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		<title>Mongabay India</title>
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		<description>India&#039;s environmental science and conservation news</description>
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					<title>Genetic study of the Arunachali mithun flags declining breeding population</title>
					<link>https://india.mongabay.com/2026/08/genetic-study-of-the-arunachali-mithun-flags-declining-breeding-population/</link>
					<comments>https://india.mongabay.com/2026/08/genetic-study-of-the-arunachali-mithun-flags-declining-breeding-population/?noamp=mobile#respond</comments>
					<pubDate>13 Aug 2026 17:58:04 +0000</pubDate>
											<dc:creator>
							<![CDATA[Barasha Das]]>
						</dc:creator>
										<author>
						<![CDATA[Priyanka Shankar]]>
					</author>
							<category><![CDATA[Uncategorized]]></category>
										<enclosure url="https://imgs.mongabay.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/30/2026/08/13142643/3.-Male-Nagami-Mithun-PC-Harshit-Kumar-scientist-at-the-ICAR-National-Research-Centre-on-Mithun-768x512.jpeg" type="image/jpeg" />
					<guid isPermaLink="false">https://india.mongabay.com/?p=40117</guid>

											<reporting-project>
							<![CDATA[Almost Famous Species]]>
						</reporting-project>
					
											<locations>
							<![CDATA[Arunachal Pradesh]]>
						</locations>
					
											<topic-tags>
							<![CDATA[Biodiversity, Conservation, Ecology, Himalayas, Mammals, Mountains, Natural Resources, Tribes, Villages, and Wildlife]]>
						</topic-tags>
					
					
											<description>
							<![CDATA[In Arunachal Pradesh, conversations in mithun-rearing communities often find their way to the animal. For outsiders, one question almost inevitably follows: &#8220;How many mithuns do you own?&#8221; When John Pei Cander was asked the same question, the enthusiasm with which he had been talking moments earlier suddenly faded. He paused before replying quietly, almost apologetically. [&#8230;]]]>
						</description>
																					<content:encoded>
							<![CDATA[In Arunachal Pradesh, conversations in mithun-rearing communities often find their way to the animal. For outsiders, one question almost inevitably follows: &#8220;How many mithuns do you own?&#8221; When John Pei Cander was asked the same question, the enthusiasm with which he had been talking moments earlier suddenly faded. He paused before replying quietly, almost apologetically. &#8220;Now, I have just four,&#8221; he said. &#8220;During my father&#8217;s time, our family had around 30.&#8221; John runs a successful business, owns agricultural land, and has built a concrete two-storied house, drives an SUV. His children are studying in private schools. Yet it was not these achievements that defined his pride. It was the shrinking number of mithuns his family owned. He is not alone. Many with government jobs, thriving farms or successful businesses hesitate before revealing a single-digit number when asked about their mithuns. Their responses carried a sense of shame. Owning fewer mithuns, several people suggested, is not merely an economic reality; it was a loss of status and inheritance. For generations, the mithun (Bos frontalis) has occupied a unique place amongst many Indigenous societies of northeast India. Neither fully domesticated nor truly wild, the semi-free-ranging bovine represents symbols of wealth, prestige and social standing, woven deeply into customary practices and family life. According to the 20th Livestock Census published in 2019, India is home to nearly 384,000 individuals. Arunachal Pradesh supports close to 70% of the country&#8217;s mithun population, making the state&#8217;s breeding practices central to the species&#8217; future. The remaining animals&hellip;This article was originally published on <a href="https://india.mongabay.com/2026/08/genetic-study-of-the-arunachali-mithun-flags-declining-breeding-population/" data-wpel-link="internal">Mongabay</a>]]>
						</content:encoded>
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					<slash:comments>0</slash:comments>
														</item>
						<item>
					<title>As elephants venture to higher altitudes researchers track possibilities of conflict</title>
					<link>https://india.mongabay.com/2026/07/as-elephants-venture-to-higher-altitudes-researchers-track-possibilities-of-conflict/</link>
					<comments>https://india.mongabay.com/2026/07/as-elephants-venture-to-higher-altitudes-researchers-track-possibilities-of-conflict/?noamp=mobile#respond</comments>
					<pubDate>03 Jul 2026 15:55:05 +0000</pubDate>
											<dc:creator>
							<![CDATA[Manish Chandra Mishra]]>
						</dc:creator>
										<author>
						<![CDATA[Shailesh Shrivastava]]>
					</author>
							<category><![CDATA[Uncategorized]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[elephant corridors]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Elephant Movement]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[human elephant conflict]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[wildlife corridors]]></category>
										<enclosure url="https://imgs.mongabay.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/30/2026/07/03141812/Picture2_Camera-trap-capture-of-an-elephant-herd-above-3200-m-the-highest-known-altitude-of-elephant-presence.-C-WWF-IndiaArunachal-Pradesh-Forest-Department-e1783069319919-768x512.jpg" type="image/jpeg" />
					<guid isPermaLink="false">https://india.mongabay.com/?p=38962</guid>

											<reporting-project>
							<![CDATA[Beyond Protected Areas]]>
						</reporting-project>
					
											<locations>
							<![CDATA[Arunachal Pradesh]]>
						</locations>
					
											<topic-tags>
							<![CDATA[Agriculture, Animal Behaviour, Biodiversity, Camera traps, Conservation, Elephants, Habitat Fragmentation, Habitat Loss, Human Wildlife Conflict, Land Rights, Mammals, Wildlife, Wildlife Protection Act, and Wildlife Sanctuary]]>
						</topic-tags>
					
					
											<description>
							<![CDATA[Elephants in Arunachal Pradesh may be present at higher elevations than previously thought. According to the new action plan on managing human-elephant conflict in the state, elephant tracks as well as a camera trap image of a juvenile elephant were observed at an altitude of 3,266 metres in the state’s Eaglenest Wildlife Sanctuary, possibly the [&#8230;]]]>
						</description>
																					<content:encoded>
							<![CDATA[Elephants in Arunachal Pradesh may be present at higher elevations than previously thought. According to the new action plan on managing human-elephant conflict in the state, elephant tracks as well as a camera trap image of a juvenile elephant were observed at an altitude of 3,266 metres in the state’s Eaglenest Wildlife Sanctuary, possibly the highest recorded presence of Asian elephants in the world. The highest known record of an elephant (African elephant) is at around 4,000 metres, on Mount Kenya. Elephants in Arunachal Pradesh were previously known to be present primarily in the lower reaches and Himalayan foothills occasionally moving up to an altitude of 2,000 meters. However, this assessment found their presence at altitudes going up to 3,266 metres. The new action plan, released in May 2026, was jointly developed by the Arunachal Pradesh Department of Environment, Forest and Climate Change and WWF-India, to address human-elephant conflict in the state, threats to habitats and analyse whether elephant corridors are well-protected. Data was collected between December 2024 and March 2026. Officials examined elephant habitats where conflict was reported, and where crop or property damage had occurred. Why the altitude record matters According to Aritra Kshettry, who works with WWF-India’s Elephant Conservation Programme (ECP), elephants are not typically found at such high altitudes. The records of elephants at these altitudes gives clues about their movement outside of protected areas which helps predict potential interactions between elephants and humans. According to the action plan, elephant presence and crop damage have been&hellip;This article was originally published on <a href="https://india.mongabay.com/2026/07/as-elephants-venture-to-higher-altitudes-researchers-track-possibilities-of-conflict/" data-wpel-link="internal">Mongabay</a>]]>
						</content:encoded>
										<wfw:commentRss>https://india.mongabay.com/2026/07/as-elephants-venture-to-higher-altitudes-researchers-track-possibilities-of-conflict/feed/</wfw:commentRss>
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						<item>
					<title>Forest clearance for dam puts white-bellied herons at risk</title>
					<link>https://india.mongabay.com/2026/06/forest-clearance-for-dam-puts-white-bellied-herons-at-risk/</link>
					<comments>https://india.mongabay.com/2026/06/forest-clearance-for-dam-puts-white-bellied-herons-at-risk/?noamp=mobile#respond</comments>
					<pubDate>19 Jun 2026 13:54:23 +0000</pubDate>
											<dc:creator>
							<![CDATA[Simrin Sirur]]>
						</dc:creator>
										<author>
						<![CDATA[Priyanka Shankar]]>
					</author>
							<category><![CDATA[Uncategorized]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Hydroelectric Power]]></category>
										<enclosure url="https://imgs.mongabay.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/30/2026/06/19110747/WHITE-BELLIED-HERON-768x512.jpg" type="image/jpeg" />
					<guid isPermaLink="false">https://india.mongabay.com/?p=38747</guid>

