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		<title>Mongabay India</title>
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		<link>https://india.mongabay.com/list/mangroves/</link>
		<description>India&#039;s environmental science and conservation news</description>
		<lastBuildDate>Thu, 27 Aug 2026 04:48:11 +0000</lastBuildDate>
		<language>en-US</language>
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				<item>
					<title>Study finds microplastics in small cats’ scat</title>
					<link>https://india.mongabay.com/2026/04/study-finds-microplastics-in-small-cats-scat/</link>
					<comments>https://india.mongabay.com/2026/04/study-finds-microplastics-in-small-cats-scat/?noamp=mobile#respond</comments>
					<pubDate>14 Apr 2026 14:30:14 +0000</pubDate>
											<dc:creator>
							<![CDATA[Phalguni Ranjan]]>
						</dc:creator>
										<author>
						<![CDATA[Priyanka Shankar]]>
					</author>
							<category><![CDATA[Uncategorized]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[microplastics]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[small wildcats]]></category>
										<enclosure url="https://imgs.mongabay.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/30/2026/04/14104517/Jungle_Cat_in_Sundarban-768x512.jpg" type="image/jpeg" />
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											<reporting-project>
							<![CDATA[Beyond Protected Areas and Connected Environments]]>
						</reporting-project>
					
											<locations>
							<![CDATA[India and Sundarbans]]>
						</locations>
					
											<topic-tags>
							<![CDATA[Biodiversity, Cats, Mangroves, Plastic, Pollution, and Research]]>
						</topic-tags>
					
					
											<description>
							<![CDATA[Plastic pollution has long been visible in the mangrove ecosystem of the Sundarbans in the form of waste such as bottles, food wrappers, and discarded fishing lines and other gear. What has remained largely underexplored is the journey of microplastics (particles smaller than 5 mm) and mesoplastics (5-25 mm in size) within and across these [&#8230;]]]>
						</description>
																					<content:encoded>
							<![CDATA[Plastic pollution has long been visible in the mangrove ecosystem of the Sundarbans in the form of waste such as bottles, food wrappers, and discarded fishing lines and other gear. What has remained largely underexplored is the journey of microplastics (particles smaller than 5 mm) and mesoplastics (5-25 mm in size) within and across these habitats. A study published last year in the journal Environmental Research reports the presence of microplastics in the scats of the jungle cat (Felis chaus) and fishing cat (Prionailurus viverrinus) raising concerns about plastic movement across ecosystems and trophic levels. Researchers report the presence of microplastics and mesoplastics in the scat of these small felids from the Indian Sundarbans and adjoining coastal landscapes. A fishing cat in Godavari. Representative image. Image by Srichakra Pranav via Wikimedia Commons (CC BY-SA 4.0). The study emerged from years of work on plastics in the region’s mangrove-estuarine systems. “We had already identified microplastics in soil, water and estuarine fish, and that led us to investigate microplastic contamination in the higher carnivores of this ecosystem,” says Shrayan Bhattacharjee, lead author of the study and a doctoral fellow at the Ramakrishna Mission Vivekananda Centenary College, Rahara, West Bengal. The jungle cat and fishing cat are mesocarnivores (medium-sized carnivores) that primarily feed on fish, crabs, rodents, amphibians, birds, and reptiles. Despite their ecological importance, both species remain understudied, particularly in the context of effects of emerging pollutants. Bhattacharjee says, “We found that the Gangetic estuary is an overlapping habitat zone for these&hellip;This article was originally published on <a href="https://india.mongabay.com/2026/04/study-finds-microplastics-in-small-cats-scat/" data-wpel-link="internal">Mongabay</a>]]>
						</content:encoded>
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					<slash:comments>0</slash:comments>
														</item>
						<item>
					<title>The environmental costs of replacing mangroves with a road</title>
					<link>https://india.mongabay.com/2026/01/the-environmental-costs-of-replacing-mangroves-with-a-road/</link>
					<comments>https://india.mongabay.com/2026/01/the-environmental-costs-of-replacing-mangroves-with-a-road/?noamp=mobile#respond</comments>
					<pubDate>21 Jan 2026 15:51:33 +0000</pubDate>
											<dc:creator>
							<![CDATA[Aisiri Amin]]>
						</dc:creator>
										<author>
						<![CDATA[Aditi Tandon]]>
					</author>
							<category><![CDATA[Uncategorized]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[compensatory afforestation]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[construction]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[development]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Mumbai]]></category>
										<enclosure url="https://imgs.mongabay.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/30/2026/01/21135608/Coastal_road_under_construction_Mumbai-e1768984031234-768x512.jpg" type="image/jpeg" />
					<guid isPermaLink="false">https://india.mongabay.com/?p=36569</guid>

