Survey

DATE: 18 JANUARY 2017

th

PLACE: ZOOLOGICAL GARDEN

ALIPORE
TIMING: 9:30 AM TO 11:30 AM

TOPIC: An environment survey work on

the animals with special reference to
the ENDANGERED SPECIES in ALIPORE
ZOOLOGICAL GARDEN at KOLKATA

TEACHERS ACCOMPANIED: Prof. ARIJIT

CHAKRABORTY, Prof. PRIYANKA
JAISWAL, Prof. MOUMITA DEY, Prof.
SUKANTA PORIA, Prof. JAYA RAM, Prof.
GAURAV DAS

GROUP MEMBERS: ADITYA JAISWAL,

DEEPAK BEHRA, CHETAN TAMBI AND
FEW OTHERS
 University Of
Calcutta
Environmental
Studies
Field Work Report on

Acharya Jagadish Chandra Bose

College

Name of the student

Course Year

College Roll No

C.U.Registration No

C.U.Roll No
Content

SERIAL No. DESCRIPTION PAGE No.

 1. INTRODUCTION

2. ALIPORE ZOOLOGICAL GARDENS

3. SURVEY ON ENDANGERED SPECIES

ROYAL BENGAL TIGER

BARKING DEER
SPOTTED DEER
ZEBRA
CHIMPANZEE
GIRAFFE

4.
CONCLUSION

5.
ACKNOWLEDGEMENT

Introduction
An endangered species is a species which has been categorized
as likely to become extinct. Endangered (EN), as categorized by
the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) Red
List, is the second most severe conservation status for wild
populations in the IUCN's schema after Critically Endangered
(CR).

In 2012, the IUCN Red List featured 3079 animal and 2655 plant
species as endangered (EN) worldwide.The figures for 1998
were, respectively, 1102 and 1197.

Many nations have laws that protect conservation-reliant

species: for example, forbidding hunting, restricting land
development or creating preserves. Population numbers, trends
and species' conservation status can be found in the lists of
organisms by population.

Conservation status

The conservation status of a species indicates the likelihood

that it will become extinct. Many factors are considered when
assessing the conservation status of a species; e.g., such
statistics as the number remaining, the overall increase or
decrease in the population over time, breeding success rates,
or known threats. The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species is
the best-known worldwide conservation status listing and
ranking system.

Over 40% of the world's species are estimated to be at risk of

extinction. Internationally, 199 countries have signed an accord
to create Biodiversity Action Plans that will protect endangered
and other threatened species. In the United States, such plans
are usually called Species Recovery Plans.

Alipore Zoological Gardens

The Alipore Zoological Gardens (also informally called the
Alipore Zoo or Calcutta Zoo) is Indias oldest formally stated
zoological park(as opposed to royal and British manageries)
and abig tourist attraction in Kolkata, West Bengal. It has been
open as a zoo since 1876, and covers 18.81 ha(46.5 acres). It is
probably best known as the home of the now expired Aldabra
gaint tortoise Adwaita, which was reputed to have been over
250 years old when it died in 2006. It is also home to one of the
few captive breeding projects involving the Manipur brow-
antlered deer. One of the most popular tourist attractions in
Kolkata. It draws huge crowds during the winter season,
especially during december and january . the highest
attendence till date was on December 25,2016 with 81,000
visitors.
Laid out on 18 ha( 45 acres) of land, the Calcutta zoo has been
unable ton expand or modify its layout for over 50 years, and
thus has a rather backdated plan. It contains a Reptile House(a
new one has been built), a Primate House,An Elephant House,
and a Panthar House which opens out onyto nthe open sir
enclosures for the lions and tigers.It also boasts of a glass-
walled enclosure for tigers, the first of its kind in India. A
separate Childrens zoo is present,and the central water bodies
inside the zoo grounds attracts migratory birds.
SURVEY ON ENDANGERED
SPECIES

