Sea lions dive off cliff after massive earthquake hits Russia's Kuril islands amid tsunami scare, video emerges
The viral video shows at least 30 Steller sea lions diving into the sea as an 8.8-magnitude earthquake struck near Antsiferov Island, part of the Kuril Islands chain in the North Pacific.
Watch the video here:
Dozens of Steller sea lions seen fleeing as tsunami waves crash onto Russia's Antsiferov Island — dramatic and rare footage captures nature's instinct in action 🦭🌊#Tsunami #Kamchatka #Russia #SeaLions #Earthquake #Nature pic.twitter.com/pjl910WddQ
— Gaurav (@k_gauravs) July 30, 2025
The island hit by the earthquake is home to Steller sea lions, the largest species in the Otariidae family, commonly known as 'eared seals,' according to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) Fisheries, the USA Today reported.
The Kamchatka Peninsula experienced an 8.8 magnitude earthquake at 11:25 local time on Wednesday, prompting tsunami warnings and evacuation orders. According to the BBC, more than two million people have been ordered to evacuate in several parts of Japan, Russia, and the US state of Hawaii.
However, Hawaii authorities downgraded the warnings and orders to an advisory by Wednesday morning. US Secretary of Homeland Security Kristi Noem stated that the officials have been put in place and are ready to respond to any emergency. 'We were fully deployed and ready to respond if necessary but grateful that we didn't have to deal with the situation that this could have been,' CBS News quotes Noem.
Right after the quake, several videos of its effects emerged on social media. As reported by the Associated Press, Japan's large northern island of Hokkaido experienced its first tsunami wave of about 30 cm. A video of five beluga whales washed ashore in Kamchatka ahead of the earthquake.
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The Hindu
9 hours ago
- The Hindu
Crowds, Bollywood music and celebrity tigers: Are Indian safaris getting out of hand?
When Arrowhead, one of Ranthambore National Park's favourite tigers, died of cancer, the Internet exploded with tributes. However, wildlife biologist Sanjay Gubbi, whose work focusses on the conservation of large carnivores such as tigers and leopards, believes that selective sympathies towards animals that have attained celebrity status, often because of their popularity with tourists, may be somewhat misplaced. He argues that tourists who enter protected parks with large cameras and have an immense social media following push for policies and management that are completely unscientific. 'People may go on a safari and take a picture of a tiger limping or a wounded elephant and come back and put it on social media, putting pressure on the government to treat it,' says the wildlife conservationist, who firmly believes that we should not interfere in the lives of animals, especially large animals like tigers and elephants, which have few natural enemies in the wild. 'If we start treating animals like humans, and the natural mortality comes down, the population goes up artificially,' he says. And, 'since habitat is not expanding, this could lead to human-animal conflict.' According to conservationists, there are other equally serious aspects of tiger tourism, which has seen a steady rise in recent years, that need to be considered, including the impact of risky tourist behaviour (making loud noises, getting off vehicles during safaris or misusing mobile phones) and the creation of infrastructure that exceeds the carrying capacity of these forests. 'I am not againsttourism,' says Dharmendra Khandal, the executive director of Tiger Watch, a leading wildlife conservation NGO working in Ranthambore. 'But the way it is going on, it needs some kind of correction.' Tiger tourism rising India has 58 protected areas designated as tiger reserves, established under Project Tiger, the tiger conservation programme launched by the Indian Government in 1973. According to the National Tiger Conservation Authority (NTCA) website, ecotourism in these reserves is supposed to emphasise low-impact activities, such as guided nature walks and safari tours, promoting a deeper understanding of the delicate ecosystems that support these magnificent big cats. 'Strict regulations are in place to ensure minimal disruption to the natural habitats, safeguarding the vulnerable tiger population,' it further states. Tourist footfall in these reserves has been steadily increasing in recent years. The Kaziranga National Park in Assam, for instance, welcomed over 3.4 lakh tourists in the previous financial year, marking a 30% increase compared to last year, according to the park's website, while the Kanha Tiger Reserve has already had nearly 2.58 lakh visitors in 2025, 'a surge of nearly 16,000 more tourists compared to the previous year. ' In the view of Chandreyi Bandyopadhyay, Nagpur-based wildlife writer and enthusiast, who has been visiting tiger reserves since childhood, the rise and rise of tiger tourism has been putting things out of balance. 