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		<title>Mongabay India</title>
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		<link>https://india.mongabay.com/by/parul/</link>
		<description>India&#039;s environmental science and conservation news</description>
		<lastBuildDate>Wed, 26 Aug 2026 08:20:18 +0000</lastBuildDate>
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					<title>When farm ponds fail to hold water</title>
					<link>https://india.mongabay.com/2026/08/when-farm-ponds-fail-to-hold-water/</link>
					<comments>https://india.mongabay.com/2026/08/when-farm-ponds-fail-to-hold-water/?noamp=mobile#respond</comments>
					<pubDate>26 Aug 2026 13:50:18 +0000</pubDate>
											<dc:creator>
							<![CDATA[Shivam Bhardwaj]]>
						</dc:creator>
										<author>
						<![CDATA[Kundan Pandey]]>
					</author>
							<category><![CDATA[Uncategorized]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[farm]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[farmers]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[farming]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[irrigation]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[rainfall]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[water conservation]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[water crisis]]></category>
										<enclosure url="https://imgs.mongabay.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/30/2026/08/26122217/keshav-2-768x512.jpg" type="image/jpeg" />
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											<reporting-project>
							<![CDATA[Just Transitions]]>
						</reporting-project>
					
											<locations>
							<![CDATA[Uttar Pradesh]]>
						</locations>
					
											<topic-tags>
							<![CDATA[Agriculture, Climate Change, Climate Change Adaptation, Drought, Extreme Weather Events, Food, Groundwater, Impacts of Climate Change, and Water]]>
						</topic-tags>
					
					
											<description>
							<![CDATA[“Very low rain this year; only one rain in this season till now,” said 35-year-old farmer Vipin Kumar Yadav from Manipur village in Mahua block of Uttar Pradesh&#8217;s Banda district, this July, as the agriculture-dependent region waited for rains. Pointing to the farm pond, or khet talab, dug on his land, Yadav said the difference [&#8230;]]]>
						</description>
																					<content:encoded>
							<![CDATA[“Very low rain this year; only one rain in this season till now,” said 35-year-old farmer Vipin Kumar Yadav from Manipur village in Mahua block of Uttar Pradesh&#8217;s Banda district, this July, as the agriculture-dependent region waited for rains. Pointing to the farm pond, or khet talab, dug on his land, Yadav said the difference from last year was stark. “Look at this, how little water is in my pond this time. Last year around this time, the entire pond was full. I used that water in October-November to irrigate my wheat crop. This year the water is low; the 10-foot-deep pond couldn&#8217;t even fill up to five feet. I am worried: how will the wheat and mustard crops get water this year?” The concern is significant in a region where much of agriculture remains dependent on rainfall. By August 1, rainfall in Banda was 26% below normal for the monsoon season. The pond was dug in Yadav&#8217;s field in May 2024. Last year, he used the stored water to irrigate four acres of wheat twice, more than doubling his wheat yield from about 3.5-4.5 quintals per acre to 9-10 quintals per acre. This year, however, the pond has received much less water. The concern over rainfall comes as forecasts point to a strengthening El Niño. On July 30, the Union Ministry of Earth Sciences said in a press release that El Niño had intensified from weak conditions in June to moderate levels in July and could strengthen further to the&hellip;This article was originally published on <a href="https://india.mongabay.com/2026/08/when-farm-ponds-fail-to-hold-water/" data-wpel-link="internal">Mongabay</a>]]>
						</content:encoded>
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					<slash:comments>0</slash:comments>
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					<title>The largest living sea turtle</title>
					<link>https://india.mongabay.com/short-article/2026/08/the-largest-living-sea-turtle/</link>
					<comments>https://india.mongabay.com/short-article/2026/08/the-largest-living-sea-turtle/?noamp=mobile#respond</comments>
					<pubDate>26 Aug 2026 13:23:23 +0000</pubDate>
											<dc:creator>
							<![CDATA[Team Mongabay-India]]>
						</dc:creator>
										<author>
						<![CDATA[Priyanka Shankar]]>
					</author>
							<category><![CDATA[Marine]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Marine ecosystem]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Marine Fisheries]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[marine wildlife]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[turtle]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[turtles]]></category>
										<enclosure url="https://imgs.mongabay.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/30/2026/08/26115753/turtle-768x512.jpg" type="image/jpeg" />
					<guid isPermaLink="false">https://india.mongabay.com/?post_type=short-article&#038;p=40292</guid>

											<reporting-project>
							<![CDATA[Species File]]>
						</reporting-project>
					
					
											<topic-tags>
							<![CDATA[Biodiversity, Conservation, Environment, Oceans, and Wildlife]]>
						</topic-tags>
					
					
											<description>
							<![CDATA[Species File: Exploring India&#8217;s biodiversity, one species at a time. Every winter, hundreds of colossal, leathery-shelled reptiles arrive at Galathea Bay on Great Nicobar Island. They dig deep trenches, lay their eggs, and cover them with sand before heading back into the waters. In around two months, the eggs begin to hatch, and baby turtles [&#8230;]]]>
						</description>
																					<content:encoded>
							<![CDATA[Species File: Exploring India&#8217;s biodiversity, one species at a time. Every winter, hundreds of colossal, leathery-shelled reptiles arrive at Galathea Bay on Great Nicobar Island. They dig deep trenches, lay their eggs, and cover them with sand before heading back into the waters. In around two months, the eggs begin to hatch, and baby turtles take their first steps and head into the ocean, as their ancestors have for millions of years. But now, a large trans-shipment port, planned as part of the Great Nicobar Island project, could threaten the turtle’s survival on this beach. The leatherback turtle (Dermochelys coriacea) is the largest of all living sea turtles and is the only one without a hard shell. It instead has a leather-like, flexible carapace that allows it to dive deeper (up to 1,000 metres) than other turtles. Adults can grow nearly two metres long and weigh as much as a compact car (1,000 kilograms). The turtles feeds almost entirely on jellyfish, helping keep their populations in check and maintaining ecosystem balance. Leatherbacks are found in every ocean except the Arctic and Antarctic and spend most of their lives in open waters. The females of the species migrate thousands of kilometres from foraging grounds to nest on open sandy beaches in tropical and subtropical countries. In India, they nest almost exclusively in the Andaman and Nicobar Islands, with Galathea Bay being the largest nesting ground in the northern Indian Ocean. Other major global nesting spots are located in Gabon, Trinidad and&hellip;This article was originally published on <a href="https://india.mongabay.com/short-article/2026/08/the-largest-living-sea-turtle/" data-wpel-link="internal">Mongabay</a>]]>
						</content:encoded>
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					<title>Kerala’s Onam festival marred by a weaker monsoon and subsequent crop loss</title>
					<link>https://india.mongabay.com/2026/08/keralas-onam-festival-marred-by-a-weaker-monsoon-and-subsequent-crop-loss/</link>
					<comments>https://india.mongabay.com/2026/08/keralas-onam-festival-marred-by-a-weaker-monsoon-and-subsequent-crop-loss/?noamp=mobile#respond</comments>
					<pubDate>25 Aug 2026 17:12:58 +0000</pubDate>
											<dc:creator>
							<![CDATA[K. Rajendran]]>
						</dc:creator>
										<author>
						<![CDATA[Divya Kilikar]]>
					</author>
							<category><![CDATA[Uncategorized]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[rainfall]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[traditional farming]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Traditional Knowledge]]></category>
										<enclosure url="https://imgs.mongabay.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/30/2026/08/25152633/Photo-2Onam-768x512.jpg" type="image/jpeg" />
					<guid isPermaLink="false">https://india.mongabay.com/?p=40443</guid>

											<reporting-project>
							<![CDATA[Climate Connections]]>
						</reporting-project>
					
											<locations>
							<![CDATA[Kerala]]>
						</locations>
					
											<topic-tags>
							<![CDATA[Agriculture, Drought, Environment, Extreme Weather Events, Food, Impacts of Climate Change, and Plantations]]>
						</topic-tags>
					
