Study uses wood chemical profile to strengthen fight against illegal logging

The case of the cheetah killed in Kuno National Park, located in Shopyur district, has sparked protests among wildlife enthusiasts and public organizations. In response, the Kuno Committee held an action, visiting the district college and demanding an impartial investigation into the matter. The Committee submitted a memorandum to the President, insisting that the death of the cheetah be investigated by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI).

The Committee raised not only the issue of the cheetah's killing but also questioned alleged illegal logging in the district's forests, as well as negligence in forest protection. Protesters demanded an investigation not only into those responsible for the cheetah's death but also into a potential hunting network involved.

Members of the Kuno Committee arrived at the Shopyur district college on Thursday afternoon. There, they held a demonstration with slogans against the killing of the cheetah in Kuno National Park and put forward their demands. Following this, a memorandum was presented to the President. In it, the Committee stated the necessity of an objective investigation into the cheetah's death. According to the Committee, the investigation should not be limited only to the incident itself; it must determine who participated in the hunt and whether any large network is behind it.

During the visit to the college, the Committee also demanded action against officials and employees responsible for negligence in forest protection. They emphasized that determining responsibility for protecting wild animals is crucial for a serious investigation of such incidents. Atul Chauhan, the coordinator of the Kuno Committee, and other members raised the issue of a hunting network in the memorandum. The Committee stated that animal skins obtained from the Shopyur area had previously been found in Agre.

The Committee demands that the cheetah's killing be investigated through the CBI to establish all related facts. It is also necessary to check the contacts of people involved in the hunt and find out if these events are linked to any large network. Although the Committee expresses concerns about the hunting network, confirming these suspicions is only possible after an investigation. Currently, the Committee is seeking an independent and impartial investigation of the entire case.

During the demonstration, the Committee also raised the issue of alleged illegal logging in the forests of Shopyur district. The Committee accused landowners and forest mafias of large-scale deforestation in the district. According to their assertion, this damages the natural habitats of wild animals and the environment. The Committee also questioned the monitoring and security system in the forest zone. They stated that the role of the system responsible for forest and wildlife protection needs to be examined. The memorandum included a demand for a high-level investigation into illegal logging and landowner activities. The Committee also called for identifying those responsible for actions in the forest zone and holding them accountable according to regulations.

Following the cheetah's death, there has been increased activity in the forest department. Investigative teams have been mobilized at both the central and state levels to investigate the case. On the other hand, wildlife enthusiasts and various organizations are also raising questions about the incident and demanding an investigation through the CBI. The memorandum submitted to the President by the Kuno Committee outlined three main demands. First, conducting an investigation into the cheetah's death and the potential hunting network through the CBI. Second, holding officials and employees responsible for negligence in ensuring safety in Kuno National Park and Shopyur forests accountable. Third, conducting a high-level investigation into alleged illegal logging and landowner activities. The Committee also demanded the adoption of effective measures to protect forest resources and wildlife while holding those responsible accountable. Attention will now be focused on the results of the investigation into this case and the actions taken in response to the Committee's demands.

Paleoanthropologists have presented a description of two clavicles found in breccia from the Swartkrans site. These finds suggest that the individuals to whom the bones belonged may have spent significant time climbing trees.

The remains were discovered near previously found femur and tibia bones of a very low paranthropus, estimated to be approximately 2.3–1.7 million years old. However, researchers have not yet been able to classify these fossils by specific species or even genus.

The research results were published in the scientific journal American Journal of Biological Anthropology.

European archaeologists have completed a series of experiments aimed at studying the process of creating the most ancient artificial material—birch tar. Researchers concluded that Neanderthals could theoretically extract this substance not only from bark but also from birch leaves. However, despite the possibility of using leaves, the yield of tar from birch bark was significantly higher—almost three times as much.

Birch tar and its concentrated form, known as 'var', are recognized as some of the earliest artificial materials created by archaic humans. Archaeological findings indicate that this adhesive was produced by both Neanderthals and late Heidelberg people. For instance, two stone flakes containing remnants of birch var were discovered in Tuscany (Italy), dating back approximately 200,000 years. Traces of var are also known from the German site of Königshäusewe, which dates from 45,000 to 80,000 years ago.

Even members of our own species, ancient hunter-gatherers, used birch tar. During the Mesolithic era, 'var' was used not only as an adhesive but also as chewing gum. These gums can preserve information about the people who consumed them. For example, an artifact from Denmark, 5,700 years old, was found with preserved DNA of a dark-skinned but blue-eyed woman, and 10,000-year-old gums containing DNA of bacteria causing periodontitis were discovered in Sweden.

June Versleis and Patrick Schmidt from the University of Tübingen conducted new experiments attempting to recreate the methods of obtaining tar used by ancient humans, including Neanderthals. While the previous focus was on extracting tar from bark, this time the scientists tested a different type of raw material—leaves. For the test in the Swabian Forest, bark and leaves were collected and then burned by five participants outdoors. The goal was to condense the tar onto a stone, from which it could be scraped off with a flint tool.

The results showed that tree resin could be obtained from both bark and leaves; however, the leaves required preliminary drying for two weeks, unlike the bark, which burned easily even when moist. Nevertheless, the average yield of tar from leaves was almost three times less than from bark: about 0.04 grams of tar was obtained from 100 grams of leaves, whereas from 100 grams of bark, approximately 0.11 grams was obtained. The speed of resin production was faster when using leaves: 0.16 grams of resin was obtained from leaves in 25 minutes compared to 0.12 grams from bark. Researchers note that it is unclear whether Neanderthals used birch leaves, but there is data on Middle and Late Stone Age people from Southern Africa who used podocarp leaves to make glue.

Previously, archaeologists discovered a site where Neanderthals allegedly made tar, but from frankincense, not birch. These hearth traces were identified in the Vanguard Cave, located in the Gibraltar Rock, and experts estimate the site dates from 49,800 to 72,900 years ago.

It is also worth noting a discovery by German researchers in Hesse, near Rosbach-for-der-Höhe, of the ruins of an ancient Roman cult building. Last year, hurricane-force winds in the wooded mountains of Taunus exposed the remains of this rectangular stone structure. It was about five meters long, and the walls were 50 centimeters thick. Local archaeologist Kai Mückenberger, who specializes in the study of the Roman Limes, believes these ruins are an ancient temple located outside the ancient fort. The publication Hessenshau reports that the monument likely dates to the 3rd century AD, when a Roman fort, now known as Capersburg, was located near this site.