Trophy hunting is recreational hunting in which portions of captured wild animals are saved and displayed as trophies, usually displayed, to represent the success of the hunt. The "game" animal is normally a mature male specimen from a popular species (rhinos, elephants, lions, pumas, and bears) of collecting interests, usually of huge size, with impressive horns/antlers or furs/manes. Most trophies are made up of only a few components of the animal that have been prepared for exhibition by a taxidermist (the art of preserving an animal's body via mounting (over an armature) or stuffing, for the purpose of display or study). The most commonly preserved parts vary by species but typically include the head, skin/hide, tusks, horns, and antlers. Trophy hunting is supported by widespread beliefs that it is a sustainable conservation strategy that delivers considerable revenue for conservation. The sole purpose of this heinous act is pleasure. As stated by IndiaToday "Canada, South Africa, Namibia, Mexico, Zimbabwe, and New Zealand are the major countries that are the primary witnesses to trophy hunting. South Africa has the largest hunting industry worldwide and it's the second most popular source of American trophy imports. Trophy hunting has been practiced in Africa and is still practiced in many African countries." The terms of the Wild Life Protection Act of 1972 forbade hunting. Sport hunting of animals in India is prohibited.

As stated by the Ranthambore National Park,” Born in 2005 to the tiger named T20 (Jhumroo), and tigress T22 (Gayatri), T-24 (Ustad) is a mighty and attractive male tiger who ruled the Ranthambore Tiger Reserve for 9 years. He lived a happy life with his partner T-39 (Noor), and thundered about in his zone without any major competition from other male tigers, except for a few minor tiffs with his sibling T25 (Zaalim). Once a rising star of the Ranthambore Reserve, T24 was named ‘Ustad’ by the locals owing to his free spirit. He was always a bit different from other tigers and would drag his prey to the highway to eat it in full public view. He would also not move away from the path seeing humans approaching as other normal tigers do. Despite all his unconventional behavior, he was the major draw at Ranthambore National Park and was loved by wildlife lovers & photographers.” Ustad came into the limelight when he killed a veteran forest guard, Rampal Saini, on May 8, 2015. Rampal lived fearlessly amidst tigers, but, seeing the menacing ways and changing the behavior of T24 over the past few years, even he felt nervous and scared sometimes, claimed his family. On May 8, sighting Ustad at a waterbody near the 4 km Ranthambore Fort road that is frequented by many devotees visiting the Ganesha Temple inside the reserve premises, when Rampal went to look for him, he was mauled to death by the ferocious tiger. This was not the first reported attack on Ustad; he had earlier also been charged with killing two villagers in July 2010 and March 2012 respectively, and another forest guard in October 2012. According to conservationists, Dharmendra Khandal and Raza Tehsin, the ever-changing behavior of Ustad have a lot to do with him being tranquilized and confined to a cage for many continuous days, quite frequently all these years. Be it for his treatment of his injured paw, curing constipation, or placing a radio collar on him, frequent episodes of tranquilizations and injections took a toll on his natural behavior. The transfer of eight tigers from his clan to other wildlife reserves, disturbing his family structure in the early years of his life, also contributed to his wild behavior towards humans. May 2015 was the high point for villagers suffering from the rising terror of Ustad; witnessing another loss of human life by this aggressive beast, an outrage amongst villagers and forest guards was quite obvious this time. Facing the protests from villagers and other forest guards patrolling the territory of T24, Ustad was moved to Sajjangarh Biological Park in Udaipur on May 16, 2015. Located at a distance of 400 km from the Ranthambore Tiger Reserve and away from human settlements, at the biological park, Ustad was confined to a natural enclosure spread over an area of less than a hectare in contrast to the 5000 hectares of Ranthambore where he spent his life. As rightfully stated by the Ranthambore National Park, “Was the state government right on its part in taking the decision to relocate a tiger that had become a threat to human life? Was the decision of the forest department influenced by the pressure of hoteliers for whom Ustad posed to be a threat to their business? Had Ustad really turned into a man-eater? There are many more questions that remain unanswered. But, for us as humans, it’s high time now to realize the importance of maintaining a perfect balance in the ecosystem. Whether Ustad was a man-eater or not, if we do not mend our ways of poaching and interrupting the territories of these wild creatures, it may not be long before news of one more tiger killing a man hits the headlines.” To date, tigers have lost over 93% of their territory to human development and concrete jungles. In June 2022 T-24 was diagnosed with a bone tumor after being seen limping around the enclosure. In spite of efforts by the government, cancer took over him and he died on December 28, 2022. As humans it is imperative and our rightful duty to bring ecological balance rather than promote cruel acts such as hunting, poaching, wildlife tourism, etc. So, what do you think about T-24 (Ustad), Was he a man-eater? or a victim of the human-animal conflict?

