Gen X eco-savvy

Our Town Team

November 17 – 23, 2006

It’s heartening to note that the young generation is aware of their responsibilities towards the nature. A youth school going girl from Bhandup showed concern towards nature and went all the way to save a turtle that had strayed in a drain in Nahur.

It all began when Rupa Gupta a student of Standard VII of NES high school in Bhandup West was travelling from Thane to Bhandup by train when she spotted a turtle lying in a drain along the tracks. Gupta immediately called up her friend Nisha Kunju, who is an animal welfare activist. Kunju also information the activists of Plant & Animals Welfare Society – Mumbai (PAWS-Mumbai) who also reached the site.

The entire team including the member of PAWS-Mumbai along with Gupta and Kunju searched the entire span of the drain along the railway track number one. Finally, after looking around for pretty long tree and half hours, the team finally succeeded in tracking down the turtle that was flowing along the current.

According to the members of PAWS-Mumbai, the rescued turtle belonged to the flattened, round – shelled turtles of the family Trionychidate that are known commonly as soft-shelled turtles. These flat-shelled turtles are well adopted to a life of concealment on the bottoms of lakes and rivers. The PAWS-Mumbai team promptly took the reptile in its care and released it in the well at the compound of forest range office at Amar Nagar in Mulund Colony. A resident of Patkar Compound, Bhandup West, Gupta and her friend Kunju were relived after the turtle was released back in the nature. When asked what prompted her to act in this situation, she said that she was inspired by her friend Kunju. “I have always been seeing Kunju working for highly inspired by her works”, said Gupta.

Monitor Lizard Found in the middle of Concrete Jungle at Malad East

The Times of India - West Side Plus
15 October 2008

A three-feet-long Monitor Lizard was rescued from Shivpuri Pragati Madanal’s concrete jungle, on Pipari Pada Road, Malad East on Friday, October 10, 2008. The lizard was regular visitor to residents of Madanal. Says Sunish Subramanian, Founder & Secretary, Plant & Animals Welfare Society- Mumbai (PAWS-Mumbai), “The monitor lizard had become a regular visitor at the homes of residents of this slum pocket. Residents of plot number 267 at Gokul Dham Market had been calling us since Wednesday, October 8. However, in spite an intensive manhunt we were unable to locate and rescue the lizard.”

Continues Subramanian, “However, finally on Friday, October 10, on receiving a call, we reached the spot immediately. But lizard escaped through a hole in one of the houses. This time with a determination to rescue it, we checked the roofs where the lizard was spotted that evening. After three hours, we located the lizard lying underneath a plastic sheet on the roof of one of the house.”

Says a resident, “At first sight, we couldn’t believe our eyes. First sight, because it was so huge, and secondly, we mistook it for a baby crocodile from its appearance. It sped so fast when we tried to reach it that we got terrified. Therefore instead of catching it ourselves, we decided to call PAWS-Mumbai members.”

PAWS-Mumbai has already informed the forest officers, and it will soon be released in the supervision of forest staff.

Resident & NGO become helping hand for an OWL……..

PAWS-Mumbai rescue team member Hussain Shaikh with Raju Kale Society Manage with rescued Owl

08.12.08 : As the breeding season of Owls is over during this period, the young Owls often nesting in the blocks on the building drainage arrangement are barely able to fly. However, to escape the heat in the block, they suddenly try to fly out. Being new to the area and flying, they fall prey to the crows, cats or to other animals. Moreover, due to people’s belief that an Owl found in there house is a bad omen, many end up hurting it says Nisha Subramanian Administrator PAWS-Mumbai.

Recently the Gem Powai Vihar C.H.S. resident found such guest in there society and they call up the PAWS-Mumbai team who guided the resident how to catch the bird, the resident successes in rescuing the bird. “As such bird was new to us & we do not know how to handle such birds, but as per the guidance of PAWS-Mumbai Office, we successes in rescuing the Bird, and hand it over to PAWS-Mumbai Team” said Society Secretary S. Devishankar.

PAWS-Mumbai rescue team member Hussain Shaikh who reached the spot said “the Owl was not injured but it was afraid & was in dehydrate condition, after giving multivitamin drop & keeping for some time in safe place. It will release back in to natural habitat”.

PAWS-Mumbai team rescued 2 Owls from Ghatkopar Area

Hon. Animal Welfare Officer Sunish Subramanian with rescued 2 Owls

On 28.11.2008 : PAWS-Mumbai rescue team received 2 calls from Ghatkopar area, following to the call PAWS-Mumbai team reached to the spot and rescued the Owls. After necessary treatment by veterinary doctor, it was released back into the nature under the supervision of Wildlife Staff.

Brave Dog Jimmy

By Azam Siddiqui

Jimmy is an eight year old Indian dog who stray with his guardian family, the Thapas on a hill in the suburbs of Guwahati city. Guwahati is a city that was rich in urban wildlife. Most of this urban wildlife has been wiped out due to land grabbing and encroachment activities that have been happening for several years now, resulting in a sharp increase of conflicts between humans and the big cats. The Thapa family, unaware of the risk brought a piece of land on a hillock and raised their hut along with their companion dogs Jimmy and Rocky. Both Jimmy and Rocky would love to trek and explore the surrounding hills and keep track of any intruders, specially the big cats. Bahadur Thapa, Jimmy’s guardian says that leopards used to be commonly sighted in the area and on a few occasions he has even seen tigers in the area.

It was in the year 2003, on a winter night. The family had supper, so did Jimmy and Rocky. Later that night, Bahadur Thapa and his family members woke up to the sound of the dogs barking. When the family came out they could not believe what they saw. The dogs were barking at a leopard in their yard ad were trying to chase him away. When the family raised an alarm, the leopard got frightened and disappeared in the jungle above, but only to be chased by an angry young dog, Jimmy. The darkness didn’t bother Jimmy and he went deep inside the forest. What followed then was a deadly ordeal. Sometime later, Jimmy returned back to his master with a blood spattered face. Bleeding from his face, ears and eyes. Jimmy lost both his eyes and ruptured his ear severely. “He’s a brave dog and fast like ligtning,” said Bahadur Thapa’s mother said, “It’s amazing what an animal will do in a time of need. He’s a pretty brave dog”.

Bahadur Thapa’s family despite being less privileged managed to get some immediate veterinary aid for Jimmy who has always been a member of their family. Three years since the event, the wound on his ear has healed though the shape of his ears has changed completely and despite being completely visually challenged, Jimmy is able to roam around in his Master’s campus quite independently. His barks and growls are enough to drive away any big cat even now. He greets every stranger with a lot of curiosity, comes close to them, sits besides them and loves to be patted. I got the privilege of meeting Jimmy a few week age. It is first that I came face to face with a real life unsung hero. I am hoping to take with me some qualified vets to see Jimmy soon, but having said that it is sad that such unsung heroes do not get rewarded or acknowledged by any agency here in India even in this age… Had Jimmy been a human child, his actions would have qualified him for the Hon’ble President’s Bravery Award, but then he is just a Man’s best friend and not a Man.

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Azam Siddiqui is an animal activist associated as Master Trainer in Animal Welfare with Animal Welfare Board of India (AWBI) and he is a Video Journalist with NDTV. He has been involved advocating animal right issues since past ten years in Assam & close associate of PAWS-Mumbai founder Sunish Subramanian