'Wildlife tourism was specific to hobbyists and real enthusiasts, unlike now. It is now driven by increased accessibility and popularity of individual tigers,' she says. The focus, earlier, she believes, was on inbound tourism, something that has changed markedly since the COVID pandemic, with more and more people opting to holiday in forests, and an obsession to see tigers in the wild, 'because sightings increased and social media came in. There are daily updates on where you can spot a tiger.' This tourist frenzy — to sight a tiger and get Instagram-worthy photographs — often leads to a flouting of protocol for safaris laid down by the National Tiger Conservation Authority (NTCA), which include regulations on vehicular movement and maintaining a safe distance from the animal. According to a recent study, published in ScienceDirect in 2024, the rise of social media platforms, the phenomenon of 'micro-celebrity' status, and the quest to share high-quality, dramatic images have influenced the way people behave in nature and around wildlife. 'The pursuit to gain influence, followers and/or a sense of gratification through virtual praise has the potential to increase risk-taking behaviour, promote unethical practices and create unrealistic expectations for nature appreciation.' Or as T Shatru, a Chennai-based wildlife enthusiast and amateur photographer, rather candidly puts it. 'At the end of the day, tourists want to see a tiger, and they can be idiots,' he says, recalling his last encounter with Chota Matka aka T-126, one of the best-known tigers of Maharashtra's Tadoba-Andhari Tiger Reserve, says, 'There were nearly 30 jeeps, blocking the road, not allowing him to walk. And everyone was honking, yelling and trying to get as close as possible.' While parks are doing their best to minimise poor behaviour — mobile phones are banned inside reserves like Pench and Tadoba Tiger Reserves during safaris, for instance — Chandreyi feels that heftier penalties on tourists who flout safari protocols may be necessary. Guides and drivers are penalised for not adhering to protocol, but badly behaved guests rarely are, she says. 'I think, like for flying, people who disregard the rules of the forest despite being warned by guides must be blacklisted.' This tiger obsession among tourists is also emblematic of a larger problem with the country's conservation narrative. 'In many ways, it has been both a blessing and a blind spot for conservation in India,' says naturalist Arjun Manjunath, the lead trainer and wildlife advisor at the Bamboo Forest Nature Conservancy, an ecolodge and conservancy located in Gothangaon, Maharashtra. While he is aware of the animal's charisma and ability to draw people to it, he believes that 'too much focus on the tiger leads to a narrow set of experiences, and you end up neglecting the larger ecosystem.' Striking a balance As more and more tourists flock to these reserves, hoping to sight a big cat, another major issue crops up: unmitigated development within and around tiger reserves. While the NTCA has laid out rules for tourism in tiger reserves, stating that it needs to be 'contemplated as ecotourism…ecologically sustainable Nature tourism,' this does not always hold on the ground. 'There are very few examples of real ecotourism in this country,' believes Sanjay, pointing out that simply going to a natural landscape filled with wildlife does not mean that it is ecotourism. In his opinion, the larger impact of infrastructure creation in these parks to support tourism is a major cause for concern. 'If you look at the Corbett Tiger Reserve, it is now ensconced all around with tourist infrastructure, cutting off tiger corridors, organising Bollywood-styled wedding parties that create huge noise pollution in addition to the other stress on resources, etc, that sort of thing.' Ranthambore is another reserve that 'is going in a very wrong direction,' feels Dharmendra. 'They are developing wedding hotels in Ranthambore, because this is now a destination wedding area,' he says. 'It is not a sin to get married here, but when you include 1,000 people, shouting, music, a DJ, lights, crackers, it is a problem.' Drawing the line between conservation and sustainable development is always a challenge, believes L Krishnamoorthy, additional principal chief conservator of forests in Madhya Pradesh. 'Conservation is a complex thing, where everyone's support is needed,' he says. 'We have to assume that it is a multifarious activity where many people are involved.' However, he firmly believes that ecotourism, when done correctly, is an integral part of conservation. 'Ecotourism is important for creating awareness about wildlife, creating job opportunities for local communities and also to generate resources that can go towards park management initiatives,' he says. Managing conflict Another cause for concern is that wildlife tourism could exacerbate the already serious issue of human-animal conflicts in and around tiger reserves. While local communities have traditionally coexisted with wildlife for centuries, the situation is changing rapidly. Forest cover is shrinking even as the human population and that of some wild animals, such as the tiger, are increasing. Besides, many people living within the notified core areas of the tiger reserves have been and continue to be relocated, often against their will. The tourism juggernaut, too, does not help. 