Common Vine Snake rescued from BARC

Lokmat Hello Mumbai . Front Page . Friday . 6 August 2010

भरकटलेल्या 40 सापांची जंगलात पाठवणी

प्रहार प्रतिनिधी

वन अधिका-यांच्या मार्गदर्शनाखाली ‘प्लान्ट्स अँड अ‍ॅनिमल वेल्फेअर सोसायटी’च्या (पॉज) सदस्यांनी या सापांना पकडून जंगलात सोडले आहे. मुंबईतील विविध भागांत नाग, घोणस, फुरसे, मण्यार, हरण टोळ, धामण, दिवड, नानेटी, कुकरी, काविदा, डुरक्या घोणस, अजगर या जातीतील साप आढळले आहेत.

मुंबई- पावसाचे पाणी शिरल्याने बिळातील वास्तव्य धोक्यात आल्यामुळे मुंबईतील नागरी वसाहतीत विविध जातींचे 40 साप आढळून आले होते. वन अधिका-यांच्या मार्गदर्शनाखाली ‘प्लान्ट्स अँड अ‍ॅनिमल वेल्फेअर सोसायटी’च्या (पॉज) सदस्यांनी या सापांना पकडून जंगलात सोडले आहे. मुंबईतील विविध भागांत नाग, घोणस, फुरसे, मण्यार, हरण टोळ, धामण, दिवड, नानेटी, कुकरी, काविदा, डुरक्या घोणस, अजगर या जातीतील साप आढळले आहेत.

जुलै महिन्यामध्ये मुलुंड, भांडुप, कांजुर मार्ग, घाटकोपर, चेंबूर, बीएआरसी आदी भागांतून 40 साप पकडण्यात आले. याबाबत ‘पॉज’ संस्थेचे संचालक सुनीश सुब्रमणिअन यांनी सांगितले की, मुंबईत होणारी जंगलतोड आणि बांधकामे यामुळे सापांचे आश्रय स्थान धोक्यात आले आहे. त्यामुळे सुरक्षित ठिकाणांचा शोध घेताना अनेकदा साप शहरी भागात प्रवेश करून कचरा साचलेल्या ठिकाणी, झाडाझुडपांमध्ये, मातीच्या ढिगा-यांमध्ये वास्तव्य करतात. त्यामुळे पावसाळ्यात रहिवाशांनी आपल्या घराचे दरवाजे बंद ठेवावे तसेच घराच्या खिडक्यांना शक्य असल्यास जाळी बसवावी. परिसरात साप आढळल्यास त्याना ठार न करता,‘ पॉज मुंबई रेस्क्यू हेल्पलाइन’ 9892179542 / 9833480388 क्रमांकावर संपर्क साधावा.

Website link : http://www.prahaar.in/mumbai/28091.html

Kingfisher got new life !

Lokmat Hello Mumbai . Monday . 02 August 2010 . Front Page

MCGM ignores croc carcass in city’s lake

Thursday, July 01, 2010

MCGM and SGNP plays ping-pong over the carcass of a crocodile who was found floating in Powai Lake The increasing pollution in Powai Lake has reached a point that it is endangering the aquatic life of the lake, according to experts. The comments come after a carcass of a crocodile was found floating in the lake near Ganesh Garden since four days. On Wednesday local residents and visitors to the lake complained of the stench emanating from the rotting carcass to the hydraulic department of the Municipal Corporation for Greater Mumbai (MCGM) and the forest department of Sanjay Gandhi National Park (SGNP). “More than four days the authorities denied taking responsibility by tossing the complaint into each others court. The MCGM said SGNP is responsible, while SGNP blamed the civic officials to clear the mess,” said Sunish Subramanian, senior member with Plants and Animal Welfare Society (PAWS). After tireless efforts taking by the volunteers of PAWS and local residents, chief forest officer from SGNP ordered the carcass to be removed. “The team of doctors will remove the carcass and perform a on-site autopsy to determine the cause of death,” added Shree Bhagwan, the chief conservator of SGNP. The incident of the carcass of the top predator from the lake floating isn’t the first of its kind. Previously a 13-feet long carcass of a male crocodile has washed ashore near the isolated north banks of the lake. “The lake has depleted levels of oxygen and no fishes. As fishes remain the primary prey of the crocs, scarcity of them results in hunger and heavy pollutants dissolved in lake poisons the crocs,” explained Gordon Rodricks, General Secretary of the Maharashtra State Angling Association (MSAA). The MSAA has now planned to revive the eco-system of the lake by various plans including introduction of 10,000 spawn of new fishes and installing aerators of fresh oxygen. Efforts from MSAA are the proactive steps to protect the endangered population of the Indian Marsh Crocodile. “The Indian crocs are a Schedule 1 (read Grade 1) reptiles under the Wildlife Act. The crocs are on par with the tigers and were once hunted to extinction for its hide and meat,” explained Rodricks. Website link : http://www.mumbaimirror.com/article/158/201007012010070118533986424b0d49f/MCGM-ignores-croc-carcass-in-city%E2%80%99s-lake.html