Minister Ranjith Kumar launches wildlife ambulance in Chennai

09-10-2026 · English

Topics: Tamil Nadu · 9 October 2026 Current Affairs (UPSC / TNPSC / SSC / RRB)

News

At the Wildlife Week closing ceremony at the Guindy Children's Nature Park, Chennai, Forest Minister R.V. Ranjith Kumar flagged off a 'wildlife ambulance' to give immediate treatment to injured wild animals in and around Chennai (Oct 2026). He released an SOP book on monitoring and releasing sea turtles and gave kits to snake-rescue volunteers registered on the 'Naagam' app.

Key facts

Background

• Guindy National Park is one of the very few national parks inside a city (declared in 1976), known for blackbuck and spotted deer. The Children's Park opened in 1959.
• Law: Wildlife (Protection) Act 1972 (amended 2022); Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Act 1960. Article 48A (State) and 51A(g) (citizen's duty of compassion for living creatures); the 42nd Amendment moved 'Forests' and 'wild animals' to the Concurrent List.
• Sea turtles: Olive Ridleys nest on Tamil Nadu's coast from Chennai to Cuddalore and Nagapattinam in December–March; the Forest Department hatches eggs in hatcheries and releases the young. Odisha's Gahirmatha sees mass nesting (arribada).
• Wildlife Week: 2–8 October; the 2026 week began on 2 October.
• Green cover: the National Forest Policy 1988 targets 33% of land under forest/tree cover; Tamil Nadu also aims for 33% green cover.

Tamil Nadu link: the Arignar Anna Zoological Park, Vandalur (begun in Chennai in 1855), is among India's oldest public zoos; Vedanthangal is India's oldest bird sanctuary.

Source: Daily Thanthi, Dinamalar, 9 Oct 2026

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