Author name: Neel

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Birds

Kea-The Kiwi Mountain Parrot

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Kea-The Kiwi Mountain Parrot Kea-The Kiwi Mountain Parrot – Facts file  The Kea is a native Kiwi parrot found in the Southern Island of New Zealand. Its beak around 4.5cm-5cm long for males, while the female’s beak is 4-4.5cm long. Their wingspan is 1m in width and they are about 46cm long. A male Kea weighs 750g-1kg, whereas, the female Kea weighs 700-850g. Keas have a plumage of olive green, their nape and crown are yellow or green. Their abdomen and chest are green with a tinge of brown, while their tail is blueish green with a black tip. Their eye colour is brown and they have dark, brown patches around their eyes Their feet have 4 toes on each foot with two pointing forwards and backwards. Adult Keas have brown feet, while the younger ones/juveniles have yellow feet. Diet, habitat, predators, and behaviour. Diet: Their diet comprises leaf buds, roots, fruit, seeds, nectar, and insects. Their favourite food is the nectar of flax and coprosma.  Habitat: Keas live throughout alpine areas in the Southern Island of New Zealand. They build nests at sea level on the West Coast of the South Island, the Southern Alps and in the mountains of the South Island. Behaviour: Kea parrots are intelligent birds. Scientists from all over the world have come to Southern Island to conduct experiments on the Kea. The experiments involve tasks that aim at showing the intelligence levels of the Kea. Along with intelligence, they are noisy and can be pests. There have been cases where the Kea has broken tourists’ cars and vandalised lodges and houses. They like going to buildings whatever way they can. They use their beak for looking for food through rocks and other tough places like crevices. Mating occurs over a lifetime. The females lay 2-5 eggs per year in a burrow deep in the ground under a beech trees’ roots or large rock outcrop. The Male feeds the female during the incubation period. Incubation occurs for 1 month and Keas breed each year. Sexual maturity in the Keas occurs at around 3 years in females and 4-5 years in males. If predators like stouts (introduced species) and possums eat the Keas eggs, the female Kea can lay another batch of eggs if it is not too late in the season. When the chick is 1-month old, the male keas assist with their feeding. Male Keas mate with up to four females during the breeding season. After 10-13 weeks, the chicks can fledge. Threats and conservation efforts: Threats: There are threats to the Keas existence. Introduced mammalian predators, Lead in the Keas habitat is also a threat to Keas existence. Irresponsible 1080 pest control, Avian diseases, accidents, and illicit wildlife trade are other threats the Keas face to their existence. The International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) classifies Keas as ‘Vulnerable’. Conservation Efforts: The pleasant news is that past New Zealand Government had implemented legislation and Projects to minimise the above threats. Under the Wildlife Protection Act, a person who kills a Kea can receive a heavy fine and face imprisonment. Projects are being developed to minimise the impact of each of these threats. Threat Mitigation Projects help in reducing the impact of the threats that Keas face.  The Kea Conservation Trust is a registered charitable trust that has helped in preserving the Keas populations in New Zealand. Kea-The Kiwi Mountain Parrot