'They (locals) bear the cost of conservation, while the excitement of conservation is enjoyed by a rich tourist, the social influencer or the photographer. If such people can also become promoters of conservation, then their endeavours will have meaning and benefit wildlife,' says Sanjay. Prioritising local communities for employment activities, something that is already happening in Madhya Pradesh, as Krishnamoorthy points out, could help mitigate the conflict. 'Whether it is the guide, protection watcher, driver or gypsy owner, almost everybody is from the local community. Our objective is to involve local communities so that the conservation benefits are brought back to them. Wherever the tourism zones are joining villages, community tolerance is high because they know they are getting livelihood opportunities and the visibility because of the tiger,' he says. While community engagement is certainly crucial to the country's complex conservation narrative, it is also clear that mass wildlife tourism, centred around the commodification of tiger sightings, even when branded as sustainable tourism or ecotourism, is not enough. For starters, 'ecotourism is often an ill-used word,' believes Arjun, adding that 'it won't work' if one is building large luxury properties and hiring people from top hotel management schools in these reserves, since 'local involvement is zero in this case,' he says. At a broader level, it may also be necessary to reassess our priorities regarding the role of tourism in conservation itself, as Sanjay implies. 'The larger argument has been that since tourism brings in revenue, we need to have it to conserve these areas. But I feel that conservation is like education and health; you can't expect to generate revenue out of it,' he says, adding that one needs to see wildlife tourism as an educational tool, not an economic model. 'Keep it at a minimal carrying capacity and accessible to the public. You shouldn't make tourism expensive and out of reach of common people'.
Mint
16 hours ago
- Mint
South Korean tourist googles India, finds ugly, hazy pics; social media reacts, ‘Western companies make money by…'
A South Korean tourist googled India and found 'ugly, hazy pics' of the country. So, assuming a high level of pollution, he brought many face masks with him. He searched with the keyword 'Indo' since that's what people in South Korea call it. The Google search results must be geo-specific as, when we searched Google with the same keyword, we did not find any such photos. 'There is too much disinformation about India on Internet,' wrote a social media user while sharing a video of the revelation. 'Same with YouTube, search for Indian food, and all you get is slum street food clips. These CEOs don't give a damn about India,' remarked one user. 'Western companies make money by degrading India everywhere,' came from another. Another wrote, 'Indian PR needs an upgrade.' 'What's our tourism minister and information minister doing?' asked one user. 'Doesn't the Indian Embassy in South Korea notice this? Do these IFS officers not do anything in other countries? Then, what's the point of having an embassy?' reacted one social media user. Another replied, 'What's IFS got to do with Google images?' One user wrote, 'Judging India based on hazy images on Google is like judging a book by its cover. If you really want to understand India, don't just look with your eyes, feel it with your heart.' According to another user, such misinformation exists 'because many Indians themselves trash and thrash their country'. A couple of users from overseas, however, claim the information is correct. 'Misinformation? Goddamns, you guys literally swim in your f**ing pi**,' commented a user apparently from Uzbekistan. 'If you google India, you'll see garbage, barbaric people and pollution. If you go to India, 9 out of 10 of your experience will be garbage, barbaric people and pollution,' came another reply from a foreigner. One Indian user, however, raises a different issue: 'If India were so great, why does every Indian want to leave the country?' 'He'll find out that it's not just haze in the air, but also sh*t on the ground,' commented another. Another user referred to Delhi pollution: 'I think he googled India's capital as most of the tourists do when visiting foreign countries.' Misinformation about India, however, is not only an external issue but an internal threat as well. According to the World Economic Forum's 2024 Global Risk Report, India was ranked the highest-risk country for misinformation and fake news. Joyojeet Pal, a professor who studies how technology affects democracy in India, says fake news spreads because it is smartly made, easy to believe and goes viral quickly. In India, people are deeply divided, and many are ready to believe negative news about groups they dislike. Political parties use social media strongly and have trained teams to make content viral.
