland bird species - including 1 Critically Endangered, 2 Endangered, and 6 Vulnerable species, plus several regional endemics," Forest Minister Chandra Mohan Patowary said in a post on X. The Brahmaputra floodplain ecosystem boasts the highest diversity of grassland obligate birds in ...Read More >
India's Vantara Sets a Global Benchmark: CITES endorses Transparency, Ethics and Scientific Rigor in Private Conservation In a rare commendation from international regulators, India's Vantara initiative has earned high praise from the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species (CITES), marking a milestone in private-sector conservation. Following detailed inspections and document reviews, CITES concluded that Vantara's Greens Zoological Rescue and Rehabilitation Centre and the Radha Krishna Temple Elephant Welfare Trust operate with "exceptionally high standards" -- fully complia ...Read More >
Guwahati: A community forest in Meghalaya's Ri-Bhoi district has emerged as a significant biodiversity hotspot, with a recent study documenting a rich diversity of swallowtail butterflies, including several legally protected species. The findings highlight both the ecological importance and vulnerability of these landscapes. The study, conducted by A.D. Marbaniang and S.R. Hajong, recorded 15 species of swallowtail butterflies (Papilionidae) in the Saiden Community Forest over a year-long survey. The research underscores the crucial role community-managed forests play in biodiversity conserva ...Read More >
Kochi: The 14 exotic birds seized from two passengers at the Cochin International Airport Limited (CIAL) here on Monday have been sent back to Thailand, while the mother-son duo arrested for smuggling the avians have been produced before the court. The Customs seized the birds from Thiruvananthapuram natives Bindumol and her son Sarath as they landed in Kochi airport from Thailand on a Thai Airways flight on Monday. The officials then handed over the passengers to the Forest Department, and the Kalady forest range registered a case under the Wildlife Protection Act against the two. The birds ...Read More >
Mumbai: The Air Intelligence Unit (AIU) of Mumbai Customs intercepted two passengers who flew in on an Air India flight from Bangkok early on Thursday morning. The duo were caught smuggling a cargo of wild reptiles and small furry mammals in violation of the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora. The smugglers' luggage contained two Sumatran striped rabbits (Nesolagus netscheri), a Waigeo spotted cuscus (Spilocuscus papuensis), two Brown basilisk lizards (Basiliscus vittatus), and a green iguana. While the rabbits and the lizard are not listed in CITE ...Read More >