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Mammals

wolverine | Description, Habitat, Photos, & Facts

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wolverine | Description, Habitat, Photos, & Facts Wolverine. Wolverines are the largest member of the weasel family. They live throughout the Arctic and Sub-Arctic. Wolverines are fearsome animals just like the Honey Badger. They are fearsome as they take on big animals like the moose. Their body includes a thick, hydrophobic, and oily fur which helps it resist the toughest of conditions. Hence, why it can survive in the harsh conditions of the Artic and Sub-Artic. There are two types of wolverine and i.e., the European Wolverine and the North-American Wolverine. There are about 15,000-30,000 Wolverines in the wild. Their body length is between 32-42 inches and their weight can be up to 70 pounds. Out of all mustelids, only the Sea Otter and the Giant Otter are larger than the Wolverine. Diet, Habitat, and Behaviour. Diet: Their diet involves scavenging on the corpses and prey of other animals. Wolverines are opportunistic eaters that feast on anything. They eat smaller prey like porcupines, beavers, squirrels, foxes, rabbits, voles, lemmings and mice to birds, bird eggs. They take on bigger prey like deer and moose if the prey appears to be injured. Plants, berries, and other veggies are just a small portion of their diet and they eat them in Summer. Habitat: Wolverines need a lot of room and live in different habitats. They can travel for up to 15 miles a day while searching for food. They visit boreal forests, taiga, and tundra in the northern latitudes of Europe, Asia, and North America. Behavior: Wolverines are excellent climbers and they rest in the evergreen trees of their homes. Their scavenging nature leads them to steal from hunting lodges. There are cases where they carry off guns, knives, clothes, blankets, cooking utensils, tools, and other items that they would not use. Like bears, the male Wolverines mark their territories with a scent. Females stay in the den and give birth to 2-3 young in late winter or early spring. The young ones live with their mums until they reach maturity, which is two years. Females have delayed implantation so the eggs stay around the uterus before they de-attach. The reason is to ensure that there is an abundance of food when the young is born, during January-April. Females produce one litter every 2-3 years. Threats and Conservation efforts: Threats: The major threats to Wolverine’s existence are loss/fragmentation of habitat, and hunting. As described earlier, the fur of Wolverines has qualities that help it survive. Poachers/Hunters see the Wolverine fur becomes beneficial and has a value in the market. Hunters also hunt wolverines for sport. These are the reasons their populations are declining. The International Union for Conservation of Nature’s (IUCN) assessment lists the Wolverines as ‘Least Concerning’. The IUCN’s European assessment lists the Wolverine as ‘Vulnerable’ in Europe. Conservation Efforts: Conservationists have tried to pass legislation that helps preserve the Wolverine populations. There have been efforts to include the Wolverine under the Endangered Species Act (ESA). WCS America has protected Wolverines in the U.S. and they have tried to push legislation that help protect the Wolverine from extinction in the U.S.

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Animal World, Mammals

Indian Sloth Bear Facts | India Wildlife Guide

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Indian Sloth Bear Facts Indian Sloth bears are large mammals found in India. What makes these bears unique is their diet’s key source is insects. The estimated number of Sloth bears in the wild is less than 20,000. The body-length of the Indian Sloth Bear is between 5-6ft. Female Indian Sloth Bears weight is 175-310 pounds and the males weight is 120-210 pounds. Its tail is about 6-7 inches long, which is the longest tail in the bear family. Plus, its footprint is like a human’s footprint. Diet, Habitat, Predators, and Behaviour: Diet: The Indian Sloth Bears diet includes insects. Their sense of smell and their long, curved claws help them locate and rip the termite mounds. Termites are the Indian Sloth Bears favourite delicacy. Indian Sloth Bears also eat flowers, mangoes, jackfruits, sugar cane, honey, wood apples and other fruits, seeds. Habitat: They live in lowland forests and sometimes, and they live in tall, dense grasslands and a range of insect-rich habitats. They prefer living in areas with lower elevation and also dry forests. Predators: Humans, leopards, tigers and wolves are the major predators. Tigers, Leopards, and Wolves prey on the cubs. Behaviour: Most of them are nocturnal. The females are more active during the daytime so she can avoid predators preying on her young ones at night. Cubs and adults climb trees, however, the cubs do not climb the trees to avoid predators like other bear species. The cubs jump on their mother’s back while their mothers scare the predator/s away. These bears live in a warm climate and need not hibernate in winter like other bear species. The surprising thing is that these bears kill 12 people a year. Reproduction depends on the location and it can happen anytime in the year. The gestation period is around 9 months and their litters contain 2-3 cubs. Female sloth bears reproduce at different times of the year based upon their location. Once they mate, their gestation period is nine months long. The mother uses a cave or rock cavity so they can give birth with optimal safety. The cubs ride on their mums back for safety and quicker travel until they are about nine months old and they become independent when they are 2-3 years old. Threats and Conservation efforts: Threats: Use of bears for entertainment, deforestation, loss/fragmentation of habitat hunting, poaching, and other forms of human conflict are just some threats that the bear’s face. In the Dancing Bear Trade in India, the bears end up suffering from malnutrition. Poachers kill the bears to use their gall bladder for traditional eastern medicine. Some people still use them for entertainment despite bans being put in place in 1972 which prohibit the use of bears for entertainment. The IUCN’s (International Union for Conservation of Nature) Red List labels the Sloth Bear as a ‘Vulnerable’ species. Conservation efforts: Despite all the threats, there are efforts aimed at conserving the Indian Sloth Bear populations. Community-based incentives aim at planting more trees and protecting the bears’ habitat. Zoos help to preserve the Sloth Bear’s populations. In addition, the Wildlife SOS has saved 400 bears from the dancing bear business in India. The Wildlife SOS is a non-profit organisation that aims at conserving India’s natural resources. It also has rescue and rehabilitation centres that help the bears with recovery efforts.  Indian Sloth Bear Facts  -Sources: https://www.nathab.com/know-before-you-go/asia-the-pacific/india/wildlife-guide/sloth-bear/ https://animals.net/sloth-bear/ https://www.nationalgeographic.com/animals/2020/05/sloth-bears-are-worlds-deadliest-india-human-conflict/ https://institute.sandiegozoo.org/species/sloth-bear http://www.theanimalfiles.com/mammals/carnivores/bear_sloth.html