Fishing nets that have been abandoned, lost, or otherwise dumped in the water are known as ghost nets. When lost or discarded fishing equipment that is no longer under a fisherman's control continues to capture and kill fish, crabs, marine mammals, sea turtles, and seabirds, this is known as ghost fishing. Once lost under the water's surface, abandoned fishing nets and traps may very well continue to ghost fish for years. These nets, frequently practically undetectable in low light, might become entangled on a stony reef or float in the open sea. Fish, dolphins, sea turtles, sharks, dugongs, crocodiles, seagulls, crabs, and other species can become entangled. When the nets do their job, they limit movement, causing malnutrition, laceration and infection, and asphyxia in those who must return to the surface to breathe. Each year, around 48,000 tonnes of ghost nets are produced, and they might stay in the waters for prolonged periods of time before breaking apart. Ghost nets entangle fish, aquatic animals, and seabirds, choking coral reefs and harming marine environments. They also pose a risk to boats by clogging propellers. It is quite challenging to locate and then remove the nets. Ghost fishing has the potential to negatively impact both target and non-target creatures, including endangered and protected species; cause damage to underwater environments such as coral reefs and benthic fauna; and contribute to marine pollution. While there are no quick solutions, the UN has proposed practical steps to combat ghost gear, including that of educating the fishing industry about the issue and giving incentives for fishermen to report missing equipment and retrieve nets found at sea.

The recent issue where a tiger was shot dead in Bihar claimed the lives of at least nine people. Such instances have shown negative human-wildlife interactions, in fact, they are increasing at an alarming rate. This is not just an issue, this is a global problem that concerns wildlife. The heart of the problem lies in human population growth. Our planet has only a finite space to be occupied or used by humans. Forests are constantly cleared to either house us, grow food, etc, which causes the above problems. animals coming into villages and attacking humans for food. We also come up with projects such as buildings, railways, etc that affect natural wildlife habits. Apart from this climate change floods, drought and wildfires displace wildlife pushing them into human habitations in looking for food, water, and shelter. One of the ways to control this problem is technology, such as warning systems to keep off animals without harm can be put to good use. More than anything it is crucial to understand that since the nature of each issue is different the solutions should be too.

Tuesday, October 4th is World Animal Day, an international day to stand up and take action for the welfare and rights of animals that are violated every second around the world. The first celebration of World Animal Day was observed in March 1925 in Berlin by cynologist (one that specializes in the care and training of dogs) Heinrich Zimmermann to address the plight of animals and initiate work towards their protection. The purpose of World Animal Day is to educate and provide awareness to the people and encourage them to take action. We all know the importance of animals, it is something that is not required to put stress upon. Wild animals, including birds, fish, insects and pollinators, are important to support the web of activity in a functioning ecosystem. They are crucial beings of our environment and from our previous articles, you may be aware of their rights that are being transgressed. Poaching, hunting, animal cosmetics, abuse, habitat destruction, tourism, killing contests, tourism, whaling, bycatch, trading, and numerous other issues must be set right. Our goal here at Aegis is to bring awareness and attention to such issues on an open platform for viewers so that they can share their opinions/ideas on it as well. So, let us come together, and bring more attention to this social movement such that serious actions are taken to save these creatures from man's greed. Happy World Animals Day!!

The basic definition of overpopulation according to Britannica is "A Situation in which the number of individuals of a given species exceeds the number that its environment can sustain." It's quite a direct understanding of the name itself. It's when the human population becomes so overly dense that it creates environmental deterioration and a lower quality of life. The top 6 most overpopulated countries are Bangladesh, China, Indonesia, Vietnam, Thailand, and India. As the human population continues to grow, it puts pressure on the environment and its resources. This, in turn, affects the animal populations. When populations exceed the carrying capacity of their environment, animals suffer from malnutrition and diseases. Furthermore, when predators become scarce due to overpopulation, the weaker species of animal starve or die in other ways. Human overpopulation also causes mass extinction and habitat loss due to deforestation as well. Human overpopulation not only affects animals but more people means an increased demand for food, water, housing, energy, healthcare, transportation, and more. All this consumption contributes to ecological degradation, increased conflicts, and a higher risk of large-scale disasters like pandemics. We can try to control such issues by providing family planning services, Improve health care to reduce infant and child mortality, Government incentives etc. For these to be implemented we must raise awareness such that it brings a change.

