Both Jai and Viru were star attraction of Nagzira and were sighted last year by almost all the tourists. Jai has not been seen in Nagzira since July 2013. Paoni RFO claimed that a male tiger was regularly seen in Paoni since June.

Bahekar says Nagzira and New Nagzira wildlife sanctuaries have only two tigresses. According to observation, Mai, mother of Jai, and another female Alpha, is seen with three cubs.

Migration of Jai confirms corridor between Nagzira-Umred-Karhandla-Tadoba. The tiger probably travelled an aerial distance of around 75km through Nagzira, New Nagzira, Kisanpur, Kardi, Kesalwada and Koka. Later, it crossed national highway No. 6 between
Bhandara and Sakoli followed by Vainganga river to reach Umred-Karhandla sanctuary's Paoni range in Bhandara district.

The path between this corridor is fragmented at several places with huge human settlements and agriculture fields. Tigers must be dispersing through this corridor regularly.

Leading NGO Wildlife Trust of India (WTI) has already submitted a report to the forest department on corridors between Nagzira-Navegaon-Tadoba in 2011. Bahekar says his group monitored Jai since April 23, 2011.

Read more at  http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/home/environment/flora-fauna/Nagzira-tiger-migrates-to-Umred-Karhandla-sanctuary/articleshow/23621645.cms

Researchers from the Sirsi forest college, Karnataka, along with Goan researchers have discovered critically endangered trees in a forest area at Bibtyan, Brahma Karmali, inside the Mhadei wildlife sanctuary in Sattari taluka.

The critically endangered trees are known as the Semecarpus kathalekanensis .

Only less than 200 trees are remaining in the entire world. All the five known habitats are in the Western Ghats, four in Uttar Kannada of Karnataka and one which is recently confirmed in Goa. It is a critically endangered species as stated by the international
union of conservation network (IUCN).

Read More at http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/goa/Critically-endangered-trees-found-in-Sattari/articleshow/24166069.cms

"Elephants damaged a vast area of paddy field in Majuli last night. Forest officials rushed to the affected areas and they started patrolling the area."

"Last night, the elephants created panic among the villagers. We rushed to the spot and chased the herd away from the human habitation. Both people and property are now safe from the herd's attack," he said, adding that 17 forest staff are on duty in Majuli. 

Read More at http://articles.timesofindia.indiatimes.com/2013-10-07/guwahati/42793410_1_destroys-crops-herd-majuli-island

But why the sudden interest in the bird? "The first week of October is usually celebrated in India as Wild Week. We thought the time was ripe to try and rediscover the bird," says Paramjit Singh, chief conservator of forests, Kumaon Division.

The Himalayan Quail, also called the Mountain Quail, was a medium-sized species from the pheasant family. The male of the species was dark grey with black speckles and white forehead. The female was brownish, with dark streaks and greyish brow. The red-coloured
bill and legs distinguished it from other quail species. Its 10-feathered tail was longer, nearly as long as the wing, than in most quails. It lived in coveys of five or six and favoured steep hillsides covered by long grass. Ornithologists have recorded that
the Himalayan Quail was very rarely seen in the open, except at dawn or dust. It would rather run than fly when escaping danger, and its wings did not seem designed for flying long distances.

The quail was seen in the mid-19th century, primarily in the vicinity of Nainital, Mussourie and Jharipani. It is not known to have inhabited other forests of the country.

It was a popular game bird. It was sought out by British officers for their leisure hunting. Mass killing of the bird probably led to its extinction around the 1870s. Around five preserved specimens of the bird can be seen in London's Natural History Museum.
There are 11 preserved bodies of the bird in India.

The forest department's hopes of rediscovering the quail rest on the numerous unconfirmed sightings over the years. Fuelling the Uttarakhand foresters' hopes is also the fact that the International Union for Conservation of Nature, or IUCN, has not formally
declared the Himalayan Quail extinct.

Read More at http://www.business-standard.com/article/beyond-business/in-search-of-the-missing-himalayan-quail-113100700016_1.htm

The island is a prime destination for several marine fish species to spawn. A large concentration of juvenile fish can always be found within the mangrove protection of the island.

The destruction of the mangroves will lead to the coastal areas getting exposed to erosion, flooding, and storm damage; altered natural drainage patterns; increased salt intrusion; and destruction of critical habitats for many aquatic and terrestrial species,
with serious implications for biodiversity, conservation, and food security.

Read More at  http://www.thehindu.com/news/national/kerala/estuarine-mangrove-forest-under-reclamation-threat/article5207415.ece

Hoshing said that though it is well known that none of the lizards found in India are venomous, the superstitions about geckos being poisonous persists. "Another common misconception about reptiles is that bright coloured snakes are always venomous, but
there are several snakes such as the Royal snake, which has brilliant colours, but is non-venomous. Some superstitions about these creatures now threaten their very existence," he said.

"There is a belief that if spiny-tailed lizards are boiled in oil, it can be applied on joints to cure arthritis. There is no basis for this belief, but it persists. As a result these lizards are caught, their spines removed and then boiled alive in oil
and peddled as a medicinal mixture," Hoshing said.

Hoshing's lecture was interspersed with information about curious phenomenon such as how snakes utilize their tongues and the Jacobson's organ "to smell" their prey or the process of moulting - the shedding of skins that is done by nearly all reptiles.
"There is a need to spread awareness about reptiles and snakes," he said.

In the past snakes used to be extensively hunted for their skin. Today, the trade in exotic snake skin has gone down but the number of these reptiles continues to decline because of habitat loss, he said.

Hoshing rued that research on reptiles and amphibians in India is limited with most of the studies concentrated on birds and mammals

Read More at   http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/pune/Reptiles-existence-threatened-by-superstitions-Researcher/articleshow/23618051.cms