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Mammals

Indian giant squirrel

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Indian giant squirrel The Malabar Giant Squirrels (or Indian Giant Squirrel) are an endemic Indian species, found throughout India in places like the Western Ghats, Eastern Ghats and the Satpura Range in states such as Madhya Pradesh. Body length-wise, they are 20-25 cm, their tail around 45cm in length, and their weight from 1.5-2kg. They are two times the size of the Eastern Grey Squirrel.   Their colour tone is a one, two, or three-toned colour scheme. Its colours include white, creamy-beige, buff, tan, rust reddish-maroon, brown, dark brown, or black. The colours act as a camouflage to protect the squirrel from predators. Broadleaf habitats of the squirrels exhibit a “mosaic of sun flecks and dark, shaded areas” which is like the patterns of the Giant Malabar Indian Squirrel. The Malabar Giant Squirrels can leap up to 20 ft. and they can travel between close trees with limited effort. Their long and strong claws help them climb trees with ease. Their flexibility and cautious attitude help them avoid predators. Diet, Habitat, Predators, and Behaviour: Their diet includes consists of jackfruit native to India, other fruit, flowers, nuts, and tree bark. The omnivorous species eat insects, and sometimes, bird eggs.   Malabar Giant Squirrels live in the tropical evergreen forests of India. They are an upper-canopy dwelling species that stay in the treetop and rarely touch the ground. They make their nests on the nooks of the thinner branches or in tree holes.   The nests’ sizes are like that of eagle nests and consist of twigs and leaves. Some individuals and pairs of squirrels live in over one nest. They leap from one tree to another in search of food. These creatures have a quirky method of storing their food. Unlike other squirrels, the Malabar Giant Squirrel creates large caches of food high in the treetops. Predators include leopards, lion-tailed macaques, crested serpent eagles, other big cats, snakes, and other big birds of prey.   Their tail aids their balance while they roam on precarious branches. Malabar Giant Squirrels have a unique way of avoiding predators. They flatten themselves against a branch and utilise their unique colour pattern to make it look like they are apart of the tree. There is limited knowledge about the breeding and mating habits of these unique creatures. The only known aspect is that their litter can include one to three squirrels and that breeding occurs at any time of the year. Their lifespan in the wild is unknown. However, in captivity, the longest they have lived in 20 years.   Threats and conservation efforts: These wonderful creatures are facing many threats to their survival. Deforestation, hunting, fragmentation of their habitats and captivity as pets are just some threats that the Malabar Giant Squirrel faces. There are efforts being made to help conserve their populations, but they are difficult to look after due to certain behavioural traits. The IUCN (International Union for Conservation of Nature) Red List of threatened species did a worldwide assessment on the species. The assessment confirmed that despite the decline, the squirrel’s numbers remain of “least concern” on the organization’s scale. Conservation efforts despite all the challenges are being made to help improve the Malabar Giant Squirrel’s population. Implementation of Wildlife Protection Acts and legislations that ban hunting and keeping them as pets, help preserve the Malabar Giant populations. Wildlife Parks and Zoos including the Rajiv Gandhi National Zoological Park in Pune are helping boost the population of the Malabar Giant Squirrel. These are just some conservation efforts being made to protect the Malabar Giant Squirrel.   Sources: https://www.conservationindia.org/gallery/captive-malabar-giant-squirrel https://www.thedodo.com/in-the-wild/indian-giant-squirrel-pictures https://www.thehindu.com/sci-tech/energy-and-environment/why-a-pune-zoo-is-breeding-the-malabar-giant-squirrel/article25401268.ece https://www.nationalgeographic.com/animals/2019/04/indian-giant-squirrels-colors-camouflage/ https://allthatsinteresting.com/indian-giant-squirrel