					
											<description>
							<![CDATA[On August 16 this year, the first day of the ten-day harvest festival of Onam in Kerala, P. Vijayalakshmi made her way to a restaurant in Thiruvananthapuram. For the first time in her life, the 72-year-old has purchased a ready-to-eat “packet Onam sadhya” or Onam feast rather than preparing it herself. “Every Onam, I would [&#8230;]]]>
						</description>
																					<content:encoded>
							<![CDATA[On August 16 this year, the first day of the ten-day harvest festival of Onam in Kerala, P. Vijayalakshmi made her way to a restaurant in Thiruvananthapuram. For the first time in her life, the 72-year-old has purchased a ready-to-eat “packet Onam sadhya” or Onam feast rather than preparing it herself. “Every Onam, I would make at least twenty dishes for the Onasadhya with vegetables I grew on my own land. But this time, the crops perished in the torrential rain, leaving me to fall behind the popular trend [of packet feasts],” Vijayalakshmi says. Onam celebrates the prosperity that traditionally arrives with the end of the southwest monsoon in Kerala, when the annual paddy is harvested, along with a diversity of tubers and local vegetables. The start of the festival is generally marked by the predictable frenzy of temporary stalls being erected selling a diversity of agricultural products that feature in the Onam feast. Instead, this time, hotels and restaurants were selling packet feasts for ₹250-1000. The traditional Onam feast, featuring several dishes prepared from the diversity of crops generally harvested during this time. Image by Shrutinair86 via Wikimedia Commons (CC BY-SA 4.0). What the rise of a “packet feast” indicates Vinu A. Muthukuzhi points to the remnants of his plantain farm that has been impacted by strong winds and torrential rainfall on August 2. The farmer who lives in Kalliyoor gram panchayat in Thiruvananthapuram district, asks, “How do I celebrate Onam? Half my plantains were destroyed, costing me a&hellip;This article was originally published on <a href="https://india.mongabay.com/2026/08/keralas-onam-festival-marred-by-a-weaker-monsoon-and-subsequent-crop-loss/" data-wpel-link="internal">Mongabay</a>]]>
						</content:encoded>
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					<title>Study from India&#8217;s first wolf sanctuary reveals when livestock are most at risk</title>
					<link>https://india.mongabay.com/2026/08/study-from-indias-first-wolf-sanctuary-reveals-when-livestock-are-most-at-risk/</link>
					<comments>https://india.mongabay.com/2026/08/study-from-indias-first-wolf-sanctuary-reveals-when-livestock-are-most-at-risk/?noamp=mobile#respond</comments>
					<pubDate>25 Aug 2026 14:33:16 +0000</pubDate>
											<dc:creator>
							<![CDATA[Sneha Mahale]]>
						</dc:creator>
										<author>
						<![CDATA[Priyanka Shankar]]>
					</author>
							<category><![CDATA[Uncategorized]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[attacks]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[grey wolf]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[livestock]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[wildlife conflict]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[wolf]]></category>
										<enclosure url="https://imgs.mongabay.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/30/2026/08/25005651/7-Forest-Department-Camera-Trap-scaled-e1787599639679-768x512.jpg" type="image/jpeg" />
					<guid isPermaLink="false">https://india.mongabay.com/?p=40425</guid>

											<reporting-project>
							<![CDATA[Almost Famous Species]]>
						</reporting-project>
					
											<locations>
							<![CDATA[Jharkhand]]>
						</locations>
					
											<topic-tags>
							<![CDATA[Agriculture, Animal Behaviour, Biodiversity, Conservation, Human Wildlife Conflict, Mammals, Protected Areas, Villages, and Wildlife]]>
						</topic-tags>
					
					
											<description>
							<![CDATA[India&#8217;s first wolf sanctuary is an important breeding and denning landscape for the Indian grey wolf. But for the tribal communities living around Mahuadanr Wolf Sanctuary (MWS) in Jharkhand, sharing space with wolves often comes at a cost. A new study has now identified when, where and why wolves are most likely to attack livestock, [&#8230;]]]>
						</description>
																					<content:encoded>
							<![CDATA[India&#8217;s first wolf sanctuary is an important breeding and denning landscape for the Indian grey wolf. But for the tribal communities living around Mahuadanr Wolf Sanctuary (MWS) in Jharkhand, sharing space with wolves often comes at a cost. A new study has now identified when, where and why wolves are most likely to attack livestock, providing insights that could help reduce conflict while also supporting conservation. Although Mahuadanr is India’s first designated wolf sanctuary, little scientific research has been conducted there because of limited access to the sanctuary and made sustained fieldwork difficult, says Shahzada Iqbal, member of the Jharkhand State Board for Wildlife, PhD scholar at the Department of Wildlife Sciences, Aligarh Muslim University, and co-author of the study. “It is unique because it is both a protected area for wolves and a lived-in landscape where tribal communities have shared space with the animals for generations. Livestock depredation is a reality here, yet wolves continue to persist,” Iqbal shares. That makes it an ideal landscape for understanding not only the ecological drivers of conflict but also the human dimensions that determine whether coexistence is possible, he says. Tribal communities and wolves around India’s first wolf sanctuary in Jharkhand share space, often at the cost of livestock. A new study has now identified when, where and why wolves are most likely to attack. Image by Shahzada Iqbal. Studying conflict in a shared landscape Established in 1976, MWS spans more than 63 square kilometres within the southern division of Palamau Tiger&hellip;This article was originally published on <a href="https://india.mongabay.com/2026/08/study-from-indias-first-wolf-sanctuary-reveals-when-livestock-are-most-at-risk/" data-wpel-link="internal">Mongabay</a>]]>
						</content:encoded>
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						<item>
					<title>Audit exposes fundamental flaws in Green India Mission&#8217;s execution</title>
					<link>https://india.mongabay.com/2026/08/audit-exposes-fundamental-flaws-in-green-india-missions-execution/</link>
					<comments>https://india.mongabay.com/2026/08/audit-exposes-fundamental-flaws-in-green-india-missions-execution/?noamp=mobile#respond</comments>
					<pubDate>24 Aug 2026 19:47:08 +0000</pubDate>
											<dc:creator>
							<![CDATA[Simrin Sirur]]>
						</dc:creator>
										<author>
						<![CDATA[Kundan Pandey]]>
					</author>
							<category><![CDATA[Uncategorized]]></category>
										<enclosure url="https://imgs.mongabay.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/30/2026/08/24190647/AP26208520244982-768x512.jpg" type="image/jpeg" />
					<guid isPermaLink="false">https://india.mongabay.com/?p=40378</guid>

											<reporting-project>
							<![CDATA[Beyond Protected Areas]]>
						</reporting-project>
					
											<locations>
							<![CDATA[India]]>
						</locations>
					
											<topic-tags>
							<![CDATA[Biodiversity, Carbon emissions, Carbon Offset, Carbon Sequestration, Climate Change, Conservation, Ecology, Ecosystem services, Environment, Forestry, Forests, Greenhouse Gas Emissions, Habitat Loss, Plantations, Reforestation, and Trees]]>
						</topic-tags>
					
					
											<description>
							<![CDATA[An audit report of the Green India Mission, one of the eight missions under the National Action Plan on Climate Change, found that funds were consistently underutilised and that progress under the mission “remains negligible.” The Green India Mission aims to enhance forest cover, improve the quality of forest cover and ecosystem services, and scale [&#8230;]]]>
						</description>
																					<content:encoded>
							<![CDATA[An audit report of the Green India Mission, one of the eight missions under the National Action Plan on Climate Change, found that funds were consistently underutilised and that progress under the mission “remains negligible.” The Green India Mission aims to enhance forest cover, improve the quality of forest cover and ecosystem services, and scale carbon sequestration in India. In 2011, the mission aimed to fulfil these goals in 10 million hectares (mha) of land over a period of 10 years. In 2014, the Mission included afforestation on 2.8 mha of land by 2018 to its goals. But the mission’s performance has been set back by “fundamental weaknesses in planning and design as well as deficiencies in execution and monitoring,” says an audit report by the Comptroller Auditor General of India (CAG), submitted to Parliament on August 12. According to the audit, out of the targeted 2.8 million hectares, afforestation interventions were made in approximately 0.15 million hectares, which is just about 5% of the goal area. Pooja Choksi, an ecologist and founder of Ficus Research Consulting said the CAG&#8217;s report was a timely &#8220;wake up call.&#8221; &#8220;It is an indication that we need to do things radically differently if we want to achieve our land use and forestry related targets, especially in a ecologically and socially meaningful way that ensures the longevity of these plantation efforts,&#8221; she said. Apart from poor implementation, the CAG found that activities carried out eroded the mission’s core objectives of restoring ecosystems at a&hellip;This article was originally published on <a href="https://india.mongabay.com/2026/08/audit-exposes-fundamental-flaws-in-green-india-missions-execution/" data-wpel-link="internal">Mongabay</a>]]>
						</content:encoded>
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					<title>A study on African Bermuda-grass highlights gaps in bioinvasion policy</title>
					<link>https://india.mongabay.com/2026/08/a-study-on-african-bermuda-grass-highlights-gaps-in-bioinvasion-policy/</link>
					<comments>https://india.mongabay.com/2026/08/a-study-on-african-bermuda-grass-highlights-gaps-in-bioinvasion-policy/?noamp=mobile#respond</comments>
					<pubDate>24 Aug 2026 18:59:06 +0000</pubDate>
											<dc:creator>
							<![CDATA[Lekha Bandopadhyay]]>
						</dc:creator>
										<author>
						<![CDATA[Renuka Kulkarni]]>
					</author>
							<category><![CDATA[Uncategorized]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[invasive]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[invasive plants]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[invasive species]]></category>
										<enclosure url="https://imgs.mongabay.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/30/2026/08/24155323/Image-5-768x512.jpg" type="image/jpeg" />
					<guid isPermaLink="false">https://india.mongabay.com/?p=40384</guid>

