COVID Pandemic is Threatening India's Tigers

Mother tiger and cubs

Early this month, India's 2018 Tiger Census made it to the Guinness Book of World Records for recording an estimated 2,967 tigers or 75 percent of the world's tiger population in the country. Although this seemed like great news, India has witnessed a tremendous spike in poaching of the big cats during the COVID lockdown period implemented by the government. Wildlife trade monitoring network, Traffic, pointed out that 88 incidents of poaching were reported during the post-lockdown period from March 23 to May 3, which was nearly double the number reported during the six weeks before the lockdown. Another official data indicated that India lost 110 tigers last year, out of which one-third to poaching. A study carried out by Traffic showed that it is unclear how poaching rates increased during the lockdown, despite persistent efforts by law enforcement agencies. It further revealed that 222 people were arrested in poaching-related cases during the lockdown period across India; a surge from 85 arrests during the pre-lockdown phase. Experts think that the rise has also been noticed in the poaching of tigers' prey. A wildlife biologist named Faiyaz Khudsar stated that the loss of income and food shortages due to the lockdown forced people to resort to poaching for subsistence. In other words, as Yadvendradev Jhala of the Wildlife Institute of India (WII) puts, the poachers are taking advantage of the COVID crisis.

Tiger in Ranthambore National Park

It really disturbs me how the COVID pandemic has had and continues to have a negative impact on the world's wildlife population. I have said it before and I will say it again, the lockdown is no excuse to shy away from protecting endangered wildlife around the world. Poachers are taking advantage of the situation and going around setting traps for tigers and other animals, including their prey, to make ends meet. However, it is not just poaching that is threatening India's tigers. The COVID virus itself is also a threat. This was seen in April this year when a tigress at New York's Bronx Zoo tested positive for COVID. This news should have been perceived as a wake-up call to intensify patrolling as there is a possible virus threat to India's tiger reserves according to Faiyaz Khudsar. If the virus enters the reserves, it will affect conservation efforts very badly. In addition, there is also decrease in habitat for tigers and other animals which forces them to stray into human habitations making them easy targets for poachers and vulnerable to disease when coming into contact with domestic animals. It is not only India where tiger populations are under threat of poaching. There is a similar situation in Bangladesh, where tigers are vulnerable to poaching and shrinking habitat. I strongly urge for the need of intensive measurements in protecting populations of tigers and other animals in South Asia. Emphasis should be on bolstering patrolling efforts in tiger reserves and other protected areas and forming corridors of territorial forests with extended agricultural fields to save the animals.

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Grizzly Bears Should be Returned to the North Cascades

Grizzly bear

Grizzly bears have recently been in the news for being granted federal protection in and around the Yellowstone region. However, the battle to ensure the bears' protection and well-being in their home range is still continuing with the Center for Biological Diversity recently filing a lawsuit against the Trump administration for failing to issue public records on the completion of a program to restore the bears to the North Cascades in Washington state. Earlier this month, David L. Bernhardt, Secretary of the Interior, announced that his agency will not carry out the environmental impact statement required to move forward with the plan. The decision spurred the Center to file the lawsuit in federal court on Tuesday in Washington D.C. The lawsuit is seeking documents related to the administration's long-standing opposition to grizzly bears in the North Cascades. The debate over bringing the bears back to the North Cascades has been going for several years. The Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS) recognized the North Cascades as one of the essential recovery areas for the grizzlies. It is estimated that there are only few bears in the proximity of the North Cascades in recent years. A study by the FWS in 2011 counted fewer than 20 bears on the U.S side of the border, and a hiker photographed one in 2010. In one study, the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife wrote that "grizzly bears are not currently known to occupy the North Cascades ecosystem in north-central Washington..." The Center for Biological Diversity stated that scientists think that the North Cascades area contains enough habitat to support about 280 bears. A population is known to inhabit the Selkirk Mountains in eastern Washington, but state officials think all bears in the state are individuals from other populations in Idaho and British Columbia.

View of the North Cascades

I have always learned and understood that grizzly bears once inhabited the entire western half of the U.S before being reduced to populations inhabiting Idaho, Montana, and Wyoming. They also inhabit the North Cascades in the Pacific Northwest, but they primarily consist of individuals from neighboring populations. I think it is crucial to bring grizzly bears back to the North Cascades. The region is one of several places in the western U.S where these majestic bears had disappeared decades ago. Bringing them back would greatly benefit the North Cascades ecosystem, in which they can keep the vegetation, fish, and animal populations under control. If grizzly bears in the Yellowstone region are able to keep the ecosystem healthy, why can't they do that in the North Cascades? I strongly believe that restoring grizzly bears in the North Cascades would require probably bringing the ones from other areas with larger populations, but the planning should be done concertedly. Also, the introduced bears should be monitored closely and carefully in order to see how well they are adapting to the North Cascades. Once again, it is best to leave it to scientists and experts to determine how the restoration efforts should be conducted. But the North Cascades must have grizzly bears to help sustain its ecosystem.