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Mammals

Grizzly Bear Facts |- Animal Fact Guide

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Facts about the Grizzly Bear. Grizzly bears live throughout the U.S.A., Canada, Alaska and parts of the former Soviet Union. They are brown. The name grizzly comes from the fact that their fur, appears to be white-tipped, or grizzled. Their claws can be up to 4 inches. Grizzly Bear front claws can be up to 4-inches. Grizzly bears most definable trait is the hump on their shoulders. The hump is a large, powerful muscle that helps provide power to their forelimbs through their schedule. Diet, Habitat, behaviour and Mating: Diet-wise, the grizzly bears eat whatever they like. They are on-top-of-the-food-chain predators. However, most of their diet revolves around nuts, berries, fruits, leaves, and roots. They eat moose, elk, bison, and mice. The grizzlies are powerful enough to make a meal out of anything. Quantity-wise, they can eat up to 90lbs of food each day. The Grizzly Bears like open areas including the tundra, alpine meadows, and coastlines. Grizzlies are solitary animals and only meet up with other Grizzlies for mating. In case they meet other bears, the social interactions between the bears are limited. The bears have a habit of rubbing their backs against trees. The purpose is to communicate with other Grizzly bears by emitting a scent onto the tree. They are not trying to get rid of an itch from their backs. The cubs require about 2-3 years of nursing before they can go out on their own. The cubs become less dependent on their mama’s milk and eat solid food from an early age. Females give birth during hibernation in which they spend most of their time in the dens they build before the winter period. Other interesting facts about the Grizzly Bear: In fictional stories, bears appear to be slow, lazy, and clumsy. However, appearances are deceptive. Grizzlies can run at speeds ranging from 27.78-35 miles per hour. This means they can beat many sprinters including the legendary, Usain Bolt. Also, contrary to popular belief, Grizzly bears can climb trees. However, they need proper support from evenly spaced branches as the bears have long claws and are heavy animals. They can be dangerous to humans if they feel threatened or if a human comes near their cubs. Conservation efforts and threats: Like many beautiful creatures, Grizzly bears populations are facing threats to their existence. Threats to their populations’ existence include human activities like logging, hunting, development, and mining. The sad part is that there is legalized bear hunting in Canada. A dead Grizzly bear is viewed as a trophy. There have been some controversial efforts to remove laws that aim at protecting the Grizzly Bears in recent years. On a positive note, there have been conservation efforts to boost the bears’ populations. In the USA, the Endangered Species Act helps in conserving the bear’s population. U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service have helped in conservation efforts by setting up recovery zones. Its aims at setting up recovery zones which help in reimbursing ranchers for the livestock killed by Grizzly bears. The Recovery Zones also aim at improving human-bear relations by educating people about the bears.                                    