											<reporting-project>
							<![CDATA[Hewing The Regulatory Tree]]>
						</reporting-project>
					
											<locations>
							<![CDATA[Arunachal Pradesh and India]]>
						</locations>
					
											<topic-tags>
							<![CDATA[Biodiversity, Fish, Hydroelectric power, Rivers, and Wildlife]]>
						</topic-tags>
					
					
											<description>
							<![CDATA[The  Forest Advisory Committee has granted “in principle” approval to a hydropower project in a region of Arunachal Pradesh that is inhabited by the white bellied heron, a critically endangered bird whose species number was estimated to be less than 60, globally, in 2015. To compensate for the forest loss resulting from the project, the [&#8230;]]]>
						</description>
																					<content:encoded>
							<![CDATA[The  Forest Advisory Committee has granted “in principle” approval to a hydropower project in a region of Arunachal Pradesh that is inhabited by the white bellied heron, a critically endangered bird whose species number was estimated to be less than 60, globally, in 2015. To compensate for the forest loss resulting from the project, the FAC approved afforestation thousands of kilometres away, in the central Indian state of Madhya Pradesh, a decision experts termed futile for the bird’s conservation. The FAC, a statutory body under the environment ministry which evaluates project proposals on forest land, gave its approval to the Kalai II hydroelectric power plant (HEP) in a meeting on May 8. The 1200-megawatt run-of-the river dam is planned on the Lohit river, a tributary of the Brahmaputra, in the border district of Anjaw. The river’s catchment area is flanked by tropical wet and dense mixed forest types and sits in the Eastern Himalaya biodiversity hotspot. A total of 33,338 trees are proposed to be felled within this landscape for the dam. In its meeting, the FAC noted that the white-bellied heron was absent in the list of important species that could be impacted by the project, and granted its approval on the condition that the Wildlife Institute of India vet the project’s Wildlife Management Plan. The FAC insisted that the assessment put a special emphasis on conserving the bird’s habitat. However, conservation experts say that the hydropower project is likely to cause major disruptions to the species’ survival in&hellip;This article was originally published on <a href="https://india.mongabay.com/2026/06/forest-clearance-for-dam-puts-white-bellied-herons-at-risk/" data-wpel-link="internal">Mongabay</a>]]>
						</content:encoded>
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					<slash:comments>0</slash:comments>
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						<item>
					<title>Researchers describe a new fanged frog species that builds mud nests on the forest floor</title>
					<link>https://india.mongabay.com/2026/06/researchers-describe-a-new-fanged-frog-species-that-builds-mud-nests-on-the-forest-floor/</link>
					<comments>https://india.mongabay.com/2026/06/researchers-describe-a-new-fanged-frog-species-that-builds-mud-nests-on-the-forest-floor/?noamp=mobile#respond</comments>
					<pubDate>09 Jun 2026 15:07:28 +0000</pubDate>
											<dc:creator>
							<![CDATA[Ananya Singh]]>
						</dc:creator>
										<author>
						<![CDATA[Aditi Tandon]]>
					</author>
							<category><![CDATA[Uncategorized]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[frog]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[namdapha]]></category>
										<enclosure url="https://imgs.mongabay.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/30/2026/06/09141315/17473eff-f87c-46cc-a59b-a51c2b8ba454-768x512.jpg" type="image/jpeg" />
					<guid isPermaLink="false">https://india.mongabay.com/?p=38578</guid>

											<reporting-project>
							<![CDATA[Almost Famous Species]]>
						</reporting-project>
					
											<locations>
							<![CDATA[Arunachal Pradesh]]>
						</locations>
					
											<topic-tags>
							<![CDATA[Amphibians, Biodiversity, Conservation, Forests, Frogs, New species, and Wildlife]]>
						</topic-tags>
					
					
											<description>
							<![CDATA[In April 2022, as pre-monsoon darkness descended over Namdapha Tiger Reserve, Arunachal Pradesh, a team of researchers winding their way along a forest trail heard an unusual call. “Quaaak&#8230;” To Abhijit Das, scientist at the Wildlife Institute of India (WII), it sounded like a frog calling from underground. He and his team began searching beneath [&#8230;]]]>
						</description>
																					<content:encoded>
							<![CDATA[In April 2022, as pre-monsoon darkness descended over Namdapha Tiger Reserve, Arunachal Pradesh, a team of researchers winding their way along a forest trail heard an unusual call. “Quaaak&#8230;” To Abhijit Das, scientist at the Wildlife Institute of India (WII), it sounded like a frog calling from underground. He and his team began searching beneath the thick layer of leaves covering the forest floor. “We are exactly on the call. But when we start moving the leaf litter, we don’t find it,” said Das. “The frog stops calling.” A year later, two of Das’ students, N.V. Rajiv and Sourav Dutta, lay on the ground deep within the rainforest, slowly picking up one leaf at a time as they followed the frog’s distinctive sound. Finally, they spotted the calling male hidden in a depression in the mud under leaf litter. The team would later describe this as a new species of fanged frog, Limnonectes motijheel, in their paper published in Zootaxa in April 2026. An adult male specimen of the newly-described species, Limnonectes motijheel, collected from Kamala Valley in Namdapha Tiger Reserve in May 2022. The males of this species are larger than the females and are named for the tooth-like projections on their lower jaw. Image by Abhijit Das. Detailed morphological and genetic analysis of specimens collected during surveys showed that this small, brown frog belongs to the Limnonectes genus, a group of fanged frogs whose males possess tooth-like projections on their lower jaw, giving them their name. “This is&hellip;This article was originally published on <a href="https://india.mongabay.com/2026/06/researchers-describe-a-new-fanged-frog-species-that-builds-mud-nests-on-the-forest-floor/" data-wpel-link="internal">Mongabay</a>]]>
						</content:encoded>
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					<slash:comments>0</slash:comments>
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						<item>
					<title>Communities rally to conserve marbled cat</title>
					<link>https://india.mongabay.com/2026/06/communities-rally-to-conserve-marbled-cat/</link>
					<comments>https://india.mongabay.com/2026/06/communities-rally-to-conserve-marbled-cat/?noamp=mobile#respond</comments>
					<pubDate>05 Jun 2026 13:34:53 +0000</pubDate>
											<dc:creator>
							<![CDATA[Barasha Das]]>
						</dc:creator>
										<author>
						<![CDATA[Arathimenon]]>
					</author>
							<category><![CDATA[Uncategorized]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[eastern himalayas]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[marbled cat]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[marbled cat and leopard cat]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Northeast India]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Small cats]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[small wild cats]]></category>
										<enclosure url="https://imgs.mongabay.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/30/2026/06/05121551/1.-Marbled-cat-captured-on-camera-trap-in-Nagaland.-PC-Giridhar-Malla-e1780642216526-768x512.jpg" type="image/jpeg" />
					<guid isPermaLink="false">https://india.mongabay.com/?p=38542</guid>

											<reporting-project>
							<![CDATA[Almost Famous Species]]>
						</reporting-project>
					
											<locations>
							<![CDATA[Arunachal Pradesh and Nagaland]]>
						</locations>
					
											<topic-tags>
							<![CDATA[Big Cats, Biodiversity, Cats, Community based conservation, Conservation, Hunting, Indigenous Peoples, Mammals, Tribes, and Wildlife]]>
						</topic-tags>
					