											<reporting-project>
							<![CDATA[Just Transitions]]>
						</reporting-project>
					
											<locations>
							<![CDATA[Maharashtra]]>
						</locations>
					
											<topic-tags>
							<![CDATA[Cities and Towns, Coast, Coastal erosion, Ecology, Environment, Habitat Loss, Mangroves, and Roads]]>
						</topic-tags>
					
					
											<description>
							<![CDATA[Dipti Dheeraj Bhandari, a fisherwoman from Mumbai’s Charkop village, has been worried for weeks. In mid-December 2025, the Bombay High Court granted permission for the Versova-Bhayandar Development Plan (DP) road, an approximately 26 kilometre arterial corridor that will cut through western Mumbai and impact more than 45,000 mangrove trees. “My entire family depends on fishing [&#8230;]]]>
						</description>
																					<content:encoded>
							<![CDATA[Dipti Dheeraj Bhandari, a fisherwoman from Mumbai’s Charkop village, has been worried for weeks. In mid-December 2025, the Bombay High Court granted permission for the Versova-Bhayandar Development Plan (DP) road, an approximately 26 kilometre arterial corridor that will cut through western Mumbai and impact more than 45,000 mangrove trees. “My entire family depends on fishing in these mangroves,” she says. “Without them, our life comes to a standstill.” The proposed road, which will run from Versova through the city’s western suburbs to Mira Bhayandar, is planned as the northern extension of Mumbai’s coastal road network, which currently runs from Marine Lines in South Mumbai to Worli. The Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) says the ₹18,000-crore project (₹1,802 billion), will relieve traffic on the Western Express Highway and significantly reduce travel time. However, the court’s clearance has triggered opposition from environmentalists, fisherfolk and citizens, who say that the loss of mangroves will severely affect the environment, their livelihoods and increase climate risks in one of India’s busiest cities. In its submission to the court, the BMC said that 103 hectares of forest land, mostly mangroves, will be affected by the project. Of the 60,000 mangrove trees in the area, the civic body proposed diverting more than 45,000 mangrove trees and the felling of 9,000 mangrove trees. Diversion means that land classified as forest land for mangroves will open up for non-forest use such as road construction which could lead to cutting of the trees in the area that intend to be compensated&hellip;This article was originally published on <a href="https://india.mongabay.com/2026/01/the-environmental-costs-of-replacing-mangroves-with-a-road/" data-wpel-link="internal">Mongabay</a>]]>
						</content:encoded>
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					<slash:comments>0</slash:comments>
														</item>
						<item>
					<title>How global warming-induced intense cyclones could cause ecosystem changes</title>
					<link>https://india.mongabay.com/2026/01/how-global-warming-induced-intense-cyclones-could-cause-ecosystem-changes/</link>
					<comments>https://india.mongabay.com/2026/01/how-global-warming-induced-intense-cyclones-could-cause-ecosystem-changes/?noamp=mobile#respond</comments>
					<pubDate>19 Jan 2026 17:37:35 +0000</pubDate>
											<dc:creator>
							<![CDATA[T. V. Padma]]>
						</dc:creator>
										<author>
						<![CDATA[Aditi Tandon]]>
					</author>
							<category><![CDATA[Uncategorized]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[cyclone]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[cyclones]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[erosion]]></category>
										<enclosure url="https://imgs.mongabay.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/30/2026/01/19161602/3583138158_121db6b138_4k-768x512.jpg" type="image/jpeg" />
					<guid isPermaLink="false">https://india.mongabay.com/?p=36519</guid>