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Mammals

Jaguar guide: how to identify, where to see

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Jaguar guide: how to identify, where to see Jaguar Fact File: The Jaguar is the third-largest cat in the world and the largest in the Americas. Length-wise, they are 240cm in length and in shoulder height; they are 75cm. The Jaguar lives across South America and Central America. They are an endangered species and there are continuous efforts to save the 34 jaguar subpopulations. There are 64,000 jaguars in the Americas. There are 34 jaguar subpopulations, 25 of which are under threat. Eight of the 34 Jaguar subpopulations are in danger of extinction. Diet, Habitat and behaviour Jaguars diet include rodents, mammals and reptiles. Their diet includes deer, peccary, capybaras, crocodiles, tapirs, snakes, monkeys, deer, sloths, tapirs, turtles, eggs, frogs, and fish. Jaguars live in a wide range of habitats. This includes drier regions, dense swamplands, grassland, scrub, and forests. While other cats dislike swimming, the Jaguars are excellent swimmers. That is why jaguars lurk around rivers because of the abundance of prey. They can climb trees and ambush their prey. The Jaguars are a top-level carnivore. This means they keep the other species populations in check and fight with other smaller carnivores over prey. They like to live and hunt by themselves solitary animals, besides during mating season. The big cat hunts on the ground but also hunt in the trees and water. Other features of the Jaguar: Jaguars have similarities to leopards. However, you cannot get confused while in the wild as there are no other big cats in the Americas. The cougar is weaker compared to the jaguar and they are also different in appearance to the jaguars. Colour-wise, the jaguars are tan or orange and they have unique black spots called rosettes. There are jaguars that are black and at first glance, do not appear to have any spots. The spots on the black jaguars are visible on closer inspection. Unlike the leopard who has similar rosette-type spots, the jaguar’s spots have smaller spots inside them which make them distinguishable from the leopards. Jaguars have one of the most powerful bites out of all the big cats. They have powerful jaws that are potent enough to crack open a turtle’s shell or penetrate through the skull of their prey. Males defend territory ranging from 80-90sq.m. The only time they meet other jaguars, in particular the females, is if they are mating.  Breeding occurs often throughout the year and the females give birth to four cubs that become independent after two years. Conservation efforts and threats: International organisations like the Defenders, are pushing efforts to implement policies that include banning international trade of the jaguar. The organisation also is a sponsor of the 1st range states Jaguar workshop in Bolivia in 2019. In 2004, the renowned zoologist and former Panthera CEO Alan Rabinowitz proposed The Jaguar Corridor Initiative. The initiative to create a continuous north-to-south habitat corridor throughout the species’ range, enabling it to roam and breed. Defenders played a massive part in helping establish the Northern Jaguar Reserve in Sonora, Mexico, that aims at protecting the remaining Jaguar population in the north of Mexico. Other threats to the jaguar’s existence include palm oil expansion, isolation, Amazon fires, fragmentation of Jaguar habitats, and deforestation.       .                                        

