How preserving forests could save the Indian giant squirrel
Its call is hard to miss. A series of high-pitched and staccato chirrups reverberate through the dense forests where it is found. Follow the sound and you might spot the…
Articles by Sneha Mahale
I can be found curled up with a book or eyeing the latest gizmos when I am not jumping from planes (skydiving!), shark cage diving or bungee jumping. Travel is my vice, and most of my free time is spent indulging this salary-defying fetish. I also write, edit and post on social media for a living.
The curious case of the woolly-necked stork and its rising numbers in Haryana
As bird populations across the globe steadily decline, the woolly-necked stork is thriving in India, particularly in the northern state of Haryana. According to a recent study, large breeding populations…
Attacks by dogs a serious concern for the revered blackbuck in Haryana
Free-ranging dogs have emerged as a potential threat and predator to the local nilgai and blackbuck populations in parts of Haryana, according to a recent study conducted in the Badopal…
A new study from Karnataka evidences the impact of windfarms on biodiversity
Despite the increasing expansion of wind energy in India, research on the impact of windfarms on terrestrial mammals is limited. A recent study, published earlier this year, addresses this knowledge…
Invasive freshwater fish are thriving in the Ganges, aided by increasing temperatures
New findings from regional climate model studies conducted in a 25-kilometre grid in the Ganges river basin predict a mean annual temperature rise in the waters of 1-4 degrees Celsius…
The ‘mad babul’ spreads its roots, dominating Indian desert fox habitat
Gujarat’s Banni grasslands are home to 40 species of grasses – from a rare grass that has no local name to one that almost only grows inside well-walls. The grasses,…
Twin lives of the Gambusia fish: a protector against disease or a pest?
In 2021, several districts in the state of Uttar Pradesh battled a deadly outbreak of dengue and malaria. To check the spread of disease and control the mosquito menace, district…
A call for help from the Western Ghats
Its loud call is distinctive. A series of yelps that almost sound like manic laughter upon reaching a crescendo. It can be heard from a distance, making the Malabar grey…
Hangul population increases marginally in latest census
In March 2021, a census conducted in Kashmir to estimate the population of the hangul (Kashmir stag), showed encouraging initial findings. According to the Department of Wildlife Protection, the population…
Hope in sight for the ambassador of Chilika lake, the elusive fishing cat
The fishing cat in Odisha faces the threat of shrinking marshlands, its habitat, but experts hope that recent conservation efforts employed by the state will help it swim against the…
Sustainable strategies needed to manage human-wild boar conflict in Goa, experts say
Over five years ago, farmers groups in Goa proposed that four species – the Indian wild boar (Sus scrofa cristatus), rhesus macaque (Macaca mulatta), gray langur (Presbytis entellus) and the…
How a village in Maharashtra is helping vultures make a big comeback
A small village in Maharashtra’s Raigad region is on its way to revive its vulture population. The collective efforts of the locals and conservation organisations have seen the local vulture…
Ladakh pitches for a new state bird and animal after getting union territory status
In August 2019, President Ram Nath Kovind gave assent to a legislation for bifurcation of the state of Jammu and Kashmir into two Union Territories (UTs) - Jammu and Kashmir,…
Shrimp farming gets a push in Uttar Pradesh as India looks to boost exports in fisheries sector
Seeking to double India’s export earnings from fisheries, the Indian government plans to increase fish production from 137.58 lakh metric tons in 2018-19 to 220 lakh metric tons by 2024-25,…
Odisha lays out its ‘red carpet’ for tourists, keeping conservation in mind
Talsari beach, located in the Balasore district of Odisha, is well-known among wildlife enthusiasts and local people in the state. Every year, it draws scores of people for a glimpse…
Trout swims to success in Jammu and Kashmir
Kashmir’s trout is in demand, with states in India seeking its eggs to rear the Union Territory’s (UT) famed fish breed. Just this year, in January, 500,000 trout ova were…
Leopards in a spot in Rajasthan
“Big cat safaris in India are all about the tiger. It is only in recent years that the leopard has started getting the attention it deserves," says Vinod Kumar Goel,…
Special series
Wetland Champions
- [Commentary] India establishes the largest network of Ramsar Sites in South Asia
- [Commentary] Wetland champions: Promise from the grassroots
- The story of Jakkur lake sets an example for inclusive rejuvenation projects
- Welcome to Tsomgo lake: Please don’t litter
Environment And Health
- Stubble burning is back, smothering north India with concerns for the upcoming winter
- Humans are contaminating Earth’s waterways with medicines, pharmaceutical ingredients
- Inhaling particulate matter is increasing the prevalence of anaemia among women of reproductive age
- Health effects of heat stress will intensify disproportionately without ambitious efforts
Almost Famous Species
- India garners international support to save two endangered freshwater turtles
- What protecting the slender loris could mean for forest communities in Tamil Nadu
- [Video] Hangul, the shy Kashmiri deer, is facing the threat of extinction as its habitat shrinks
- Identifying individual mugger crocodiles using drone technology to minimise conflicts
Eco Hope
- Hosur forest division runs campaign to collect illegal guns in a move to protect elephants
- How an equitable model of irrigation is changing this drought-prone Maharashtra region
- To increase fish production, Odisha turns to cage aquaculture
- Nations adopt Global Biodiversity Framework amid concerns over watered-down targets
India's Iconic Landscapes
- Nourishing soils of Kashmir’s karewas crumble under infrastructure
- Shielding hijol, a floodplain tree, from climate impacts
- [Explainer] Mass flowering and why some plants bloom and die together
- Uttar Pradesh reports an increase in rhino population since reintroduction over three decades ago
Beyond Protected Areas
- [Commentary] A story of two mothers from a human-elephant conflict zone in Assam
- Assam loco pilots on the need for effective communication to prevent elephant-rail collision
- [Podcast] Imprints: Digging up bones with Advait Jukar
- Helping wildlife navigate road and railway infrastructure
Conserving Agro-biodiversity
- Nations adopt Global Biodiversity Framework amid concerns over watered-down targets
- [Commentary] A renewed CGIAR can better support South Asia to determine its food future
- Equitable benefit sharing of digitised genetic information to span across discussions at COP15
- Making sense of rainfall changes in Karnataka’s coffee estates through old records
Just Transitions
- Helping wildlife navigate road and railway infrastructure
- Energy transition offers a ray of hope to farmers struggling in chilly winter
- With a new policy, Odisha aims at 10 GW of renewable energy by 2030
- [Commentary] The missing caste from commons: A reflection from a Telangana village
