Royal Bengal Tiger spotted in Arunachal wildlife sanctuary after 20 years

IANS Photo

Itanagar, (IANS): A Royal Bengal Tiger has been recorded at Arunachal Pradesh’s D Ering Memorial Wildlife Sanctuary for the first time in nearly two decades, with officials on Friday confirming the sighting through camera trap evidence collected inside the sanctuary near Pasighat.

An official of the Arunachal Pradesh Forest and Wildlife Department said that the sighting has been captured through camera trap surveys conducted in the Wildlife Sanctuary with technical support from the Ashoka Trust Research in Ecology and Environment (ATREE).

He said that the last confirmed tiger evidence inside DEMWS dates back to 2005, with only unverified sightings reported until around 2007-08.

The latest camera trap images convincingly established the tiger’s presence in the landscape, the official said.

A baseline survey published by the World Wide Fund (WWF) for Nature in 2014 had painted a grim picture, finding no pugmarks or camera trap evidence of tigers and citing rampant hunting by poachers as the likely cause of their disappearance.

The broader landscape had already been showing signs of renewed tiger activity -- as recently as January 2026, foresters of the Jonai forest range in Assam reported spotting pugmarks of an adult Royal Bengal Tiger in Kobu Chapori, a proposed reserve forest situated adjacent to the sanctuary along the Assam-Arunachal Pradesh boundary. Divisional Forest Officer Kempi Ete described the moment as deeply moving.

“The return of the tiger after nearly two decades reflects the resilience of the ecosystem and the cumulative impact of sustained conservation efforts on the ground,” she said, crediting frontline forest staff, Eco-Development Committees and local community organisations for their sustained role in protecting the landscape.

The recent survey also documented the Critically Endangered Chinese Pangolin and the rare Endangered Hispid Hare, further reinforcing the ecological importance of the sanctuary's unique riparian grassland ecosystem, the only one of its kind among protected areas in Arunachal Pradesh.

Over the past year, forest officials had observed indirect signs suggesting possible tiger movement within the landscape. Earlier surveillance rounds failed to yield photographic proof, but officials pressed on with renewed intensity and persistence before finally recording the big cat on camera.

“Its a good news for us. The return of Royal Bengal Tiger in the Wild life sanctuary will attract tourists to visit the wildlife sanctuary. We are very much happy with the news,” said a wildlife expert.

The D Ering Memorial Wildlife Sanctuary, located around 13 km from Pasighat in Arunachal Pradesh’s East Siang district, spans a protected area of about 190 square km.

It was established in 1978 and surrounded by the Siang and Sibya rivers, it is a key habitat for tigers, leopards, wild buffaloes and migratory birds.The Forest Department officials stated that they would continue to strengthen habitat protection, scientific monitoring and community-led conservation efforts aimed at ensuring long-term wildlife survival in the landscape. Royal Bengal Tiger spotted in Arunachal wildlife sanctuary after 20 years | MorungExpress | morungexpress.com

Read More........→July 09, 2026

Kenya wildlife reserves threatened as tourists stay away

Female elephants get into a protective formation around a pair of calfs on a grassy plain at the Ol Kinyei conservancy in Maasai Mara, in the Narok county in Kenya

AFP/Talek, Kenya: In the majestic plains of the Maasai Mara, the coronavirus pandemic spells economic disaster for locals who earn a living from tourists coming to see Kenya's abundant wildlife.

Even before the virus arrived in Kenya mid-March, tourism revenues had plummeted, with cancellations coming in from crucial markets such as China, Europe and the United States.

According to the tourism ministry, the sector has lost $750 million this year -- roughly half of the total revenue in 2019.

‘We were fully booked in June but now we have zero bookings. Nothing. It's terrible,’ said Jimmy Lemara, 40, the manager of an eco-lodge in the private Ol Kinyei conservancy.

In the Maasai Mara, one of Africa's most highly-rated wildlife reserves located in the vast flat plains of the Great Rift Valley, the local Maasai community, traditional herders who make up 2.5 percent of the population, now depend almost exclusively upon tourism for their livelihood.

In a unique model set up to engage local communities in tourism, enabling them to see the value of wildlife and thus protect it, the Maasai now get revenue from renting their land to form private wildlife conservancies.

Some work as cooks, guides and security guards in the lodges while others give tours of their traditional homes or sell homemade crafts to tourists.

- 'Survival mode' -

People in Talek, a dusty town situated at one of the entrances to the Maasai Mara national reserve, are gloomily buckling down, hoping for better days.

Kenya has announced international flights will resume on August 1, but the high season is already lost.

‘Since December, work has been extremely low, and now we're in survival mode hoping to make 150 to 200 shillings ($1.4 to $1.9) a day, to be able to buy a meal,’ said Ibrahim Sameri, 38, whose small mechanic workshop can generate up to $30 a day in the high season.

Nalokiti Sayialel normally sells bead necklaces and bracelets to tourists passing through.

‘It's been three months that I haven't sold anything,’ the 45-year-old told AFP.

‘This is terrible. Everything is stuck. Everything is shut down. (I have) never seen something like that’, said tour guide Petro Nautori who has had no work since January.

The Maasai Mara national reserve, run by the Narok county government, extends to the north with several privately-managed conservancies renting land from the Maasai who in exchange do not graze their cattle or settle there.

This model has since 2005 allowed the doubling of the habitat for wildlife in this area.

On average, each land owner earns $220 per month, far more than the minimum wage in the area.