											<reporting-project>
							<![CDATA[Climate Connections]]>
						</reporting-project>
					
											<locations>
							<![CDATA[India]]>
						</locations>
					
											<topic-tags>
							<![CDATA[Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Science, Coast, Ecology, Ecosystem services, Environment, Forests, Impacts of Climate Change, Mangroves, Oceans, and Wetlands]]>
						</topic-tags>
					
					
											<description>
							<![CDATA[Scientists are concerned that fiercer and more frequent tropical cyclones, intensified by global warming, will have widespread changes in the entire coastal ecosystems. Global climate change models predict more frequent and intense hurricanes and cyclonic storms and increased coastal flood risk due to higher storm surge caused by rising seas. India’s coasts too are witnessing [&#8230;]]]>
						</description>
																					<content:encoded>
							<![CDATA[Scientists are concerned that fiercer and more frequent tropical cyclones, intensified by global warming, will have widespread changes in the entire coastal ecosystems. Global climate change models predict more frequent and intense hurricanes and cyclonic storms and increased coastal flood risk due to higher storm surge caused by rising seas. India’s coasts too are witnessing more frequent devastating cyclones, the most recent ones being Ditwah in November 2025 and Montha in October 2025 in the Bay of Bengal. An assessment of the climate change and cyclone trends of nine Indian coastal states using geographical information system (GIS) tools for 2006-2020 shows that 61 cyclones occurred in nine coastal states during this period; with the three most vulnerable states being Odisha (20), West Bengal (14) and Andhra Pradesh (11). Scientists are cautioning these natural disasters will not just cause species-level changes in habitats but result in longer-term ecosystem level impacts. Globally too, recent research has flagged concerns over the link between tropical cyclones and ecosystem damage. A January 2025 report in Nature Climate Change describes how the rapid changes in frequency and intensity of tropical cyclones triggered by climate change could alter the composition of ecosystems, due to leaf damage and changes in canopy; and degrade ecosystem services. Earlier, a report in Annual Reviews in 2024 says climate change poses a significant threat to foundation species and the ecosystems they support. And recent research from Australia shows that tropical cyclones can significantly impact mangrove forests, permanently in some cases. The damage at&hellip;This article was originally published on <a href="https://india.mongabay.com/2026/01/how-global-warming-induced-intense-cyclones-could-cause-ecosystem-changes/" data-wpel-link="internal">Mongabay</a>]]>
						</content:encoded>
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					<slash:comments>0</slash:comments>
														</item>
						<item>
					<title>Mangrove restoration needs more than planting; it needs monitoring and data</title>
					<link>https://india.mongabay.com/2026/01/mangrove-restoration-needs-more-than-planting-it-needs-monitoring-and-data/</link>
					<comments>https://india.mongabay.com/2026/01/mangrove-restoration-needs-more-than-planting-it-needs-monitoring-and-data/?noamp=mobile#respond</comments>
					<pubDate>15 Jan 2026 10:30:22 +0000</pubDate>
											<dc:creator>
							<![CDATA[Barasha Das]]>
						</dc:creator>
										<author>
						<![CDATA[Aditi Tandon]]>
					</author>
							<category><![CDATA[Uncategorized]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[fisheries]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[restoration]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Sundarbans]]></category>
										<enclosure url="https://imgs.mongabay.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/30/2026/01/14235503/AP23104582960456-scaled-e1768415608186-768x512.jpg" type="image/jpeg" />
					<guid isPermaLink="false">https://india.mongabay.com/?p=36473</guid>

											<reporting-project>
							<![CDATA[Beyond Protected Areas]]>
						</reporting-project>
					
											<locations>
							<![CDATA[India]]>
						</locations>
					
											<topic-tags>
							<![CDATA[Biodiversity, Coast, Coastal erosion, Ecology, Ecosystem services, Environment, Fish, Mangroves, Plantations, Plants, Reforestation, and Wetlands]]>
						</topic-tags>
					
