Latest news with #BilalHabib
The Hindu
04-06-2025
- General
- The Hindu
In a first, WII experts collar three fishing cats in Coringa Wildlife Sanctuary in Andhra Pradesh
Experts from the Wildlife Institute of India (WII), Dehradun, have collared three endangered fishing cats (Prionailurus viverrinus) for the first time in India to study various factors such as home range, behaviour, breeding, and prey patterns of the species, in the Coringa Wildlife Sanctuary (CWS) in the Godavari estuary in Kakinada district. The Fishing Cat Collaring Project is led by conservation biologist Bilal Habib, WII-Dehradun. The collaring was done in the sanctuary in the last week of May. In Andhra Pradesh, the Coringa and Krishna sanctuaries are home to the fishing cat. By 2018, their population was 115 in the CWS, which spreads over 235 square kilometers. In 2019, the Andhra Pradesh Forest Department and WII-Dehradun had kick-started the three-year Fishing Cat Collaring Project, but it was delayed due to the COVID-19 pandemic. 'We have collared three fishing cats with lightweight equipment containing a Geographical Information System in the Coringa Wildlife Sanctuary. The equipment is expected to function for a year, if there is no damage to it,' Dr. Bilal Habib told The Hindu over phone on Wednesday. 'In India, the home range of the species has not been studied so far. The collaring project primarily aims at recording the home range of the species by tracing the collared three fishing cats for one year. This is the first time in India to collar the fishing cats in the CWS,' said Dr. Bilal Habib. In Asia, the fishing cat was collared in Bangladesh. Simultaneously, the collaring project would also enumerate the fishing cat population in the sanctuary. The WII experts and the A.P. Forest Department would capture and collar 10 fishing cats under the project in the CWS as consented by the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change. 'The collaring has been done to study and record the behavioural patterns, prey chart, breeding and feeding habits of the fishing cat. The complete movements of the collared fishing cats will be monitored till the end of the project,' said Chief Conservator of Forests, Rajahmundry, B.N.N. Murthy. The experts are also expected to record the challenges of the species during its breeding period. Fishing cat, which is aggressive by nature, is active at night in search of prey near the water bodies and lives deep inside the mangrove cover.
Time of India
02-06-2025
- Science
- Time of India
Assam: Clouded leopard caught on camera for the first time preying on Bengal slow loris
In a remarkable breakthrough for wildlife research, the first-ever photographic evidence of a clouded leopard (Neofelis nebulosa) preying on a Bengal slow loris (Nycticebus bengalensis) has been documented in Assam's Dehing Patkai National Park. Captured on December 7, 2024, by a camera trap installed by the Wildlife Institute of India (WII) in collaboration with the Assam Forest Department, this rare image offers new insights into the predatory behavior of one of Asia's most elusive big cats. The image, which was captured along a woodland route in the Digboi woodland Division's Saraipung range, shows a clouded leopard holding a Bengal slow loris by the nape. Because the clouded leopard is a nocturnal and elusive creature, it has been difficult to research its food; this new observation helps us better understand it. Read more: Goa achieves 100% literacy: How India's party capital hit this milestone Dehing Patkai National Park, upgraded from a wildlife sanctuary in 2021, spans 234.26 square kilometers and is part of the larger 937-square-kilometer Dehing Patkai Elephant Reserve. It is the only protected forest in India that hosts eight wild cat species, including the tiger, common leopard, fishing cat, golden cat, marbled cat, jungle cat, and leopard cat. The camera trap project involved dividing the park into 2-square-kilometer grids, with 95 camera traps strategically placed to monitor the feline population. This systematic approach led to the groundbreaking capture of the clouded leopard's predation event. The study's lead researcher, Bilal Habib, underlined the significance of the discovery, saying that it advances our knowledge of the diet and predatory habits of clouded leopards and emphasises the need for conservation initiatives for both species. Read more: 5 UNESCO World Heritage sites in Madhya Pradesh The nocturnal primate noted for its poisonous bite, the Bengal slow loris, is classified as "Vulnerable" on the IUCN Red List. Its observation as clouded leopard prey increases our understanding of predator-prey dynamics in this biodiverse area. This finding highlights the importance of camera traps in wildlife research by providing insight into the covert lifestyles of elusive species and guiding conservation efforts to save these distinctive residents of the northeastern rainforests of India. One step to a healthier you—join Times Health+ Yoga and feel the change