BENGAL TIGER
SCIENTIFIC NAME: Panthera tigris tigris
TYPE: Mammals
DIET: Carnivores
SIZE: Head and body, 5 to 6 ft; tail, 2 to 3 ft
WEIGHT: 240 to 500 lbs
SIZE RELATIVE TO A 6-FT MAN:
LIFE SPAN: The Bengal Indian tigers in the wild live for about 10
to 15 years while tigers in zoos usually live between 16 and 20.
years. Facts about Bengal Indian Tiger: - The appearance of this
animal is amazing. They have orange or yellow and black
stripes and weigh 400-575 pounds.AVERAGE LIFE SPAN IN THE
WILD: 8 to 10 years
HOME
The Bengal tiger (Panthera tigris tigris or Panthera tigris
bengalensis) is sometimes known as the Royal Bengal tiger and
is a subspecies of tiger. The Bengal tiger is the second largest
and the most common tiger subspecies. The Bengal tiger is
primarily found in Bangladesh, India and also in Nepal, Bhutan,
Myanmar and in southern Tibet.
The Bengal tiger inhabits in grasslands, subtropical and tropical
rainforests (mostly Asian rainforests), scrub forests, wet and dry
deciduous forests and mangroves. The Bengal tiger is the
national animal of India and Bangladesh.
CHARACTERISTICS
An average male Bengal tigers weigh around 420 pounds. The
Bengal tiger has a body length of 6 feet and a tail length of 3
feet and therefore has a total length of 9 feet long. A female
Bengal tiger is only 310 pounds and 8 feet long including tail.
Bengal tigers are incredibly strong and are able to drag their
prey almost half a mile even though the prey may be heavier
than itself.
A tigers coat can actually take on a variety of colours. The
standard colours of a Bengal tiger are an orange body with
black stripes coming down the sides. The two most common
variations are the White Bengal tiger and the Golden Tabby. The
Golden Tabby is a whitish yellow colour, with amber stripes
coming down the sides. Tigers have large fangs for killing and
maiming prey.
Bengal tigers have the longest canine teeth of any living felid
measuring approximately 4 inches (100 millimetres) in large
individuals. A canine tooth of a tiger is larger and longer than
that of a similar-sized lion. Bengal tigers also have large,
retractable claws that allow them to climb and kill prey. Their
stripes help them camouflage as they stalk their prey. Bengal
tigers have excellent vision and good hearing.
The heaviest Bengal Tiger ever reported was 389.5 kilograms.
Female Bengal tigers are considerably smaller and have an
average weight of 141 kilograms (310 pounds), but they can
weigh up to 180 kilograms (400 pounds).
DISTRIBUTION AND HABITAT
Found all over India except North Western regions, Nepal,
Bangladesh and Myanmar. Lives in varied habitats including
mangrove forests nocturnal solitary carnivorous and loves
water.
A Bengal tiger in Ranthambhore National Park, India. ... In the
Indian subcontinent, tigers inhabit tropical moist evergreen
forests, tropical dry forests, tropical and subtropical moist
deciduous forests, mangroves, subtropical and temperate
upland forests, and alluvial grasslands.
FEEDING HABITS
Bengal tigers are carnivores which means they eat meat rather
than plants. Bengal tigers hunt medium-sized and large-sized
animals, such as wild boar (an omnivorous mammal), sambar
(a kind of deer), barasingha (a kind of deer), chital (a spotted
deer), nilgai (an antelope), gaur (a large ox of South Asia) and
water buffalo.
Bengal tigers sometimes prey on smaller animals like hares,
monkeys or peacocks and carrion (the carcass of a dead
animal). Bengal tigers have also been known to prey on young
Asian Elephants and rhino calves in rare cases.
Bengal tigers have also been known to take other predators
such as leopards, wolves, jackals, foxes, crocodiles and dholes
(a species of wild dog) as prey, although these predators are
not typically a part of the Bengal tigers diet.
Bengal tigers kill their prey by overpowering their victim and
severing the spinal cord (preferred method for smaller prey), or
applying a suffocation bite of the throat for large prey. The
Bengal tiger can consume up to about 30 kilograms (66
pounds) of meat at a time and then can survive up to three
weeks without food
REPRODUCTION
A female Bengal tiger usually has her first cubs at about 3 or 4
years old. Gestation for a female tiger usually lasts about 3 or 4
months. After this time she gives birth to an average litter of
about 2 to 5 cubs. It is not unusual though to have as many as
6, or only one. Newborn cubs are blind at birth and weigh about
2 or 3 pounds.
Tiger cubs are playful at birth and retain a curious nature
throughout life. From the time of birth until one year, tiger cubs
are also completely dependant of their mother for nutrition. At
the age of one year, they are able to kill smaller prey, but are
still very vulnerable to larger predators, such as hyenas and
lions. At the age of 2 years, the cubs become fully independent.
Male cubs leave their birthplace and start off to find territory of
their own. Female cubs generally stay in the same area as their
mother.
A cub has more stripes than an adult tiger. This helps the cubs
camouflage or else they might end up as another animals
dinner.
THREATS
The clearance of forests, an increasing human population and a
greater demand for tiger products have all contributed to the
tiger's decline. Most tigers are now protected and living in