					
											<description>
							<![CDATA[Mangroves serve as a bridge between land, freshwater, and the sea; they sustain rich and diverse ecosystems, and are crucial for shoreline protection and carbon storage. The Mangrove Alliance&#8217;s 2024 report states that India’s mangroves are home to 5,746 species, with 84% being animals, spanning 21 major taxonomic groups. Across the country, several community-based mangrove [&#8230;]]]>
						</description>
																					<content:encoded>
							<![CDATA[Mangroves serve as a bridge between land, freshwater, and the sea; they sustain rich and diverse ecosystems, and are crucial for shoreline protection and carbon storage. The Mangrove Alliance&#8217;s 2024 report states that India’s mangroves are home to 5,746 species, with 84% being animals, spanning 21 major taxonomic groups. Across the country, several community-based mangrove restoration projects have been initiated over the past few years. According to the Forest Survey of India, the country’s mangrove cover expanded by more than 336 square kilometres between 2011 and 2021. In contrast, during nearly the same period (2010-2020), the global mangrove area has been declining at an average annual rate of 0.07%. However, studies show that on the ground, many restoration efforts rely on large-scale plantation drives, often planting a single fast-growing mangrove species such as Rhizophora, Sonneratia, or Avicennia. These activities, carried out under popular models like Ecological Mangrove Rehabilitation (EMR) and Community-Based Ecological Mangrove Rehabilitation (CBEMR), focus more on silviculture than on true ecological restoration. Experts caution that large-scale plantations alone are unlikely to deliver meaningful ecological outcomes. “Success should not be measured in how many hectares are being planted, but rather in survival rates, long-term establishment, and the recovery of ecosystem functions. What truly counts is the return of critical services such as coastal protection, carbon sequestration, the restoration of native biodiversity, and livelihood support like fisheries,” says K. Kathiresan, a scientist who has spent decades of his career studying mangroves. Plantation-heavy approaches, he cautions, could risk eroding the natural&hellip;This article was originally published on <a href="https://india.mongabay.com/2026/01/mangrove-restoration-needs-more-than-planting-it-needs-monitoring-and-data/" data-wpel-link="internal">Mongabay</a>]]>
						</content:encoded>
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					<slash:comments>0</slash:comments>
														</item>
						<item>
					<title>India’s fisheries budget misses the ocean for the fish [Commentary]</title>
					<link>https://india.mongabay.com/2025/12/indias-latest-fisheries-budget-misses-the-ocean-for-the-fish-commentary/</link>
					<comments>https://india.mongabay.com/2025/12/indias-latest-fisheries-budget-misses-the-ocean-for-the-fish-commentary/?noamp=mobile#respond</comments>
					<pubDate>22 Dec 2025 12:30:48 +0000</pubDate>
											<dc:creator>
							<![CDATA[Ajay Sawant]]>
						</dc:creator>
										<author>
						<![CDATA[Aditi Tandon]]>
					</author>
							<category><![CDATA[Uncategorized]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[fish population]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[fisheries]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[fishermen]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Marine ecosystem]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Marine Fisheries]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[marine wildlife]]></category>
										<enclosure url="https://imgs.mongabay.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/30/2025/12/22115040/7168726622_499a2276df_o-e1766384830475-768x512.jpg" type="image/jpeg" />
					<guid isPermaLink="false">https://india.mongabay.com/?p=36178</guid>

											<reporting-project>
							<![CDATA[Beyond Protected Areas]]>
						</reporting-project>
					
											<locations>
							<![CDATA[India]]>
						</locations>
					
											<topic-tags>
							<![CDATA[Coast, Fish, Fishing, Mangroves, Oceans, Overfishing, and Wildlife]]>
						</topic-tags>
					