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Could the Attack By a Crocodile on a Young Mexican Boy Been Avoided?

A Morelet's crocodile in Cancun.

Crocodiles and people have long coexisted with each other. Both of them rely on lakes, rivers, and other water bodies for survival. But when the two species share the same water body, there is always a potential of conflict where one gets either seriously injured or killed. This has been an ongoing case in Africa, southern Asia, Southeast Asia, and Australia where majority of crocodile attacks on people are reported. But recently, there has been a case reported near Mexico's El Palmar Beach where a six-year-old boy was attacked by a three-meter-long Morelet's crocodile. The boy, who hailed from the municipality of Zihuatanejo de Azueta, wandered away from his parents with his sister. The pair went to a nearby estuary, next to the Pacifica Resort, which has a fenced off area and a bridge above it. The area is known to be frequented by crocodiles. Witnesses saw a crocodile grab the boy by the head and pulled him into the water to try a death roll, a technique the reptiles use spin and drown their prey. Tourists and a hotel lifeguard attempted to scare the crocodile away by throwing stones, hoping that it would release the boy. The hotel medical staff arrived on the scene to care for the boy, who had sustained a number of bites on his head, arms, legs, and chest after being dragged underwater for about ten minutes. He is currently being treated for his injuries at the general hospital.

View of El Palmar Beach

It really terrifies me whenever a victim of such an animal attack is a small child. But could the attack on this six-year-old child have been avoided? Normally Mexico's crocodiles prey on insects, fish, frogs, lizards, and small animals. But this news also points out that the Pacifica Resort hotel staff allegedly feed the crocodiles to entertain the tourists at the same estuary where the attack happened. It goes to show that crocodiles living near the resort inadvertently turned into man-eaters, due to the negative influence of tourism. It is easy to blame the crocodile for such a horrific attack, but this behavior has been attributed to the mindless actions by the resort staff all in the name of entertainment. I'm thankful that this poor child was rescued in time, but he could have been killed. It aggravates me that when carnivorous animals become accustomed to handouts given by people, they become dependent on people for food and therefore lose their natural ability to catch their own food. This is exactly what has been going on at this estuary and it has to change. I strongly urge the staff of the Pacifica Resort to refrain from entertaining tourists by feeding the crocodiles and should focus on implementing protective measurements to keep both tourists and crocodiles safe from each other. Mexico's crocodile numbers have been increasing in recent years with populations of swamp crocodiles comprising around 54,000 to 100,000 animals. Although the crocodiles are protected, not everyone, including hunters, agrees they should be protected. This has got to change! Workshops and awareness programs need to be conducted to educate the public about the importance of crocodiles to Mexico's ecosystems and how human influence turns them into man-eaters. There should also be an emphasis on identifying areas with crocodile presence and most of all, establishing rules and regulations to prevent any further crocodile attacks on people.

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Vaccination of Asiatic Lions Should be Done With a Methodical Approach

Asiatic lion

In India's Gujarat state, the Asiatic lion population was hit hard by a canine distemper epidemic almost two years ago in which nearly 27 lions were found dead. The situation prompted the need of vaccinating the lions to prevent any further loss. A recent report by the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change (MoEFCC) indicated that the forest department is in the process of obtaining 1,000 doses of purevax ferret distemper vaccine from Merial Inc. In 2018, 1,300 doses of the vaccine were obtained, out of which 1,100 had been utilized. Between January and May, as many as 85 lions died. Out of these deaths, 59 occurred in the Gir East Division, the same area where the virus killed the 27 lions in 2018 in a period of less than two months. The report did not affirm the canine distemper virus (CDV) or any other virus as the cause of death of the lions. In response to the deaths, the ministry advised establishing a special committee of experts by the government of Gujarat to investigate the exact cause. The report's findings showed that the lion mortality during the years 2018 and 2019 were 112 and 134 respectively. Forest department stated that new vaccines have started arriving and may soon be provided to the lions. The Indian Council for Medical Research had in October 2018 suggested "existing CDV vaccine which should work as protective intervention against Gir lions." The decision, however, did not sit well with many wildlife experts who felt it can further put the lions' lives in jeopardy. Currently, there is no CDV vaccine for the cat family and the only ones available are for dogs and ferrets.