However like other conservancies, Ol Kinyei is struggling and has agreed to only pay half the usual rent to the Maasai, after having to pay back deposits to tourists who cancelled their holidays.

The salaries of lodge employees have also been cut by half.

- Forced to sell livestock -

Some Maasai families are having to turn to selling their precious livestock to earn money.

‘Because we're getting little and it's not enough to sustain the family for a living, I had to sell two goats worth about 12,000 shillings to put on top of what I'm getting to keep me going,’ said Julius Sanare, 41, head chef at the eco-lodge in Ol Kinyei.

However livestock markets have been shut due to coronavirus prevention measures.

Residents said the Maasai are instead selling their animals on the black market for a pittance to unscrupulous buyers taking advantage of their desperation.

Mohanjeet Brar, managing director of Porini safari camps which run two conservancies and several lodges in the Mara, said the ‘catastrophic’ situation could threaten the existence of the reserves.

‘If the landowners are not getting any revenue, they can't feed themselves, they can't send their kids to schools, they would have no option but to look at other forms of land utilisation,’ he said.

‘Fencing it off, selling it to people, building businesses... all those alternate land uses don't go together with wildlife and elephants and big cats and so this would be completely lost,’ he said.

‘And once it's lost, if you look at Kenya and its very fast population growth rate and good economic growth over the last few years, it would be lost forever. It would be a real shame. ’Source: https://www.gulf-times.com/

Read More........→July 13, 2020

Wild imagination

If you are a nature lover then wear your love on your sleeves, or rather all over your body. And while you are at it, you can carry a clutch with animal motifs too! A model walks in Manish Malhotra’s creation

• Manpriya Singh: Whilst the flora has gone for the overkill, the fauna begins to invade the creative space. Crawling its way onto clutches or chirping atop a bridal outfit. Butterflies, we’ve long known, sparrows, parrots, peacocks, ants, beetles and bumble bees happily wallow in the attention. Accorded by those looking for alternatives to flowers, paisleys and motifs we’ve forever classified as Indian. “There is always an obvious choice of taking inspiration from all things beautiful—be it the breathtaking landscapes, pretty flowers or colourful butterflies. We found the bugs and crawly creatures more intriguing. They have the most beautiful colours and shapes,” shares the designer-duo Shreya Bhan and Anshul Tyagi from the accessory label Etre. Having just come up with the autumn 2015 collection, Art-o-Dae, of clutch bags, they share, “For our collection, we have taken inspiration from the shapes of ants and beetles and bumble bees. Each piece is inspired from a different insect making it completely different from the other, yet forming a coalition.” Think of the night crawlers, the creepy creatures, the majestic creations of nature brought to life with embroideries and an enchanting colour palette. 
• Bees and birds: Pictorial, embellished and aesthetic, covetable and contemporary. What’s more? “Even a small slice of wildlife instantly brings about quirky chic quality to an outfit,” shares Sonika Dhamija, from the label, Sod. “If used aesthetically, they blend in perfectly well with flowers too, thereby scoring on the traditional front and yet standing apart from the rest of the embroideries.” She adds, “Animals and birds have always been design ornamentation in several traditional embroideries, for instance kashida embroidery used for phirens.” Manish Malhotra let his birds do the chirping in one of his latest collection The Empress Story, comprising olive greens, icy pastels and large bird motifs. Rohit Bal’s quite elaborate attempt Husn-e-Taa’iraat explored rich detailing, colourful flowers and equally colourful birds against the base of red, black and white. Perched atop the branches, dotting the flora, they looked as celebratory as aesthetic.
• Animal instinct: Wildlife for inspiration has often been relegated to fixation with zebra and leopard print, largely explored in western silhouettes, although lately in lehengas and saree gowns. What remains largely elusive is animal inspired motifs, either embroidered or patched onto elaborate Indian outfits; a lehenga, blouse or even kameez. The absence of any tradition in the fashion world instantly makes things suitable enough to be classified as different. Shares Chandigarh-based designer, Babi Grewal, “Animals and birds for motifs is again an old look slowly coming back. I have come up with a line on velvet where I have explored them.” The Parsi Gara is proof of century old fixation for coloured flowers and birds. She adds, “Traditionally we have seen peacocks, birds and parrots also in Chinese fashion. But these birds are considered auspicious in Indian context.” All the while, lending an interesting break from flowers and a strong base for classics. manpriya@tribunemail.com. Source: Article