					
											<description>
							<![CDATA[India’s 2025-26 budget positions the country as a global seafood market with more than ₹2,700 crores (₹27 billion) allocated to fisheries in the budget released earlier this year. The government also aims to double seafood exports from ₹600 billion to ₹1 trillion by 2029. The ambition is that deep-sea fishing vessels, tuna clusters in the [&#8230;]]]>
						</description>
																					<content:encoded>
							<![CDATA[India’s 2025-26 budget positions the country as a global seafood market with more than ₹2,700 crores (₹27 billion) allocated to fisheries in the budget released earlier this year. The government also aims to double seafood exports from ₹600 billion to ₹1 trillion by 2029. The ambition is that deep-sea fishing vessels, tuna clusters in the Andaman Islands, pole-and-line tuna in Lakshadweep, seaweed farming, and women’s self-help groups will drive the idea of a sustainable blue economy and inclusive growth. But as we look through critical lenses, an important question that arises is whether mangroves, seagrass meadows, and coral reefs show up in it – and if the day-to-day budget decisions are keeping pace with what’s promised on paper. At present, the imbalance is stark. The National Coastal Mission, which funds mangrove and wetland conservation across Indian coasts, received only ₹12.50 crores (₹125 million) in the 2023-24 budget, with Mangrove Initiative for Shoreline Habitats &amp; Tangible Incomes (MISHTI), the flagship mangrove program launched on World Environment Day 2023, being fragmented into small, state-level allocations. Tamil Nadu, for instance, was given ₹2.20 crores (₹22 million) over six years for restoration at Pichavaram. So, the nearly ₹2,704 crores (₹27 billion) flowing toward fisheries expansion, mechanised vessel acquisition, and deep-sea fishing in “under-utilised” waters is a weird math. India is spending roughly 200 times more on extractive fishing than on protecting the ecosystems that produce them. Such spending reflects a profound imbalance in priorities. Science supports the concern. The Central Marine Fisheries Research Institute&hellip;This article was originally published on <a href="https://india.mongabay.com/2025/12/indias-latest-fisheries-budget-misses-the-ocean-for-the-fish-commentary/" data-wpel-link="internal">Mongabay</a>]]>
						</content:encoded>
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					<slash:comments>0</slash:comments>
														</item>
						<item>
					<title>Heavy metals, microplastics found in fishing cats</title>
					<link>https://india.mongabay.com/2025/12/heavy-metals-microplastics-found-in-fishing-cats/</link>
					<comments>https://india.mongabay.com/2025/12/heavy-metals-microplastics-found-in-fishing-cats/?noamp=mobile#respond</comments>
					<pubDate>16 Dec 2025 17:32:42 +0000</pubDate>
											<dc:creator>
							<![CDATA[Shailesh Shrivastava]]>
						</dc:creator>
										<author>
						<![CDATA[Aditi Tandon]]>
					</author>
							<category><![CDATA[Uncategorized]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Fishing cat]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[heavy metals]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[species loss]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Sundarbans]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Threatened species]]></category>
										<enclosure url="https://imgs.mongabay.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/30/2025/12/16141406/WhatsApp-Image-2025-12-03-at-7.37.53-PM-1-768x512.jpeg" type="image/jpeg" />
					<guid isPermaLink="false">https://india.mongabay.com/?p=36086</guid>

											<reporting-project>
							<![CDATA[Almost Famous Species]]>
						</reporting-project>
					
											<locations>
							<![CDATA[West Bengal]]>
						</locations>
					
											<topic-tags>
							<![CDATA[Big Cats, Cats, Health impacts, Industry, Mangroves, Plastic, Pollution, Water Pollution, Wetlands, and Wildlife]]>
						</topic-tags>
					