reserves, so the destruction of their habitat is not so great a
danger, but as tigers become rarer, the value of a dead tiger
has increased. A single tiger might be worth several thousand
dollars on the black market by the time its skin, bones and
organs have been sold to dealers. It is thought that the illegal
trade in tiger parts brings in several million dollars per year, so
it is a very serious problem.
India's National Parks are being mismanaged, and there are not
enough guards to stop the poaching of tigers. The guards are
also very badly equipped, which means that if they do come
across any poachers, the poachers are likely to be far better
armed than the guards anyway. This makes life very dangerous
for the guards and a great deal easier for the poachers.
CONSERVATION
Bengal tigers are an endangered species. The current
population of wild Bengal tigers in the Indian subcontinent is
now estimated to be around 1300 1500. which is less than
half of the previous estimation of 3000 4500 tigers. Bengal
tigers are in danger of extinction due to over-hunting by
poachers.
Habitat loss and poaching are important threats to species
survival. Poachers kill tigers not only for their pelts (coats), but
also for components to make various traditional East Asian
medicines. Other factors contributing to their loss are
urbanization and revenge killing. Revenge killing occurs as
locals such as farmers who own livestock hunt down the tigers
to prevent them from preying on their cattle. Poachers also kill
tigers for their bones and teeth to make medicines that are
alleged to provide the tigers strength. National animal of India
protected under the wildlife protection act 1972
 BARKING DEAR
SCIENTIFIC NAME: Muntiacus muntjac
NATURAL HABITAT: Dense forests
HEIGHT: 50 cm to 75 cm
WEIGHT: 20 kg to 30 kg
DIET: Grass and fallen fruits
LIFESPAN: 20 years to 30 years
HOME
The Barking deer are mostly seen inhabiting dense forests of
India. Even while grazing, they will rarely move into open
grasslands and usually remain near the edge of dense forests.
However, one can frequently find the Muntjac deer of India at
salt licks. Apart from the Kalesar forest of Haryana, they are
found in almost all the dense jungles of the Indian
subcontinent.
CHARACTERISTICS
The Indian muntjac has a short but very soft, thick, dense coat,
especially those living in cooler regions. Coloration of the coat
changes from dark brown to yellowish and grayish brown
depending on the season. The muntjacs' coat is golden tan on
the dorsal side and white on the ventral side of the body, the
limbs are dark brown to reddish brown, and the face is dark
brown. However, the ears have very little hair which barely
covers them. Male muntjacs have antlers that are very short,
about 12 inches, usually consisting of only two or three points
at the most and protrude from long body hair covered pedicels
on the forehead. Females have tufts of fur and small bony
knobs where the antlers are located in males. Males also have
slightly elongated upper canines about an inch long that curve
slightly outward from the lips and have the capability to inflict
serious injury upon other animals or to other members of the
population while exhibiting aggression. Males are generally
larger than females. The body length of muntjacs varies from
3553 in long and their height ranges from 1526 in tall.
DISTRIBUTION AND HABITAT
The Indian muntjac is among the most widespread but least
known of all mammals in South Asia. It is found in Bangladesh,
southern China, northeastern India, Sri Lanka, Nepal, Pakistan,
Cambodia, Vietnam, the Malay Peninsula, the Riau Archipelago,
Sumatra, Bangka Island, Belitung, Java, Bali, and Borneo. This
species is most densely located in Southeast Asia.
The Indian muntjac is found in tropical and subtropical
deciduous forests, grasslands, savannas, and scrub forests, as
well as in the hilly country on the slopes of the Himalayas. They
are found at altitudes ranging from sea level up to 3,000 m
(9,800 ft). They never wander far from water. Also, males
usually have their own territory, which may overlap the
territories of a few females but not of another male.
FEEDING HABITS
This species is omnivorous, feeding on grass,fruits, shoots,
seeds, birds' eggs as well as small animals. It sometimes
displays even scavenging behavior, feeding on carrion. It gives
calls similar to barking, usually upon sensing a predator (hence
the common name for all muntjacs of barking deer).The low
height and small stature of Indian Muntjac deer make grass and
fallen fruits the perfect food for them.
REPRODUCTION
Barking deer usually live alone or in pairs. During breeding time
the male barking deer have antlers and sharp canine teeth for
fighting. A female barking deer breeds for the first time before
she is one year old and has one fawn after 7 months of
gestation which leaves the mother after half a year.
THREATS
They have played a major role in Southern Asia, being hunted
for sport as well as for their meat and skin. Often these animals
are hunted around the outskirts of agricultural areas as they
are considered a nuisance for damaging crops and ripping bark
from tree.
CONSERVATION
Barking deer is still not counted amongst the endangered
species. Nevertheless, the government has imposed a ban on
their hunting. Re

