Myths prove deadly for exotic species

33 Lesser Flamingos were killed for their meat in Little Rann of Kutch
Carcasses of two Chinkara cubs were found near Bitta village in Abdasa tehsil of Vadodara district on last Christmas eve 11 migratory cranes were found dead in Vathali village of Junagadh district

Is it the lure of tasting the forbidden that is leading to this recent spate of killings involving protected species of birds and animals? Wildlife activists and forest officials believe that several myths associated with the meat of certain birds and animals are also the reason why the species are being targeted.

There is no scientific basis for the claims of benefits associated with the meat, said HS Singh additional principal chief conservator of forest."Many believe that migratory cranes are very hot and hence consuming their meat will help keep the body warm during winter. So people, particularly fishermen, take to killing them in the hope that it will help them ward of the chill," said Dinesh Goswami, a wildlife activist in Kodinar. He also said that another myth associated with these birds is that they help in increasing sexual prowess of a person when eaten.

"There is no data or research to back such wild claims. A lot of time we try to spread awareness about the foolish claims associated with such birds and animals," said Goswami. A chief conservator of forest in Junagadh were the flamingos were found killed said there is no such myth that surrounds the flamingo.

"In fact its meat stinks. So it is more likely that those who killed the birds were trying to pass it off as chicken by mixing it with the latter. We are looking into that possibility," he said.

He, however, said that there is a belief that the meat of the Great Indian Bustard can act as an aphrodisiac. "But it is a protected species and we haven't come across any case of the bird being killed for meat," said the officer. Sandeep Kumar, deputy conservator of forest in Sasan Gir said even he has heard of such stories.

"Many also believe that pigeon meat has certain benefits. But these are just tall claims. There is no research to back any such claim. Sexual prowess is also associated with mighty animals like rhinoceros and tigers," said Kumar.

He said there is no such myth regarding lions, which is why poachers try to pass on the bones of the animal as those belonging to the tiger. It should be noted that tiger bones are particularly in demand to make Chinese medicines as they are believed to improve libido.

Another forest official said he too has come across several such stories. "There is a myth that crocodile meat improves fertility," said the officer.

http://www.dnaindia.com/india/report_myths-prove-deadly-for-exotic-species_1638819

'Jallikattu not a festival but a commercial event'

Sriram Balasubramanian

Trashing Tamil Nadu's bull-taming festival, Dr S Chinny Krishna, vice chairman Animal Welfare Board of India, say that Jallikattu is not just unjust to the bulls but is also illegal the way it is carried out. He spoke to Sriram Balasubramanian.

What are your thoughts on the Jallikattu festival in southern India?
It is not a 'festival'. A festival or gala is an event, usually and ordinarily staged by a local community, which centres on and celebrates some unique aspect of that community according to a commonly accepted definition.

Jallikattu is today a purely commercial event at which bulls are tortured. Only money, liquor and gambling play an important part in the event. As a proud Tamilian, I am ashamed that this takes place on the holy land on which our most revered sage, Tiruvalluvar, strode talking about kindness to animals.

Why do you think it has been practiced for such a long time?  
Sati and child marriage have been practiced for an even longer time.

Do you think the Supreme Court ruling has been followed by the people?  You are fully aware that it has not been followed by the administration or the people. You are aware that gross cruelty took place even last year and the Indian Express even published a close-up photograph of a participant rubbing chilli powder into the eyes of a bull. You are also aware of the number of deaths of participants and spectators, not to mention injuries to the terrified animals.

Is it good enough to provide mere guidelines?
This should be good enough if people and the administration are law abiding. However, in India where we have some of the best legislation in the world, enforcement is so lax or non-existent that the usual procedure seems to be to go back to the courts to get a direction to see that the law is enforced.

Is a step like banning this festival too radical in nature?
Of course not. We must learn to have zero tolerance for injustice in any form and Jallikattu comes not only as injustice to the bulls but is also illegal the way it is carried out. However, even if it were legally allowed, one cannot condone cruelty to animals, especially in the name of sport or religion.

Have you looked at the Spanish model where the Spanish still have bullfighting since it is a part of their cultural fabric?
Whether Spain uses bullfighting or not is irrelevant. We have a culture that is older than Spain's and my culture does not include cruelty. However, since you have mentioned it, may I tell you that the last bullfight in Catolonia in the heart of bullfighting territory was on January 3, since Catalonia has voted to ban bullfighting.

 

How do you plan to monitor this year's Jallikattu?
We are doing our best to ensure that the government of India notification on July 11, 2011, prohibiting the use of bulls as performing animals is enforced and that Jallikattu does not take place.

