Activist's mother threatened

http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/goa/Activists-mother-threatened/articleshow/16789304.cms

MAPUSA: An animal rights activist's mother was allegedly threatened by a panch member on Thursday.

A complaint in this regard has been lodged at the Mapusa police station. Animal lovers have condemned the incident.

John Fernandes, a member of the animal rescue squad - a animal rights NGO - had assisted forest officials to nab Assonora panch Francis Vaz on charges of storing nearly 7kg of venison in his refrigerator on October 5.

Janice Fernandes, mother of John, lodged the complaint with the Mapusa police that Assonora panch, Vaz, threatened her and her son with dire consequences if John did not tender an open apology to him. John, who is out of the state on a mission against illegal slaughtering, told TOI that Vaz came to his house on Thursday morning.

His house was closed and his mother had gone to work. Vaz managed to get the address, went to the mother's workplace and threatened her that her son will be beaten up.

John's mother, along with Amrutsingh of the animal rescue squad, approached the Mapusa police station and lodge the complaint against the Assonora panch member.

Rhino rescued after 8 days ordeal

http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/guwahati/Rhino-rescued-after-8-days-ordeal/articleshow/16714812.cms

GUWAHATI: After eight tense days, the female rhino that was stranded on a sand bar in the Brahmaputra, was rescued from Uparhali area, about 35km from here, on Sunday. The rhino had strayed out fromPobitora Wildlife Sanctuary and swept by the floodwaters to the Rani Chapori sand bar in the river. Uparhali, where the animal was found on Sunday, is about 10km from the sand bar.

A 17-member team comprising veterinarians, animal rescue experts and forest department officials tranquilized the rhino around 4.30pm on Sunday. The animal was put in a wooden crate that was loaded on a truck. The entire operation took more than three hours. Initially, an IAF chopper had been kept on standby at the city airport to airlift the rhino if necessary.

"It's been a successful operation. We are very happy that the rhino has been successfully darted. All credit goes to the rescue team, the frontline people and forest staff who were engaged in the rescue efforts from day one," forest minister Rockybul Hussain, who was present during the operation, said.

Principal chief conservator of forest (wildlife) Suresh Chand said that the rhino will be taken to the Assam State Zoo here for treatment and necessary veterinary care before being released in the wild.

"We are taking the rhino to the zoo following the advice of senior veterinarian Dr K K Sharma as the animal has got injury marks and is aged. Chief minister Tarun Gogoi has also instructed us to follow veterinarians' advice. We will release the rhino only after the necessary treatment is over at the zoo," Hussain said.

"Besides having injury marks and being old, the animal is also stressed out. So, we have to wait till the health of the animal improves," Sharma said. Last Sunday, the rhino had landed at Rani Chapori after being swept for about 15km by the strong current of the river. Initially, the rescue operation could not be carried out because of the inclement weather. The rhino was also in bad health at that time.

This Sunday, the rhino was found at Uparhali area, about 10km from Rani Chapori. The area where the rhino was spotted was surrounded by human settlements. With improvement in the weather condition, the rescue team decided to carry out the operation on Sunday.

"We have been constantly monitoring the health and movements of the rhino. All the while the animal was at Rani Chapori, the weather condition did not allow us to carry out the rescue operation. Since the weather improved on Sunday, we went ahead with the task," one of the rescue team members said.

Woman complains as pups go missing

http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/mumbai/Woman-complains-as-pups-go-missing/articleshow/16538057.cms

NAVI MUMBAI: Animal rights activists have complained to the Panvel city police about a case of animal cruelty at a housing society. 

While API Praful Bhindade, visited the SarangHousing Society in Panvel to investigate how 15 newborn puppies went missing from its premises, the society members have denied playing any role in removing the 15 pups from there. 

Talking to TOI, animal activist Rinki Banerji, said, "One Sunday, a society resident and senior citizen, Sumitra Gaikwad, noticed that 15 puppies that were born just around 10 days ago had gone missing from the society premises. She used to regularly feed the stray dogs in her locality, but other residents were opposed to it.'' 

In her complaint letter to the police, Gaikwad has also said some residents had intimidated her with sticks to warn her not to feed the stray animals. 

"Now, these 15 puppies have gone missing, and their two mothers who are lactating at present are tense and anxious. Separating babies from their mothers amounts to cruelty,'' said Banerji, who also plans to write to the Animal Welfare Board of India. 

However, a police official said the society's office-bearers have denied the allegation of throwing the 15 puppies out.

Bullocks, cattle rescue from illegal slaughter

http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/mumbai/Bullocks-cattle-rescue-from-illegal-slaughter/articleshow/16544051.cms

MUMBAI: Animal rights activists have rescued 12 bullocks, 4 calves and a buffalo from a truck at Shahpur in Thane (rural). The truck was illegally transporting the animals for slaughtering.