Read More........→September 07, 2015

Eco-friendly Fashion is in trend

In these days, youth are crazy to try the eco-friendly fashion either they are going to shop fabrics or accessories. It becomes a new fashion trend if we carefully watch the shopping trends of youths. The fashion designers are also designing the eco friendly products as they know the trend is becoming popular in the market. The young girls prefer to purchase jewelry of bamboo, fabrics, joot and stone. These are not only inexpensive but also give a stylish look. In these days, bamboo, fabrics, joot and stone formed necklaces, ear-rings, bangles, hairclips and ring are becoming popular in the market. This jewelry can be used with any dress. Such types of jewelry can be designed by women at home also. No only eco-friendly dresses and jewelry but eco friendly accessories are also becoming popular in the market. The wooden bracelets, ear-rings, necklace are becoming the first preference of youth. The footwear of joot is also liked by the youth most. To protect the environment from the harm of polythene, youths have started to use paper bags that are more eco-friendly than polythene. Although the government also has banned the use of polythene bags, but youths and common people helped a lot to make this mission successful. What is green fashion: Green fashion is not a trend of green colors but it means a trend of eco-friendly or organic fashion. Today it is very necessary to use such a fashion, if we want to protect our environment. ‘Going back to nature’ is demand of today’s environment and to lead in this way everyone is trying to find the new ideas and concept to implement eco-friendly trend. Eco fashion fiber yarn, textile, printing, drawing, finishing all these process are bonded with nature in some way. The people have started to use natural fiber, cotton fiber, linen, joot and flex instead of artificial fiber. Jewelry Accessories: In these days, you can find huge varieties of joot, paper, natural fibers, silk and wood formed dresses and accessories in the market. So many experiments are going to design these natural color fashion trends. Youth are crazy about this eco-friendly trend. These are not only comfortable but also give a feeling of style statement. Feeling of environment protection: According to fashion designer Swati Soni, there are so many concepts in eco-friendly. The main concept of using eco-friendly fashion is to make people aware against the harms of polythene and other harmful elements. To protect environment and for Global Warming, the messages like ‘Save Environment’, ‘Grow Trees’, ‘Save Water’, ‘Save Earth’ etc. are printed by using a vegetable print technology. The main advantage of this technology is that this is not harmful for body thus we can say that vegetable print technology is also a part of ecofriendly fashion. Many of the fabrics are available in natural stuff. Pure cosa and pure cotton are the best examples of natural fabrics. We can implement the eco-friendly concept by choosing the eco-friendly colors. To wear green colors cloths, floral prints etc. are the good tools to implement the eco-friendly concept.  Source: Medley News, Image: flickr.com

Read More........→August 14, 2015

Would you wear a giant animal tail in the name of fashion?

If you happen to spot a giant squirrel tail coming out of someone's jeans in the near future, fear not. She isn't a mutant. She's a trendsetter. Japanese street wear retailer “Kigu” is bringing life-sized animal and dinosaur tails to the masses. TellTails are a new line of wearable animal tails sold in the U.K. and by Kigu. Adventurous dressers can choose from a variety of hyper-realistic tails in models such as Lizard, Squirrel, Dinosaur, Lion, Lemur and Fox. Or rather, they could, before many of the models sold out. "We believe that everyone has a tail in them just waiting to be wagged, a residual longing not quite expelled from the evolutionary process," referencing the theories of Charles Darwin in their explanation” and become purveyors of the finest handmade tails for Bipeds."Source: Sam Daily Times

Read More........→May 22, 2014

Hillary Clinton lauds Putin for saving tigers

US  Secretary  of  State  Hillary  Clinton  has  praised  Russia’s  President Vladimir Putin on his efforts to protect endangered Russian tigers. Speaking at a meeting on wildlife smuggling, Mrs. Clinton said Vladimir Putin was a staunch and open protector of Russian wildlife, adding his efforts over the past few years had helped to secure the tigers’ life in their natural habitat. Hillary Clinton also said that during her visit to the APEC Summit in Vladivostok she didn’t fail to notice that Russia paid considerable attention to wildlife protection. The US state secretary said poaching was still to be dealt with in Russia but she stressed Russian leadership was clearly concerned with protecting wild animals. She pointed out that when she was in Vladivostok she spotted a great many tiger posters hanging on the walls and street lamp posts to remind people that wildlife conservation stood high on the government’s agenda. Source: Voice of Russia

Read More........→December 30, 2012

Robot Animals

Maqpie and whiskeyjack, By minouette: Andrew Chase, Cheetah, (electrical conduit, auto transmission parts, 20-gauge steel and random parts found in an industrial salvage yard, weighs 50 lbs. The cheetah measures 24" high (61cm) and 50" nose to tail (127cm))  I am tempted to make no comment, and leave the robot cheetah running - it is a statement in and of itself. I don't believe the cheetah sculpture really runs, but it is fully articulated and this is a clever use of stop - motion.  It  is  made  by  Andrew Chase,  a  "self - employed commercial photographer, furniture maker, welder as well as a highly talented assemblage artist" who likes to make robot animals with bits of cars and plumbing. I think this quixotic activity is genius.

The elephant weighs about 110 lb and took about 100 hours to build. It is made out of auto transmission parts, electrical conduit, plumbing pipe and 20 gauge cold rolled steel. All the joints move and lock in place. Turning a gear on the elephant's side winds a cable around a shaft which raises and lowers the fully articulated trunk. The ears also move back and forth and and fan out.

Giraffe (transmission parts, electrical conduit, plumbing pipe, and sheet steel. A removable crank raises and lowers its neck. 6 ft high)

Apparently, these will be part of a book called the Trionic Morphatractable Engineer. {via bioephemera and io9}Source: Maqpie and whiskeyjack

