Plastic-rock hybrids found on the Andaman Islands
A new study by the Indian Institute of Science Education and Research, Kolkata, found the first record of plastiglomerates in the Indian sub-continent on Aves Island in the Andaman archipelago.…
Articles by Vinaya Kurtkoti
Vinaya is a Pune-based independent journalist who enjoys writing about the
environment, human rights, and culture, and how they all intersect.
A new study reveals critical gaps in stork research; calls for scrutiny of the IUCN Red List data
A new study highlights the sparse understanding of stork species around the world and recommends a more robust scientific assessment of storks in the International Union for Conservation of Nature…
[Explainer] What are floodplains and how have they been managed in India?
Cities and towns are often built close to riverbanks and floodplains for easy access to water and transport. Historically, in India, the fertile land of the riverbed and floodplains, that…
Flying is riskier for female katydids, finds India’s first insect radio telemetry study
Bush crickets, also known as katydids, form an important part of the diet of the insectivorous lesser false vampire bat Megaderma spasma. A new research study by the Centre for…
How ecotourism in Konkan promotes climate-friendly tourism
The Konkan region, along India’s west coast, has been a tourist attraction for several years now. Nestled between the Western Ghats and the Arabian Sea, this region has beaches, waterfalls,…
Pune’s proposed river rejuvenation project does not consider ecology, hydrogeology, and climate change, say experts
The Mula and Mutha rivers originate in the Western Ghats and flow towards each other meeting in Pune at Sangam Bridge, and then flow together towards the Bay of Bengal…
Mahatma hill’s avian diversity shows the importance of conserving the ‘tekdis’ of Pune
In June 2020, 20-year-old Arnav Gandhe was on a birding visit to Pune’s Mahatma hill, an offshoot of the biodiverse Western Ghats. He was about to wrap up for the…
Stone mining in Brahmagiri mountains chips away at the Godavari River ecosystem
The Brahmagiri hills, in Maharashtra’s Nashik district, are considered the origin of the Godavari River, India’s second-longest river. The foothills of the Brahmagiri are now a popular spot for real…
Maharashtra’s first endemic tree rediscovered after 180 years at Harishchandragad hill
While working on a project to document Maharashtra’s endemic species, researchers from the Naoroji Godrej Centre for Plant Research (NGCPR) came across a unique tree that they had never seen…
Newly described scorpion species from Western Ghats highlight need for more research and conservation
Since March 2020, scientists from the Institute of Natural History Education and Research (INHER), Pune have described seven new species of scorpions from the Western Ghats – six from the…
Community restores grasslands in Lamkani, making the village drought-resilient
“Twenty years ago, we did not have 10 litres of milk available in Lamkani village in Dhule district. Today, Lamkani sells about 3,000 litres of milk to Dhule every day,”…
Path of destruction: Road to Anjaneri hilltop could threaten fragile rocky outcrop ecosystem
Merely 20-kilometres away from Maharashtra’s Nashik city, the Anjaneri plateau has a good forest patch and is home to at least 105 species of forest and grassland birds including those…
Ecosystems-based adaptation keeps water running in Bhojdari even in dry months
Bhojdari, in Ahmednagar district of Maharashtra, is a village in the rain-shadow region of the Western Ghats; it is in the upper catchment and has no river, dam or canal…
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
- [Commentary] Neglecting household biomedical waste management can lead to adverse environmental effects
- No magic bullets to deal with snakebites
- Six years on, cyclone Ockhi survivors battle lingering mental health impacts
- Gig workers in India are exposed to highly polluted air and carcinogens, finds preliminary study
Almost Famous Species
- Genetic insights of the Kempholey night frog offer better conservation strategies
- Saving India’s only ape, the hoolock gibbon
- [Interview] “Favourable conditions and diet important for ex-situ conservation of wild cats”
- A 100 camera traps to monitor rusty-spotted cats in Keoladeo National Park
Eco Hope
- How the loss of a natural dye-producing plant initiated the idea of a village sanctuary
- Green pilgrimage model balances faith and conservation
- [Video] Restoring the perennial Thamirabarani river with people power
- [Interview] Conservation scientist Joli Rumi Borah on integrating traditional knowledge in research
India's Iconic Landscapes
- [Commentary] Up close and personal with the fragility of the Himalayas
- Studies reveal impact of land use on species diversity in rock outcrops
- Improved tiger numbers come with hidden messages on invasives, habitat connectivity
- Gymnosperms that are critical for coniferous forest health may be steadily declining in response to climate change
Beyond Protected Areas
- Pythons return home, slowly but surely, finds a new study
- Grassland loss threatens endemic birds in Arunachal sanctuary
- Genetic insights of the Kempholey night frog offer better conservation strategies
- Loss of forest cover in Kashmir is pitting a protected animal against the world’s costliest spice
Conserving Agro-biodiversity
- [Commentary] Erratic weather, altered social dynamics disrupt mahua economy in eastern India
- Horseshoe crab decline sparks urgent conservation plea
- Production of rugra, a nutritious mushroom found in Jharkhand, impacted by weather changes
- [Commentary] Soil degradation in India spells doom for millions
Just Transitions
- [Video] Rooftop solar, an emerging solution to Bihar’s land shortage that’s stalling renewable progress
- India needs to face challenge of funding thermal power plant closure, says new report
- With no primary data on impacts, government approves an oil extraction technique 500 m outside forests
- Climate action not on track to meet Paris Agreement goals, says Global Stocktake report
