This week’s environment and conservation news stories rolled into one.
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Did you call? Misuse of bird call audio is disturbing bird behaviour
Going by the law, using playbacks is illegal as it counts as “baiting” under the Wildlife Protection Act. Scientists with a permit are however allowed to do this for research purposes and there are international guidelines on how to go about it, depending on the species being studied.
How a community radio gives voice to the climate-vulnerable in Tamil Nadu
Kalanjiam Samuga Vanoli was the state’s first community radio station as a means to rehabilitate communities after the 2004 Indian Ocean tsunami. It continues to help in disaster preparedness and recovery in the region as India’s vulnerability to extreme weather events is on the rise.
Elephants in the estate: Humans and elephants tussle for space in Kodagu
Fragmented forests, closed corridors and lack of food in protected areas have left the elephants with no choice but to confront humans for their essentials.
Can humans and elephants cohabit in Kodagu?
A majority of people surveyed in Kodagu believe that elephants have a right to live despite crop damages and do not support culling or selective killing of elephants by humans.
Vanishing forests drive lion-tailed macaques to search for food in people’s homes
The once shy and exclusively arboreal lion-tailed macaques are modifying their behaviour, increasingly descending to the ground and searching for food in human spaces.
Climate emergency: India says it can only aspire to implement already promised climate actions
The United Nations secretary-general called for countries to ramp up climate action at the global Climate Action Summit on September 23. Meanwhile, India demanded that the appeal be matched with climate finance to developing countries.
Are changing agricultural practices responsible for vanishing happiness in remote Tripura hamlets?
Rubber plantations were introduced in Tripura in 1963 by the forest department, as a means to manage and stabilise shifting cultivation (locally known as ‘jhum’), rehabilitate shifting cultivators and to restore degraded land affected by repeated shifting.
Control import of waste tyres into India, NGT tells pollution board
It is estimated that about 300,000 tons of waste tyres are imported into the country each year from across the world like Australia for recycling and disposal, which, however, are not always done through environmentally safe procedures. One of the reasons for importing these waste tyres is that it is a steady source of supply as domestically, collection of waste tyres is not organised.
Study shows hungry rains gaining ground in India
A study looks at expanse of rainfall in India and finds that acting together, severe rainfall over adjacent areas has a more intense impact on flood than when it is scattered.
Uncovering the groundwater crisis in south India
Several studies over the past few years have been talking about groundwater stress and depletion in the north and east India. In contrast, water levels are reported to be rising in south India.