Yahoo
17-05-2025
- Science
- Yahoo
Scientists capture astonishing first-of-its-kind footage from the point of view of wild leopards: 'An intimate glimpse'
Scientists have captured remarkable footage showing the world through the eyes of wild leopards, giving us an exciting new way to protect one of India's most misunderstood animals. The Wildlife Institute of India has successfully used camera collars on leopards for the first time in the country, in Maharashtra's Junnar region, News18 reported. The project offers a unique view into how leopards navigate their world, particularly in areas where they live close to humans. WII scientist Bilal Habib and his team collected three months of video footage that will help researchers understand leopard behavior in sugarcane fields, where the cats often hide. This technology is an advancement in wildlife research, evolving past traditional radio collars to see what the animals see. These camera collars can change how we manage human-wildlife conflicts in agricultural communities. For the people of Junnar, located about 90 kilometers (56 miles) from the city of Pune, this research could help reduce dangerous encounters with leopards. Last year alone, seven people lost their lives in leopard incidents over just eight months. By understanding how leopards use the landscape, researchers can develop better safety measures for both the cats and local farmers. The video footage helps conservationists design more effective solutions like properly placed solar fencing, which protects families while allowing leopards to thrive in their natural habitat. "We have video footage that was recorded by the camera collar over a period of the last three months. We will analyze the data (that will be helpful to understand the behavior of leopards)," said Habib, who is leading the project. The team has been working in Junnar since 2019 and has identified 14 leopards in the area, with 13 receiving traditional radio collars and one getting the experimental camera collar. "For the first time in India, a camera collar has captured the world through the eyes of a wild leopard," Habib shared on social media, per News18. "This groundbreaking footage offers an intimate glimpse into the life and landscape of one of India's most elusive big cats — a remarkable step forward in blending science, technology, and conservation for deeper understanding and coexistence." Do you worry about air pollution in and around your home? Yes — always Yes — often Yes — sometimes No — never Click your choice to see results and speak your mind. Join our free newsletter for good news and useful tips, and don't miss this cool list of easy ways to help yourself while helping the planet.
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Miami Herald
30-04-2025
- Science
- Miami Herald
592 wildlife cameras running for 31 days make first-of-its-kind sighting in India
In central India, 592 camera traps running 24 hours a day for 31 consecutive days caught a single but exciting glimpse of an elusive species never before seen in that part of the country. Researchers said that in 2018 alone, they had 15,291 chances to spot the small species using camera traps, but it never revealed itself. Just after 2 a.m. on Feb. 7, a leopard cat was spotted in Pench Tiger Reserve in the Nagpur District of Maharashtra, according to an April 26 study published in the Journal of Threatened Taxa. Leopard cats — Prionailurus bengalensis — are found throughout southern and eastern Asia, researchers said, and are about the size of a house cat, but with longer legs. They occupy a wide range of habitats, including 'tropical dipterocarp, evergreen, temperate broadleaf, and coniferous forests,' as well as shrublands and grasslands, according to the study. While the species is listed as 'Least Concern' on the International Union for Conservation of Nature's Red List, it is afforded the highest level of protection in India, where it is often found in protected areas, according to the study. The sighting 'significantly' expands the known range of the species, researchers said. It also challenges some research that suggests leopard cats are unlikely to be found in areas where temperatures exceed 100.4 degrees Fahrenheit, as temperatures in Pench can reach 113 degrees in the summer, according to the study. Researchers said 'extensive studies' are needed to devise a conservation strategy for the leopard cat. The research team included Prabhu Nath Shukla, Bilal Habib, Virendra Kumar Mishra, Sumedh Lomesh Bobade, Eshaan Chaitanya Rao and Kanishka.