Read More........→October 18, 2012

Relaxations’ big on the big island of Hawaii

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A childhood cartoon from The New Yorker by Robert Weber displays a pair expressing their tourism mediator, “We just need a holiday – we don’t need to acquire anything.” It’s been videoed up by my computer for an age, and I’ve repeatedly laughed at its mawkishness in a self-assuredly loftier genus of approach. As an individual rose to query the strength of siesta as genuine idle time, “holiday” has continuously intended journeys fanatical to studies of galleries, drawing galleries, carcasses and other traditional events, frequently intermingled with 50-mile walks tailed by Class IV rapids. It acquired a holiday to Hawaii’s Big Island a few weeks ago for my sister-in-law and her husband to see that a holiday, speciously demarcated by particular in the vocabulary sense as a “period of time devoted to pleasure, rest or relaxation,” could be a very moral entity. They have been to Maui and Oahu, and for specific purpose, always believed that the Big Island was nonentity but a crowd-choked sightseer setup for terminus weddings and honeymooners. It turns out that its extent and lesser number of sightseers – according to the Hawaii Convention and Visitors Bureau, Oahu develops about 4.5 million guests related to the Big Island’s somewhat more than 1 million yearly – mean it really has more living space than the other
islands, especially if  you stay throughout the shoulder period. In early May, the Big Island feels confidently unfilled. They prepared specific exploration and recited. What they actually hunted from this tour, they decided, was to stopover moving like a hamster in a wheel long adequate for somebody to place a cold drink in single hand while they relaxed everywhere on a immaculate, white sand seashore glaring for times on end out at the turquoise liquid, maybe tumbling slumbering during the day – unnoticed of! – while waiting for it was interval to pace as insufficient footsteps as possible back to my room, tailed by walking as few steps as possible to a tremendous, preferably garden-fresh seafood ceremonial dinner, and then dropping asleep to the wide-ranging of the marine. Complete, ended, finished and completed, all at the Hilton Waikoloa Village on the southern Kohala Coast, a 62-acre possibility – a small town, reality be expressed – that has just approximately the whole enchilada you need to play yourself down in its oceanfront core and not travel yet again until it’s time to go family. Walking around 62-acre recourse is great use and workout, but if that’s too much of a affliction, the Hilton, which was erected from 1986 to 1988 by designer Chris Hemmeter on a magma arena – deals a tram along the property and waterway yachts that proceed their approach around the ponds and waterfall-decorated lakes, including a
large adults-only version. To escape walking, still, would be to slip ample of the $7 million art assembly that appearances the open-air footpaths and galleries, a curated grouping of mostly Asian pieces, counting a few fabulous Buddhist statuaries and wall-hangings. Nearby the hotel accommodations, many of which deal remarkable marine sights (They acclaim trying to acquire single in the noiseless Lagoon Tower, which is well located to admittance cafés and swimming pool, as well as the best quick-stop coffee bar) are Zen greens, redesigned with cemented tracks, perfect for dawn and dusk walking. If you must do somewhat in addition find a laze chair next to one of the swimming pool – several of which appearance out onto Anaeho’omalu Bay – or the fish-filled brine pond, the Hilton has two golf courses, tennis, an pleasurable (read: not too cheesy) luau three nights a week and their own swim-with-the-dolphins setup called Dolphin Quest. They also can assemble water happenings such as whale-watching and snorkeling.Source: Medley News

Read More........→September 28, 2012

Boutine puts you front and center in a virtual fashion collection (exclusive)

You know that feeling when you’re in the fitting room, you try on that perfect item, and your friends’ jaws just drop? Boutine wants to capture that feeling, and bring it online. On Boutine, you can ask a friend for advice, get style tips from the experts, view trending collections (see may favorite below, “The Modern Bohemian Spirit), and purchase items all in one place. Anyone with a strong aesthetic can be a stylist and launch a virtual boutique — once you’ve compiled your collection, you can earn a cut of the revenues for all the items sold. Today, the San Francisco-based company is launching a nifty new feature: an integration with Filepicker.io that lets you upload pictures of yourself and integrate them into fashion collections. You can pull an image from Facebook, Dropbox, Instagram, Box or straight from your desktop to glimpse how a pair of earrings would set off your eyes, or a color would highlight your skin tone. The Internet is crawling with e-commerce sites, but there may be a gap in the market for Boutine. While Pinterest has mastered the social elements, you can’t buy and sell directly on the site yet. Meanwhile, online boutique stores and e-commerce giants haven’t fully engaged their user-base on Facebook and Twitter. Boutine isn’t the only site that offers a fun, collaborative shopping experience — it competes with Polyvore, a mecca for budding stylists; and Style Owner, a New York-based startup that lets you build a store and earn a cut of the sale. On all these sites, shoppers can interact with designers and self-made stylists, which feels more personal than a one-click purchase of a pair of socks on Amazon or eBay. Pramod Dabir, the site’s CEO and founder, told me he had the idea for Boutine when his wife attended graduate school at Stanford. Dabir, formerly a investor at Goldman Sachs, suddenly found himself living in a glorified dorm with six girls. “Before an event, they would run into each other’s rooms to ask for fashion advice,” he said. “When I realized that this was the basis for their purchasing decisions, I hit on the idea.” A year ago, he left the finance world to form the site and raised a small amount of funding from family and friends. In just nine months, the site’s staff had grown to a team of seven. Dabir told me they are already generating significant revenue, an increasingly rare feat for an early-stage startup. Boutine charges a 20 percent commission on products sold, and stylists (that could be you) receive a 10 percent commission for styling the look. At first, it wasn’t easy convincing boutique and independent designers to sign-up, but Dabir said they are starting to approach him directly, as the site has proven to be a strong distribution platform. There are 80 designers featured on the site, and they have a wait-list of about 300. Next up for Boutine is the iPad app, which is Dabir’s top priority — the first version will let you browse collections and make purchases. With this release, Boutine will be looking to raise its first round of funding. Source: VentureBeat, Reference-Image: flickr.com

Read More........→September 16, 2012

The amazing Antarctica

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Antarctica, the Earth's southernmost place, is the best continent for natural beauty. For the most part, Antarctica is just frozen and lifeless, but the perimeter of Antarctica is where you can find all the wildlife, especially on its peninsula. [huanqiu.com] Source: China.org.cn