Canine distemper virus cytoplasmic inclusion body

I find it very disappointing that the forest department of Gujarat decided to simply provide the current CDV vaccine to the lions without taking any careful steps in testing the vaccine once they obtain it. I strongly recommend the forest department and anybody involved in the vaccination of the lions to take the warnings presented by wildlife experts into consideration. For example, a veterinary official pointed out that since no challenge studies have been conducted, then no claims would be made that antibodies made by the vaccine in lions to protect them against the virus. He further added that clinical trials of any vaccine need to be carried out to test its efficiency including its long term and short term side effects. Adding to the point, a researcher from Wildlife Institute of India (WII) indicated that the vaccine should be used on captive lions and not wild ones. This vaccine can only give immunity against canine distemper for roughly six months or so. I strongly urge the forest department to take the experts' advice into serious consideration. I believe that a great deal of research needs to be undertaken to develop a CDV vaccine specifically for big cats, but that can take time. Right now, I would recommend utilizing the current vaccine on foxes, jackals, wolves, and stray dogs in Gujarat, in order to prevent the lion population from again plummeting to the CDV virus in the future.

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Will the Introduction of European Bison in United Kingdom be Beneficial to the Local Wildlife?

European bison

The European bison is one of the most majestic of Eurasia's animals. Like its American cousin, it had also suffered terribly in the hands of humans across its Eurasian homeland eventually becoming extinct in the wild in 1927. By that year, fewer than 50 of these gigantic animals remained mostly in captivity. Thankfully, the bison was saved with captive breeding programs and reintroductions throughout its former haunts over a span of several decades. The European bison now exists in the forests of mainland Europe and Russia, with majority of free-ranging herds living in Poland. But now, it has been recently reported that the bison will be introduced in the United Kingdom as part of a 1-million-pound conservation project. The project, initiated by the Kent Wildlife Trust and the Woodland Trust, is focused on helping to manage Blean Woods near Canterbury. The release site is a 500-hectare area with other grazing animals such as Konik horses. Conservationists explained that the bison would be beneficial in the restoration of the habitat and the wildlife. This would be seen in their behavior of felling trees by rubbing against them to create space for sunlight which would help plants such as cow wheat to grow. The cow wheat is known to attract a butterfly known as the heath fritillary. In addition, when the bison take dust baths, they would create patches of bare earth in the process which are good for lizards and rare cultivable weeds. Also, their stripping of tree bark would create standing dead wood for fungi and insects like stag beetles. The bison will be introduced by spring of 2022. Preparation by the charities will commence in the next 18 months, which includes establishing a fenced enclosure. The project will be funded by the People's Postcode Lottery Dream Fund.

Blean Woods

I find it very amazing that the European bison will be introduced in the United Kingdom in the coming. I had long believed and understood that these bison are native to mainland Europe. However, they happen to be closely related to the prehistoric steppe bison which once roamed Britain. This means that the introduction efforts of bison in Britain will probably not have any negative impact on the local wildlife. Conservationists pointed out the ecological benefits the bison will have on the ecosystem. For example, Paul Hadaway of Kent Wildlife Trust stated that using the bison to restore the local habitat is essential to establishing bio-abundance in the landscape. He further added that a "nature-based solution is the right one to tackling climate and nature crisis we now face." I think it would not hurt to introduce the bison on an experimental basis and closely monitor the animals to see how they are doing and how the ecosystem is functioning. This way, everyone would know the overall health of Blean Woods.

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Victory as Yellowstone's Grizzly Bears Are to Remain Federally Protected!

Grizzly bear

Grizzly bears living within the vicinity of Yellowstone National Park have long been subject of debate as to whether to keep them as endangered species or delisting them. Two years ago, a federal judge proclaimed that the bears be kept under federal protection and off-limits to state hunts. Now, the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals ruled in support of the judge's decision. The ruling came from Portland, Oregon, where the Ninth Circuit obtained plaintiffs' arguments and U.S District Court Judge Dana Christensen's declaration that the U.S Fish and Wildlife Service failed in planning to safeguard the genetic health of the Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem's grizzly population. Appeals judges also favored the district court's determination on "recalibration," i.e., changing to a different method to count grizzlies, which could have bolstered the number of bears that states aimed at during hunts. The decision has been cheered by a host of advocacy groups, Native American tribes, and other individuals who participated in the lawsuit. They included the Crow Indian Tribe and the Piikani Nation. Advocacy groups included the Humane Society of the United States (HSUS), Alliance for the Wild Rockies, National Parks Conservation Association, and WildEarth Guardians. Andrea Zaccardi, a senior attorney of the Center of Biological Diversity, maintained that the court's decision confirms that the Fish and Wildlife Service had tried too early to remove protections of grizzly bears. She also hopes that the agency will concentrate on fully reviving the bears and not stripping them of required protections.