											<reporting-project>
							<![CDATA[Beyond Protected Areas]]>
						</reporting-project>
					
											<locations>
							<![CDATA[Global and India]]>
						</locations>
					
											<topic-tags>
							<![CDATA[Biodiversity, Conservation, Ecology, Environment, Forests, Himalayas, Natural Resources, Plants, and Western Ghats]]>
						</topic-tags>
					
					
											<description>
							<![CDATA[An alien surprise was waiting for Kuntal Saha, a taxonomist from the Forest Research Institute, Dehradun, when he spotted some grass after stepping down from his vehicle near Tangmarg, a scenic town in the Baramulla District of Jammu and Kashmir in September 2024. “It was my first visit to Kashmir. I was simply enjoying the [&#8230;]]]>
						</description>
																					<content:encoded>
							<![CDATA[An alien surprise was waiting for Kuntal Saha, a taxonomist from the Forest Research Institute, Dehradun, when he spotted some grass after stepping down from his vehicle near Tangmarg, a scenic town in the Baramulla District of Jammu and Kashmir in September 2024. “It was my first visit to Kashmir. I was simply enjoying the breathtaking scenery when I noticed an unfamiliar Cynodon population growing along the roadside, says Saha, adding that they had earlier seen the grass species near the houseboat where they were staying in Srinagar. Grasses of the genus Cynodon are valued for their use as fodder and in developing turf for lawns. The genus also includes a sacred grass (Cynodon dactylon) called doob, durba, dubari etc. in Indian regional languages. Saha, however, spotted something distinct and this eventually became one of the most important collections of their field trip in 2024, part of a decades-long survey which began in 1995 when Saha’s mentor, Indian Forest Service Officer Manoj Chandran (now retired), collected an unknown Cynodon species from Tamil Nadu during his botanical explorations. “At that time, the specimen could not be fully appreciated because of its close resemblance to other Cynodon species,” explains Saha. Over the years, they kept collecting specimens across Tamil Nadu, Kerala, Uttarakhand and Jammu and Kashmir. Based on this survey, the researchers recently reported that Cynodon nlemfuensis, the African Bermuda grass, which is native to Central and East Africa and introduced to India, has been naturalised in the Himalayas and the Western&hellip;This article was originally published on <a href="https://india.mongabay.com/2026/08/a-study-on-african-bermuda-grass-highlights-gaps-in-bioinvasion-policy/" data-wpel-link="internal">Mongabay</a>]]>
						</content:encoded>
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					<title>India started measuring climate readiness of cities, then stalled [Commentary]</title>
					<link>https://india.mongabay.com/2026/08/india-started-measuring-climate-readiness-of-cities-then-stalled-commentary/</link>
					<comments>https://india.mongabay.com/2026/08/india-started-measuring-climate-readiness-of-cities-then-stalled-commentary/?noamp=mobile#respond</comments>
					<pubDate>21 Aug 2026 15:31:18 +0000</pubDate>
											<dc:creator>
							<![CDATA[Ravikant Joshi]]>
						</dc:creator>
										<author>
						<![CDATA[Kundan Pandey]]>
					</author>
							<category><![CDATA[Uncategorized]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[City Climate Action Plan]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[climate]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[climate action]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Climate Action Plan]]></category>
										<enclosure url="https://imgs.mongabay.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/30/2026/08/21132802/AP23168434501284-768x512.jpg" type="image/jpeg" />
					<guid isPermaLink="false">https://india.mongabay.com/?p=40359</guid>

											<reporting-project>
							<![CDATA[Climate Connections]]>
						</reporting-project>
					
											<locations>
							<![CDATA[India]]>
						</locations>
					
											<topic-tags>
							<![CDATA[Climate Change and Climate Change Adaptation]]>
						</topic-tags>
					
					
											<description>
							<![CDATA[Cities are the source of more than 70% of the world’s greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. They are also home to more than half of humanity. As a focal point of human activity, cities are both major contributors to global warming and crucial actors in addressing it. Climate change impacts cities through more frequent extreme weather [&#8230;]]]>
						</description>
																					<content:encoded>
							<![CDATA[Cities are the source of more than 70% of the world’s greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. They are also home to more than half of humanity. As a focal point of human activity, cities are both major contributors to global warming and crucial actors in addressing it. Climate change impacts cities through more frequent extreme weather events, heatwaves, sea-level rise, and food and water insecurity, which worsen social and economic disparities, especially in developing countries. Cities are key to combating climate change worldwide because many of the measures needed to cut emissions and build resilience are implemented at the local level, even though climate policies, programmes and schemes are often formulated at the national level. City Climate Action Plans are being prepared, implemented, monitored, evaluated and recalibrated, with stakeholders involved in their design and implementation. Growing climate risks Indian cities have started facing diverse climate change impacts, such as flooding, heatwaves, water scarcity and air pollution. For example, 21 major cities in India, including Delhi, Bengaluru and Hyderabad, are heading towards complete groundwater depletion, affecting access for 100 million people. An Indian Institute for Human Settlements (IIHS) report prepared for the Fifteenth Finance Commission highlights flooding as the most widespread hazard affecting Indian cities and settlements. Some regions, particularly the plains of the Ganga and Brahmaputra, are impacted every year. Of India’s 7,500-kilometre coastline, 5,700 km is exposed to cyclones and flooding. About 40% of India’s population lives within 100 km of the coast, mostly in densely populated urban areas. Studies&hellip;This article was originally published on <a href="https://india.mongabay.com/2026/08/india-started-measuring-climate-readiness-of-cities-then-stalled-commentary/" data-wpel-link="internal">Mongabay</a>]]>
						</content:encoded>
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					<slash:comments>0</slash:comments>
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						<item>
					<title>Better demand could save indigenous fruits from being forgotten</title>
					<link>https://india.mongabay.com/2026/08/better-demand-could-save-indigenous-fruits-from-being-forgotten/</link>
					<comments>https://india.mongabay.com/2026/08/better-demand-could-save-indigenous-fruits-from-being-forgotten/?noamp=mobile#respond</comments>
					<pubDate>21 Aug 2026 13:22:02 +0000</pubDate>
											<dc:creator>
							<![CDATA[Azera Parveen Rahman]]>
						</dc:creator>
										<author>
						<![CDATA[Arathimenon]]>
					</author>
							<category><![CDATA[Uncategorized]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Food security]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[fruits]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[indigenous]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[indigenous knowledge]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[traditional farming]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Traditional Knowledge]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[urbanisation]]></category>
										<enclosure url="https://imgs.mongabay.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/30/2026/08/21103128/kaafal-768x512.jpg" type="image/jpeg" />
					<guid isPermaLink="false">https://india.mongabay.com/?p=40347</guid>

											<reporting-project>
							<![CDATA[Nature-based Solutions]]>
						</reporting-project>
					
											<locations>
							<![CDATA[Assam and Meghalaya]]>
						</locations>
					
											<topic-tags>
							<![CDATA[Agriculture, Agroecology, Biodiversity, Conservation, Ecology, Environment, Environmental Economics, Food, Forests, and Indigenous Peoples]]>
						</topic-tags>
					
