TN registers India’s first case of tilapia parvovirus The first occurrence of tilapia parvovirus (TiPV) has been reported for the first time in India at ponds in Walajah in Ranipet district. The TiPV affects the farm bred tilapia which is a fresh water fish species. It causes a huge mortality rate. Note The TiPV was first reported in China in 2019 and in Thailand in 2021. India is the third country to report its occurrence. Mozambique tilapia is considered as ‘a poor man’s fish’. It was introduced to Indian fresh water bodies in the 1950s. AI based alert system for safety of elephants Tamil Nadu’s first artificial intelligence (AI) based early warning system is nearing completion. The system aims to prevent wild elephants from getting hit by trains on railway lines along the Ettimadai - Walayar section, which links Tamil Nadu and Kerala. It provides an additional layer of protection for elephants. The towers for thermal imaging cameras have been installed in the highly vulnerable 7.05km stretch of the Ettimadai - Walayar section, passing through Solakkarai reserve forest of Madukkarai range. Note A total of 11 elephants were killed on the two railway lines linking Coimbatore and Palakkad from 2008 to 2022. Status of Elephants in India IUCN Red List: Endangered CITES: Appendix I Wildlife (Protection) Act, 1972: Schedule I Conservation of Elephant Monitoring the Illegal Killing of Elephants (MIKE) programme – 1997 Project Elephant - 1992 Elephant Reserves – 33 (5 in TN) Elephant Corridors – 150 (as per Elephant Corridor Report 2023) Top three states with highest number of elephants Karnataka – 6,049 Assam - 5,719 Kerala - 3,054