Read More........→September 07, 2012

Where entomology meets fashion

Scarabée Chinois

By Minouette: French photographer and graphic artist Laurent Seroussi has created a fascinating series of personal works entitled Insectes combining photos of women (with a rather high fashion aesthetic) and

Punaise

anthropods, including  scarab beetles, a leaf insect, a scolopendra centipede, a member of Heteroptera (the "true bugs"), and more. The melding of the women with the insects (and other anthropods) is quite seemless,

Scarab

creating beautiful, contemporary composite creatures, like a modern twist on images of fairies. I find the

Scolopandre

beautiful images have the intriguing effect of humanizing the 'bugs' rather than making the women into

Phasmecreatures. He has an extensive portfolio of photographic and video work, including the more editorial place where, jewellery design meets botany. Source: Magpie & whiskeyjack

Read More........→September 05, 2012

The astonishing 2500 year old tattoos of a Siberian princess & how they reveal little has changed in the way we decorate our bodies

The Body of Princess Ukok, who died aged 25, had several tattoos on her body, including a deer with a griffon's beak and a Capricorn's antlers. The tattoos have been perfectly preserved for 2,500 years. 

The intricate patterns of 2,500-year-old tattoos - some from the body of a Siberian 'princess' preserved in the permafrost - have been revealed in Russia. The remarkable body art includes mythological creatures and experts say the elaborate drawings were a sign of age and status for the ancient nomadic Pazyryk people, described in the 5th century BC by the Greek historian Herodotus. But scientist Natalia Polosmak - who discovered the remains of ice-clad 'Princess Ukok' high in the Altai Mountains - is also struck about 

Researchers also found two warriors close to the Princess , and were able to reconstruct their tattoos. Here, one is shown with an animal covering the right side of his body, across his right shoulder and stretching from his chest to his back.

how little has changed in more than two millennia. 'I think we have not moved far from Pazyryks in how the tattoos are made,' she told the Siberian Times ( SiberianTimes.com ). 'It is still about a craving to make yourself as beautiful as possible.' 'For example, about the British. 'A lot of them go on holiday to Greece, and when I've been there I heard how Greeks were smiling and saying that a British man's age can be
Princess Ukok's hand with marked tattoos on her fingers. She was dug out of the ice 19 years ago, and is set to go on public display in the Altai Republic.

easily understood by the number of tattoos on his body. 'I'm talking the working class now.  'And I noticed it, too. 'The older a person, the more tattoos are on his body.' Dr Polosmak added: 'We can say that most likely there was - and is - one place on the body for everyone to start putting the tattoos on, and it was a left shoulder. 'I can assume so because all the mummies we found with just one tattoo had it on their left 

The tattoos of one of two warriors found on the ancient permafrost burial site at Ukok Plateau some 2,500 metres above sea level close to Russia's frontiers with modern day Mongolia, China and Kazakhstan

shoulders. 'And nowadays this is the same place where people try to put the tattoos on, thousands of years on. 'I think its linked to the body composition - as the left shoulder is the place where it is noticeable most, where it looks the most beautiful. 'Nothing changes with years, the body stays the same, and the person making a tattoo now is getting closer to his ancestors than he or she may realise.' The tattoo patterns are from the ancient 'princess' who died at around the age of 25 - and from two warriors found on an ancient permafrost burial site at Ukok Plateau some 2,500 metres above sea level

Tattoos are clearly visible on one of the warrior's shoulders. The designs are similar to those found on the Princess.

close to Russia's frontiers with modern day Mongolia, China and Kazakhstan. The reconstruction of the tattoos in the images shown here were released to coincide with the moving of the remains of the princess, dug out of the ice 19 year ago, to a permanent glass sarcophagus in the National Museum inThe Ukok plateau, Altai, Siberi, where Princess Ukok and two warriors were discovered. Their bodies were surrounded by six horses fully bridles, various offering of food and a pouch of cannabis.

Gorno-Altaisk, capital of the Altai Republic. Eventually she will be displayed to tourists. Buried around her were six horses, saddled and bridled, her spiritual escorts to the next world, and a symbol of her evident status, though experts are divided on whether she was a royal or a revered folk tale narrator, a healer or a holy woman. Next to hear body was a meal of sheep and horse meat and ornaments made from felt, wood, bronze and gold. And a small container of cannabis, say some accounts, along with a stone plate on which were the burned seeds of coriander.'Tattoos were used as a mean of personal identification - like

Princess Ukok: sculptor's impression of what she looked like 2,500 years ago

a passport  now, if you like,' said Dr Polosmak. 'On the man found close to the 'princess', the tattoos include the same fantastical creature, this time covering the right side of his body, across his right shoulder and stretching from his chest to his back. 'The patterns mirror the tattoos on a much more elaborately covered male body dug from the ice in 1929 whose highly decorated torso in reconstructed in our drawing here. 'His chest, arms, part of the back and the lower leg are covered with tattoos. There is an argali - a mountain sheep - along with the same dear with griffon's vulture-like beak, with horns and the back of its head which has griffon's head and an onager drawn on it.' Source: Travel Fwd Plus

Read More........→August 21, 2012

When your pet says ‘I am sorry’

We all know that animals cannot speak. But they make up for that sometimes by giving expressions so priceless, that it conveys feelings much stronger than words! This week’s photo feature presents a collection of pictures taken at a moment when pet animals, such as dogs, cats and birds, were feeling sorry or low. Be it a pup that looks to be willing to do anything to earn your forgiveness, or a cat that seems to regrets being arrogant, the photos make you fall in love with the animals! Source: Deccan Chronicle