					
											<description>
							<![CDATA[During my summer break in my hometown in northeast India’s Assam this year, I found myself craving a favourite summertime fruit from my childhood: Leteku, or Burmese grape. A quick run to the local fruit market offered fruits of different kinds, including imported kiwis and avocados, but not the one I was looking for. I [&#8230;]]]>
						</description>
																					<content:encoded>
							<![CDATA[During my summer break in my hometown in northeast India’s Assam this year, I found myself craving a favourite summertime fruit from my childhood: Leteku, or Burmese grape. A quick run to the local fruit market offered fruits of different kinds, including imported kiwis and avocados, but not the one I was looking for. I finally found it at a weekly haat, a makeshift market where locals from nearby villages gather to sell their produce. “The availability of indigenous, local fruits has definitely decreased over time,” says Dharindra Nath Hazarika, head of the horticulture department at B.N. College of Agriculture under Assam Agriculture University. “There is a lack of research and documentation on this subject, so we don’t know the exact magnitude of the decline.” This loss is not restricted to just one region. In the neighbouring state of Meghalaya, for instance, local communities say they are observing that local fruits that once grew abundantly in people’s homesteads are now less commonly seen. Pius Ranee, executive director of North East Society for Agroecology Support (NESFAS), agrees. “Many traditional fruits, vegetables, and edible plants once commonly found in homesteads and villages are becoming less common. Older generations often recall a greater diversity of food plants around homes, fields and forests than what is seen today. While systematic data are limited, observations from communities across Meghalaya suggest that many indigenous and semi-wild food species are disappearing from everyday diets and local landscapes,” he shares. Poniol is another fruit found most notably in&hellip;This article was originally published on <a href="https://india.mongabay.com/2026/08/better-demand-could-save-indigenous-fruits-from-being-forgotten/" data-wpel-link="internal">Mongabay</a>]]>
						</content:encoded>
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					<slash:comments>0</slash:comments>
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						<item>
					<title>Understanding the true value of forest ecosystem services</title>
					<link>https://india.mongabay.com/2026/08/understanding-the-true-value-of-forest-ecosystem-services/</link>
					<comments>https://india.mongabay.com/2026/08/understanding-the-true-value-of-forest-ecosystem-services/?noamp=mobile#respond</comments>
					<pubDate>20 Aug 2026 17:08:39 +0000</pubDate>
											<dc:creator>
							<![CDATA[Sharmila Vaidyanathan]]>
						</dc:creator>
										<author>
						<![CDATA[Arathimenon]]>
					</author>
							<category><![CDATA[Uncategorized]]></category>
										<enclosure url="https://imgs.mongabay.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/30/2026/08/20140801/pexels-shootsaga-35668007-768x512.jpg" type="image/jpeg" />
					<guid isPermaLink="false">https://india.mongabay.com/?p=40331</guid>

											<reporting-project>
							<![CDATA[Nature-based Solutions]]>
						</reporting-project>
					
											<locations>
							<![CDATA[India]]>
						</locations>
					
											<topic-tags>
							<![CDATA[Biodiversity, Carbon Offset, Carbon Sequestration, Climate Change Mitigation, Conservation, Ecosystem services, Environment, Forests, Global Warming, Natural Resources, Nature-based Climate Solutions, Payment for Ecosystem Services, and Rainforests]]>
						</topic-tags>
					
					
											<description>
							<![CDATA[India’s forests provide annual ecosystem services worth $2.5 trillion, highlights a new study published in Environmental and Sustainability Indicators. Titled Contribution of forest ecosystem services in India using meta-regression approach, the study reveals that the per-hectare value of ecosystem benefits from India’s forests is about $31,000 per year. Among forest types, tropical dry deciduous forests [&#8230;]]]>
						</description>
																					<content:encoded>
							<![CDATA[India’s forests provide annual ecosystem services worth $2.5 trillion, highlights a new study published in Environmental and Sustainability Indicators. Titled Contribution of forest ecosystem services in India using meta-regression approach, the study reveals that the per-hectare value of ecosystem benefits from India’s forests is about $31,000 per year. Among forest types, tropical dry deciduous forests provide the highest economic value at $703 billion, annually. Defined as the direct and indirect benefits that bolster human wellbeing and survival, ecosystem services are further classified into provisioning, regulating, cultural and supporting services. With regard to forests, provisioning services include goods obtained from forest lands, such as timber, food and medicinal plants. Regulating services include carbon sequestration and soil protection, while cultural services include recreational benefits and sacred groves, among others. Supporting services include services such as providing habitats for different species. The authors also examined the economic value of individual services and found that India’s forests provide provisioning, regulating and cultural services worth about $9.64, $12.15 and $17.17 billion, respectively, every year. Supporting services were not analysed in the study. While there is a growing interest in understanding the economic impacts of forest ecosystem services, mainly fuelled by the rise in awareness about the role forests play in climate mitigation and biodiversity conservation, the study highlights the crucial need for incorporating these services into policies and forest conservation measures for better results. “Policymakers increasingly recognise that many of the benefits provided by forests, such as carbon storage, watershed and drought protection, are not&hellip;This article was originally published on <a href="https://india.mongabay.com/2026/08/understanding-the-true-value-of-forest-ecosystem-services/" data-wpel-link="internal">Mongabay</a>]]>
						</content:encoded>
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					<slash:comments>0</slash:comments>
														</item>
						<item>
					<title>Rising temperatures could intensify humid heat during India’s monsoon</title>
					<link>https://india.mongabay.com/2026/08/rising-temperatures-could-intensify-humid-heat-during-indias-monsoon/</link>
					<comments>https://india.mongabay.com/2026/08/rising-temperatures-could-intensify-humid-heat-during-indias-monsoon/?noamp=mobile#respond</comments>
					<pubDate>20 Aug 2026 14:12:31 +0000</pubDate>
											<dc:creator>
							<![CDATA[Nivedhika Krishnan]]>
						</dc:creator>
										<author>
						<![CDATA[Priyanka Shankar]]>
					</author>
							<category><![CDATA[Uncategorized]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[extreme heat]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[health]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[heat]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Heat Action Plan]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Heat wave]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[heatwave]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[public health]]></category>
										<enclosure url="https://imgs.mongabay.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/30/2026/08/20130158/AP26170164072945-768x512.jpg" type="image/jpeg" />
					<guid isPermaLink="false">https://india.mongabay.com/?p=40310</guid>

											<reporting-project>
							<![CDATA[Climate Connections and Decoding Heat]]>
						</reporting-project>
					
											<locations>
							<![CDATA[India]]>
						</locations>
					
											<topic-tags>
							<![CDATA[Climate Change, Climate Change Adaptation, Environment, Extreme Weather Events, Health impacts, Human Rights, Impacts of Climate Change, and Monsoons]]>
						</topic-tags>
					
					
											<description>
							<![CDATA[In Kothigal, a village situated in the coastal district of Ramanathapuram, Tamil Nadu, 30-year-old V. Kalaiselvi’s workday is governed by a clock that the climate change impacts are actively resetting. Her family cultivates green gram, cotton, and urad dal across three acres. Even during the peak of summer, Kalaiselvi could reliably work in her fields [&#8230;]]]>
						</description>
																					<content:encoded>
							<![CDATA[In Kothigal, a village situated in the coastal district of Ramanathapuram, Tamil Nadu, 30-year-old V. Kalaiselvi’s workday is governed by a clock that the climate change impacts are actively resetting. Her family cultivates green gram, cotton, and urad dal across three acres. Even during the peak of summer, Kalaiselvi could reliably work in her fields until 10 a.m. But with the arrival of the monsoon, the air has turned heavy, wet, and unbearable. By 9 a.m., the sheer humidity forces her to retreat. &#8220;We cannot stay in the field after 9 a.m.&#8221; Kalaiselvi says. &#8220;We keep sweating relentlessly and suffer from itching and skin allergies. I frequently feel dizziness, headaches, and sinus pressure. Our children get eye sores,&#8221; she shares. Kalaiselvi now splits her shift — working from 6 a.m. to 9 a.m., then stepping back onto the field from 3 p.m. to 6 p.m. Between 9 a.m. and 3 p.m., her family stays indoors under ceiling fans. &#8220;It is the only respite,&#8221; she says, adding that it is tough to stay inside a room because of the indoor heat as well. &#8220;But we have no other option.” Kalaiselvi’s daily ordeal is not an isolated weather anomaly; it is the frontline of what could be a dangerous climate transition. In the last decade, public health policies and Heat Action Plans (HAPs) across India have treated extreme heat as a purely summer phenomenon — a dry, scorching emergency in May and June that disappears once monsoon rains arrive. Once July hits,&hellip;This article was originally published on <a href="https://india.mongabay.com/2026/08/rising-temperatures-could-intensify-humid-heat-during-indias-monsoon/" data-wpel-link="internal">Mongabay</a>]]>
						</content:encoded>
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					<slash:comments>0</slash:comments>
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						<item>
					<title>Why do changes in the Indian Ocean matter? [Explainer]</title>
					<link>https://india.mongabay.com/2026/08/why-do-changes-in-the-indian-ocean-matter-explainer/</link>
					<comments>https://india.mongabay.com/2026/08/why-do-changes-in-the-indian-ocean-matter-explainer/?noamp=mobile#respond</comments>
					<pubDate>20 Aug 2026 12:33:59 +0000</pubDate>
											<dc:creator>
							<![CDATA[Bharti Dharapuram]]>
						</dc:creator>
										<author>
						<![CDATA[Aditi Tandon]]>
					</author>
							<category><![CDATA[Uncategorized]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[environmental history]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[geology]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[natural history]]></category>
										<enclosure url="https://imgs.mongabay.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/30/2026/08/20110746/pexels-batagov-29813525-768x512.jpg" type="image/jpeg" />
					<guid isPermaLink="false">https://india.mongabay.com/?p=40293</guid>