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Mammals

Baboons:The Monkeys With the Scarlet Booties

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Baboons: The Monkeys With the Scarlet Booties Baboons- “Few mysterious facts areby nature,Fixed to their ways.Baboons carry their innocent eyesI find peace in thoseSometimes for long days..” Baboons are probably the most identifiable of the monkey world. They have tufts of hair on either side of their appearances and enormous, smooth bottoms that can turn red. These old-world monkeys moreover don’t have prehensile tails like some unusual monkeys, which implies they don’t utilize their tail like a hand. Size Baboons are the world’s biggest monkeys, as indicated by National Geographic. From skull to base, Baboons develop to 20 to 34 inches (60 to 86 centimeters) and their tails add an extra 16 to 23 inches (41 to 58 cm) to their length. They weigh about as much as a human kid — 33 to 82 lbs. (22 to 37 kilograms). Habitat Baboons are just found in an unmistakable territory of the world: Africa and Arabia. Four species, the chacma, olive, yellow and Guinea, live in the savannas. Others live in other semi-arid territories, however, a few Baboons can some of the time be found in tropical timberlands. The Hamadryas Baboon lives in the slopes along the Red Sea. In contrast to different monkeys, Baboons remain on the ground a great part of the time. They do rest, eat or keep watch in trees, however. Habits  Baboons are exceptionally social animals. Gatherings of monkeys are called troops, and a troop can contain handfuls to many individuals. The biggest soldiers have up to 300 individuals, as per the African Wildlife Federation. Troops husband to be, rest and ensure one another. Youthful monkeys in the troop will likewise play together. Games incorporate wrestling, swinging from vines, and pursue. A Baboons male, as a rule, runs the troop. Guys are typically positioned in strength by age and size while females are normally positioned by birth request. Diet As omnivores, Baboons eat a wide cluster of meats and plants. Common nourishments in a monkey’s eating regimen incorporate grasses, natural products, seeds, roots, bark, rodents, winged animals, and the youthful of pronghorns, sheep, and different warm-blooded creatures. They even eat different monkeys. Now and then primates make irritations of themselves by eating crops close to their homes. Characteristics All baboons have long, dog-like muzzles, substantial, ground-breaking jaws with sharp canine teeth, close-set eyes, thick hide aside from on their gags, short tails, and unpleasant spots on their projecting posterior, called ischial callosities. These calluses are nerveless, hairless pads of skin that provide for the sitting comfort of the baboon. All baboon species show articulated sexual dimorphism, ordinarily in size, yet additionally now and then in shading or canine advancement. Males of the hamadryas baboon species likewise have enormous white manes.

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Animal World

Golden Eagle-The powerful and ferocious

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Golden Eagle-The powerful and ferocious Golden Eagle-This magnificent bird is widespread in the wilder country of North America, Europe, and Asia and Alaska to central regions of Mexico. These birds are diurnal, being dynamic by day, and sleeping at night. They live for a lifespan of 30 years. The birds have a plumage of 7000, dark brown feathers and powerful claws. They have a strong, hooked bill. The Golden Eagle has golden feathers on its nape. This powerful eagle is North America’s largest bird of prey and therefore the national bird of Mexico. They’re extremely swift and may dive upon their quarry at speeds of quite 150 miles per hour. These magnificent birds range from Mexico through much of western North America as far north as Alaska; they also appear within the east but are uncommon. Golden eagles also are found in Asia, northern Africa, and Europe. Habitat, Food, and Behaviour: Golden eagles prefer tundra, grasslands, scrublands, and other open habitats. Diet-wise, these birds of prey feast on rabbits, hares, ground squirrels, marmots, pronghorn, foxes, deer, mountain goats, ibex, jackrabbits, reptiles, fish, other birds, and carrion. They construct their nests by using sticks, vegetation, grass, bark, mosses, leaves, bones, and antlers. The nests require several years of maintenance and position themselves on cliffs. Also, they have nests in trees, on the ground or in high man-made structures. The nests are deep, measuring 6ft in width and 2ft in height. Golden eagles are diurnal, meaning they are active by day and sleep during the night. The eagles hunt in pairs, and they can also hunt by themselves. One eagle chases the prey, altering the evasion path of the prey. The eagle that chases the prey alters the path of the prey towards the other eagle waiting to capture the prey. Mating habits: These beautiful birds only mate once in a lifetime, i.e., they are monogamous. They construct many nests and they travel from one nest to another. Golden eagles are monogamous, mate once in a lifetime. Golden Eagles lay their eggs between January and March and incubated during 41-45 days. The young fly at about 10 weeks old and after about 32-80 days after fledging, the chicks become independent. Other interesting facts about the Golden Eagle: As of 2019, the global population of the Golden Eagle species is stable. They are in the Least Concern (LC) category, meaning they are not facing the threat of extinction. There are about 300,000 birds or 200,000 mature individuals. The Golden Eagles are the national birds of Albania, Austria, Mexico, Germany, and Kazakhstan. Golden Eagles are avian predators and they soar around 80 mph and can nosedive at 200mph. They play a vital role in keeping the local ecosystem stable. Golden Eagles maintain stability in ecosystems by keeping prey populations in check. They even prey on other predatory birds such as white-tailed eagles and California Condor and compete with hawks and ravens over the habitat. Threats to their existence: Despite not facing extinction, there are threats to the Golden Eagle’s existence all over the world.  Destruction of their environments, persecution, animal traps, poisoning, and commercial-based tree-planting are serious threats the Golden Eagles face to their existence. All the above factors cause disruption to the Golden Eagle’s habitat, and if the aforementioned activities continue, unchecked, then the Golden Eagle could face extinction.