Read More........→August 15, 2012

Specs Addict

By: sarahg2747, My love affair with sunglasses has become very evident with a number of pairs in my possession. So, I guess it's safe to call myself a specs addict. It was to my delight to become aware of a brand earlier this year at Australian Fashion Week, called Specs Addict. Upon browsing their selection of both sunglasses and opticals, I came across their virtual mirror. As you can see below, I enjoyed creating my

very own movie montage trying on the different styles and colours. Once, I had made my choice of the most needed (or should I say wanted) new addition to my sunglasses collection, I followed through the prompts to check out. The delivered product was delightfully packaged. I was anxious to open the package then I read, "Made with love by SPECS ADDICT. It made me think sometimes you need to slow down and appreciate the little things. This packaging was really great. I got to my sunglasses like a a game of pass the parcel and

each time the music stopped, I wondered if this was the layer.The 'Your My Thrill' sunglasses, by SPECS ADDICT were lovely. I love the angular corners of the frames and the overall look. The quality is of the highest standard with a sturdy hinge on the arms and a lense coating to optimise the comfort and cleaning of 

the product. I found it great that SPECS ADDICT will look after your lensing worries and it was an enjoyable online experience. I have spoken to the founders of SPECS ADDICT and they arranged a gift voucher for $70 to giveaway. For you to put towards your next pair of shades. Source: sarahg2747

Read More........→July 24, 2012

Withania somnifera (Ashwagandha): The Health Booster

Ashwagandha (Withania somnifera) of the Solanaceae family, is said to be a most potential herb for general toning of the body and improving immunity. Ashwagandha in Sanskrit means 'horse smell', probably due to the odour of its root which gives out the smell of that of a sweaty horse. Its useful parts are seeds, roots and the leaves. This small perennial plant is a native to India, Pakistan, Srilanka and Bangladesh.The herb is bitter in taste, germicidal, aphrodisiac and diuretic. It is one of the well known valuable herbs reputed to cure cough, fever, ulcers, dropsy, impotency, insomnia, rheumatism, leukoderma and toxicosis. It is also known to increase physical endurance and improve nerve function. It is also known to regenerate the hormonal system and promote healing of tissues. Also, Ashwagandha is known inhibit the aging process and is prescribed in all general debilities. The extract obtained from the herb is used in the preparation of chavanaprash, herbal tea, tablets and syrups. Dried roots of the plant are used as a tonic for cold and cough, hiccup, ulcers, female disorders as well as a sedative. The leaves of Ashwagandha are used to treat inflammation and swellings. Clinical research supports the use of Ashwagandha for anxiety, cognitive, inflammation & Parkinson's disease. Experimental studies have also proposed its anti-tumorigenic and anti-inflammatory role in rodents and other mammalian systems. The herb is characterized by the presence of alkaloids and withanoloids which impart its pharmacological and therapeutic properties. Ashwagandha roots are reported to contain more than 30 steroidal lactones and about 20 alkaloids. Many of the chemical constituents have been investigated for different biological activities. All experimental studies and clinical trials clearly show why Ayurveda has such a high opinion of Ashwagandha as a health booster.Source: HerbHealtH

Read More........→June 21, 2012

China’s dog and cat ‘hotels’ give owners peace of mind

Beijing (China Daily/ANN) – Some pet owners who headed out of town for the holiday engaged neighbors to tend their animals. Others laid in plenty of food and water and hoped for the best. But an increasing number turned to pet boarding services in Beijing, and they made their plans well in advance. Lu Kaiwen, a manager of a pet supplies shop that also provides boarding, said his shop has 60 rooms for dogs and all were all booked in December. “We are always busy during Spring Festival.” Lu said. Wang Yao, a 26-year-old white-collar worker in Beijing, has two cats. She shares a two-room apartment with two colleagues, one of whom also has a cat. “I will be away for about seven days to go back to my hometown, and I really worry about my cats,” she said before Chinese New Year. “I cannot imagine what a mess we will see after we are back, because the cats are really naughty. And my biggest concern is whether they can take care of themselves. “But I am still not sure whether I should send them to a pet boarding service,” Wang said. “My roommate said that her cat is timid and tends to have depression, so she would not send it out. My two cats had never lived together with other cats, so I am afraid that they cannot get along well with other cats.” Wang’s roommate bought a cat climbing frame to entertain the cats during the days they are away. Jin Xing said the accommodations at his cat boarding business were “already spoken for. Some regular customers even order a position at National Day holiday in October.” Jin’s store charges 30 yuan ($4.70) a day for one cat during the holidays, 5 yuan higher than the normal rate. The concept of pet “hotels” is unfamiliar in smaller cities. Wang Qinghong, who is 53 and retired in Xingtai, Hebei province, said she had never heard of pet boarding services. Wang raises a dog. “That is a difference between big cities and small cities, for the paces of life are different. Only a limited number of people in small cities will go out during the Spring Festival, but young people in big cities would always go back to their hometowns during the holiday,” Wang said. “And even when all my family members are out of town or traveling, I will ask my neighbors to take care of my dog.” In big cities, many young people do not know their neighbors. But that poses no pet problems for Zheng Chengyuan, 26, who works in Tianjin. His and his wife’s pets are two carp. “I chose to raise carp because I supposed that I would always be away from home during holidays. We often travel back to our hometown,” Zheng said. “Carp are easy to raise, and being away for one week would bother nothing.” Source; Bikya Masr