											<reporting-project>
							<![CDATA[Climate Connections and Environment Explained]]>
						</reporting-project>
					
											<locations>
							<![CDATA[India]]>
						</locations>
					
											<topic-tags>
							<![CDATA[Climate Change, Climate Science, Coast, Ecology, Ecosystem services, Environment, Extreme Weather Events, Fishing, Global Warming, Monsoons, Oceans, Overfishing, and Sea Level Rise]]>
						</topic-tags>
					
					
											<description>
							<![CDATA[In the dynamic Indian Ocean, change is perpetual, as currents, environment, climate and biodiversity interact across multiple scales, even as global warming reshapes these interactions. The Indian Ocean is geologically the youngest of the world’s major oceans, sharing its origin with the Himalayas and is the third largest ocean in the world. Its dynamic nature, [&#8230;]]]>
						</description>
																					<content:encoded>
							<![CDATA[In the dynamic Indian Ocean, change is perpetual, as currents, environment, climate and biodiversity interact across multiple scales, even as global warming reshapes these interactions. The Indian Ocean is geologically the youngest of the world’s major oceans, sharing its origin with the Himalayas and is the third largest ocean in the world. Its dynamic nature, with its environment changing in space and time at various scales, impacts the region’s climate, headlined by the monsoon, and its rich biodiversity. The ocean is also the fastest warming tropical oceans in the world, threatening an increase in extreme climatic events and the decline of marine ecosystems that would impact a third of the global human population dependent on it for lives and livelihoods. How did the Indian Ocean take shape? The Indian Ocean originated from the ancient Tethys Sea, once a seaway linking the Atlantic Ocean and the Indian Ocean of today. This seaway closed gradually when a drifting Indian plate collided with the Asian landmass giving rise to the Himalayas, and the African and the Arabian plates closed the gap with Europe. Once a biodiversity hotspot teeming with marine species, particularly in its shallow tropical waters, the closure of this ancient sea led to widespread extinctions, shifting the centre of marine diversity eastwards to Southeast Asia. The closure also had a significant impact on land animals. One of the earliest known whale fossils, Himalayacetus (over 52 million years old), comes from oyster-rich deposits of the Tethys Sea in the foothills of the&hellip;This article was originally published on <a href="https://india.mongabay.com/2026/08/why-do-changes-in-the-indian-ocean-matter-explainer/" data-wpel-link="internal">Mongabay</a>]]>
						</content:encoded>
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					<slash:comments>0</slash:comments>
														</item>
						<item>
					<title>India&#8217;s only singing, swinging ape</title>
					<link>https://india.mongabay.com/short-article/2026/08/indias-only-singing-swinging-ape/</link>
					<comments>https://india.mongabay.com/short-article/2026/08/indias-only-singing-swinging-ape/?noamp=mobile#respond</comments>
					<pubDate>19 Aug 2026 15:23:29 +0000</pubDate>
											<dc:creator>
							<![CDATA[Team Mongabay-India]]>
						</dc:creator>
										<author>
						<![CDATA[Aditi Tandon]]>
					</author>
							<category><![CDATA[gibbon]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Northeast India]]></category>
										<enclosure url="https://imgs.mongabay.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/30/2026/08/19145252/hoolock-gibbon-2-768x512.jpg" type="image/jpeg" />
					<guid isPermaLink="false">https://india.mongabay.com/?post_type=short-article&#038;p=40236</guid>

											<reporting-project>
							<![CDATA[Species File]]>
						</reporting-project>
					
											<locations>
							<![CDATA[India]]>
						</locations>
					
											<topic-tags>
							<![CDATA[Animals, Biodiversity, Conservation, Ecology, Endangered species, Forests, Habitat Loss, Mammals, Tropical Forests, and Wildlife]]>
						</topic-tags>
					
					
											<description>
							<![CDATA[Species File: Exploring India&#8217;s biodiversity, one species at a time. In the forests of northeast India, a series of whoops and hoots rises through the canopy in a melodious crescendo every morning — the unmistakable song of the western hoolock gibbon. Pairs often duet to mark their territory, reinforce pair bonds and communicate with their [&#8230;]]]>
						</description>
																					<content:encoded>
							<![CDATA[Species File: Exploring India&#8217;s biodiversity, one species at a time. In the forests of northeast India, a series of whoops and hoots rises through the canopy in a melodious crescendo every morning — the unmistakable song of the western hoolock gibbon. Pairs often duet to mark their territory, reinforce pair bonds and communicate with their family members. The western hoolock gibbon (Hoolock hoolock) is India&#8217;s only ape. While adult males have a fully black coat, females are buff to golden-brown. Exclusively arboreal, which means they spend their lives on trees, they use their long arms to swing between branches with ease. They feed primarily on fruits, and occasionally leaves and insects, making them vital for seed dispersal and forest regeneration. In India, the species is found in the tropical and subtropical forests of the northeast, across Assam, Arunachal Pradesh, Meghalaya, Manipur, Mizoram, Nagaland, and Tripura, with populations extending into Bangladesh, Myanmar, and perhaps southern Tibet. Two other hoolock gibbon species — the eastern hoolock gibbon (Hoolock leuconedys) and the Gaoligong hoolock gibbon (Hoolock tianxing) — are found in Myanmar and China. An estimated 90% of the global hoolock gibbon population has been lost over the past three decades. Around 3,000 western hoolock gibbons are believed to remain; 2,600 of them in India. According to the IUCN Red List, the western hoolock gibbon is listed as endangered, as is the Gaoligong hoolock gibbon; the eastern hoolock gibbon is listed as vulnerable. The species receives the highest level of legal protection in&hellip;This article was originally published on <a href="https://india.mongabay.com/short-article/2026/08/indias-only-singing-swinging-ape/" data-wpel-link="internal">Mongabay</a>]]>
						</content:encoded>
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					<slash:comments>0</slash:comments>
														</item>
						<item>
					<title>A hidden population of greater hog badgers spotted on camera traps</title>
					<link>https://india.mongabay.com/2026/08/camera-traps-reveal-a-hidden-population-of-greater-hog-badgers/</link>
					<comments>https://india.mongabay.com/2026/08/camera-traps-reveal-a-hidden-population-of-greater-hog-badgers/?noamp=mobile#respond</comments>
					<pubDate>19 Aug 2026 15:05:50 +0000</pubDate>
											<dc:creator>
							<![CDATA[Deekshita Baruah]]>
						</dc:creator>
										<author>
						<![CDATA[Priyanka Shankar]]>
					</author>
							<category><![CDATA[Uncategorized]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Kaziranga]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Kaziranga National Park]]></category>
										<enclosure url="https://imgs.mongabay.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/30/2026/08/19135627/Greater-Hog-Badger-1.png" type="image/jpeg" />
					<guid isPermaLink="false">https://india.mongabay.com/?p=40272</guid>

											<reporting-project>
							<![CDATA[Almost Famous Species]]>
						</reporting-project>
					
											<locations>
							<![CDATA[Assam]]>
						</locations>
					
											<topic-tags>
							<![CDATA[Animal Behaviour, Biodiversity, Camera traps, Conservation, Ecology, Ecosystem services, Grasslands, Mammals, Protected Areas, Wildlife, and Wildlife Sanctuary]]>
						</topic-tags>
					