The People For Animals (PFA) team lead by Chetan Sharma followed a truck which was taking animals illegally for slaughter. The team started following the truck from 9 pm in Thane (rural) area on Monday. The truck was illegally filled to its capacity with animals. The truck was finally caught at 2:44 am. Members of PFA complained to the zonal DYSP who then instructed one Inspector to catch the truck. Upon closer inspection they found, 12 young and healthy bullocks, 4 calves and 1 buffalo. An FIR has been registered at Shahpur Police Station.

"It is illegal to kill cows and calves in Maharashtra. It is also illegal to kill any cattle that can be used for agriculture or breeding. We, as a society, have turned our backs to cruelty against cows and bullocks for so long, that on a daily basis trucks are being brought illegally forslaughter and people just seem to turn a blind eye. Until we don't stop turning a blind eye these animals will continue to suffer,'' said Chetan Sharma of People for Animals.

Man's plea for release of his pet dogs dismissed

http://www.business-standard.com/generalnews/news/mans-plea-for-releasehis-pet-dogs-dismissed/58356/

A city resident has been denied by a Delhi court the custody of his pets - half a dozen of dogs in all, seized by an animal welfare centre on the ground that they were suffering from various ailments and were not fit to travel back home.

Additional Sessions Judge (ASJ) Ramesh Kumar turned down Model Town resident Amarpreet Singh's plea to release his dogs, dismissing his appeal against a magisterial court order which had upheld the seizure of the dogs by Sanjay Gandhi Animal Care Centre.

The sessions court said the dogs were not fit to travel due to reasons ranging from pregnancy to stress.

"One dog was having pregnancy and high temperature, two dogs with infection like vomiting and loose motion and other dogs were also having problems like stress, dehydration and temperature and also respiratory distress.

"As per Rule 5 of the Transport of Animals Rules, no dog in advance stage of pregnancy shall be transported. Hence, no case for release of the dogs was made out," ASJ Kumar said.

Singh's six pets had been taken away by the animal welfare centre at Raja Garden in West Delhi with the help of police on June 18 on the alleged ground that he treated them cruelly.

After seizure of the canine animals, Singh had approached a magisterial court for their release and his plea was even allowed, but neither the animal welfare centre nor police allegedly complied with the court order.

At this, he moved a magisterial court against the animal welfare centre and the police seeking launch of contempt of court plea against them for not complying with the earlier order. (More)

Green fodder banks to curb man-animal conflict

http://articles.timesofindia.indiatimes.com/2012-09-18/flora-fauna/33924790_1_green-fodder-man-animal-conflict-forest-department

COIMBATORE: In a bid to reduce the growing incidence of man-animal conflict in Coimbatore region, the Tamil Nadu forest department plans to develop green fodder banks in key elephant populated areas in the district at a cost of Rs 3.45 crore.

According to district forest officer V Thirunavukarasu, green fodder banks would be developed in a total of 240 hectares identified in Solakarai near Walayar, Athikadavu near Karamadai, Sadhanakola and Odanthurai in Mettupalayam, Thanikandi in Boluvampatti, Koodapatti in Periyanaickenpalayam and Kulukumaduvu near Sirumugai.

Planting of trees would begin with the onset of the North East monsoon. Once the trees reach maturity, they will ensure rich fodder for jumbos during dry months. With adequate fodder inside the forest area, the animals will not be inclined to stray outside.

Saplings have already been developed in a special nursery at Mettupalayam. They include pipel, banyan, wild mango, wild jack fruit, bamboo and teak varieties. Seeds of two grass varieties will also be sowed in the forest areas. A few water ponds will be created close to the green fodder banks.

``Initially, we planned to plant the trees in June with the arrival of South West monsoon. But the failed monsoon changed our plans," said Thirunavukarasu. According to him, this is the first phase of the project and areas like Thondamuthur, Anaikatti, Kurudampalayam and Mangarai in the Western ghats will be included in it in the next phase.

The fodder bank idea was formulated after chief minister J Jayalalithaa suggested that steps be taken to ensure green fodder inside the forests. A government order in this regard was released on December 14, 2011 by principal secretary to government C V Sankar. The GO permits the forest department to create fodder plantations to improve wildlife habitats for a five-year period commencing January. The amount released for this purpose across is Rs 22 crore.

The project would focus on cultivating grass and trees of indigenous species. "There would be two kinds of plants and trees, those which can meet immediate consumption needs and those which moderately grow but ensure a permanent fodder bank,'' said Thirunavukarasu.

The department is also building salt licks near water holes in the migratory corridor to supplement the mineral requirement of elephants with the expectation that the jumbos will stay within the restricted migratory route and not stray into human habitations. Construction of check dams and percolation ponds will satisfy the thirst of animals in summer and also facilitate storage in water bodies, the official said.

"An adult elephant consumes 240kg to 260kg of food every day. It spends at least 18 hours grazing. Over 70% of its food needs are available in the reserved forest. In Coimbatore, the green bank will come up in 100 hectares in reserved forests frequented by elephant herds," said Thirunavukarasu.