Read More........→June 20, 2012

The best labels for your style

1. If  you are body-shy you shall love fall’s drapes: Drapes are very helpful to scan the body charmingly and multiple signs are hidden in drapes. We belong to that country which has culture of wearing sari. There are so many new styles and versions of drapes are available in the market. 2. If you are into performance look at the season’s best single pieces: Select the accessories of this season with style, pick for affected but relaxed statement-makers. The pieces with view of ‘notice-me’ are found in exceptional colors or with inflections that fascinate responsiveness. Before choosing these stuff keep in mind your body shape. 3. If you are commanded for an evening out there’s nothing better than sequins and shine: Something glossy good quantity is need of every girl. Wearing a fully sequined maxi or glossy tunic is not bad idea in this season.4. If you like to keep it cultural try modern cuts for a fresh feel: Beautiful prints, dyes and weaves are the identity of Indian costumes. Try these classical items on some modern day tunics and enjoy to wear Indian and contemporary costumes. 5. If you are a lover of color opt for fall’s jewel tones: Try to play with colors heroically. Selection of a bright color with a delicious, dark velvet jacket and use of metallic accessories will suit to your personality. 6. If you favor girlish- keep it fun, floaty and flirtations: If you are thinking the fashion of frocks and frills are old fashioned then you are in big mistake and look the trend in the market again. Floaty and summer outlines are also in trend for this season. Bright feminine blouse with blazer and collection of edgy accessories will give you a stylish look. 7.  If you are lover of stun- up the raise with some hard metal: The seasons of autumn and winter were used gold chains, all kinds of hardware to present a rock-‘n’-roll jewelries. This season try some classic outlines with a rush of metallic embroidery. 8. If you love of prints- make them ethnic and animal: Try some wild wears in this season. This will definitely give you a sexy look. Outlines in fittings and oversized with wild prints and having in solid colors will give a good impact on your personality. 9. If you are a working girl-pick tailored jackets and fitted shapes: In the corporate sector you can enhance your personality by using light, dark, closed or open jackets. 10. If you are less-is-more girl – keep things clean and straight this season: Clean lines and well-designed shapes have made a good balance of dress for those who love fancy and froufrou. You can use this with favorite jewelry, bags and shoes. 11. If you are fond of jewelry- mix accessories up with beautiful, jazzy and eccentric faux. In this season, faux are considered as the best ornaments. Faux are available in many shapes. You can choose style of very classic as well as modern. They are available in all metals and stones. Source: Medley News, Image: flickr.com

Read More........→May 31, 2012

Eyeballing the lions on big game safari in South Africa

Bikya Masr, Sabi Sand, South Africa (dpa) – Just one swipe of the paw, a bite in the neck or a leap forward and my first African big game safari would have been by last. Only a few meters separated me from the lion. Sitting in an open Land Rover I feel like a meal on wheels. Yet it seems the king of the beasts has lost his appetite today. He lies calmly under a bush in the Sabi Sand Game Reserve. More than 60 years ago this park pioneered safari tourism in South Africa. Back then a group of 14 landowners put their faith in photo-safaris. Among the first to take part was sugar baron William Campbell, whose Mala Mala Camp became South Africa’s first private wild animal reservation, the Londolozi family and the Bailes, who owned the chain of Singita Lodges. “When things first got going you had to be grateful for a scruffy bed and mediocre food,” said Singita Director Mark Whitney. It was only in the 1980s that the accommodation improved. Since the 1990s a number of lodges have sprung up. These are not luxury hotels but have the advantage of being located in the middle of the wilderness which makes up most of the Sabi Sand Game Reserve on the south-western edge of the Krueger National Park. It dates back to 1926. From the vantage point of a lodge, visitors can often spot apes, hippos, crocodiles and elephants. Yet to venture farther into the bush without guides like Wade and his tracker Johnson would be to court disaster. With these men at hand the visitor is safer here than on the streets of any European capital city. “Don’t worry. The vultures up there are not waiting for us,” says Wade in a bid to assure the rookies who are about to embark on their first-ever big game safari just after sunrise. Wade carries a gun for emergencies. “Not that anyone from Singita has ever had to shoot an animal,” he says. The guides are skilled at avoiding such confrontation by anticipating the behavior of the wild creatures and by reading the gestures they make. The group of wide-eyed safari guests sets off slowly in the open Land Rover and soon finds itself in the midst of a herd of elephants. They approach a rhinoceros to within a few meters, past by a group of buffalo before fording a river where the hippos are bathing. Even in a zoo you cannot get this close to these creatures. The genuine safari feeling comes from trips through the bush country and rare sightings such as watching a pair of lions mate. “I’ve only ever seen that once myself,” comments Wade. The lions are unfazed by the whirr of the cameras even though we are hardly five meters away. The open car offers no protection against attack but we are justified in feeling secure. “The animals can smell us but when we are in the car they don’t regard us as humans. All they can see is a large box which poses no threat,” he said. When the sun goes down, Wade halts the car in a clearing. Johnson sets up a small table on the Land Rover bonnet and invites us all to a Sundowner. As night falls the air is filled with the sounds which grow in intensity. The apes and birds screech, the elephants bellow and lions roar. We start at the slightest sound in the undergrowth and comfort ourselves with the knowledge that no-one will be left alone in the bush. Since the lodge is not surrounded by a perimeter fence no guest is allowed outside in the dark without an escort. This is purely a precaution since lions or other large animals seldom come by. On the rare occasion, when they do show up, the results are usually spectacular, said Collin, a guide from the Lebombo-Lodge in Krueger National Park on the border with Mozambique. “A zebra fleeing a lion once galloped into the lodge and ended up in the swimming pool,” he recalled. Source: Bikya Masr, Image