					
											<description>
							<![CDATA[For years, forest officials in Kaziranga National Park and Tiger Reserve have reported occasional sightings of the greater hog badger (Arctonyx collaris) during routine night patrols. But beyond these observations, little was known about its population in the reserve, its habitat and behaviour. Now, the park’s first scientific assessment of the species published in June, [&#8230;]]]>
						</description>
																					<content:encoded>
							<![CDATA[For years, forest officials in Kaziranga National Park and Tiger Reserve have reported occasional sightings of the greater hog badger (Arctonyx collaris) during routine night patrols. But beyond these observations, little was known about its population in the reserve, its habitat and behaviour. Now, the park’s first scientific assessment of the species published in June, has provided a glimpse into the hidden world of one of Asia’s least-studied mesocarnivores. Conducted by the Kaziranga Tiger Cell in collaboration with the Wildlife Conservation Trust (WCT) and The Fishing Cat Project, the assessment estimated a minimum of 55 greater hog badgers across the 1,100 square kilometres of surveyed area and found that the species occupies nearly half the landscape. Researchers analysed thousands of camera trap images collected during the All India Tiger Estimation’s (AITE) 2026 exercise between February and May, providing the first scientific baseline for the species and suggesting it may be more widespread than previously believed. “The greater hog badger is an elusive nocturnal mammal. Spotting one in the wild could be a ‘call it a day’ moment for someone,” says C. Ramesh, the director of Kaziranga National Park in Assam. Before the assessment results were published, hog badgers were thought to be extremely rare as they were barely spotted outside a few locations. “But it is quite surprising that the camera traps revealed their occurrence in almost 50% of the grids where the traps were installed.” The species was independently detected more than 140 times from 857 camera-trap locations over&hellip;This article was originally published on <a href="https://india.mongabay.com/2026/08/camera-traps-reveal-a-hidden-population-of-greater-hog-badgers/" data-wpel-link="internal">Mongabay</a>]]>
						</content:encoded>
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					<slash:comments>0</slash:comments>
														</item>
						<item>
					<title>Harvesting rice and crabs on one field offers farmers a climate-resilient alternative</title>
					<link>https://india.mongabay.com/2026/08/harvesting-rice-and-crabs-on-one-field-offers-farmers-a-climate-resilient-alternative/</link>
					<comments>https://india.mongabay.com/2026/08/harvesting-rice-and-crabs-on-one-field-offers-farmers-a-climate-resilient-alternative/?noamp=mobile#respond</comments>
					<pubDate>18 Aug 2026 16:59:06 +0000</pubDate>
											<dc:creator>
							<![CDATA[Azera Parveen Rahman]]>
						</dc:creator>
										<author>
						<![CDATA[Aditi Tandon]]>
					</author>
							<category><![CDATA[Uncategorized]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[agriculture]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[crabs]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[farming]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[nature-based solutions]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Rice]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[women in agriculture]]></category>
										<enclosure url="https://imgs.mongabay.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/30/2026/08/18120034/Women-farmers-releasing-crabs-in-the-paddy-field-in-Borborua-block-in-Dibrugarh-district-of-Assam-768x512.jpg" type="image/jpeg" />
					<guid isPermaLink="false">https://india.mongabay.com/?p=40238</guid>

											<reporting-project>
							<![CDATA[Beyond Protected Areas, Eco Hope, and Environment and Her]]>
						</reporting-project>
					
											<locations>
							<![CDATA[Assam]]>
						</locations>
					
											<topic-tags>
							<![CDATA[Agriculture, Agroecology, Biodiversity, Ecology, Food, and Organic Farming]]>
						</topic-tags>
					
					
											<description>
							<![CDATA[The harsh summer sun was beating down their backs, yet farmers in Assam’s Borborua block in Dibrugarh district went about their paddy cultivation. Waddling through paddy fields submerged in the rainwater of the past few weeks, they hummed songs and chatted as they planted Betguti (Oryza sativa), an indigenous variety of rice that holds the [&#8230;]]]>
						</description>
																					<content:encoded>
							<![CDATA[The harsh summer sun was beating down their backs, yet farmers in Assam’s Borborua block in Dibrugarh district went about their paddy cultivation. Waddling through paddy fields submerged in the rainwater of the past few weeks, they hummed songs and chatted as they planted Betguti (Oryza sativa), an indigenous variety of rice that holds the promise of withstanding the increasingly unpredictable weather — erratic rainfall and long dry spells. Once the planting is done, they will release freshwater crabs in the field. Alongside the rice, the crabs will grow too, sustaining each other and offering the women a way to sustain their families amid rising concerns of climatic change and land degradation . This women-led integrated rice-crab farming method is emerging as a climate-resilient alternative to traditional paddy cultivation in Assam. Climatic changes challenge traditional ways Traditionally, paddy-fish farming has been practiced in pockets of Assam, particularly areas that are vulnerable to floods. In this type of farming, fish spawns are either introduced in the flooded fields where the indigenous Bau-dhaan rice variety is grown, or enter the fields during monsoon from adjacent water bodies and grow along with paddy. “This integrated farming practice in which fish is grown as a ‘second crop’, however, has become challenging because of the long dry spells that Assam has been witnessing,” said Samir Bordoloi, a farmer and advocate of natural farming techniques. “Now, we have heavy spells of rain, and then long dry spells,” he said. “Rearing fish during these dry spells is&hellip;This article was originally published on <a href="https://india.mongabay.com/2026/08/harvesting-rice-and-crabs-on-one-field-offers-farmers-a-climate-resilient-alternative/" data-wpel-link="internal">Mongabay</a>]]>
						</content:encoded>
										<wfw:commentRss>https://india.mongabay.com/2026/08/harvesting-rice-and-crabs-on-one-field-offers-farmers-a-climate-resilient-alternative/feed/</wfw:commentRss>
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					<title>Ladakh glaciers losing speed as ice melts, new study warns</title>
					<link>https://india.mongabay.com/2026/08/ladakh-glaciers-losing-speed-as-ice-melts-new-study-warns/</link>
					<comments>https://india.mongabay.com/2026/08/ladakh-glaciers-losing-speed-as-ice-melts-new-study-warns/?noamp=mobile#respond</comments>
					<pubDate>18 Aug 2026 14:57:37 +0000</pubDate>
											<dc:creator>
							<![CDATA[Simrin Sirur]]>
						</dc:creator>
										<author>
						<![CDATA[Kundan Pandey]]>
					</author>
							<category><![CDATA[Uncategorized]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[glacier]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Glaciers]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Ice]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[snow]]></category>
										<enclosure url="https://imgs.mongabay.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/30/2026/08/18131448/IMG_4388-768x512.jpeg" type="image/jpeg" />
					<guid isPermaLink="false">https://india.mongabay.com/?p=40227</guid>

											<reporting-project>
							<![CDATA[Climate Connections]]>
						</reporting-project>
					
											<locations>
							<![CDATA[Himalayas and Ladakh]]>
						</locations>
					
											<topic-tags>
							<![CDATA[Climate Change, Climate Science, Ecosystem services, Environment, Glaciers, Global Warming, Himalayas, Impacts of Climate Change, Lakes, Mountains, Rivers, and Water]]>
						</topic-tags>
					
					
											<description>
							<![CDATA[The phrase &#8220;moving at glacial pace&#8221; is inspired by the slow, inching motion of glaciers as they flow downwards. But new research suggests glaciers in the Zanskar Himalayas in Ladakh are moving even slower than before, with implications for water availability in the region over the long term. Centuries-old glaciers blanketing mountaintops may appear to [&#8230;]]]>
						</description>
																					<content:encoded>
							<![CDATA[The phrase &#8220;moving at glacial pace&#8221; is inspired by the slow, inching motion of glaciers as they flow downwards. But new research suggests glaciers in the Zanskar Himalayas in Ladakh are moving even slower than before, with implications for water availability in the region over the long term. Centuries-old glaciers blanketing mountaintops may appear to be stationary, but their mass is slowly pulled down by gravitational forces over time. The speed at which glaciers descend can be used as an indicator of their health, explained Manish Mehta, a scientist and glaciologist at the Wadia Institute of Himalayan Geology. “Glaciers have two parts. The crown at the top is where ice and snow is accumulated from solid precipitation at higher elevations, and the snout or toe is at the bottom. The accumulation of ice at the crown is what pushes the glacier down, increasing its velocity,” he explained, adding, “But in recent times, glaciers are losing their mass in both the upper and lower zones. With less mass, there is less movement.” In the Zanskar Himalayas in Ladakh, glacier velocity decreased by 16% from 1992 to 2023, a study published in The Cryosphere journal found. The study is among the few long-term observational analyses of glacier velocity from the region, and adds to existing evidence of unprecedented glacier retreat in the world’s third pole. Hagshu glacier in the Zanskar Himalayas of Ladakh. Glaciers in this region are moving slower than before, finds new research, with implications for long-term water security. Image&hellip;This article was originally published on <a href="https://india.mongabay.com/2026/08/ladakh-glaciers-losing-speed-as-ice-melts-new-study-warns/" data-wpel-link="internal">Mongabay</a>]]>
						</content:encoded>
										<wfw:commentRss>https://india.mongabay.com/2026/08/ladakh-glaciers-losing-speed-as-ice-melts-new-study-warns/feed/</wfw:commentRss>
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					<title>Online ornamental plant trade may be an overlooked pathway for invasive species</title>
					<link>https://india.mongabay.com/2026/08/indias-online-ornamental-plant-trade-may-be-an-overlooked-pathway-for-invasive-species/</link>
					<comments>https://india.mongabay.com/2026/08/indias-online-ornamental-plant-trade-may-be-an-overlooked-pathway-for-invasive-species/?noamp=mobile#respond</comments>
					<pubDate>17 Aug 2026 17:30:51 +0000</pubDate>
											<dc:creator>
							<![CDATA[Ananya Singh]]>
						</dc:creator>
										<author>
						<![CDATA[Renuka Kulkarni]]>
					</author>
							<category><![CDATA[Uncategorized]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[garden]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[home gardens]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[invasive plants]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[invasive species]]></category>
										<enclosure url="https://imgs.mongabay.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/30/2026/08/17135708/L1020330-1-768x512.jpg" type="image/jpeg" />
					<guid isPermaLink="false">https://india.mongabay.com/?p=40205</guid>