					
											<description>
							<![CDATA[Conservationists and several communities in Arunachal Pradesh and Nagaland gathered on March 1 to mark the first-ever International Marbled Cat Day, drawing attention to one of Asia’s most elusive and least understood wild felids. Conceptualised by the Eastern Himalayas Marbled Cat Project (EHMCP), in collaboration with state forest departments, the Day focused on engaging local [&#8230;]]]>
						</description>
																					<content:encoded>
							<![CDATA[Conservationists and several communities in Arunachal Pradesh and Nagaland gathered on March 1 to mark the first-ever International Marbled Cat Day, drawing attention to one of Asia’s most elusive and least understood wild felids. Conceptualised by the Eastern Himalayas Marbled Cat Project (EHMCP), in collaboration with state forest departments, the Day focused on engaging local communities and creating spaces for shared learning. “This timing was chosen deliberately,” says Giridhar Malla, conservationist and founder of the EHMCP. “It marks a seasonal transition. When forests begin to shift with the onset of spring, there is renewed growth, and communities also start preparing for sowing. We saw this as a meaningful moment for people to reflect on ecological change and connect that sense of renewal with the importance of remembering and conserving the marbled cat across Northeast India.” Community-led conservation Following a camera-trap survey conducted between 2022 and 2025 by the EHMCP, which confirmed the scattered presence of the marbled cat (Pardofelis marmorata) in parts of Arunachal Pradesh, Nagaland and Meghalaya, residents of the villages where the species was captured on camera decided to take up conservation measures. These villages include Lokpeng in Siang district and Nyorok in West Siang district in Arunachal Pradesh; Riangmaw in West Khasi Hills district in Meghalaya; and Khonoma in Kohima district and Choklangan in Noklak district in Nagaland. In October 2025, the Hii:ung Hii:eng community forest in Siang district, Arunachal Pradesh, was formally declared India’s first community-conserved area dedicated to the marbled cat by the Lokpeng Welfare&hellip;This article was originally published on <a href="https://india.mongabay.com/2026/06/communities-rally-to-conserve-marbled-cat/" data-wpel-link="internal">Mongabay</a>]]>
						</content:encoded>
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						<item>
					<title>Indigenous knowledge to track and save the Chinese pangolin</title>
					<link>https://india.mongabay.com/2025/12/indigenous-knowledge-to-track-and-save-the-chinese-pangolin/</link>
					<comments>https://india.mongabay.com/2025/12/indigenous-knowledge-to-track-and-save-the-chinese-pangolin/?noamp=mobile#respond</comments>
					<pubDate>17 Dec 2025 16:48:30 +0000</pubDate>
											<dc:creator>
							<![CDATA[Nikhil Sreekandan]]>
						</dc:creator>
										<author>
						<![CDATA[Arathimenon]]>
					</author>
							<category><![CDATA[Uncategorized]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[camera traps]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[farmers]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[farming]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[farmlands]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[pangolin]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Traditional Knowledge]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[wildlife monitoring]]></category>
										<enclosure url="https://imgs.mongabay.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/30/2025/12/17124335/LEK-based-camera-trap-image-of-Chinese-pangolin-digging-a-burrow-scaled-e1765961289519-768x512.jpg" type="image/jpeg" />
					<guid isPermaLink="false">https://india.mongabay.com/?p=36099</guid>

											<reporting-project>
							<![CDATA[Indigenous Knowledge]]>
						</reporting-project>
					
											<locations>
							<![CDATA[Arunachal Pradesh]]>
						</locations>
					
											<topic-tags>
							<![CDATA[Agriculture, Indigenous Peoples, Wildlife, Wildlife Trade, and Wildlife Trafficking]]>
						</topic-tags>
					
					
											<description>
							<![CDATA[“Earlier, one could find pangolins near the village. But not anymore,” says Odan Ratan of the Adi community, an Indigenous people from the Siang river basin in Arunachal Pradesh. Ratan, who hails from Damro village in the Upper Siang district, works as a field collaborator with the Nature Conservation Foundation (NCF), a wildlife conservation and [&#8230;]]]>
						</description>
																					<content:encoded>
							<![CDATA[“Earlier, one could find pangolins near the village. But not anymore,” says Odan Ratan of the Adi community, an Indigenous people from the Siang river basin in Arunachal Pradesh. Ratan, who hails from Damro village in the Upper Siang district, works as a field collaborator with the Nature Conservation Foundation (NCF), a wildlife conservation and research organisation based in Mysore, Karnataka. He is part of a project to study the critically endangered Chinese pangolin in Arunachal Pradesh. In a recent short paper published in the Oryx journal, NCF researchers including Ratan demonstrate improved camera trap capture rates of pangolins in the region when the traditional knowledge of the Adi people was utilised. Pangolins are nocturnal insectivores, encased in scales, that curl up into a tight ball when threatened. They hold the unfortunate title of the most trafficked mammal in the world. The Chinese pangolin (Manis pentadactyla) is one of the two pangolin species found in India, the other being Indian pangolin (Manis crassicaudata). It is distributed across the northeastern states and in northern West Bengal. Arunachal Pradesh is considered one of its strongholds, but there is almost no recent systematic data on the population and distribution status of the species in the region. A view of Damro village from the neighbouring Adi Pasi village in Upper Siang district. Residents say that there was a time when Chinese pangolins — a highly trafficked mammal — could be spotted in the village, but not anymore. Image by Chiging Pilia/NCF. Adopting local ecological&hellip;This article was originally published on <a href="https://india.mongabay.com/2025/12/indigenous-knowledge-to-track-and-save-the-chinese-pangolin/" data-wpel-link="internal">Mongabay</a>]]>
						</content:encoded>
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					<title>The elusive Mishmi takin faces new challenges in its changing habitat</title>
					<link>https://india.mongabay.com/2025/11/the-elusive-mishmi-takin-faces-new-challenges-in-its-changing-habitat/</link>
					<comments>https://india.mongabay.com/2025/11/the-elusive-mishmi-takin-faces-new-challenges-in-its-changing-habitat/?noamp=mobile#respond</comments>
					<pubDate>28 Nov 2025 12:43:24 +0000</pubDate>
											<dc:creator>
							<![CDATA[Bikash Kumar Bhattacharya]]>
						</dc:creator>
										<author>
						<![CDATA[Priyanka Shankar]]>
					</author>
							<category><![CDATA[Uncategorized]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[deforestation]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[habitat loss]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Roads]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Traditional Knowledge]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[urbanisation]]></category>
										<enclosure url="https://imgs.mongabay.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/30/2025/11/28094904/10906231603_0edd4c685a_o-768x512.jpg" type="image/jpeg" />
					<guid isPermaLink="false">https://india.mongabay.com/?p=35807</guid>

											<reporting-project>
							<![CDATA[Almost Famous Species]]>
						</reporting-project>
					
											<locations>
							<![CDATA[Arunachal Pradesh]]>
						</locations>
					
											<topic-tags>
							<![CDATA[Ecology, Endangered species, Environment, Himalayas, Indigenous Peoples, Indigenous Rights, Mountains, Tourism, Tribes, and Wildlife]]>
						</topic-tags>
					
					
											<description>
							<![CDATA[High in the mist-shrouded mountains of Arunachal Pradesh, where India meets Tibet and Myanmar, lives one of the most elusive creatures of the Himalayas — the Mishmi takin (Budorcas taxicolor). The species is so unusual that early naturalists struggled to classify it. This robust, shaggy ungulate, often described as a cross between a goat and [&#8230;]]]>
						</description>
																					<content:encoded>
							<![CDATA[High in the mist-shrouded mountains of Arunachal Pradesh, where India meets Tibet and Myanmar, lives one of the most elusive creatures of the Himalayas — the Mishmi takin (Budorcas taxicolor). The species is so unusual that early naturalists struggled to classify it. This robust, shaggy ungulate, often described as a cross between a goat and an ox, has roamed these slopes for millennia, perfectly adapted to the harsh, remote terrain. Bhutanese and Tibetan folklore says the 15th century Buddhist monk Drukpa Kunley, created the takin by joining a cow’s body with a goat’s head, explaining its peculiar appearance. In the early twentieth century, Captain F. M. Bailey, in Journey through a Portion of South-Eastern Tibet and the Mishmi Hills, reported spotting Mishmi takin herds of up to three hundred animals. The Mishmi takin is one of four subspecies of the takin, a rare goat-antelope native to the eastern Himalayas. With powerful limbs, a large head, and a golden-yellow to dark brown coat, it stands up to 1.3 metres at the shoulder and weighs over 300 kilograms. Its arched nose and large sinus cavities warm icy mountain air before it reaches the lungs, an ideal adaptation for high-altitude life. Chi Ma, an associate professor of mammal behaviour and diversity at Dali University in Yunnan, China, who has studied the Mishmi takin, explains that the species is an important large herbivore in the eastern Himalayas. “It helps shape vegetation and may contribute to seed dispersal, and it also forms part of the&hellip;This article was originally published on <a href="https://india.mongabay.com/2025/11/the-elusive-mishmi-takin-faces-new-challenges-in-its-changing-habitat/" data-wpel-link="internal">Mongabay</a>]]>
						</content:encoded>
										<wfw:commentRss>https://india.mongabay.com/2025/11/the-elusive-mishmi-takin-faces-new-challenges-in-its-changing-habitat/feed/</wfw:commentRss>
					<slash:comments>0</slash:comments>
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						<item>
					<title>Arunachal Pradesh plans big push for hydropower</title>
					<link>https://india.mongabay.com/2025/10/arunachal-pradesh-plans-big-push-for-hydropower/</link>
					<comments>https://india.mongabay.com/2025/10/arunachal-pradesh-plans-big-push-for-hydropower/?noamp=mobile#respond</comments>
					<pubDate>10 Oct 2025 16:09:00 +0000</pubDate>
											<dc:creator>
							<![CDATA[Simrin Sirur]]>
						</dc:creator>
										<author>
						<![CDATA[Divya Kilikar]]>
					</author>
							<category><![CDATA[Uncategorized]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[dam]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[dams]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Northeast India]]></category>
										<enclosure url="https://imgs.mongabay.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/30/2025/10/10151700/Subansiri_Lower_Dam_Geruka_mukh_Lakhimpur_Assam-768x512.jpg" type="image/jpeg" />
					<guid isPermaLink="false">https://india.mongabay.com/?p=34999</guid>