SPOTTED DEAR
SCIENTIFIC NAME: Axis axis
GESTATION PERIOD: 220 days
HEIGHT: 85 cm and 90 cm
WEIGHT:80 kg
AVERAGE LENGTH OF ANTLERS:20 inches
LIFESPAN: 9 years to 12 years
Predators of the chital include wolves, Bengal tigers, Asiatic
lions, leopards, Indian rock pythons, dholes, Indian pariah dogs
and mugger crocodiles.
HOME
The Chital occurs over 830N in India (including Sikkim),
Nepal, Bhutan, Bangladesh and Sri Lanka (Grubb 2005, Raman
2013). The western distribution boundary is formed by eastern
Rajasthan (e.g. Sariska, Ranthambore and Keoladeo Ghana) and
Gujarat (e.g. Sasan Gir). The northern boundary runs along the
bhabar-terai belt of the foothills of the Himalaya from Uttar
Pradesh and Uttaranchal through Nepal, northern West Bengal
and Sikkim to western Assam and the forested valleys of
Bhutan below 1,100 m asl. The eastern boundary runs through
western Assam (Golapara and Kamrup district as far east as the
Dhunsiri River in Darrang district) to the Sunderbans of West
Bengal (India) and Bangladesh. Sri Lanka is the southern limit
(Gee 1964, Schaller 1967, Raman 2013). Chital occur
throughout the rest of peninsular India sporadically in the
forested areas (Sankar and Acharya 2004), but in Bangladesh,
it now occurs only in the Sundarbans, having vanished from the
central, northeast and southeast regions (Md Anwarul Islam in
litt. 2008).
CHARACTERISTICS
A small, short-legged deer with a crouched build, the Visayan
spotted deer is easily recognized by its namesake spots. The
overall coat color is a very dark brown (sometimes with reddish
highlights), but the sides are covered with a smattering of white
or buff spots. These spots are largest over the hips and grow
smaller and fainter towards the shoulders (at which point the
coat becomes solid brown in color). The undersides and inside
surfaces of the legs are white, as is the underside of the short
tail. The head of the Visayan spotted deer is rather pointed. The
head is usually paler than the body, although the forehead and
muzzle are usually dark. Males grow short antlers (around 25
cm long) with three tines on each
DISTRIBUTION AND HABITAT
Found in the forest at the himalayas and practically throughout
the peninsula and Sri Lanka. Visayan spotted deer are now
found mainly in densely-forested areas on rugged slopes
(where they are relatively safe from humans), but in the past
they were also found in open grasslands. This species is now
restricted to less than 5% of its original range, and is found on
only two islands (Negros and Panay) of the Western Visayan
chain in the Philippines. The approximate range is depicted in
the map below.
Feeding habits
The Visayan spotted deer is thought to be mainly nocturnal,
emerging at dusk to begin feeding on a variety of different
types of grasses, leaves and buds within the forest. These deer
are social animals, usually found in small groups of three to
five.
REPRODUCTION
Gestation period: 8 months.
Litter size: 1.
Life span: Up to 20 years (in captivity).
Much is unknown about the life cycle of the Visayan spotted
deer in the wild. Births in the wild have been recorded in March,
May, and June, but young animals may be seen in all seasons.
In captivity, babies may be born year-round. Like the adults,
fawns are spotted. Males begin to grow antlers after their first
birthday.
THREATS
The spotted deer is one of the rarest and most narrowly
distributed mammals in the world, with only a few hundred wild
animals thought to remain . Indeed, a survey in 1991 found
that the species had already become extinct in over 95 percent
of its former range, largely as a result of intensive hunting and
extensive deforestation , with land having been cleared for
agriculture and logging operations at a frightening pace .
Hunting also poses a significant threat to this Endangered deer.
CONSERVATION
Conservation Actions: Chital is protected under Schedule III
of the Indian Wildlife Protection Act (1972) (Sankar and Acharya
2004) and under the Wildlife (Preservation) (Amendment) Act,
1974 of Bangladesh (Md Anwarul Islam in litt. 2008). It occurs in
many protected areas. Legal protection as a species and a
network of functioning protected areas are the two
cornerstones of its current healthy conservation status.
Subpopulations exceeding 20,000 Chital probably occur in and
around a handful of conservation areas within India: the belt of
about 3,000 km2 between Koh river and Haldwani including the
Corbett Tiger Reserve; the Gir Protected Area (about 1,400
km2); Kanha Tiger Reserve (about 2,000 km2); and the Nilgiris
Western Ghats sector including Nagarahole, Bandipur, and
Mudumalai (about 5,000 km2; Raman 2013). Protected areas
support more Chitals than do non-protected areas in the Terai
Arc Landscape of India, although there is not currently such a
great difference in densities as with the grassland species
(Barasingha Rucervus duvaucelii and Hog Deer Axis porcinus;
Johnsingh et al. 2004). Ongoing habitat conversion trends
outside protected areas will continue to increase the relative
proportion of the total Chital population that they hold, and the
maintenance of an extensive network of functional protected
areas will remain the foundation of this species healthy
conservation status. Part of this responsibility is vigilance by
staff and partners of illegal poaching, which takes place at
varying levels in most of the species range. Some recent cases
have involved high-profile public role models, such as actors,
poaching Chital and these warrant heavy court penalties. There
is a strong case for prevention of livestock grazing in protected
areas which hold Chital, partly to reduce risks of disease
transmission, but mostly to prevent artificially low densities of
Chital being forced through competition (see Threat Section).