											<reporting-project>
							<![CDATA[Beyond Protected Areas]]>
						</reporting-project>
					
											<locations>
							<![CDATA[India]]>
						</locations>
					
											<topic-tags>
							<![CDATA[Biodiversity, Conservation, Ecology, Environment, and Plants]]>
						</topic-tags>
					
					
											<description>
							<![CDATA[One of the world’s top 100 worst invasive species was brought to India in the 19th century as an ornamental garden plant. But Lantana camara, which now occupies 40% of India’s tiger habitats, was not the only one. The ornamental horticulture industry is recognised as a key global pathway for introducing invasive alien species. A [&#8230;]]]>
						</description>
																					<content:encoded>
							<![CDATA[One of the world’s top 100 worst invasive species was brought to India in the 19th century as an ornamental garden plant. But Lantana camara, which now occupies 40% of India’s tiger habitats, was not the only one. The ornamental horticulture industry is recognised as a key global pathway for introducing invasive alien species. A new study examining India’s online ornamental plant trade has found that a majority of these plants sold online are alien species, many of which are known to be invasive or naturalised in other countries. The study, published in Environmental Conservation, also revealed that 57 species already declared invasive in India were available for purchase online, including Lantana camara and the highly-invasive Parthenium hysterophorus. Invasive alien species are recognised as one of five major drivers of global biodiversity decline. “They outcompete our native species and the cost is enormous,” said Kesang Bhutia, the study’s lead author and a graduate student at Ashoka Trust for Research in Ecology and the Environment (ATREE), Bengaluru. “Not all alien plants are a threat. There is a continuum,” explained Bhutia. A newly-introduced plant cannot survive without human care. Some escape cultivation, enter native ecosystems and naturalise, reproducing independently. Others can go further to become invasive. As part of her research, Bhutia compiled an inventory of 1,856 ornamental species sold online using data from three of India’s largest online plant retailers that ship nationwide. Of these, 1,371 species (over 70%) were alien species, outnumbering the 480 native species on the list. Cross-checking&hellip;This article was originally published on <a href="https://india.mongabay.com/2026/08/indias-online-ornamental-plant-trade-may-be-an-overlooked-pathway-for-invasive-species/" data-wpel-link="internal">Mongabay</a>]]>
						</content:encoded>
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					<title>The mine closes but the transition is far from over</title>
					<link>https://india.mongabay.com/2026/08/the-mine-closes-but-the-transition-is-far-from-over/</link>
					<comments>https://india.mongabay.com/2026/08/the-mine-closes-but-the-transition-is-far-from-over/?noamp=mobile#respond</comments>
					<pubDate>17 Aug 2026 16:22:25 +0000</pubDate>
											<dc:creator>
							<![CDATA[Kundan Pandey]]>
						</dc:creator>
										<author>
						<![CDATA[Aditi Tandon]]>
					</author>
							<category><![CDATA[Uncategorized]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Coal Mines]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[minerals]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[mines]]></category>
										<enclosure url="https://imgs.mongabay.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/30/2026/08/17123529/6-scaled-e1786950421598-768x512.jpg" type="image/jpeg" />
					<guid isPermaLink="false">https://india.mongabay.com/?p=40173</guid>

											<reporting-project>
							<![CDATA[Just Transitions]]>
						</reporting-project>
					
											<locations>
							<![CDATA[Jharkhand]]>
						</locations>
					
											<topic-tags>
							<![CDATA[Climate Change, Coal, Environment, Environmental Economics, Forests, Fossil Fuels, Human Rights, Industry, Mining, and Sustainability]]>
						</topic-tags>
					
					
											<description>
							<![CDATA[On July 24, barely 50 metres from the entrance to a coal mine in Bokaro, Jharkhand, smoke was rising from beneath the ground. A few trees around the spot were completely burnt, and the cleared patch showed signs of recent intervention. Mining here, at the the New Selected (NS) Dhori Underground Mine (UG), stopped about [&#8230;]]]>
						</description>
																					<content:encoded>
							<![CDATA[On July 24, barely 50 metres from the entrance to a coal mine in Bokaro, Jharkhand, smoke was rising from beneath the ground. A few trees around the spot were completely burnt, and the cleared patch showed signs of recent intervention. Mining here, at the the New Selected (NS) Dhori Underground Mine (UG), stopped about 15 years ago, after reportedly extracting around 1.8 million tonnes of coal. But the mine was formally listed as scientifically closed only on March 25, 2026. Santosh Nonia, 35, a resident of Makoli village near the mine, said dense smoke had started emerging from the same spot about three months earlier. He described it as a foul-smelling gas, followed by a major fire that burnt nearby trees. Several senior officials visited the site, he said, and the fire was brought under control after water was poured continuously for three days. Villagers had suggested digging up the area and filling it with sand as a permanent solution, but their suggestion was not accepted, Nonia said. “The smoke is still coming out. Very soon, it may become intense again,” he said, pointing towards the burnt patch. Just two days before this incident, on July 22, the Ministry of Coal had released Aaroh, its first annual report on scientific mine closure and repurposing. The report documents the closure of 42 coal mines and showcases ecological restoration, post-mining land use and community-oriented interventions at the sites. NS Dhori UG was the second mine in Jharkhand to be formally listed&hellip;This article was originally published on <a href="https://india.mongabay.com/2026/08/the-mine-closes-but-the-transition-is-far-from-over/" data-wpel-link="internal">Mongabay</a>]]>
						</content:encoded>
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					<slash:comments>0</slash:comments>
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						<item>
					<title>Increasing numbers of the Indian peafowl worry farmers [Commentary]</title>
					<link>https://india.mongabay.com/2026/08/increasing-numbers-of-the-indian-peafowl-worry-farmers-commentary/</link>
					<comments>https://india.mongabay.com/2026/08/increasing-numbers-of-the-indian-peafowl-worry-farmers-commentary/?noamp=mobile#respond</comments>
					<pubDate>17 Aug 2026 13:45:46 +0000</pubDate>
											<dc:creator>
							<![CDATA[Aditya Pradhan]]>
						</dc:creator>
										<author>
						<![CDATA[Priyanka Shankar]]>
					</author>
							<category><![CDATA[Uncategorized]]></category>
										<enclosure url="https://imgs.mongabay.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/30/2026/08/17101028/Photo-2_%40Mingma-Tamang-768x512.jpg" type="image/jpeg" />
					<guid isPermaLink="false">https://india.mongabay.com/?p=40170</guid>

											<reporting-project>
							<![CDATA[Beyond Protected Areas]]>
						</reporting-project>
					
											<locations>
							<![CDATA[Himalayas and West Bengal]]>
						</locations>
					
											<topic-tags>
							<![CDATA[Agriculture, Biodiversity, and Birds]]>
						</topic-tags>
					