Read More........→May 28, 2012

Fashion fusion from east to west

Just like a painting, or a song, fashion also plays a main role in the fusion of different cultures and influences. Eastern and Western cultures engage in an important part in the Fashion trends of today. These two are fused in the fashion industry in many ways, the British borrowing from the Russians, India from the French, Japan and Germany, and the list continues. Since 1890, fashion expresses tremendous influences from the Eastern culture in the western dress resulting from the artists and designers renowned interest in Art Nouveau. The 1905 war between Japan and Russia and the Chinese revolution in 1911 were fundamental for their inspiration at the moment, as well as today. Some of the most common characteristics are V-necklines, straight seams, hourglass silhouettes, full sleeves toward the end, sleeves sewn to bodice and contrasting wide waistband, to name some. In any store or designer line, you can find eastern inspired clothing like embroidered tunics, beaded necklines on dresses and shirts, jeweled handbags in Sari fabrics, reminiscing different characteristics from the East. Pashminas, for example, are now an every day basic item for most women to wear either on a date to the movies or to a fancy formal gala. Another essential item in womens wardrobe today is the Kurta top, as simple as it can be it stands from the rest because of its beaded detail. The Nehru jacket, born in the 1940s and remarketed in the 1960s thanks to The Beatles, is still an acclaimed collar style in shirts, coats and jackets. The element of women wearing pants, men wearing caftans have even translated to comfort while being considered chic forms of relax-at-home fashion. Attire wrapped around the body like kimonos and robes, rich color fabrics, even pagoda sleeves are eastern trends incorporated in western fashion. Some of the most noted designers bidding on exotic eastern style in their creations are: Max Mara, exploring sexy necklines and strong fabrics, Cacharel with sweet flower prints, and Lacroix risking it with Japanese type sleeves. Armani, Jean Paul Gaultier, Gianfranco Ferr and Versace are only some of the top names reaching out to their masculine lines by including eastern elements to their lines, like pants made with kimono fabrics, mao necklines, printed belts and even oriental type sandals with the use of silk and heavy silk, these fabrics are the foundation for the exotic oriental look designers are striving for. The Boho Chic look, on the other hand, can be represented as a western influence on eastern culture; it embraces a unique style where you can appreciate the fusion of both worlds with the modern and contemporary side of the western fashion and just a hint of eastern flair in the jewels and beading. Season to season, we see fashion face some radical changes, but the east and west mixture is inescapable, resulting always in a beautiful, artistic and also commercial masterpiece representing a multicultural society of designers and consumers. Source: Fashion N Fusion

Read More........→May 21, 2012

The Florida Keys offers a truly American experience

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Big Pine Key, Florida (dpa) – The Florida Keys is usually explored by car but the island landscape and its shallow, crystal-clear waters are probably best discovered using a kayak. The effort is also rewarded by seeing the wide and varied wildlife that live among the mangrove of the Florida Keys. The mangroves hang so low over the water in places that sometimes it is necessary for the kayakers to bend over so much that their heads are almost in the boat. The tour from Big Pine Key to No Name Key is organized by Greg Lepock. “We’re now going to do some kayak yoga,” says Lepock. The yoga involves the kayakers putting their paddles in the boat, stretching out their feet and moving forward by pulling themselves from mangrove branch to mangrove branch. Even the more experienced kayakers in the group have difficulty making their way through the mangroves as their boats get caught in branches and roots time and again. “Not much longer and we’ll be out of this,” shouts Lepock in encouragement. After nearly an hour of toil, the kayakers are rewarded for their efforts by arriving in a unique and virtually undisturbed natural environment that is home to countless pelicans, cormorants and ibises. The shallow waters, meanwhile, are teeming with tropical fish and stingrays. No Name Key is inhabited but its residents live without electricity or running water. “There are approximately three dozen houses,” says Lepock. The situation is completely different at Big Pine Key, which is located opposite and looks like anywhere else in the United States with its paved roads, numerous traffic signs, shops and marinas. The No Name Pub, an establishment with a chequered past, is also found here. “The No Name Pub opened its doors in 1936,” says manager Kevin Chicoski. Originally, the pub supplied everything the local fishermen needed but soon became a brothel before closing down. Today, the walls and ceilings are covered with dollar notes and other currencies. “This comes from the time when fishermen were paid in cash for their catch,” says Kevin. The fishermen pinned dollar notes to the wall on paydays so that they always had money for beer. No visit to the Florida Keys would be complete without savoring some Key lime pie, a delicious dessert made of Key lime juice, egg yolks, and sweetened condensed milk in a pie crust.“The base is made from crushed biscuits, while the filling is made from eggs, condensed milk and the juice from some Key limes. The dessert is completed with a meringue topping,” explains Barbara Cockerham, who runs Ma’s Fish Camp in Islamorada. The pie’s unusual flavor is caused by the Key limes, which are more tart and aromatic than the common Persian limes, while Cockerham also has an explanation as to why condensed milk is used. “This dates back to the time when there was virtually no fresh milk in the Keys because nobody was able to keep any cows,” she says.BM, Source; Bikya Masr

Read More........→May 14, 2012