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Sports

Super Rugby Match of the Round

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  Super Rugby Match of the Round: Highlanders steal their first victory of the season in extra time-   The Brumbies came into the game undefeated this season, while the Highlanders came off a disappointing home defeat to the Sharks. Aaron Mauger’s side had one thing favoring them heading into the game was the fact that they had won four games on the trot against the Brumbies. Josh Ioane scored the first score points of the match for the Highlanders. However, the Brumbies scored the first try of the game on the back of forwarding, Folau Fainga. Brumbies did most of the defending for the first few minutes, but once the Brumbies got an opportunity, they took their chance and scored. The Brumbies forward formed a rolling maul and Fainga went over the chalk for the try in the 11th minute. Noah Lolesio missed the conversion. The brumbies then scored another try of the back of a driving maul and Fainga again scored a try in the 29th minute. Lolesio slotted the conversion. The score was 12-3 in favor of the Brumbies. The Highlanders scored their first try of the night through a Jona Nareki charge down. Noah Lolesio looked to clear the ball, but Jona Nareki pulled off a charge down to score the first try for the Highlanders in the 31st minute. Josh Ioane converted the try. The score read 12-10. The Highlanders then took the lead for the second time in the game in the 38th minute. Ioane converted the penalty. The score read 13-12 at half-time in favor of the Highlanders. Ioane extended the lead for his side to 4 points in the 42nd minute. After the slotted another penalty. Things got difficult for the Highlanders. Patelesio Tomkinson received a yellow card for a no arms tackle which roughened Brumbies fullback, Tom Banks. The Brumbies took advantage and scored their third try of the back off a driving maul, and Folau Fainga scored a hat-trick in the 67th minute. Ryan Lonergan converted they try to give the Brumbies led again with the score at 19-16. Josh Ioane missed a vital penalty. When Ryan Lonergan slotted a penalty 6 minutes away from full-time, the Highlanders looked most likely to lose their first match in Canberra after 5 meetings in Canberra. The game went past the 80-minute mark and Murray Douglas went to the sin bin for the Brumbies. The next minute, Teariki Ben-Nicholas scored the winner for the Highlanders. The Highlanders shifted the ball back to the left side saw Ben-Nicholas go over the try-line and Josh Ioane converted the try. The Highlanders won and extended their streak over the Brumbies to 5 games in Canberra. The Highlanders won the game 22-21. Stars for the game for the Brumbies were Folau Fainga scored 3 tries, made 10 carries ran 6 meters, 2 passes, and 7 tackles. Solomone Kata on the attack had a good game, making 3 carries for 14 meters, 2 clean breaks, and 2 passes. Allan Alaalatoa made 9 passes for 11 meters, beat 1 defender, and made 1 pass, 1 offload, and 11 tackles. Rugby Stars for the Highlanders were Jona Nareki scored 1 try, made 11 carries for 23 meters, beat defender, 1 clean break, 1 pass, and 6 tackles. Shannon Frizzel made 5 carries for 16 meters, beat 5 tackles, made 1 pass, 1 offload and made 5 tackles. Marino Mikaele Tu’u made 4 carries for 15 meters, 1 clean break and 6 passes and 3 tackles. The Brumbies face the top of the table, Chiefs at FMG Stadium in Waikato, while the Highlanders face the defending champions, the Crusaders at Orangetheory Stadium.