					
											<description>
							<![CDATA[Once hailed as a symbol of Indian pride and grace, the Indian peafowl (Pavo cristatus) is now stirring heated debates in the quiet Himalayan foothills. Revered as the national bird of India and a prominent figure in Hindu mythology, this vibrant bird has long enjoyed admiration and legal protection. But in recent years, its soaring [&#8230;]]]>
						</description>
																					<content:encoded>
							<![CDATA[Once hailed as a symbol of Indian pride and grace, the Indian peafowl (Pavo cristatus) is now stirring heated debates in the quiet Himalayan foothills. Revered as the national bird of India and a prominent figure in Hindu mythology, this vibrant bird has long enjoyed admiration and legal protection. But in recent years, its soaring numbers and expanding range have turned it from a cultural icon into a controversial presence — especially in fragile ecosystems like the Eastern Himalaya. “Indian peafowl has become a nuisance in recent years,” said a local youth from Ambiok Busty, a village in the Himalayan foothills of Kalimpong district, West Bengal, during a bird guide training session. His frustration echoed a growing sentiment among many in the region. Legally, the Indian peafowl sits at the top tier of wildlife protection in India, listed in Schedule I of the Wildlife (Protection) Act, 1972. This designation — on par with tigers and elephants — makes it almost untouchable. Any attempt to manage its population, be it through relocation, sterilisation, or even research monitoring, involves layers of bureaucratic checks. But the peafowl’s population isn’t on the decline. In fact, it is thriving. A glaring policy gap In many Indian states, peacock conservation is still being celebrated — with “Peacock Parks&#8221; being funded and promoted as ecotourism attractions. These efforts, while well-meaning, rarely consider the actual ground reality in regions like the eastern Himalaya, where peafowls are increasingly seen as pests rather than assets. A peacock rests on the&hellip;This article was originally published on <a href="https://india.mongabay.com/2026/08/increasing-numbers-of-the-indian-peafowl-worry-farmers-commentary/" data-wpel-link="internal">Mongabay</a>]]>
						</content:encoded>
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						<item>
					<title>Invasives impact in Global South needs more attention</title>
					<link>https://india.mongabay.com/short-article/2026/08/invasives-impact-in-global-south-needs-more-attention/</link>
					<comments>https://india.mongabay.com/short-article/2026/08/invasives-impact-in-global-south-needs-more-attention/?noamp=mobile#respond</comments>
					<pubDate>14 Aug 2026 18:35:09 +0000</pubDate>
											<dc:creator>
							<![CDATA[Arathi Menon]]>
						</dc:creator>
										<author>
						<![CDATA[Arathimenon]]>
					</author>
							<category><![CDATA[invasive plants]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[invasive species]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[invasives]]></category>
										<enclosure url="https://imgs.mongabay.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/30/2026/08/14174146/%E0%B4%86%E0%B4%AB%E0%B5%8D%E0%B4%B0%E0%B4%BF%E0%B4%95%E0%B5%8D%E0%B4%95%E0%B5%BB_%E0%B4%92%E0%B4%9A%E0%B5%8D%E0%B4%9A%E0%B5%8D__Achatina_fulica_%E0%B4%95%E0%B5%87%E0%B4%B0%E0%B4%B3%E0%B4%A4%E0%B5%8D%E0%B4%A4%E0%B4%BF%E0%B5%BD_2012-768x512.jpg" type="image/jpeg" />
					<guid isPermaLink="false">https://india.mongabay.com/?post_type=short-article&#038;p=40164</guid>

											<reporting-project>
							<![CDATA[Beyond Protected Areas]]>
						</reporting-project>
					
											<locations>
							<![CDATA[Global]]>
						</locations>
					
											<topic-tags>
							<![CDATA[Biodiversity, Environment, Plants, and Wildlife]]>
						</topic-tags>
					
					
											<description>
							<![CDATA[Global biodiversity assessments have often suggested that the impacts of invasive alien species are greatest in wealthy countries of the Global North. A new study, however, challenges this notion and establishes that the severity of environmental impacts is generally higher in the Global South and calls out research bias for distorting the global picture. The [&#8230;]]]>
						</description>
																					<content:encoded>
							<![CDATA[Global biodiversity assessments have often suggested that the impacts of invasive alien species are greatest in wealthy countries of the Global North. A new study, however, challenges this notion and establishes that the severity of environmental impacts is generally higher in the Global South and calls out research bias for distorting the global picture. The study, published recently in Science journal, combines two global datasets: GIDIAS, which contains more than 22,000 documented impacts involving over 3,300 invasive alien species from more than 6,700 scientific and grey-literature sources across 172 countries, and SInAS, which records the distribution of more than 39,700 alien species worldwide. Considering research effort and the number of reports are much higher in the Global North, simply counting invasive species or documented impacts can make the region appear disproportionately affected. To better understand the impact, researchers, Sven Bacher, Petr Pyšek and Hanno Seebens used the IUCN&#8217;s Environmental Impact Classification for Alien Taxa (EICAT) under which an impact is considered severe when an invasive species causes a decline in a native population, local extirpation or global extinction. Rather than simply counting how many invasive species or impacts have been recorded in a region, the researchers calculated average impact severity: the proportion of documented impacts that are severe. This was intended to reduce the effect of differences in research effort between countries. The key findings include higher average impact severity in the Global South, the influence of research bias on assessments of invasive species impacts, the particular vulnerability of emerging&hellip;This article was originally published on <a href="https://india.mongabay.com/short-article/2026/08/invasives-impact-in-global-south-needs-more-attention/" data-wpel-link="internal">Mongabay</a>]]>
						</content:encoded>
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						<item>
					<title>Disappearing grasslands impact bird populations, study finds</title>
					<link>https://india.mongabay.com/2026/08/disappearing-grasslands-impact-bird-populations-study-finds/</link>
					<comments>https://india.mongabay.com/2026/08/disappearing-grasslands-impact-bird-populations-study-finds/?noamp=mobile#respond</comments>
					<pubDate>14 Aug 2026 16:37:09 +0000</pubDate>
											<dc:creator>
							<![CDATA[Simrin Sirur]]>
						</dc:creator>
										<author>
						<![CDATA[Kundan Pandey]]>
					</author>
							<category><![CDATA[Uncategorized]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[grassland ecology]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[nilgiri pipit]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[nilgiris]]></category>
										<enclosure url="https://imgs.mongabay.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/30/2026/08/14123726/Nilgiri_Pipit_Anthus_nilghiriensis_from_Anaimalai_hills_IMG_2145-768x512.jpg" type="image/jpeg" />
					<guid isPermaLink="false">https://india.mongabay.com/?p=40133</guid>

											<reporting-project>
							<![CDATA[Beyond Protected Areas]]>
						</reporting-project>
					
											<locations>
							<![CDATA[Tamil Nadu]]>
						</locations>
					
											<topic-tags>
							<![CDATA[Biodiversity, Biosphere reserves, Birds, Conservation, Ecology, Encroachment, Endangered species, Endemic species, Forests, Grasslands, Habitat Loss, Shola-grasslands, and Wildlife]]>
						</topic-tags>
					
					
											<description>
							<![CDATA[Up in the Nilgiris, Tamil Nadu, the gradual disappearance of the region’s shola grasslands has changed how birds navigate the landscape, highlighting the importance of habitat connectivity in preserving endemic biodiversity. The shola sky islands are unique montane forests separated by rolling grasslands. They’re biologically significant because they host a large number species whose global [&#8230;]]]>
						</description>
																					<content:encoded>
							<![CDATA[Up in the Nilgiris, Tamil Nadu, the gradual disappearance of the region’s shola grasslands has changed how birds navigate the landscape, highlighting the importance of habitat connectivity in preserving endemic biodiversity. The shola sky islands are unique montane forests separated by rolling grasslands. They’re biologically significant because they host a large number species whose global distributions are concentrated here. But changes in land use dynamics have caused a steady decline in the populations of certain birds in the region. Colonial-era plantations of exotic tree species like Acacia, Eucalyptus and Pinus, which are not native to this region, have invaded several parts of the sky islands. Between 1973 and 2017, the islands lost 516 sq km of grasslands and 63 sq km of forests. These diminished habitats have also exposed the limits of adaptability for birds. “Highlighting how land-use change shapes species’ connectivity provides a window into how species specialised to high-elevation grassland habitat types respond to habitat alterations,” said Chiti Arvind, Postdoctoral Fellow, IISER Tirupati and a co-author of a research paper studying the impacts of land use change in the shola sky islands on bird movements. Shola forests and grasslands in the Nilgiris. Image by Davidvraju via Wikimedia Commons (CC BY-SA 4.0). Gains and losses The study covered approximately 2,900 sq km across the two largest sky islands — in the Nilgiris and Palani-Anamalais — at elevations higher than 1400 metres above sea level. The objective was to observe how habitat fragmentation impacted the movements of the seven most&hellip;This article was originally published on <a href="https://india.mongabay.com/2026/08/disappearing-grasslands-impact-bird-populations-study-finds/" data-wpel-link="internal">Mongabay</a>]]>
						</content:encoded>
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