											<reporting-project>
							<![CDATA[Just Transitions]]>
						</reporting-project>
					
											<locations>
							<![CDATA[Arunachal Pradesh]]>
						</locations>
					
											<topic-tags>
							<![CDATA[Energy, Green Energy, Himalayas, Hydroelectric power, Renewable Energy, Rivers, and Water]]>
						</topic-tags>
					
					
											<description>
							<![CDATA[A 2,200 megawatt hydropower project was cleared to come up in the Upper Subansiri district of Arunachal Pradesh, signalling the state government’s intent to rapidly expand hydropower generation within its borders. The Oju Hydroelectric Power Project (HEP) is the latest of several large dams proposed to boost the state government’s hydropower profile. The Oju HEP [&#8230;]]]>
						</description>
																					<content:encoded>
							<![CDATA[A 2,200 megawatt hydropower project was cleared to come up in the Upper Subansiri district of Arunachal Pradesh, signalling the state government’s intent to rapidly expand hydropower generation within its borders. The Oju Hydroelectric Power Project (HEP) is the latest of several large dams proposed to boost the state government’s hydropower profile. The Oju HEP was cleared by the centrally-appointed Expert Appraisal Committee (EAC) on September 12, on the condition that the Navayuga Engineering group — the project developer — integrate simulations of glacial lake outburst flood scenarios into its design. “The Committee advised that a real-time monitoring and early warning system (EWS) shall be established in coordination with State Disaster Management Authority (SDMA) and local administration, along with community awareness and mock drills for preparedness,” the EAC said, in light of growing glacial lakes in the region. The Oju HEP is the second major dam to secure clearance in the Subansiri river basin. The Subansiri Lower Dam, a 2000 MW run-of-the-river project (harnessing the natural flow of a river) further downstream, was awarded clearance in 2003, but faced widespread opposition from local communities and activists about the negative impacts from 2010 to 2019. “When the Subansiri Lower Dam was being cleared, one of the conditions was that there would be no further construction upstream.” said Himanshu Thakkar, coordinator of South Asia Network on Dams, Rivers and People. “This was appealed and now projects such as Oju have been allowed on a case-to-case basis.” The environmental impact assessment for the&hellip;This article was originally published on <a href="https://india.mongabay.com/2025/10/arunachal-pradesh-plans-big-push-for-hydropower/" data-wpel-link="internal">Mongabay</a>]]>
						</content:encoded>
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					<slash:comments>0</slash:comments>
														</item>
						<item>
					<title>Survey finds wild cats at record heights</title>
					<link>https://india.mongabay.com/2025/10/survey-finds-wild-cats-at-record-heights/</link>
					<comments>https://india.mongabay.com/2025/10/survey-finds-wild-cats-at-record-heights/?noamp=mobile#respond</comments>
					<pubDate>07 Oct 2025 15:06:41 +0000</pubDate>
											<dc:creator>
							<![CDATA[Nabarun Guha]]>
						</dc:creator>
										<author>
						<![CDATA[Aditi Tandon]]>
					</author>
							<category><![CDATA[Uncategorized]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Clouded leopard]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[eastern himalayas]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[high altitude]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[marbled cat and leopard cat]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Northeast India]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Pallas's cat]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[snow leopard]]></category>
										<enclosure url="https://imgs.mongabay.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/30/2025/10/07144002/1000047633-768x512.jpg" type="image/jpeg" />
					<guid isPermaLink="false">https://india.mongabay.com/?p=34946</guid>

											<reporting-project>
							<![CDATA[Almost Famous Species]]>
						</reporting-project>
					
											<locations>
							<![CDATA[Arunachal Pradesh]]>
						</locations>
					
											<topic-tags>
							<![CDATA[Big Cats, Biodiversity, Cats, Community based conservation, Conservation, Himalayas, Mountains, and Wildlife]]>
						</topic-tags>
					
					
											<description>
							<![CDATA[The Pallas’s cat (Otocolobus manul), one of the most elusive small cats, was photographed for the first time in Arunachal Pradesh. Its documentation in the northeast Indian state extends the species’ known range in the eastern Himalayas, beyond earlier confirmed records from Sikkim in India, Bhutan, and eastern Nepal. The photographic evidence is from a [&#8230;]]]>
						</description>
																					<content:encoded>
							<![CDATA[The Pallas’s cat (Otocolobus manul), one of the most elusive small cats, was photographed for the first time in Arunachal Pradesh. Its documentation in the northeast Indian state extends the species’ known range in the eastern Himalayas, beyond earlier confirmed records from Sikkim in India, Bhutan, and eastern Nepal. The photographic evidence is from a wildlife survey conducted by WWF-India in 2024, the results of which were released last month. The survey also recorded the presence of five other wild cats — snow leopard, common leopard, clouded leopard, leopard cat, and marbled cat — all at an altitude above 4,200 metres, at some of the highest elevations recorded for some of these cat species. The WWF-India survey was conducted with support from the Forest Department, Government of Arunachal Pradesh and the local communities, under its project to revive trans-Himalayan rangelands. Arunachal Pradesh Chief Minister Pema Khandu celebrated this discovery of Pallas&#8217;s Cat with a post on social media. Ngilyang Tam, Principal Chief Conservator of Forests (PCCF) &amp; the Chief Wild Life Warden (Wildlife and Biodiversity), Arunachal Pradesh said, &#8220;The discovery of Pallas&#8217;s cat in Arunachal Pradesh is a milestone for wildlife research in the eastern Himalayas. These findings reaffirm the state&#8217;s importance as a global biodiversity hotspot and highlight the need for continued investment in scientific monitoring and conservation. The active participation of herders and villagers demonstrates that conservation, traditional knowledge, and their livelihoods can go hand in hand in protecting our fragile mountain ecosystems.&#8221; The Pallas’s cat was photographed&hellip;This article was originally published on <a href="https://india.mongabay.com/2025/10/survey-finds-wild-cats-at-record-heights/" data-wpel-link="internal">Mongabay</a>]]>
						</content:encoded>
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					<slash:comments>0</slash:comments>
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						<item>
					<title>A new fungi species that’s larger than life</title>
					<link>https://india.mongabay.com/2025/09/a-new-fungi-species-thats-larger-than-life/</link>
					<comments>https://india.mongabay.com/2025/09/a-new-fungi-species-thats-larger-than-life/?noamp=mobile#respond</comments>
					<pubDate>24 Sep 2025 13:07:07 +0000</pubDate>
											<dc:creator>
							<![CDATA[Divya Kilikar]]>
						</dc:creator>
										<author>
						<![CDATA[Aditi Tandon]]>
					</author>
							<category><![CDATA[Uncategorized]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[fungi]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[wild mushrooms]]></category>
										<enclosure url="https://imgs.mongabay.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/30/2025/09/20230029/Image-__3_-768x512.jpg" type="image/jpeg" />
					<guid isPermaLink="false">https://india.mongabay.com/?p=34710</guid>

											<reporting-project>
							<![CDATA[Beyond Protected Areas]]>
						</reporting-project>
					
											<locations>
							<![CDATA[Arunachal Pradesh]]>
						</locations>
					
											<topic-tags>
							<![CDATA[Forests, Himalayas, New species, Plants, Rainforests, and Trees]]>
						</topic-tags>
					