All district collectors have been repeatedly reminded about the notification and all have been made aware that the use of bulls as performing animals is banned. In the hearings before the Supreme Court, the Attorney General of India, Gopal Subramanium, and a battery of lawyers representing the state of Tamil Nadu in the case filed by the Animal Welfare Board of India accepted that these are indeed performing animals and, consequently, the Jallikattu bulls were got registered by the AWBI for last year's Jallikattu.

The AWBI cannot register them this year in view of the ministry's notification. Not even one of the approximately 1,000 bulls registered last year by us have fulfilled the terms and conditions under which registration was given. Documents as required after registration were not submitted as called for.

What are some of the steps that you intend to take to avert or reduce the impact on the animal during the festival time?  
We intend to stop it completely.

http://www.rediff.com/news/slide-show/slide-show-1-jallikattu-not-a-festival-but-a-commercial-event/20120116.htm 

Manja menace for 250 birds

Animal lovers and activists from across the city were on their toes yesterday after some 250-odd birds were brought in for medical treatment, after the manja (cotton threat coated with powered glass) used for flying kites on Makar Sankranti left them wounded.

"We have organised a medical camp for birds from Jan 14 to Jan 16. Till now, we have treated nearly 110 birds, of which some are seriously injured and have either lost a wing or a leg. These birds won't be able to fly again," said Hirachand Sanklecha of Chira Bazaar Jain Saangh that has arranged a medical camp for injured birds at Chira Bazaar in South Mumbai.

"Since pigeons fly in a flock, they are the worst affected. We have carried out a campaign, requesting people to use regular thread instead of manja for flying kites," said Lt Col (Retd) J C Khanna, secretary, Bombay Society for Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (BSPCA). "So far, we have treated around 20 pigeons, seven owls, seven kites, three crows, two cuckoos. Besides, around 150 seriously injured pigeons have been brought to our Parel hospital. Birds are coming from areas like Gateway of India, Girgaum and Dadar," said Khanna.

Similarly, Plant and Animal Welfare Society received around 12 pigeons, two kites, a sparrow, and an owl.

"Medical camps will be conducted between Thane and Powai for two more days, as people tend to fly kites until their stock lasts. Thankfully, school kids and college students have joined us in our campaign," said Sunish Subramanian, founder and secretary, PAWS, Mumbai. "We have alerted residents in our area to inform us if they spot a bird entangled in manja. The more the birds try to free itself off the manja, the deeper it cuts," added Subramanian.

http://www.mid-day.com/news/2012/jan/160112-Manja-menace-for-250-birds.htm

Bird flu: 3,400 birds culled in Meghalaya

More than 3,400 fowl have been culled in Meghalaya following the outbreak of the H1N1 virus or bird flu in East Garo Hills district. The culling, begun last Friday, will continue until this weekend.
“Rapid response teams and medical officers hygienically culled 3,026 fowl until last (Sunday) evening within three kilometers of the epicenter,” said district deputy commissioner Pravin Bakshi. He added that 21 villages around the epicenter – a government-owned poultry farm in Williamnagar town – were sanitized as a precautionary measure.

Bhopal-based High Security Animal Disease Laboratory confirmed bird flu at the Williamnagar farm January 11 after testing blood samples. Following confirmation, the district authorities targeted some 24,000 fowls within a 10 km radius of the farm. Till Sunday, the district authorities paid compensation of Rs 311,975 to poultry farmers after it enhanced compensation from the New Delhi-specified Rs 50 to Rs 250 per fowl.

http://www.hindustantimes.com/India-news/Guwahati/Bird-flu-3-400-birds-culled-in-Meghalaya/Article1-798009.aspx

Attacked by a leopard: victim says he was trying to save animal

 An Indian labourer who had his scalp ripped off by a rampaging leopard over the weekend has spoken of his horrific ordeal, saying he was trying to save the cat when it turned on him.

Pintu Dey is recovering in hospital in India's northeastern state of Assam after being badly mauled outside his house in an attack captured in a series of startling and gruesome photographs.

"My two children were inside the house and so I went to save them when I found some policemen aiming to shoot the leopard," Dey, who is in his 40s, said from his hospital bed.

 

"I pleaded against killing the cat and literally stood between the policemen and the leopard like a shield, and all of a sudden I found myself attacked and blood splattered all over."

The leopard had strayed into a residential area in the centre of Guwahati, the capital of Assam, and attacked another three people, killing one. Dey also suffered a fractured hand and cuts caused by multiple bites on his hands and legs.