Chital subpopulations have been studied in: Corbett (De and

Spillit 1966), Kanha (Schaller 1967), Bandipur (Johnsingh 1983,
Kumar 2010), Nagarahole (Karanth and Sunquist 1992, Kumar
2010), Sariska (Sankar 1994), Gir (Khan et al. 1995, 1996),
Guindy (Raman 1996, Raman et al. 1996), Pench (Biswas and
Sankar 2002), Ranthambore (Bagchi et al. 2003) in India,
Chitwan (Seidensticker 1976, Mishra 1982) and Karnali-Bardia
(Dinerstein 1980; Moe and Wegge 1994, 1997) in Nepal, and
Wilpattu (Eisenberg and Lockhart 1972) in Sri Lanka.

ZEBRA
SCIENTIFIC NAME-Equus Quagga
WEIGHT-Up to 770 lbs.
SIZE-3.6 4.8 ft. at the shoulder
LIFESPAN-20 years
HABITATS-Grasslands and savannas
DIET-Herbivorous
GESTATION-13 months
PREDATOR-Lions, cheetahs, hyenas, hunting dogs, leopards,
humans
HOME
Though they all live in Africa, each species of zebra has its own
home area. Plains zebras live in the treeless grasslands and
woodlands of eastern and southern Africa. The Grevy's zebra
lives in in the arid grasslands of Ethiopia and northern Kenya.
The mountain zebra is found in South Africa, Namibia and
Angola.
Characteristics
The long-legged Grevy's zebra, the biggest of the wild equids,
is taller and heavier than the Burchell's, with a massive head
and large ears.
Zebras have shiny coats that dissipate over 70 percent of
incoming heat, and some scientists believe the stripes help the
animals withstand intense solar radiation. The black and white
stripes are a form of camouflage called disruptive coloration
that breaks up the outline of the body. Although the pattern is
visible during daytime, at dawn or in the evening when their
predators are most active, zebras look indistinct and may
confuse predators by distorting true distance.
The stripes on Grevy's zebras are more numerous and narrow
than those of the plains zebra and do not extend to the belly. In
all zebra species, the stripes on the forequarters form a
triangular pattern; Grevy's have a similar pattern on the
hindquarters, while others have a slanted or horizontal pattern.

DISTRIBUTION AND HABITAT

Burchell's zebras inhabit savannas, from treeless grasslands to
open woodlands; they sometimes occur in tens of thousands in
migratory herds on the Serengeti plains. Grevy's zebras are
now mainly restricted to parts of northern Kenya. Although they
are adapted to semi-arid conditions and require less water than
other zebra species, these zebras compete with domestic
livestock for water and have suffered heavy poaching for their
meat and skins.
The only forecast at the continental scale used air temperature
alone to predict the potential zebra mussel distribution in North
America. A new forecast of the potential distribution of zebra
mussels in the United States is undoubtedly timely.
FEEDING HABITS
Zebras are herbivorous and primarily eat a variety of grasses.
They are also known to eat shrubs, herbs, twigs, leaves and
bark.

