At a time when most of its water bodies are drying up due to the scorching heat, Delhi is witnessing a rare wildlife phenomenon at Shanti Van where nearly a dozen species of South Asian waterbirds have found a safe refuge in a small seasonal wetland which
is still alive. Ecologist T. K. Roy is thrilled at the development and says it is rare for such waterbirds to be found in Delhi at this time of the year. “Wetlands, whether big or small, seasonal or perennial are very important for the aquatic ecosystem, biodiversity
and waterbirds’ habitat. While wetlands in Delhi either get completely dried up or are quickly degrading, the seasonal wetland in the middle of Shanti Van, which usually is full of waterbirds during winters but dries up in the summer months, has sprung a surprise
this time round.”

Mr. Roy, who is involved with the annual waterbird census in Delhi, says: “Among the waterbirds which can still be seen at Shanti Van wetland are the spotbill duck, little cormorant, little grebe, white-breasted waterhen, black-winged stilt, common moorhen,
little egret, intermediate egret, red-wattled lapwing, white-throated kingfisher, cattle egret and pond heron.”

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http://www.thehindu.com/news/cities/Delhi/delhi-plays-host-to-south-asian-winged-visitors/article4742382.ece

A bearcat, a rare species of climbing mammals, was captured in Nagaon district and shifted to a rehabilitation centre, officials said on Wednesday.

"The sub-adult male (around 1.5-metre-long) had reportedly entered a house in Aahomgaon village on the outskirts of Laokhowa Wildlife Sanctuary, in Nagaon district," an official said. "The locals then handed it over to the police, who in turn informed
the Forest Department," said an official.

The bearcat, also called 'binturong', has been shifted to the Centre for Wildlife Rehabilitation and Conservation (CWRC), near Kaziranga National Park in Golaghat district.

Officials said this is for the first time in the CWRC's decade-long history that this species has showed up.

"One of our veterinarians brought the animal from Nagaon to CWRC in Golaghat. The animal appears healthy except that it is blinded in one eye, which looks like a congenital deformity. We are hoping to release the animal and possibly monitor it to learn
more about this rare mammal," said veterinarian Anjan Talukdar.

Threatened by habitat loss and poaching, this species inhabits areas south of Brahmaputra river in northeast India.

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http://www.assamtribune.com/scripts/detailsnew.asp?id=may2313/at048

The Assam government has decided to set up a police station exclusively to deal with wildlife-related crime in the state.

State environment and forest minister Rockybul Hussian said chief minister Tarun Gogoi has agreed to the idea of opening a police station to deal with wildlife crime. He added that the first police station to tackle crime related to wildlife would be set
up at Kohra near Kaziranga National Park. He added that two more such police stations would also be set up at Manas National Park and Pobitora Wildlife Sanctuary.

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http://articles.timesofindia.indiatimes.com/2013-05-24/guwahati/39501505_1_wildlife-crime-police-stations-pobitora-wildlife-sanctuary

Delay in setting up sewage treatment plants doing the damage, says NEERI

Sewage generated across Mumbai — over 2,600 million litres a day — is causing the damage. It flows out of your homes through seven treatment plants — Colaba, Worli, Bandra, Versova, Malad, Ghatkopar and Bhandup. About 45% of untreated human waste is flushed
into two creeks and the Arabian Sea.

The existing treatment plants need an upgrade to keep pace with the city’s burgeoning population. Had a sewage treatment plant been installed, it would have filtered the waste before the water gushes out into the sea.

The seven existing facilities are old and need upgrading, admits Ashok Mhatre, chief engineer of Mumbai Sewage Disposal Project – a Rs4,000 crore World Bank-sponsored plan. “The upgrading project has not yet kicked off. At three of the existing plants,
we cannot start work due to problems, including encroachment and land disputes,” said Mhatre.

Read more at

http://www.dnaindia.com/mumbai/1838753/report-mumbai-marine-life-on-deathbed-thanks-to-govt-apathy

Railways' decision to enhance Dudhwa's rail network may be aimed at giving wildlife tourism a boost, but it is likely to make animals lose their peace. The metre gauge line that runs through the national park is a part of the Mailani-Bahraich rail track
which would be taken up for a gauge conversion survey. The metre gauge line, at present, has six pair of trains running on it, two pairs being Express trains. But, with the Mailani-Bahraich track being recommended for a gauge conversion survey, the number
of trains passing through the wildlife area would increase in years to come.

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http://articles.timesofindia.indiatimes.com/2013-05-27/lucknow/39556721_1_railway-track-rail-track-dudhwa-tiger-reserve

Named after the otters it once hosted, the perennial Udnhaim River in Dabal, the main source of irrigation for large tracts of horticultural and agricultural lands in the Kirlapal-Dabal panchayat area, is fast drying up.

Worried locals say this year's declined flow has confounded them. "In the past the drop in water level was blamed on mining activities, but since October 2012 there has been a ban on mining, yet the level is low. We can't understand it," says former sarpanch
Ramakant Gaonkar. He says it's been so bad this year that villagers have had to request a private mining company to release water stored in their bandharas so that the farms and plantations didn't dry up.

Read more at

http://articles.timesofindia.indiatimes.com/2013-05-28/goa/39579481_1_water-level-basin-water-issue