					
											<description>
							<![CDATA[“They do strange things to time, because it is not easy to say where a fungus ends or begins, when it is born or when it dies,” wrote Robert Macfarlane in Underland. The rule-defying, yet understated kingdom of fungi has captivated scientists and writers globally in various landscapes, yielding impressive learnings. For example, the mutualistic [&#8230;]]]>
						</description>
																					<content:encoded>
							<![CDATA[“They do strange things to time, because it is not easy to say where a fungus ends or begins, when it is born or when it dies,” wrote Robert Macfarlane in Underland. The rule-defying, yet understated kingdom of fungi has captivated scientists and writers globally in various landscapes, yielding impressive learnings. For example, the mutualistic relationship between fungi and plants is one that has been cultivated over millions of years. Fungi extract carbon stored in trees, and in return provide rich nutrients like nitrogen to the trees. Fungal networks in the soil act like a reliable public transport system for messages between trees. A dying tree may direct its remaining nutrients to others through fungi. A pest-ridden tree may send warnings to trees in the vicinity to shield themselves. While our understanding of fungal diversity in India remains under-studied, a recent discovery brings them to the spotlight as a ‘colossal’ new species has been described in Arunachal Pradesh. A fungus with a taste for timber Bridgeoporus was a previously monotypic genus, with only one species – Bridgeoporus nobilissimus – belonging to the genus for decades until B. sinensis was collected in China. “Taxonomy is an ever-evolving field, with scientists reclassifying species over time at their discretion. B. sinensis was eventually moved to another genus, Oxyporus. This made our finding in Arunachal the second species known in the genus – Bridgeoporus kanadii,” said Arvind Parihar, lead author of the study and a researcher with Botanical Survey of India (BSI) who has&hellip;This article was originally published on <a href="https://india.mongabay.com/2025/09/a-new-fungi-species-thats-larger-than-life/" data-wpel-link="internal">Mongabay</a>]]>
						</content:encoded>
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					<slash:comments>0</slash:comments>
														</item>
						<item>
					<title>Conflicted over attacks on mithuns, experts gun for hunting ban</title>
					<link>https://india.mongabay.com/2025/09/conflicted-over-attacks-on-mithuns-experts-gun-for-hunting-ban/</link>
					<comments>https://india.mongabay.com/2025/09/conflicted-over-attacks-on-mithuns-experts-gun-for-hunting-ban/?noamp=mobile#respond</comments>
					<pubDate>09 Sep 2025 13:50:03 +0000</pubDate>
											<dc:creator>
							<![CDATA[Kasturi Das]]>
						</dc:creator>
										<author>
						<![CDATA[Arathimenon]]>
					</author>
							<category><![CDATA[Uncategorized]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[cattle]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[dhole]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[dogs]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[livelihoods]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[livestock]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[wild dog]]></category>
										<enclosure url="https://imgs.mongabay.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/30/2025/09/09123136/DSC4038-768x512.jpg" type="image/jpeg" />
					<guid isPermaLink="false">https://india.mongabay.com/?p=34514</guid>

											<reporting-project>
							<![CDATA[Beyond Protected Areas]]>
						</reporting-project>
					
											<locations>
							<![CDATA[Arunachal Pradesh]]>
						</locations>
					
											<topic-tags>
							<![CDATA[Biodiversity, Conservation, Environmental Economics, Environmental Politics, Human Wildlife Conflict, and Hunting]]>
						</topic-tags>
					
					
											<description>
							<![CDATA[Early this year, when 40-year-old Taum Tamut went looking for his mithuns (Bos frontalis) in the forest surrounding his village Jomlo Mobuk in Siang district of Arunachal Pradesh, he came across a grim sight. One of his mithuns lay dead, its carcass bearing the unmistakable marks of a dhole (Cuon alpinus) attack. Taum, a member of [&#8230;]]]>
						</description>
																					<content:encoded>
							<![CDATA[Early this year, when 40-year-old Taum Tamut went looking for his mithuns (Bos frontalis) in the forest surrounding his village Jomlo Mobuk in Siang district of Arunachal Pradesh, he came across a grim sight. One of his mithuns lay dead, its carcass bearing the unmistakable marks of a dhole (Cuon alpinus) attack. Taum, a member of the Adi tribe and a father of three young children, has around 50 mithuns and earns his livelihood by selling vegetables, broomsticks, and occasionally a mithun or two. “The dholes don’t spare the mithun calves. Our calves have been eaten by the dholes. There are so many of them here,” says a distraught Taum. Hundreds of kilometres away in Doimukh, 54-year-old Nabum Tania from the Nyishi tribe recounts a similar incident. “They (dholes) are notorious. They come in packs of 15 to 20 and take down a whole mithun,&#8221; he says. Tania lost seven of his 20 mithuns to dhole attacks since the beginning of this year. “For a poor farmer like me, it is a huge loss. Mithun is our lifeline. I sent my children to school by rearing and selling mithuns,” says Tania. Like Taum and Tania, many farmers across Arunachal Pradesh have lost their mithuns, a semi-domesticated bovine, to dhole attacks. Since early 2025, districts such as Papum Pare, Siang, Upper Subansiri, West Siang, East Kameng, Lower Dibang Valley, and Changlang have reported a rise in dhole attacks on mithuns and other livestock. Dholes in the state are turning to mithuns because&hellip;This article was originally published on <a href="https://india.mongabay.com/2025/09/conflicted-over-attacks-on-mithuns-experts-gun-for-hunting-ban/" data-wpel-link="internal">Mongabay</a>]]>
						</content:encoded>
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					<slash:comments>0</slash:comments>
														</item>
						<item>
					<title>On the trail of a lost relic [Commentary]</title>
					<link>https://india.mongabay.com/2025/09/on-the-trail-of-a-lost-relic-commentary/</link>
					<comments>https://india.mongabay.com/2025/09/on-the-trail-of-a-lost-relic-commentary/?noamp=mobile#respond</comments>
					<pubDate>04 Sep 2025 13:06:30 +0000</pubDate>
											<dc:creator>
							<![CDATA[Sahanashree Ramakrishnaiah]]>
						</dc:creator>
										<author>
						<![CDATA[Aditi Tandon]]>
					</author>
							<category><![CDATA[Uncategorized]]></category>
										<enclosure url="https://imgs.mongabay.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/30/2025/09/02171358/IMG20220424090851-768x512.jpg" type="image/jpeg" />
					<guid isPermaLink="false">https://india.mongabay.com/?p=34419</guid>

											<reporting-project>
							<![CDATA[Almost Famous Species]]>
						</reporting-project>
					
											<locations>
							<![CDATA[Arunachal Pradesh]]>
						</locations>
					
											<topic-tags>
							<![CDATA[Endemic species and Insects]]>
						</topic-tags>
					
					
											<description>
							<![CDATA[As entomologists, we spend countless hours in the field, meticulously observing and collecting data on insects. Yet, every so often, nature rewards our patience with some unexpected discovery, one that offers a rare glimpse into its hidden secrets. An expedition to Siang Valley did just that – it led to the rediscovery of a long-lost [&#8230;]]]>
						</description>
																					<content:encoded>
							<![CDATA[As entomologists, we spend countless hours in the field, meticulously observing and collecting data on insects. Yet, every so often, nature rewards our patience with some unexpected discovery, one that offers a rare glimpse into its hidden secrets. An expedition to Siang Valley did just that – it led to the rediscovery of a long-lost velvet worm (Onychophora) after more than a century. Nestled within the Himalayan biodiversity hotspot, Arunachal Pradesh&#8217;s Siang Valley showcases an unparalleled wealth of diversity. The valley’s lush greenery is home to elusive wildlife and countless insects, while the rhythmic sounds of the forest and the river’s roar create an enchanting symphony. Indigenous communities have coexisted with this wilderness for centuries, adding cultural depth to its ecological richness. A place of raw beauty and scientific wonder, Siang Valley remains one of India’s great frontiers, where nature’s secrets are still waiting to be unveiled. The early ‘Abor Expedition’ to the Siang Valley, in 1911–1912, during the period of colonial rule, was originally a punitive military campaign, launched by the British in response to the killing of Noel Williamson, a British political officer, by the indigenous people there. This resulted in the Anglo-Abor Wars (1911-1912), a series of conflicts between the Adi tribes and the British forces. Recognising the valley&#8217;s untapped ecological wealth, a scientific expedition was launched alongside military operations to systematically document the Siang Valley&#8217;s natural history and geographical features. This expedition resulted in the collection of numerous biological specimens, including the first recorded specimen of&hellip;This article was originally published on <a href="https://india.mongabay.com/2025/09/on-the-trail-of-a-lost-relic-commentary/" data-wpel-link="internal">Mongabay</a>]]>
						</content:encoded>
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					<slash:comments>0</slash:comments>
														</item>
						<item>
					<title>Churpi from mithun milk could boost farmer incomes</title>
					<link>https://india.mongabay.com/2025/06/churpi-from-mithun-milk-could-boost-farmer-incomes/</link>
					<comments>https://india.mongabay.com/2025/06/churpi-from-mithun-milk-could-boost-farmer-incomes/?noamp=mobile#respond</comments>
					<pubDate>13 Jun 2025 11:44:59 +0000</pubDate>
											<dc:creator>
							<![CDATA[Kasturi Das]]>
						</dc:creator>
										<author>
						<![CDATA[Priyanka Shankar]]>
					</author>
							<category><![CDATA[Uncategorized]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[cattle]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Dairy sector]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[farmers]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[farming]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[livestock]]></category>
										<enclosure url="https://imgs.mongabay.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/30/2025/06/12153704/Mithun-churpi2-768x512.jpg" type="image/jpeg" />
					<guid isPermaLink="false">https://india.mongabay.com/?p=33083</guid>