REPRODUCTION
The females do not have a certain reproduction habit, but
statistics show that the most births are recorded between
September and April with a peak being reached in January.
However, because they can give birth to a foal every 12
months, the size of a social group can double in just a couple of
years if the offspring are predominantly female.
The gestation period for zebra reproduction takes around 12 to
13 months. Similar to horses, the foal will be able to stand up
and walk just a few minutes after it is born. In fact, after only 15
minutes, the foal can walk and after one hour, it will be able to
run.
In general, females give birth to only one foal, but on rare
occasions they can have twins. They will suckle up to 16
months but the nursing will continue even after that period.
Only their mothers will protect them since most zebra social
groups contain just one male.
THREATS
Lions, Spotted Hyenas, Leopards, Cheetahs, Wild
Dogs,Crocodiles and Humans are the zebras predators but
their most common predator are Lions. A kick from a behind of
a zebra can be lethal they also bite but that is if the attacker
gets too close. Their stripes also help and there is always at
least one zebra on watch at all times even at night. When
zebras get attacked they run away as a herd but if one zebra
gets wounded the stallion of the herd will attempt to drive of
the predator(s) while the other zebras surround the wounded.
The biggest threat for the Grevys Zebra is the competition with
the live stock for food and water. To the farmers in Africa zebras
are condisder as pests because of the competition.
CONSERVATION
The Grevy's zebra was once widespread in Kenya and Ethiopa.
Today, the country is home to only a couple thousand of these
animals. The Grevys zebra is in very serious danger of
extinction in the wild, and its not alone: half of all wildlife in
this area has been lost to habitat destruction and poaching in
the last 20 year. Many projects and special projects are being
developed by the government and NGOs to protect them
 CHIMPANZEES
SCIENTIFIC NAME: Pan troglodytes
TYPE: Mammals
DIET: Omnivores
GROUP NAME: Community
AVERAGE LIFE SPAN IN THE WILD: 45 years
SIZE: 4 to 5.5 ft
WEIGHT: 70 to 130 lbs
SIZE RELATIVE TO A 6-FT MAN:
HOME
Chimpanzees can be found from Southern Senegal across the
forested belt north of the Congo River to Western Uganda and
Western Tanzania. Gombe National Park in Tanzania is the first
park in Africa specifically created for
chimpanzees.Chimpanzees and bonobos are native to Africa
and do not naturally occur in India or Asia. Their habitat is the
tropical forests of West Africa and the Congo basin.
CHARACTERISTICS
The chimpanzee has a thickset body with long arms, short legs
and no tail. Much of the body is covered with long black hair,
but the face, ears, fingers and toes are bare. They have hands
that can grip firmly, allowing them to pick up objects.
DISTRIBUTION AND HABITAT
Typical chimpanzee habitat is tropical rainforest (see video
below), but chimpanzees are also found in forest-savanna
mosaic and in montane rainforest up to about 3,000 meters.
Tropical rainforests are lowland equatorial evergreen forests
that receive high levels of rainfall throughout the year (typically
more than 2000 mm, or 80 inches, annually). Montane
rainforests, also known as cloud forests, are found in cooler-
climate mountainous areas in the tropics.
Fortunately, chimpanzees are relatively adaptable and their
habitats can vary considerably. Some chimps are able to move
out into quite arid areas, such as southwest Tanzania and
Senegal, where they are found in secondary forests, open
woodlands, bamboo forests, swamp forests, and even open
savannah.
FEEDING HABITS
Chimpanzees are omnivorous, eating both meat and plant
material. Their diet includes fruits, leaves, buds, seeds, pith,
bark, insects, bird eggs, and smaller mammals. Chimpanzees
have been observed to kill baboons, other monkeys, and young
bush pigs, and they sometimes practice cannibalism. Chimps
eat up to 200-300 species of plants, depending on local
availability.
Chimpanzees seem to know the medicinal value of certain
plants. In the Gombe National Forest in Tanzania, chimps have
been seen to eat the plant Apilia mossambicensis to help rid
themselves of parasites in their digestive system. A branch of
science, zoopharmacognosy, has recently developed to study
the medicinal use of plants by wild animals.
Fruit is the main component of the chimpanzee diet, and they
spend at least four hours a day finding and eating varieties of
this food. In the afternoon chimps also spend another hour or
two feeding on young leaves. They also eat quantities of insects
that they collect by hand, or in the case of termites, using
simple tools. Chimpanzees break open the hard shells of nuts
with sticks or smash them between two rocks. Animal prey is
eaten less regularly than fruits and leaves. Chimpanzees
(usually males) will regularly kill and eat young pigs, monkeys,
and antelopes.
REPRODUCTION
Chimpanzees reproduce through the process of sexual
intercourse between a male and a female. The female carries
the fetuses in her uterus for approximately 8 months. When the
baby chimpanzees are born, they are helpless and must be
carried by the mother for the first 2 months of their lives.
THREATS
Chimpanzee populations live under the same kind of human
pressure that are most of the animals living in the African forest
do; they are hunted for meat, and are also losing their forest
home to deforestation. The chimpanzee is considered
endangered by the IUCN Red List of Threatened species.
Hunting is the most immediate threat to this primate. Because
of their size, they are typically hunted with guns and the
amount of meat on a chimp can bring a hunter a lot of money
on the market. The commercialization of the trade in bushmeat
also means that some chimp meat makes its way to Europe,
the U.S., and other places in the developed world.
Chimpanzees are at a particularly high risk from the live trade
in wildlife - infants can be sold for pets and often end up as part
of an international smuggling network which provides chimps to
private owners, roadside zoos and other establishments, and
the entertainment industry (please read Tengwood.org's illegal
trade page to learn about ours and other's investigative work
on this important subject). Loss of habitat is also reducing
population sizes. The deforestation is due to commercial
logging and subsistence farming, which transforms the chimp's
forest habitat into one where they may have difficulty in finding
enough food and avoiding hunters. If action is not taken now,
the chimpanzee could go extinct in the next 10-20 years. The
Nigeria-Cameroon chimp, with its small range, found in an area
where the human population is growing exponentially, will be
one of the first of the great apes to go.
CONSERVATION
Chimpanzees are protected in almost all African countries
where they reside, both by local and international laws. The
Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species is an
international agreement between governments that ensures
that international trade in wild animals and plants does not
threaten their survival. CITES legally binds the nations that
have signed the agreement, although it does not take the place
of existing national laws. By signing CITES, a country limits the
import and export of these species.
Many chimpanzees are found in national parks, but have
limited distribution outside those parks. There are efforts in
some areas to link segregated populations to one another
through the use of corridors. In Bossou, New Guinea there are
efforts underway to plant trees to create a forest corridor for
the chimps that would link two separate populations of
currently segregated chimpanzees. In some areas of Africa,
tourism has been very successful in bringing in money to the
local area and encouraging conservation of the area. Uganda
and Tanzania both have had success in promoting ecotourism
with a visit to observe chimpanzees as the main appeal. In
Uganda, gorillas and chimpanzees attract on average 20,000
visitors per year. Permits to visit gorillas (at US $500 per visit)
and chimpanzees (at US $70) brought in US $4.7 million dollars
in the year 2007 alone.
All of the factors contributing to the decline of chimpanzees
build upon each other and ultimately create a domino effect.
Dealing with one factor alone will not be enough to conserve
the species. We can all do our part to help the chimpanzees in a
variety of ways from simple to more complex.