View of the Grand Canyon of Yellowstone

I'm also very happy that the appeals court has ruled in favor of the protection of Yellowstone's grizzly bears. These majestic animals currently number about 700 animals in the Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem, where they are carefully observed and populations estimated annually. An immense number of bears lives on the peripheries of the region, and their populated range has spread regularly over the years. They have not joined with grizzly bears from the Northern Continental Divide Ecosystem, so Yellowstone's grizzlies continue to establish a remote, island population. Wyoming, which had planned to hunt its peripheral grizzlies, joined the lawsuit as an intervener. The state disagreed with the Fish and Wildlife Service over what to dispute, and unsuccessfully tried to appeal concerns that federal wildlife officials were not disputing. I think to properly manage Yellowstone's grizzly bear population would be to consult with experts and organizations of experts such as the Center for Biological Diversity. These people have the knowledge and expertise in understanding the condition of bear populations, which would help in determining whether to delist them as endangered species or not. But right now, Yellowstone's grizzly bears are to be kept under federal protection.

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India's Human-Leopard Conflict Should be Handled in a Concerted and Collected Way

Forest officials inspecting a cage trap intended to catch a leopard that recently killed a one-and-half-year old child.

In India, the leopard is the most widespread of the big cats. Its range has been known to extend close to human habitations due to people pushing into the big cat's habitat. This results in incidences of human-leopard conflicts with people either getting seriously injured or even killed. The response for such incidences by villagers is call for retaliation against the leopard and kill it in cold blood. This was the recent case in Udal village in the town of Almora, Uttarakhand where a leopard killed a one-and-half-year old child in front of its mother while playing in the courtyard of her house. The incident sparked a furious outcry among the villagers, who protested with the child's body and called for the leopard to be killed. Divisional Forest Officer (DFO) Mahatim Singh Yadav stated that a permission has been given through an order declared by the chief wildlife warden to trap or tranquilize the leopard. He further added that forest officials have also been given permission to kill the animal if they fail to catch it. The deceased's family has been given a compensation of Rs. 90,000 and the remaining amount - Rs. 2.10 lakh - would be later provided. A cage has been set up in the area where the child's body was found, along with camera traps. Another cage has been installed in the village on Wednesday. In addition to forest officials, a hunter from Uttar Pradesh's Bijnor area has been called to kill the leopard. Wildlife experts, however, found the move questionable. A wildlife expert based in Ramnagar, A.G Ansari, stated that it is only relevant to kill a leopard if it has killed five people and poses a threat. Otherwise, it would be illegal. He further pointed out that how can forest officials say if the leopard they either capture or kill is the same one that killed this child. He suggested that forest officials should focus on capturing and tranquilizing the leopard, rather than kill it.

An Indian leopard in its natural habitat

I strongly agree with Mr. Ansari's words of advice when it comes to dealing with India's growing human-leopard conflict. I firmly believe that forest officials should adhere to his advice in dealing with this recent incident in which a child lost its life to a leopard. I very much understand the pain it has inflicted upon the child's family and the entire village, but resorting to mob justice is not the way to solve the problem. All across India, whenever a person, especially a child, is killed in a leopard attack, the entire village would go on a witch hunt, find a leopard (any leopard) and ruthlessly kill it. In June 2018, villagers set a forest on fire in Uttarakhand's Harinagari area in Bageshwar district after a leopard killed a seven-year-old boy. These indiscriminate killings are intolerable! Combating human-leopard conflict in India should be done in a concerted and collected way that neither people nor leopards are harmed. This includes collaborating with wildlife experts and considering their professional advice and acting upon it. I also recommend that substantial barricades should be implemented around the peripheries of villages frequented by leopards and that villagers should be educated on why leopards resort to attacking people and what measurements should be taken to tackle any conflict issues. When a leopard attacks and injures or kills a human being, it is because human beings moved into its habitat and converted it into their community by clearing vegetation to build their houses and farmland and killing off the big cat's natural prey. This, in turn, changes the leopard's behavior and it will venture into villages to search for food. As a result, people get caught in the crossfire and therefore the big cat gets blamed for causing nuisance. It just goes to show that man-eaters are man-made.

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