A former journalist and lawyer called Deva Kumar Das succumbed to his injuries on Sunday. The condition of the other two was said to be stable.
Referring to Dey, a doctor in the Wintrobe Hospital said: "I would say the injury is really severe as he lost a lot of blood and his scalp wound is indeed serious."

The cat was later tranquillised by forest officials and taken to the Assam State Zoo in Guwahati. On Monday it was set free in a tiger reserve in Manas, western Assam.

"I wish the government could take care of my medical expenses as my financial condition is not sound," Dey said, explaining that he does casual work but has no reliable source of income.
Thousands of people are attacked by wildlife in India each year, with tigers, leopards, elephants and snakes the most dangerous.

Conservationists blame a decline in the natural habitat for wild animals, particularly dense forest cover in areas surrounding cities, for the deadly incidents occasionally reported from urban areas in India.

High Court grants permission for jallikattu

 But refuses to stay Centre’s notification prohibiting use of bulls as ‘performing animals’

The Madras High Court Bench here on Thursday refused to stay the operation of a notification issued by the Centre on July 11 prohibiting the use of bulls as ‘performing animals.' Yet, it permitted the conduct of jallikattu in eight places in Madurai, Tiruchi and Sivaganga districts between January 15 and 29.

Passing interim orders in a batch of public interest litigation petitions filed both in favour as well as against the event, a Division Bench comprising Justice Chitra Venkataraman and Justice R. Karuppiah said they were inclined to permit the sport during this Pongal season alone in view of its regulated conduct in the last two years and for want of a counter affidavit by the Centre.

The Bench ordered that the events should be conducted strictly in compliance with a series of interim orders passed by the Supreme Court on the issue between January 2008 and March 2011, the safeguards provided under the Tamil Nadu Regulation of Jallikattu Act, 2009 and additional safety measures promised to be undertaken during the hearing of the present batch of cases. 

“In all fairness, the State should see that the safety and security of bull tamers, spectators and bulls were protected. The festival is not only for us but also for the four-legged creatures. Take care and make it an enjoyable event. Ensure that everything goes well,” Ms. Justice Venkataraman said and directed the State government to file a compliance report by January 30. 

She said the compliance report would form the basis for the court to reconsider the issue of permitting jallikattu in future. Further, the State government was ordered to provide a checklist to the officials concerned. The additional safeguard ordered in the present case was setting up of bull yards at the end of the bull taming area in order to prevent the animals from returning to the track. 

Director of Animal Husbandry and Veterinary Services R. Palaniswamy said jallikattu would be conducted at Avaniapuram, Palamedu and Alanganallur in Madurai district; Periyasuriyur, Palakurichi and Karungulam in Tiruchi district and Siravayal and Kandipatti in Sivaganga district. Coconut fibre and saw dust would be strewn on the surface in Avaniapuram where the sport was conducted by cordoning off a main road. 

Earlier, Additional Solicitor General (ASG) M. Ravindran said the Union Ministry of Environment and Forests would require at least two week to file its counter affidavit as it had to be vetted by the Law Ministry. However, he submitted on oral instructions that the July 11 notification was primarily meant to ban animal race conducted in Maharashtra and Gujarat and not Tamil Nadu's Jallikattu. 

But the judges asked the ASG to put his submissions in writing and submit it by January 30 when the court would decide the larger question of the Centre's notification having the effect of nullifying the State enactment on regulating jallikattu. S. Guru Krishnakumar, Additional Advocate General, representing the State government in the Supreme Court, argued the case on behalf of the State. 

He contended that the Centre's notification would apply only to animals registered under the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Act and not the jallikattu bulls which were registered only as per Supreme Court orders in a different format than what was prescribed under the PCA Act. He also contended that it was the Animal Welfare Board of India (AWBI) and not the District Collectors who were registering the bulls. 

“Flouting court orders”

Countering the arguments, senior counsel R. Yashod Vardhan, appearing on behalf of an individual animal lover, read out the Supreme Court order and said that it categorically stated that only the Collectors concerned must register the bulls as per the PCA Act. “If these bulls were not being registered as per the apex court orders, then it amounts to flouting the court orders,” he added. 

Later, when Mr. Krishnakumar argued that the AWBI, which had filed a writ petition in favour of the Centre's notification, ought to have moved the Supreme Court which was already seized of a batch of cases on the issue and not the High Court, Ms. Justice Venkataraman intervened and said: “The same would apply to you (State government) too. You could have also challenged the notification.” 

The AAG was joined by Advocate General A. Navaneethakrishnan who flew down from Chennai in the evening when the judges were dictating their orders.

A huge number of villagers and All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam cadres burst crackers outside the High Court campus immediately after the court granted permission for the sport.