GIRAFFE
SCIENTIFIC NAME- Giraffa Camelopardalis
WEIGHT-Up to 3,000 lb.
SIZE-18 ft. tall
LIFE SPAN-25 years
PREDATORS-Humans, lions, crocodiles
HOME
Found in Africa, Sudan and Somalia and to South Africa
westward to Northern Nigeria. Lives in open woodland having
water supplies and also in semi-desert areas , gregarious.
CHARACTERISTICS
Giraffes are the tallest animal in the world. ... The neck of the
Giraffe is the longest of any animal, yet it still only has 7
cervical vertebrae, as in most other mammals. The Giraffe has
one of the shortest sleep requirements of any mammal, which
is between 10 minutes and 2 hours in a 24 hour period.
DISTRIBUTION AND HABITAT
Giraffes are natives of Africa where they run wild in the tall
grasses of the open planes. However, they will also survive in
the woodlands as well as along the savannahs. ... These areas
of habitat for the giraffes often overlap and they will get along
just fine with that.
FEEDING HABITS
Giraffes are herbivores, which means they eat only plants. They
mainly feeds on leaves of different trees and shoots. Their long
necks allow them to reach leaves, buds and branches high up
in mimosa and acacia trees. They can eat hundreds of pounds
of leaves per week.
REPRODUCTION
Bio Expedition explains that giraffes reproduce through mating.
Male giraffes are typically ready to mate when they are 6 years
old, although more mature bulls often mate first before the
younger ones. Female giraffes are ready to mate when they are
around 4 years old. They gives birth of a calf after a gestation
period of 455-488 days.
THREATS
Unfortunately, this decline has occurred with little fanfare or
public attention. "For comparison's sake, while there are
warnings and alarm bells ringing about the imminent extinction
of the Giraffe as a result of the poaching crisis. Giraffes are
hunted for their meat, coat and tails. The tail is prized for good
luck bracelets, fly whisks and string for sewing beads. ...
Habitat destruction and fragmentation are also threats to
giraffe populations. Giraffes were probably common targets for
hunters throughout Africa . Different parts of their bodies are
used for different purposes. Their meat was used for food. The
tail hairs served as flyswatters, bracelets, necklaces and
thread. Shields, sandals, and drums were made using the skin ,
and the strings of musical instruments were from the tendons.
The smoke from burning Giraffe skins was used by medicine
men of Buganda to treat nose bleeds.

CONSERVATION

IN 2010, it was assessed as least concern from a conservation

perspective by the INTERNATIONAL UNIOUN FOR
CONSERVATION OF NATURE(IUCN), but the 2016 assessment
categorized Giraffes as vulnerable. Giraffes have been
extirpated from much of their historic range including Eritrea,
Guinea, Mauritania and Senegal. They may also have
disappeared from Angola, Mali, and Nigeria, but have been
introduced to Rwanda and Swaziland. Two subspecies, the West
African giraffe and the Rothschild giraffe, have been classified
as Endangered as wild populations of each of them number in
the hundreds. In 1997, Jonathan Kingdom suggested that the
Nubian giraffe was the most threatened of all giraffes; as of
2010, it may number fewer than 250, although this estimate is
uncertain. Private game reserves have contributed to the
preservation of giraffe populations in southern Africa. Giraffe
Manor is a popular hotel in Nairobi that also serves as
sanctuary for Rothschild's giraffes. The giraffe is a protected
species in most of its range. It is the national animal of
Tanzania, and is protected by law. Unauthorised killing can
result in imprisonment. In 1999, it was estimated that over
140,000 giraffes existed in the wild, estimations as of 2016
indicate that there are approximately 97,500 members of
Giraffa in the wild, down from 155,000 in 1985, with around
1,144 in captivity.

Conclusions
The Endangered Species Act is a wonderfully idealistic law that was apparently
written by people who had absolutely no idea about how society works. The law's
goals are so noble and uplifting that few could disagree with them. Yet the law's
means for achieving those goals are doomed to the same failure as prohibition,
the "war on drugs," or any other command-type law.