Indian Express
20 hours ago
- Indian Express
Why hotels in Mussoorie have to now register guests on a Govt portal
Owners of hotels, guesthouses, and homestays in Mussoorie will now have to register their guests on an Internet portal run by the Uttarakhand Department of Tourism as part of measures to ensure that the fragile ecology of the region is not burdened beyond its 'carrying capacity' – which refers to the maximum number of individuals an ecosystem or specific area can sustainably support without degrading natural resources or causing significant environmental damage. This directive is part of a suite of 19 preventive and remedial measures recommended in a 2023 report by a committee appointed by the National Green Tribunal (NGT) to protect the environment of the popular Himalayan tourist destination. On May 8, the tribunal took note of the action taken based on the report in an affidavit by the state government, and pressed on the state to expedite the implementation of these steps. Process of registration 'Registration of tourists should be done according to the carrying capacity of the area, especially the available parking space, guest room availability, etc. Tourists can be charged for visiting the Mussoorie area, and the payment can be utilised for managing waste and cleanliness,' the 2023 report had said. After dragging its feet for some time, the state Tourism Department began trials on the registration of tourists, which was one of the 19 recommendations, on Wednesday. A meeting was convened to apprise owners of hotels and homestays of the NGT order, district tourism development officer Brijendra Pandey said. 'We have given a live demo to the managers and owners on how to register their units in the system and fill in the data of the tourists. This registration will be carried out in real time when visitors check in,' Pandey said. Tourist arrivals in Mussoorie, which is around 320 km from Delhi and well connected by road and rail (till Dehradun), have been increasing steadily. From an estimated 1.5 lakh visitors in 1958, the number of tourists reached 3 lakh in 1966, and 8.5 lakh by 2000. In 2019, the last year before the Covid-19 pandemic, more than 30 lakh tourists visited the hill station. These numbers have put great pressure on Mussoorie's physical infrastructure. As of 2023, the registered accommodation in the area included 303 hotels, 201 homestays, and six dharamshalas. All public and private parking together had space for only 1,240 vehicles, and the committee had suggested in 2023 that the number of tourist vehicles should be limited to this number. The 2011 Census recorded the resident population of Mussoorie at 30,118. The 2023 report estimated this number would increase by 23% by 2037 and 52% by 2052. The hill station already suffers from a shortage of water – the 7.69 million litres per day supply from six pumping stations and six gravity sources by the Mussoorie Nagar Palika has to be augmented by water from the Yamuna Water Supply Scheme. Fragile mountain zone The hill station, located at an altitude of 2,005 metres above sea level in the foothills of the Garhwal Himalayas, is in Seismic Zone IV, one step below the most active Zone V. A 2007 study had concluded that the highly jointed, fractured, and weathered carbonate rock mass, and the steep slopes and high water percolation into them, create ideal conditions for slope instability in the area. Many buildings stand on slopes steeper than 40 degrees, and many are taller than the 12-metre height that is permissible under the Uttarakhand Building By-Laws and Regulation, 2001. The NGT had earlier cited a report by the Lal Bahadur Shastri National Academy of Administration on Mussoorie's carrying capacity in 2001, which had concluded that no further constructions were viable. Dr Vikram Gupta, Scientist F at Wadia Institute of Himalayan Geology in Dehradun, had backed this finding, saying that the limestone in Mussoorie was weak with microcracks. In 2023, following the Joshimath land subsidence incident, the NGT had flagged similar risks to Mussoorie and surrounding areas. 'Over-concretisation leads to landslides. The proposed tunnel below Mussoorie is dangerous. So is the proposed ropeway from Dehradun to Mussoorie. The ropeway and tunnel have damaged Joshimath. Traffic congestion adds to the burden on the mountain's road. Excessive building activities are beyond the capacity of Mussoorie,' it had said. Aiswarya Raj is a correspondent with The Indian Express who covers South Haryana. An alumna of Asian College of Journalism and the University of Kerala, she started her career at The Indian Express as a sub-editor in the Delhi city team. In her current position, she reports from Gurgaon and covers the neighbouring districts. She likes to tell stories of people and hopes to find moorings in narrative journalism. ... Read More