											<reporting-project>
							<![CDATA[Beyond Protected Areas]]>
						</reporting-project>
					
											<locations>
							<![CDATA[Arunachal Pradesh]]>
						</locations>
					
											<topic-tags>
							<![CDATA[Himalayas and Organic Farming]]>
						</topic-tags>
					
					
											<description>
							<![CDATA[Churpi, a variety of hardened cheese, is a popular traditional snack in the Himalayan belt of Nepal, Bhutan, Tibet and parts of northeastern India. Primarily made from yak milk, it can also be made using cow or buffalo milk, and even the milk of chauris, a crossbreed of yak and cow. Arunachal Pradesh is known [&#8230;]]]>
						</description>
																					<content:encoded>
							<![CDATA[Churpi, a variety of hardened cheese, is a popular traditional snack in the Himalayan belt of Nepal, Bhutan, Tibet and parts of northeastern India. Primarily made from yak milk, it can also be made using cow or buffalo milk, and even the milk of chauris, a crossbreed of yak and cow. Arunachal Pradesh is known for its Geographical Indication (GI) tagged churpi made from yak milk. Recently, a farmer from the Adi tribe of Arunachal Pradesh has developed churpi made from the milk of mithun — a semi-domesticated bovine species (Bos frontalis) native to Arunachal Pradesh and parts of Manipur, Mizoram, and Nagaland. Mithun has a very limited geographical distribution. An adult weighs between 400 and 600 kg and its productive life ranges from 16 to 18 years. Mithuns produce one calf every year. Tadang Tamut, who comes from a line of mithun farmers, collaborated with Indian Council of Agricultural Research’s (ICAR) National Research Centre on Mithun (NRCM) in Nagaland, to explore the idea of mithun churpi. Traditionally, yak churpi is fermented and smoked over several months or even years to develop its characteristic hard texture. Although Arunachal Pradesh is known for yak churpi production, the Siang district, where Tamut hails from, has no native yak population and therefore no tradition of making churpi. Instead, the local community rears free-grazing, semi-domesticated mithuns. Since churpi-making is unfamiliar to them, there is no infrastructure for it in the region. Mithuns are also difficult to milk. So, ICAR-NRCM is stepping in to help&hellip;This article was originally published on <a href="https://india.mongabay.com/2025/06/churpi-from-mithun-milk-could-boost-farmer-incomes/" data-wpel-link="internal">Mongabay</a>]]>
						</content:encoded>
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					<slash:comments>0</slash:comments>
														</item>
						<item>
					<title>Record rainfall followed by floods and landslides batter Northeast India</title>
					<link>https://india.mongabay.com/2025/06/record-rainfall-followed-by-floods-and-landslides-batter-northeast-india/</link>
					<comments>https://india.mongabay.com/2025/06/record-rainfall-followed-by-floods-and-landslides-batter-northeast-india/?noamp=mobile#respond</comments>
					<pubDate>09 Jun 2025 09:24:17 +0000</pubDate>
											<dc:creator>
							<![CDATA[Nabarun Guha]]>
						</dc:creator>
										<author>
						<![CDATA[Aditi Tandon]]>
					</author>
							<category><![CDATA[Uncategorized]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[flood]]></category>
										<enclosure url="https://imgs.mongabay.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/30/2025/06/06163251/1000001205-768x512.jpg" type="image/jpeg" />
					<guid isPermaLink="false">https://india.mongabay.com/?p=32993</guid>

											<reporting-project>
							<![CDATA[Flood and drought]]>
						</reporting-project>
					
											<locations>
							<![CDATA[Arunachal Pradesh, Assam, Meghalaya, and Mizoram]]>
						</locations>
					
											<topic-tags>
							<![CDATA[Floods]]>
						</topic-tags>
					
					
											<description>
							<![CDATA[For the past week, parts of Northeast India have experienced unprecedented rainfall, causing floods and landslides, with several villages submerged and roads cut off. As of June 5, 46 people had lost their lives, across the seven states in the region. The city of Guwahati, commonly known as the Gateway to the Northeast, recorded 111 [&#8230;]]]>
						</description>
																					<content:encoded>
							<![CDATA[For the past week, parts of Northeast India have experienced unprecedented rainfall, causing floods and landslides, with several villages submerged and roads cut off. As of June 5, 46 people had lost their lives, across the seven states in the region. The city of Guwahati, commonly known as the Gateway to the Northeast, recorded 111 mm rainfall between May 30 and May 31, which has been highest May rainfall ever recorded for the city. It crossed the earlier high of 99.6 mm, which was also recorded this year, on May 20. Silchar, the second largest city of Assam, recorded 415.8 mm rainfall in 24 hours on May 31, breaking its 132-year-old record of 290.3 mm over 24 hours in 1893. Sohra and Mawsynrum in Meghalaya saw more than 470 mm rainfall on May 31 while Tezpur and North Lakhimpur in Assam saw over 150 mm rainfall during the same period. Explaining this unusually high intensity of rainfall, Rahul Mahanta, Associate Professor at Cotton University, Guwahati, who specialises in climate science, told Mongabay India, “This year, sea surface temperatures in the Indian Ocean and Bay of Bengal have been abnormally high. Throughout May, instability in the atmosphere has been increasing. The depression over Bangladesh and Meghalaya was the trigger that turned the instability into rainfall. There are chances we might see more such weather events in the coming months.” As per the flood bulletin released by Assam State Disaster Management Authority (ASDMA) on June 5, currently 2,37,783 villages are affected in&hellip;This article was originally published on <a href="https://india.mongabay.com/2025/06/record-rainfall-followed-by-floods-and-landslides-batter-northeast-india/" data-wpel-link="internal">Mongabay</a>]]>
						</content:encoded>
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					<title>Caught between a dam and a hard place</title>
					<link>https://india.mongabay.com/2025/04/caught-between-a-dam-and-a-hard-place/</link>
					<comments>https://india.mongabay.com/2025/04/caught-between-a-dam-and-a-hard-place/?noamp=mobile#respond</comments>
					<pubDate>18 Apr 2025 15:00:14 +0000</pubDate>
											<dc:creator>
							<![CDATA[Simrin Sirur]]>
						</dc:creator>
										<author>
						<![CDATA[Aditi Tandon]]>
					</author>
							<category><![CDATA[Uncategorized]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Anti-dam movement]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Brahmaputra]]></category>
										<enclosure url="https://imgs.mongabay.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/30/2025/04/15130447/Paring-village-along-the-Sian-river-768x512.jpg" type="image/jpeg" />
					<guid isPermaLink="false">https://india.mongabay.com/?p=32211</guid>

											<reporting-project>
							<![CDATA[Climate Connections]]>
						</reporting-project>
					
											<locations>
							<![CDATA[Arunachal Pradesh]]>
						</locations>
					
											<topic-tags>
							<![CDATA[Dams, Hydroelectric power, Renewable Energy, and Rivers]]>
						</topic-tags>
					
