Canadian citizen Binny N (centre) along with Vinit Arora (in blue) and wildlife officials ?

Canadian citizen Binny N, who has been staying in Nagpur since the lockdown was first imposed in March 2020, has donated a bird aviary to the transit treatment centre (TTC) run by the forest department at Seminary hills. Recognising her contribution, the aviary has been named after her.

The aviary was inaugurated by Sunil Limaye, PCCF, wildlife, in presence of CCF Nagpur territorial circle Kalyan Kumar, DCF Nagpur Bharat Singh Hada, Pramod Panchbhai, DFO, Gorewada, RFO Rescue GN Jadhav, Kundan, Hate Member of wildlife advisory board and Vinit Arora.

Binny, who has been an animal lover since childhood, has been instrumental in rescuing birds, wild animals and other animals in distress. In one of the most noble endeavors, she stepped forward again to help the speechless creatures by donating the bird aviary.

Vinit Arora, wildlife conservationist and secretary of NGO named Srushti Paryawaran Mandal, informed that on two occasions Binny had come forward to save an Indian rock pigeon and three-striped palm squirrel babies in the past. This time she has donated the aviary to treat injured birds, which are rescued by the TTC team for treatment and then are released in the natural habitat.

Binny said: “Mostly, the birds are kept in cages and small makeshift enclosures where they are deprived of flight practice. The bird aviary will help the injured birds get good flight practice before release in their natural habitat.” She added, As long as I am in Nagpur, I want to help the birds and other animals here.”

Representational Image (Picture by: Amit Shelke)?

Khali (T50), the tiger from Tadoba-Andhari Tiger Reserve (TATR) buffer zone, succumbed to his injuries at the Gorewada Rescue Centre in Nagpur on Monday morning.

On May 8, Khali was hit by a speedig vehicle on Padmapur-Agarzari road. The tiger was seriously injured in the accident with his hind legs completely paralysed. A team found the 10-year-old tiger on May 10 after which he was shifted to Gorewada Rescue Centre for treatment under the supervision of veterinarians.

Khali’s autopsy waas done in the presence of Dr Madhuri Hedau from Nagpur Veterinary Hospital, Kundan Hate (Member, Maharashtra State Wildlife Board), Anil Kumar Dashare (Representative, National Tiger Conservation Authority), Dr Shirish Upadhyay and other officials. After the autopsy, Khali’s last rites were performed.

It is to be noted that this is the 26th tiger death in Maharashtra in the last six months. Also, Khali was the third tiger to be injured in a road accident in the last three months. 

Representational Image (Picture by: Amit Shelke)

Surya (T9), the dominant tiger of Umred Karhandla Paoni Wildlife Sanctuary (UKPWS) situated in Nagpur district, on Saturday killed one of the three cubs of Collarwali (T1) tigress and later completely consumed the flesh of the eight-month-old cub.

The Indian Express quoted Range Forest Officer Ramdas Nimbekar as saying: Surya is believd to have killed and eaten one of the three cubs of Collarwali tigress. We have found only a small part of one of the cubs limbs and his chin on the spot. Nimbekar also informed that Collarwali and her two cubs were spotted by tourists on Sunday evening and the forest officials are looking for them.

For the uninitiated, tigers are known to kill cubs not fathered by them and then have their own offspring by mating with the mother. However, cannibalism in tigers is still a subject of debate and study.

Surya was born to the famous tigress Maya in Tadoba-Andhari Tiger Reserve in Chandrapur district. He had later moved to UKPWS. Apparently, it is now the first time Surya has consumed another tigers flesh. TOI quoted Ravikiran Govekar, Chief Conservator of Forests (CCF) and Field Director of Pench, as saying, On November 23 last year, Surya had killed a tigress and removed latters fetuses. Surya then dragged the carcass in a nearby nullah and also consumed its flesh.