When the act's authors decided to design the law around a command structure
instead of incentives, they built three major flaws into the Endangered Species
Act:

First, the law fails to correct any of the misincentives in traditional U.S. wildlife
law that discourage landowners from protecting wildlife habitat.

Second, the law for the most part fails to stop federal subsidies that harm wildlife
and completely fails to give public land managers adequate incentives to protect
species habitat;

Finally, although biodiversity is supposed to benefit all, the law imposes most of
the costs of saving many species on a few private landowners. We might be able
to overlook the unfairness of this law if it worked to save species--but instead it
promotes antagonism towards wildlife and the general idea of an Endangered
Species Act.

It feels good to have a law that appears to make the recovery of all species the
absolute top priority of the U.S. government. But, if the law is to do anything
other than make us feel good, these three flaws must be fixed. Disappearing
species will recover only when subsidies to harmful activities are halted and
public land managers and private landowners are given incentives, rather than
arbitrary and unpredictable mandates, to protect and improve habitat.

Perhaps because the debate is so polarized, none of the legislative alternatives

that we could find attempted to fix any more than one of these problems. Nearly
all of the debate, and most of the proposals, center on the third flaw: The
unfairness of, and resulting backlash from, imposing large costs on a few private
landowners.

The Clinton Administration offers half-hearted remedies to this problem. But

these remedies amount to little more than "We promise that, after we take some
of your land without compensation, we won't take any more later."

Property rights advocates support repeal of the regulatory aspects of the law,
thus removing a disincentive to habitat protection. But most of them fail to
convincingly address the misincentives that existed prior to passage of the 1973
law.

Senator Slade Gorton offers a significant increase in authorized funding for

species recovery. But he can't guarantee that appropriations committees will
actually make that funding available or that they won't direct it to pork barrel
species recovery efforts in their districts while other species go begging.

None of the proposals fix the subsidies that threaten most of the species listed as
threatened or endangered. Until now.

Different Drummer's "subsidies killer" will protect listed species from harmful
subsidies even as it provides more funding for species recovery than ever before.
Moreover, it does so in a way that allows Congress to reduce deficits without
taking the blame for ending programs that enrich a few special interest groups at
the expense of taxpayers in general.
Different Drummer's proposals offer three mechanisms for creating incentives to
protect habitat on public and private land.

First, the biodiversity fund can give landowners and managers direct monetary
incentives for habitat protection.

Second, reforms of public land agencies, including recreation user fees, will allow
the agencies to take advantage of incentives offered by the trust fund and will
make it possible to use recreation as a proxy for many species.

Third, experiments with private wildlife ownership could fix traditional

misincentives and provide the key to recovering many species.

Different Drummer's proposal to eliminate the regulation of private lands will be

most controversial among environmentalists. But such deregulation is essential if
private landowners are to become willing partners in the recovery of rare and
endangered species. We can save species without sacrificing people's rights or
forcing a few people to pay most habitat protection costs. In fact, deregulation
may the only way to save many species.

Endangered species advocates must work at two levels to protect wildlife and
habitat. At the national level, they should support a law that will end harmful
subsidies and save species using incentives rather than commands. To pass such
a law, they should give up polarizing rhetoric and sit down with property rights
advocates, fiscal conservatives, Democrats, Republicans, and other interest
groups to develop a proposal that everyone can support.

At the local level, biodiversity advocates should develop a new set of institutional
structures that can protect biodiversity in their own regions without force and
without imposing the costs on a few unwilling people:

Incorporate and find funding for a regional or species-specific trust using the
Whooping Crane Trust as a model.

Encourage local zoning authorities to protect core conservation areas using

tradable development rights, as in the New Jersey Pine Lands, so that the costs
of conservation are shared by everyone, not just the people who happen to own
land in the core area.

Encourage state wildlife agencies to support private landowners who want to

charge for hunting, fishing, and other wildlife-oriented recreation.

To create these new structures, activists will have to work with local communities
to turn the people in those communities into partners in conservation, not
enemies. No one wants to harm wildlife or promote the extinction of a listed
species. But people face many different incentives. By accepting one another as
friends and potential partners, rather than opponents and enemies, we can
change the incentives and work together to recover species and protect habitat.
Acknowledgement

I would to make a earful thanks to the following persons and

authorities for making this project a success-
Dr. Purna Chandra Maity, Principal of Acharya Jagadish
Chandra Bose College for giving us the opportunities ton
do this fieldwork.
Dr. Arijit Chakraborty, subject teacher of Environmental
Studies for helping and guiding us to prepare the entire
project.
Prof. Gourab Das, Head of Department of Commerce for
overall coordination, guidance and synchronized
distribution of timing & venue of the project.
Prof. Priyanka Jaiswal & Prof.Moumita Dey, for helping us in
the fieldwork of the project.
Authorities of the Alipore Zoological Gardens for giving us
the opportunity to complete the fieldwork.
To any friends for teamwork in the collection of field study
materials.