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Sports

U-19 World Cup final recap: Bangladeshi young gangs create history

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  Bangladeshi young guns create history.   The under-19 World Cup final for 2020 had it all. Subcontinent neighbors India and Bangladesh reached the final without dropping a game. Bangladesh had one game washed out against Pakistan. Other than that game, they won all their games. India dominated their way to their third consecutive under-19 cricket World Cup final. Both sides had players with previous first-class cricket experience. It promised to be a cracker of a game and it did not disappoint.   India batted first at JB Marks Oval in Potchefstroom on Sunday evening. Rising star, Yashasvi Jaiswal opened with Divyansh Saxena. Bangladeshi fast-bowler, Avishek Das bowled an aggressive spell of fast bowling. The pacer was in the Indian openers’ face, sledging, and death-staring them. Divyansh Saxena was the first batsman to depart for 2 off 17 balls. Mahmudul Hasan Joy caught him off the bowling of Avishek Das, 4 balls into the 7th over. ​ Yashasvi Jaiswal showed why he is a star of the future with a brilliant 88 off 121 balls which contained 8 fours and 1 six. India was in a decent position with Jaiswal and Tilak Verma putting on a partnership of 96 for the 2nd wickets.   Tanzid Hasan Sakib removed Verma for 38 off 65 balls. India lost captain Priyam Garg for 7 off 9 balls to Rakibul Hasan and once Jaiswal departed, India collapsed like a pack of cards. India was 4/156 after 39.5 overs when Jaiswal departed. 7.4 overs later, they were 177. Nobody except Jaiswal, Verma, and no.5, Dhruv Jurel passed double figures for India with the bat. Jurel was run-out as there was confusion between him and Atharva Ankolekar. Both batsmen ended up running towards the non-striker’s end. ​ For the Bangladeshis, Avishek Das picked up 3/40 off 9 overs, while Shariful Islam and Tanzid Hasan Sakib picked up 2/31 off 10 overs and 2/28 off 8.2 overs. ​ With 177 to chase off 50 overs, the Bangladeshis would definitely have fancied themselves for a maiden under-19 World Cup title. Their openers gave them a perfect start with 50 runs off 8.5 overs. India needed something real quick and the impressive young leg-spinner, Ravi Bishnoi delivered the goods for his team. Bishnoi snared 4 quick wickets within the space of 7.2 overs. Bishnoi removed Tanzid Hasan Sakib, Mahmudul Hasan Joy, Towhid Hridoy and Shahadat Hossain. The situation got worse for Bangladesh during that period as the opener, Parvez Hossain Emon, went off injured around he 14th over the mark. ​   The situation was difficult with the score at 6/103, with both Shamim Hossain and Avishek Das being dismissed by Sushant Mishra. However, the young opener Emon did show a lot of courage to come back and bat with his captain, Akbar Ali. The part-time leg-spinner, Yashasvi Jaswal dismissed Emon for 47 off 79 balls. The score was 7/143 when Emon departed. Rain reduced to the match to 46-over affair and the target for Bangladesh was 170. Bangladesh captain, Akbar Ali and Rakibul Hasan helped guide the Bangladeshis home. Bangladesh became the under-19 World champions. Akbar Ali’s team won the game with 3 wickets and 3.5 overs to spare. The team ran on to the pitch with their nation’s flag, screaming with joy, and an unfortunate scuffle broke out between some of the Indian and Bangladeshi players. The scuffle led to 3 Bangladeshi and 2 Indian players receiving punishments from the ICC.​ For, India, with the ball, Ravi Bishnoi finished with 4/30 off 10 overs and Sushant Mishra bowled 7 overs for figures of 2/25. ​   Bangladeshi fans will remember the final for a long time. India missed out on a 5th u-19 World Cup. Yashasvi Jaiswal received the man of the tournament for his performances. He scored 400 runs at an average of 133.33, with 3 half-centuries and 1 century. The strong Bangladeshi contingent was amazing in support of their young team. They were vocal and supported their boys throughout the tournament.   Captain, Akbar Ali, summed it up as a dream come true. He hopes that this tournament will be the starting stone for his team as they aim to achieve higher honors for their country. The Indian players will also hope they can reach higher honors for their country.     The likes of Ravi Bishnoi and Yashasvi Jaiswal will also aim for higher honors for their nation. The game was a wonderful way to conclude the 2020 Under-19 World Cup and a few players from all nations will represent their nation at the international level.    

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