					
											<description>
							<![CDATA[On a cold February morning, the residents of Parong village in Arunachal Pradesh climbed up a hillslope and gathered in the village’s large community hall. An air of caution filled the room – the Additional District Commissioner from the nearby Pangin village would be holding a meeting on an issue considered to be of national [&#8230;]]]>
						</description>
																					<content:encoded>
							<![CDATA[On a cold February morning, the residents of Parong village in Arunachal Pradesh climbed up a hillslope and gathered in the village’s large community hall. An air of caution filled the room – the Additional District Commissioner from the nearby Pangin village would be holding a meeting on an issue considered to be of national importance, with the potential to sink their homes: building an 11,200-megawatt hydropower project. When ADC Gamtum Padu finally arrived, he had an unexpected message. “I want to tell all of you, on behalf of the administration, that we’re sorry,” he said. After months of antagonising the residents for opposing the dam, the administration now came with folded hands. “We want to listen to you,” he said. It was the first time the government initiated a formal dialogue with families affected by the Siang Upper Multipurpose Project (SUMP), a hydroelectric and storage dam to be built on the Siang river – the part of the Brahmaputra river that passes through Arunachal Pradesh. Since February, government officials have held two more meetings with affected parties, hoping to slowly build consensus in order to make the dam a reality. The proposed project would submerge more than 25 villages, including Yingkiyong, the headquarters of the Upper Siang district. The proposal to build the dam has been met with months’ long protests from local residents, who say displacement is unacceptable. Residents of Parong village ahead of a meeting with the district administration. Image by Hagen Desa. “It was good that&hellip;This article was originally published on <a href="https://india.mongabay.com/2025/04/caught-between-a-dam-and-a-hard-place/" data-wpel-link="internal">Mongabay</a>]]>
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					<title>Retracing the route of a century-old biodiversity expedition</title>
					<link>https://india.mongabay.com/2025/04/retracing-the-route-of-a-century-old-biodiversity-expedition/</link>
					<comments>https://india.mongabay.com/2025/04/retracing-the-route-of-a-century-old-biodiversity-expedition/?noamp=mobile#respond</comments>
					<pubDate>03 Apr 2025 15:59:54 +0000</pubDate>
											<dc:creator>
							<![CDATA[Simrin Sirur]]>
						</dc:creator>
										<author>
						<![CDATA[Priyanka Shankar]]>
					</author>
							<category><![CDATA[Uncategorized]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[butterflies]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[species]]></category>
										<enclosure url="https://imgs.mongabay.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/30/2025/04/03112731/DSC00215-768x512.jpg" type="image/jpeg" />
					<guid isPermaLink="false">https://india.mongabay.com/?p=32050</guid>

											<reporting-project>
							<![CDATA[Almost Famous Species and Beyond Protected Areas]]>
						</reporting-project>
					
											<locations>
							<![CDATA[Arunachal Pradesh]]>
						</locations>
					
											<topic-tags>
							<![CDATA[Amphibians, Birds, Himalayas, Insects, Mountains, New species, and Wildlife]]>
						</topic-tags>
					
					
											<description>
							<![CDATA[On July 16, 1912, the British Army published a notification announcing the success of its expedition into the heart of present-day Arunachal Pradesh. The upper reaches of the region had been a fortress for colonial forces until then, and the completion of the exercise was announced with much celebration. “Although it proved impossible to explore [&#8230;]]]>
						</description>
																					<content:encoded>
							<![CDATA[On July 16, 1912, the British Army published a notification announcing the success of its expedition into the heart of present-day Arunachal Pradesh. The upper reaches of the region had been a fortress for colonial forces until then, and the completion of the exercise was announced with much celebration. “Although it proved impossible to explore the valley of the Dihang (present-day Siang Valley), where it breaks through the main mountain range on the confines of Thibet… in spite of great physical difficulties the main objects of the expedition have been accomplished,” the notification reads. The expedition was a punitive mission prompted by the murder of a British officer, Noel Williamson, by the tribes living in the Siang valley, referred to as the “Abors” (translating to “unruly”). Williamson arrived in the village of Komsing expecting a night’s stay but was killed for humiliating the village head on another occasion. To avenge Williamson’s death, British forces decided to invade the valley with two objectives in mind: to gather as much information about the region as possible, and to “punish” those culpable in his murder. An almost-forgotten legacy of this brutal mission was an unusual catalogue of animals, plants, insects, and birds found in the valley. Little was known about the catalogue, which surfaced decades later while filmmaker Sandesh Kadur was researching for his book, Himalaya: Mountains of Life. “I found that many species were named and discovered around 1911 and 1913, and I thought, what was going on a hundred years ago?”&hellip;This article was originally published on <a href="https://india.mongabay.com/2025/04/retracing-the-route-of-a-century-old-biodiversity-expedition/" data-wpel-link="internal">Mongabay</a>]]>
						</content:encoded>
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					<title>A promise of development or a path to displacement? [Commentary]</title>
					<link>https://india.mongabay.com/2025/03/a-promise-of-development-or-a-path-to-displacement-commentary/</link>
					<comments>https://india.mongabay.com/2025/03/a-promise-of-development-or-a-path-to-displacement-commentary/?noamp=mobile#respond</comments>
					<pubDate>28 Mar 2025 15:49:32 +0000</pubDate>
											<dc:creator>
							<![CDATA[Anamika BaruaDebarchana BiswasDebarpita Banerjee]]>
						</dc:creator>
										<author>
						<![CDATA[Aditi Tandon]]>
					</author>
							<category><![CDATA[Uncategorized]]></category>
										<enclosure url="https://imgs.mongabay.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/30/2025/03/28110309/IMG20240913125238-768x512.jpg" type="image/jpeg" />
					<guid isPermaLink="false">https://india.mongabay.com/?p=31975</guid>

											<reporting-project>
							<![CDATA[Just Transitions]]>
						</reporting-project>
					
											<locations>
							<![CDATA[Arunachal Pradesh]]>
						</locations>
					
					
					
											<description>
							<![CDATA[One bright afternoon, we stood at the Subansiri Lower Hydro Electric Project (SLHEP) site, an under-construction dam in Arunachal Pradesh. The sun cast a golden glow on the Subansiri river below. The hum of machinery filled the air, blending with the rhythm of workers, each step bringing the project closer to life. Amidst the bustle, [&#8230;]]]>
						</description>
																					<content:encoded>
							<![CDATA[One bright afternoon, we stood at the Subansiri Lower Hydro Electric Project (SLHEP) site, an under-construction dam in Arunachal Pradesh. The sun cast a golden glow on the Subansiri river below. The hum of machinery filled the air, blending with the rhythm of workers, each step bringing the project closer to life. Amidst the bustle, we spoke to a worker in his early thirties, his face weathered by the sun. He paused, wiped his brow, and shared his story, “After COVID-19, we secured some jobs here, but we hope they’ll hire more locals. Many of us have skills and certificates. If the government supports us, we can work here, earn a decent living, and stay home instead of seeking jobs in other states.&#8221; This resonates with the discussions at COP29 in Baku, Azerbaijan, in 2024, where the pressing need for a &#8216;just transition&#8217; was underscored. The term &#8216;just transition&#8217; refers to the deliberate effort to shift towards sustainable development and clean energy systems while protecting the rights and livelihoods of affected communities, particularly those dependent on fossil fuel industries or vulnerable to climate impacts. As India moves towards clean energy, it is vital that projects like SLHEP not only provide sustainable power but also foster inclusive economic opportunities, creating jobs and supporting the livelihoods of those central to this transition. The SLHEP is a 116-metre-high concrete gravity dam on the Subansiri river, a Brahmaputra tributary. Located at Gogamukh, it spans the Kamle district of Arunachal Pradesh and Dhemaji district of Assam.&hellip;This article was originally published on <a href="https://india.mongabay.com/2025/03/a-promise-of-development-or-a-path-to-displacement-commentary/" data-wpel-link="internal">Mongabay</a>]]>
						</content:encoded>
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					<slash:comments>0</slash:comments>
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						<item>
					<title>Glaciers in Eastern Himalayas see marked retreat</title>
					<link>https://india.mongabay.com/2025/03/glaciers-in-eastern-himalayas-see-marked-retreat/</link>
					<comments>https://india.mongabay.com/2025/03/glaciers-in-eastern-himalayas-see-marked-retreat/?noamp=mobile#respond</comments>
					<pubDate>11 Mar 2025 16:03:49 +0000</pubDate>
											<dc:creator>
							<![CDATA[Simrin Sirur]]>
						</dc:creator>
										<author>
						<![CDATA[Aditi Tandon]]>
					</author>
							<category><![CDATA[Uncategorized]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[climate change impacts]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[eastern himalayas]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Northeast India]]></category>
										<enclosure url="https://imgs.mongabay.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/30/2025/03/11131124/Bomla_pass_in_ARUNACHAL_PRADESH-768x512.jpg" type="image/jpeg" />
					<guid isPermaLink="false">https://india.mongabay.com/?p=31794</guid>

											<reporting-project>
							<![CDATA[Climate Connections]]>
						</reporting-project>
					
											<locations>
							<![CDATA[Arunachal Pradesh]]>
						</locations>
					
											<topic-tags>
							<![CDATA[Climate Change, Glaciers, Himalayas, and Mountains]]>
						</topic-tags>
					
