Ahmedabad: A lioness staring into the lens with a stately gaze. This photograph on the Madhya Pradesh tourism department’s website to sell the Kuno Palpur Sanctuary has upset officials in Gujarat — the only home of the Asiatic lion in the world. MP tourism has started selling the Kuno Palpur as an alternative site for the wild cats even as the two neighbouring states fight a legal battle in the Supreme Court over shifting lions from the Gir sanctuary. While MP is seeking lions, Gujart is holding on to them, not ready to share the ‘Khusboo Gujarat Ki’ mascot with anyone.

Deputy Chief Minister Sukhbir Singh Badal has initiated major eco-tourism projects at Chhatbir Zoological Park in Ajitgarh district and two others projects in Ludhiana district. Reviewing its progress, Sukhbir said Chhatbir Zoological Park with a population of 1200 animals of 90 rare species could be a major centre of attraction if properly marketed and promoted. He also suggested that Punjab could also go in for night safari on the pattern of Jurong Night Safari at Singa
pore. Similarly, two more such sites for eco-tourism have been identified in Ludhiana district.

The Wildlife Department has failed to submit the comprehensive report on the first national survey of Sri Lanka’s wild elephants which took place in August 2011.

The report was to be handed over to President Mahinda Rajapaksa last September but is yet to be completed.

Wildlife Department Director Operations H. D. Ratnayake told The Island yesterday that the report was delayed due to the absence of one of the key conservationists.

He said that Professor Charles Santhiapillai would soon return to the country to put the final touches and the last chapter.

Matara District government officials have discussed plans to establish a park for the crocodiles as a measure to prevent the deaths due to the croc attacks in the surrounding areas of Nilwala River.

At a discussion held at the Matara District Secretariat on Monday with the participation of Minister Dullas Alahapperuma , the district officials have decided to set up the first ever crocodile park in Kirala Kele in Matara.

The Minister has pointed out that the initiative could be also used for the promotion of tourism industry besides protecting the people from the attacks.

NAGPUR: After the TOI's Waghpur campaign that culminated in state declaring Nagpur as 'Gateway to the Tiger Land' early last year, hardly anything was done by stakeholders to explore the various possibilities and avenues of development that such a status might bring. Finally, Vidarbha Economic Development (VED) Council and CENIN Travels are organising a two day Wagh Utsav to promote tiger tourism in the region. "We are organising this to bring all stakeholders together to work for the development of the region," said Vilas Kale, one of the organizers.

Bangalore, 4 Jan: Taking cognisance of increasing number of elephant deaths, Karnataka High Court today directed the state and the Union governments to constitute a task force within 10 days to work towards mitigating man-elephant conflicts.

BHUBANESWAR: The Nandankanan Zoological Park, which is adding new attractions in its Golden Jubilee year, is making the most of the year-end festivities and holidays. A whopping 33,400 visitors turned up at the animal park on Sunday, marking the Christmas celebrations, creating a record of footfalls. The authorities said it was the highest turnout on a single day in the history of the Zoo. The park attracts huge tourists on the run up to the new years. The last highest footfall recorded was 31,000 on X-Mas Day last year.

Bhopal : Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan met union Minister for Environment and Forests Jayanthi Natarajan in New Delhi and urged her not to ban tourism in sanctuaries and tiger reserves, officials said here. A Public Interest Litigation (PIL) is pending in the Supreme Court to ban tourism in all the national sanctuaries and tiger reserves in the country. Chouhan put forward the argument that the local people’s economic development is ensured due to tourism activities in wildlife sanctuaries and the other wildlife also remains safe.

The Jim Corbett National Park here on Tuesday opened its gates to wildlife enthusiasts for a landmark season, having turned 75. To mark the platinum jubilee, a function was organised at the park’s Aam Danda gate, where Uttarakhand Chief Minister B C Khanduri inaugurated a newly introduced online reservation system for visitors.

Visitors looking to book passes for entry to the park can now log in to corbettonline.uk.gov.in to make their reservations. The park will now remain open to visitors till June 15 next year.