what exactly is ranching and what is ILLEGAL ranching? Ranching is the practice of raising herds of animals on large tracts of land. Ranchers commonly raise grazing animals such as cattle and sheep. and what is legal ranching? well, in this article for today you will know all about legal ranching. Extensive cattle ranching is the number one culprit of deforestation, yes u read that right. Illegal ranching leads to deforestation. Why are cattle ranching a problem? let's ask ourselves more questions.. like How does cattle ranching affect the rainforest? In addition to generating forest conversion, cow pastures raise the risk of fire and seriously harm riparian and aquatic ecosystems by causing soil erosion, river siltation, and organic matter contamination. How does livestock ranching cause deforestation? well as we have studied The rainforest land, which previously served as a repository for biological diversity, is being turned into an eroding wasteland by overgrazing and nutrient loss. so, what is your conclusion about Illegal ranching?

s we all know, elephants are magnificent animals. It's a creature like none other. They have incredible capabilities and abilities. Their strength, beauty, intelligence, body system, etc. Unfortunately, once again in another circumstance amongst numerous others, we humans are taking advantage of them. Have you ever heard of Elephant Painting? you may have seen it on Facebook or Whatsapp, where an elephant is seen painting on a canvas, live. But many do not know what goes on behind the scenes in "preparing" these elephants to perform such acts. Elephant painting is most common in Thailand and people from all over the world come just to see this. But, what really goes on behind elephant painting? To make elephants learn demeaning tricks, handlers beat, shock, and punish them. Through pain and fear, elephants are forced to learn confusing routines that have no connection to their natural instincts and conduct. Enduring stress and trauma can lead these animals to exhibit abnormal and harmful types of behavior, such as constant swaying and increased aggression. if an elephant paints incorrectly, they are beaten, either with a bullhook or physically hit on its head or trunk. Due to such practices elephants end up dying decades before their natural life expectancy rate. In Thailand, baby elephants are put through a process called Phajaan. It's the process of breaking an elephant's spirit and crushing its soul. Phajaan literally means crushing in Thai. It's a form of sustained and endless torture designed to bend a baby elephant to the will of the humans who have captured them. These types of shows are mostly held in roadside zoos which we have also written about. What can you do? Completely avoid roadside zoos or any other places where wild animals are exploited and tortured for human profit. Spread awareness regarding such topics so it can reach more people.

A ship strike, also referred to as a vessel strike is when is a collision between any type of boat and marine animal, including whales, dolphins, sea turtles, fish, seals, or sea lions. Vessels of any shape or size could strike, kill or even injure marine animals. All species of marine mammals are at risk of vessel strike, including and especially large whales. According to a research study conducted by Non-profit NGO Friend of the Sea, a whopping 12,000 whales are killed annually due to ship strikes and this is a very alarming situation taking into consideration the fact that whale species such as the North Atlantic Right whale, orcas, blue whales, sperm whales, humpback whale and many more. Another disturbing factor caused by ship strikes is the underwater noise created by shipping can stop whales from being able to communicate with each other and can interfere with their navigation, causing them to be disoriented or isolated from the rest of their group. Prolonged exposure to loud sounds may even result in hearing loss or injury. To avoid underwater noise, whales or dolphins may leave areas where food is plentiful, or the calm waters that offer protection for nursing their young. When this happens, whales and their calves may lose out on opportunities to feed or rest and gain strength, putting their long-term survival at risk as said by WWF. Some of the ways to avoid ship strikes are to keep a sharp lookout, carefully watch the speed of the vessel when entering a populated area, keep distance, communicate, and slow your boat immediately if any animal is spotted

Water scarcity as we know is when there is a lack of sufficient water resources to meet the required need of it in a particular region. According to WWF, 1.1 billion people worldwide lack access to water and a total of 2.7 billion finds water scarce for at least one month of the year. Not only do animals die due to thirst, but the drought also causes a weak immune system in the animals which in turn leads to a higher number of infectious and parasitic diseases. In India, Due to the severe drought condition, the water bodies situated in the forests have become dry. These reserve forests account for wild animals such as elephants, tigers, and spotted deer. Many endangered species of animals are getting extinct due to water scarcity. According to the Ground Report, the top regions in India that are facing water scarcity are Maharashtra, Gujarat, Karnataka, Jharkhand, Andhra Pradesh, Rajasthan, Uttar Pradesh, Tamil Nadu, and Delhi. Some of the top solutions that have been found to be most practical to help with the crisis of water scarcity are recycling wastewater, attaining new conservation technologies, water pricing, rainwater harvesting, community governance, and partnerships, improving water management systems, developing and implementing water policies, address and provide education and awareness regarding this crisis.