					
											<description>
							<![CDATA[New research sheds light on the impacts of climate change on glaciers in the Eastern Himalayan state of Arunachal Pradesh, where rugged terrains have made such inventories challenging in the past. The Eastern Himalayan glaciers are distinct from their Western Himalayan counterparts on account of their low altitude and different “feeding mechanisms,” or when they [&#8230;]]]>
						</description>
																					<content:encoded>
							<![CDATA[New research sheds light on the impacts of climate change on glaciers in the Eastern Himalayan state of Arunachal Pradesh, where rugged terrains have made such inventories challenging in the past. The Eastern Himalayan glaciers are distinct from their Western Himalayan counterparts on account of their low altitude and different “feeding mechanisms,” or when they accumulate snow. “Unlike glaciers in the Western Himalayas, the glaciers in the Eastern Himalayas are fed by both winter and summer precipitation. They’re generally wetter and smaller,” explained A.P. Dimri, Professor of Environmental Sciences at Jawaharlal Nehru University. These characteristics can make these glaciers particularly sensitive to changes in weather patterns and temperature. The paper by researchers from Nagaland University and Cotton University in Assam found that smaller glaciers in the state were rapidly retreating, increasing the risk of forming hazardous glacial lakes. Marked retreat in glaciers Arunachal Pradesh is 83,000 square kilometres in size, and glaciers are found in elevations ranging from 3,000 to 7,000 metres. The study identified glaciers in the Tawang, West Kameng, Kurung Kumey, Upper Siang, Upper Dibang Valley and Lohit districts. A majority of glaciers in the state are observed at an elevation of around 4,000 to 4,800 metres. “These are glaciers that have a high altitude, but a lower latitude,” said Nabajit Hazarika, co-author of the study and an Assistant Professor in the Department of Environmental Biology and Wildlife Sciences at Cotton University, Assam. “Temperatures are normally higher in these regions in comparison to the higher latitude areas. Even&hellip;This article was originally published on <a href="https://india.mongabay.com/2025/03/glaciers-in-eastern-himalayas-see-marked-retreat/" data-wpel-link="internal">Mongabay</a>]]>
						</content:encoded>
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						<item>
					<title>How data deficiency is hindering hydro-diplomacy between China and India [Commentary]</title>
					<link>https://india.mongabay.com/2025/02/commentary-how-data-deficiency-is-hindering-hydro-diplomacy-between-china-and-india/</link>
					<comments>https://india.mongabay.com/2025/02/commentary-how-data-deficiency-is-hindering-hydro-diplomacy-between-china-and-india/?noamp=mobile#respond</comments>
					<pubDate>17 Feb 2025 15:14:55 +0000</pubDate>
											<dc:creator>
							<![CDATA[Nilanjan GhoshSayanangshu Modak]]>
						</dc:creator>
										<author>
						<![CDATA[Aditi Tandon]]>
					</author>
							<category><![CDATA[Uncategorized]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Brahmaputra]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[dam]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Hydroelectric Power]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[hydropower]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Northeast India]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[river]]></category>
										<enclosure url="https://imgs.mongabay.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/30/2025/02/17141908/Siang_River_in_Arunachal_Pradesh-768x512.jpg" type="image/jpeg" />
					<guid isPermaLink="false">https://india.mongabay.com/?p=31519</guid>

											<reporting-project>
							<![CDATA[Climate Connections]]>
						</reporting-project>
					
											<locations>
							<![CDATA[Arunachal Pradesh and Assam]]>
						</locations>
					
					
					
											<description>
							<![CDATA[Since the publication of the book Water: Asia’s New Battleground by Brahma Chellaney in 2011, media narratives and public discourse have been rife with concerns about the deleterious impacts of potential Chinese diversions of the Yarlung Tsangpo-Brahmaputra river system. The position propagating that China could dry out India’s Northeast region through dam construction and water [&#8230;]]]>
						</description>
																					<content:encoded>
							<![CDATA[Since the publication of the book Water: Asia’s New Battleground by Brahma Chellaney in 2011, media narratives and public discourse have been rife with concerns about the deleterious impacts of potential Chinese diversions of the Yarlung Tsangpo-Brahmaputra river system. The position propagating that China could dry out India’s Northeast region through dam construction and water diversion while withholding sediment crucial for downstream floodplain formation has also been referred to in the literature as the Brahma Hypothesis. While China’s upstream hydro-hegemony warrants moral and ethical scrutiny, the entire discourse on the Brahmaputra hydropolitics remains shrouded by a critical void — the absence of hard data. Such a data deficit discourse has consequently resulted in unsubstantiated myths, turning speculation into popular rhetoric thereby aggravating the already fragile hydropolitical landscape of the basin. Recently, the Chinese government approved the construction of a mega-dam at the Great Bend of the Yarlung Tsangpo river in Tibet, often described as the longest tributary of the Brahmaputra river in India though there are variations in this viewpoint. Many treat Yarlung-Tsangpo as the main stem of the Brahmaputra system. This hydropower project is envisaged to utilise one of the world’s most lucrative real estate for hydropower development — a massive drop of 2,000 meters within a 50-kilometre stretch of the river as it flows toward India’s easternmost state, Arunachal Pradesh, where it is known as the Siang. The Siang is one of the three main headwaters of the Brahmaputra river in India, making this development a source of&hellip;This article was originally published on <a href="https://india.mongabay.com/2025/02/commentary-how-data-deficiency-is-hindering-hydro-diplomacy-between-china-and-india/" data-wpel-link="internal">Mongabay</a>]]>
						</content:encoded>
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						<item>
					<title>[Commentary] Community-based conservation can help achieve 30&#215;30 biodiversity target</title>
					<link>https://india.mongabay.com/2024/12/commentary-community-based-conservation-can-help-achieve-30x30-biodiversity-target/</link>
					<comments>https://india.mongabay.com/2024/12/commentary-community-based-conservation-can-help-achieve-30x30-biodiversity-target/?noamp=mobile#respond</comments>
					<pubDate>20 Dec 2024 17:30:37 +0000</pubDate>
											<dc:creator>
							<![CDATA[Pijush Kumar Dutta]]>
						</dc:creator>
										<author>
						<![CDATA[Aditi Tandon]]>
					</author>
							<category><![CDATA[Uncategorized]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Biodiversity]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Constitution]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[UN CBD]]></category>
										<enclosure url="https://imgs.mongabay.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/30/2024/12/20165326/4_CCA-768x512.jpg" type="image/jpeg" />
					<guid isPermaLink="false">https://india.mongabay.com/?p=30806</guid>

					
											<locations>
							<![CDATA[Arunachal Pradesh, Assam, India, Manipur, Meghalaya, Mizoram, Nagaland, and Tripura]]>
						</locations>
					
											<topic-tags>
							<![CDATA[Biodiversity, Community based conservation, Indigenous Peoples, and Indigenous Rights]]>
						</topic-tags>
					
					
											<description>
							<![CDATA[In recent times, both at national and international levels, there has been strong recognition of the role of local and indigenous communities in securing global biodiversity and the need for mechanisms to support them. Among all the international initiatives, the most significant ones are the United Nations Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD), aimed at conserving [&#8230;]]]>
						</description>
																					<content:encoded>
							<![CDATA[In recent times, both at national and international levels, there has been strong recognition of the role of local and indigenous communities in securing global biodiversity and the need for mechanisms to support them. Among all the international initiatives, the most significant ones are the United Nations Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD), aimed at conserving global biodiversity and first signed at the Earth Summit held in Brazil in 1992, and the targets of the biannual Conference of Parties (COP) to the CBD. In November 2018, the biodiversity conference COP14 adopted the category ‘other effective area-based conservation measures’ (OECMs) to incorporate all conservation efforts of local and indigenous communities. At COP10, held in Nagoya, Japan, in 2010, parties agreed, as part of Aichi Biodiversity Target 11, to secure (through effective conservation and sustainable management) 17 percent of territorial and inland water bodies between 2010 and 2020. The Protected Planet Report 2020 submitted to CBD noted that countries secured nearly 16.64 percent and the contribution of OECMs was seven percent. In the National Biodiversity Strategy and Action Plan (NBSAP) 2019 submitted to CBD, India has reported that it secured nearly 28 percent of the total area (0.93 million sq. km), which is much above the target. What is important to note is that the contribution of OECM to India’s achievement was around 17 percent (0.16 million sq. km). As part of Target 3 of the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework (KMGBF) in the CBD COP15 held in 2022, global leaders agreed to conserve&hellip;This article was originally published on <a href="https://india.mongabay.com/2024/12/commentary-community-based-conservation-can-help-achieve-30x30-biodiversity-target/" data-wpel-link="internal">Mongabay</a>]]>
						</content:encoded>
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