12 SANCTUARY ASIA, 2018 MAY

U.K.’s good fi

ght

against ivory

Cub News

MAY

2018

WILDLIFE AND ENVIRONMENTAL NEWS FROM INDIA AND AROUND THE EARTH

Cleanliness they say, is next to godliness. The age-old saying, turned into reality in March 2018, when 80 little olive Ridley turtles, hatched along the Versova beach, and made their way into the ocean! While citizens rejoiced, calling it a ‘miracle’, as the turtles made

an appearance here after 20 years, they also agreed that this would not have happened, had it not been for the efforts of Afroz Shah and his army of dedicated volunteers engaged in a massive beach clean-up movement. Shah and his volunteers have been picking up garbage along

Olive Ridleys hatch on Mumbai beach after 20 years

Elephant conservation

received a tremendous boost as the United Kingdom (U.K.) announced a complete ban on commercial trade of ivory in the country. The tough ban will prohibit the sale of all ivory items, regardless of how old the ivory is. Only a few artefacts and music instruments have been exempted from the ban. Those breaking the ban by selling or purchasing ivory will be heavily fined or will have to face five years in jail. Conservationists believe that with this ban in place, modern-day ivory, or the tusks of poached elephants will have no value in the U.K.The global market for ivory has been suffering over the past few years with large markets like China and Hong Kong announcing ivory bans in recent years. This is great news for elephants and the global movement against ivory has finally given the iconic species a fighting chance at survival.

Shah and his volunteers have been picking up garbage along the Versova shoreline every Sunday for the past four years.

Around 80 olive Ridley hatchlings were seen making their way to sea at Versova, Mumbai.SHAUNAK MODI

PUBLIC DOMAIN

the Versova shoreline every Sunday for the past four years. This year, when reports of adult olive Ridleys being spotted along Versova beach reached Shah, he quickly informed the Forest Department. Over the next few days, Shah along with his volunteers and members of

U.K.

the Forest Department guarded the nests, and made sure that all the hatchlings reached the sea unharmed. The olive Ridleys, classified as vulnerable by the IUCN, had not been spotted on Versova beach in decades due to the terrible pollution, among other reasons.With a cleaner Versova beach, the citizens are hopeful that these turtles will from now on, revisit Mumbai every year, giving the citizens a rare glimpse of these magnificent creatures of the sea.

* See glossary on page 23