Let's go back to the history and take an overview of what exactly happened, and why it happened. Selective breeding began about 10,000 years ago, after the end of the last Ice Age. Hunter-gatherers began to keep flocks and herds and cultivate cereals and other plants. This process of domestication was probably stimulated by a combination of human population pressure and environmental stress caused by a rapid change in the climate. Humans have selectively bred plants and animals for thousands of years including: crop plants with better yields ornamental plants with particular flower shapes and colors farm animals that produce more, better quality meat or wool dogs with particular physiques and temperaments, suited to do jobs like herd sheep or collect pheasants. Selective breeding often involves breeding individuals that are closely related, known as inbreeding?. Inbred populations are more likely to suffer from genetic conditions caused by recessive gene variants because they are more likely to inherit two copies of the recessive variants, one from each parent. What is the difference between natural selection and artificial selection? Natural selection as said is any selective process that occurs due to the fitness of an organism to its environment. basically chosen by nature. Whereas artificial selection is the selective breeding, imposed by an outside entity, typically humans, in order to increase the frequency of desired traits.

Whales, what fascinating creatures right? Their shape, size, features, qualities and body systems are all so unique. As defined by wikipedia, whales are a widely distributed and diverse group of fully aquatic placental marine mammals. Their scientific name goes by Cetacea. Whales travel around the entire worlds oceans communicating through their mysterious and composite sounds. The three main types of sounds made by whales are clicks, whistles, and pulsed calls. One of the largest species of whales. the Blue whale can reach lengths of more than 100 feet and also weigh unto 200 tons which is equivalent to 33 full grown elephants. Like humans whales breathe air even if they live in the water and are warm blooded animals. Whales consist of a thick layer of fat called blubber that insulates them from the cold ocean waters. The current status of the population of whales is unfortunately endangered, due to the imminent threats such as bycatch, commercial whaling, habitat loss etc.

By the name itself, we can depict what a forest fire is. Forest fires can either be caused by man or nature. It's an unplanned, uncontrolled fire in an area of combustible vegetation, that spreads fast and is disastrous to nature. Climate change makes the wildfires even worse due to the dry and hot weather. Some animals do die in the flames of wildfires, mostly the elderly and very young animals who can’t escape. However, the majority of wildlife mortalities come after the fire is out, due to the loss of important habitat and food sources burned in the fire. The burns create a new type of habitat, usually open areas where dense forests used to be that are quickly colonized by grasses and shrubs. This creates an opportunity for invasive species to move in before native species get the chance, which can have harmful impacts on the landscape. For the animals that are trapped in the wildlife the impacts, it has on the animal can be life-threatening. The thick smoke from the fire can disorient animals, cause eye irritation and even breathing issues. Yes, forest fires are part of the lifecycle, but due to the fact that climate change is increasing every day, the intensity of a potential forest fire in the future may be brutal towards flora and fauna.

Currently, our page discusses many aspects of wildlife welfare. Today's article provides a "summary" of wildlife welfare. "Protection of a living creature's welfare means providing for its physical and mental needs. Other terms such as animal care and animal husbandry may be used to describe the treatment it receives." Throughout our AEGIS page, we discuss the physical and mental needs of animals, environmental issues that must be dealt with, websites that can help and call of action. There is always confusion between animal rights and animal welfare, lets's talk about it : Animal welfare supports the use of animals by humans and seeks to improve their treatment and well-being, basically using our voice for animals. Animal Rights is based on the view that animals have similar or the same rights as humans, that is : Humans = animals, being scientific, we evolved from animals. without them we are nothing!

There is high demand for pangolins in countries like China and Vietnam, as well as their meat and scales, which are used in traditional medicine. The large-scale illegal trade in Asian pangolins is drastically driving down their numbers, and pangolin trafficking is now huge (and illegal) business. The pangolin is now classified as Vulnerable to Critically Endangered. World Pangolin Day is celebrated every third Saturday in February to raise awareness about this shy, elusive mammal covered in hard scales from tip to tail. A new hub for the illegal trade of the world's most trafficked mammal is - the Internet.

Now, we all know that there is an animal extinction crisis happening worldwide. The extinction of any species is an irreversible loss of part of our Earth’s biodiversity. Extinction can be a natural occurrence caused by an unpredictable catastrophe. As of right now, the main cause for animal extinction is humans, as we are the cause of global environmental change. The main modern causes of extinction are the loss and degradation of habitat (mainly deforestation), overexploitation (hunting, overfishing), invasive species, climate change, and nitrogen pollution. Scientists predict that more than 1 million species are on track for extinction in the coming decades and the reason for that will remain humans. As we are facing a global extinction crisis, a lot of the damage has already been done. Due to our greed, desire for money, and joy/entertainment we are endangering thousands of species and killing our ecosystem. An animal has rights and it’s important that we be their voice for them. It’s important to come together, make our voices heard not just for animals' rights, but also to keep our Earth’s ecosystem alive and healthy.