					
											<description>
							<![CDATA[Sixty-five-year old Lal Mohan Das started farming at the age of 15. For the last 50 years, he has been growing paddy every year. “Earlier we used to sow it and it used to grow. Things were easier at that time. Now, at every stage of growth in paddy, pests increase and then we have [&#8230;]]]>
						</description>
																					<content:encoded>
							<![CDATA[Sixty-five-year old Lal Mohan Das started farming at the age of 15. For the last 50 years, he has been growing paddy every year. “Earlier we used to sow it and it used to grow. Things were easier at that time. Now, at every stage of growth in paddy, pests increase and then we have to increase the amount of pesticides. If we don&#8217;t use it, there will be no harvest,” says Das. Sitting at a small tea shop run by his wife in Bhagabatpur village of West Bengal, in the Sundarbans region, Das talks about the increasing use of pesticides and fertilisers, and increasing plastic pollution in this mangrove ecosystem. In recent years, he has had to ramp up the use of fertilisers as the soil quality has depleted because of increasing salinity and the increase in pests because of climate change. But this growing amount of pesticides, fertilisers and plastic waste is causing heavy metal and microplastic pollution in the waters flowing through the Sundarbans and draining in the Bay of Bengal. A growing amount of pesticides, fertilisers and plastic waste is causing heavy metal and microplastic pollution in the waters flowing through the Sundarbans and draining in the Bay of Bengal. Image by Samrat Chakraborty. This fragile but polluted ecosystem is also the prime habitat of the fishing cat, the state animal of West Bengal. Unsurprisingly, the animal is being affected by the pollution in the waters, because of what it eats. A research project by Samrat&hellip;This article was originally published on <a href="https://india.mongabay.com/2025/12/heavy-metals-microplastics-found-in-fishing-cats/" data-wpel-link="internal">Mongabay</a>]]>
						</content:encoded>
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					<slash:comments>0</slash:comments>
														</item>
						<item>
					<title>Decision science could lead action in mangrove restoration</title>
					<link>https://india.mongabay.com/2025/04/decision-science-could-lead-action-in-mangrove-restoration/</link>
					<comments>https://india.mongabay.com/2025/04/decision-science-could-lead-action-in-mangrove-restoration/?noamp=mobile#respond</comments>
					<pubDate>30 Apr 2025 09:30:12 +0000</pubDate>
											<dc:creator>
							<![CDATA[Barasha Das]]>
						</dc:creator>
										<author>
						<![CDATA[Arathimenon]]>
					</author>
							<category><![CDATA[Uncategorized]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[community based conservation]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[community conservation]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[local community]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[restoration]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Sundarbans]]></category>
										<enclosure url="https://imgs.mongabay.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/30/2025/04/29091524/8.-The-5-acres-of-mangrove-restoration-in-Tridibnagar.-PC-Mukut-Biswas-768x512.jpg" type="image/jpeg" />
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											<reporting-project>
							<![CDATA[Climate Connections]]>
						</reporting-project>
					
											<locations>
							<![CDATA[West Bengal]]>
						</locations>
					
											<topic-tags>
							<![CDATA[Mangroves and Reforestation]]>
						</topic-tags>
					
					
											<description>
							<![CDATA[“Our lives are shaped by the havoc of cyclones, uncertainty, and constant struggles,” says Chandana Kayal, a resident of Tridibnagar in Jharkhali, a mid-estuarine island in West Bengal’s South 24 Parganas district. Jharkhali is one of the entry points to the Sundarbans, a biodiversity hotspot considered one of the most climate-vulnerable regions in the country. [&#8230;]]]>
						</description>
																					<content:encoded>
							<![CDATA[“Our lives are shaped by the havoc of cyclones, uncertainty, and constant struggles,” says Chandana Kayal, a resident of Tridibnagar in Jharkhali, a mid-estuarine island in West Bengal’s South 24 Parganas district. Jharkhali is one of the entry points to the Sundarbans, a biodiversity hotspot considered one of the most climate-vulnerable regions in the country. Recurring cyclones are a harsh reality of the Sundarbans — it experiences five to six cyclones annually. Over the last 40 years, the Bay of Bengal region has experienced 255 cyclonic storms ranging from low to severe categories. Cyclone intensity has increased over the last 100 years. Between 2019 and 2020, three cyclones impacted the Sundarbans, leading to hundreds of casualties and billions in economic damage. The most severe in recent history, Cyclone Amphan in May 2020, reportedly the first category five cyclone to affect the Sundarbans in two decades, had a major impact on India and Bangladesh with a loss of 128 lives and more than $13 million in damage. “When cyclones strike, we barely have time to save our belongings,” Kayal says. So, when an opportunity to create a buffer against cyclones was presented to them, hundreds of women joined forces to realise it. “We collected propagules that drifted to the coast and nurtured them in a mangrove nursery.” The determined women of Tridibnagar secured two kilometres of mud embankment while conserving 40 acres of pre-existing mangroves. “In our first attempt, we planted 2,000 saplings sourced from NGOs using standard spacing, following methods&hellip;This article was originally published on <a href="https://india.mongabay.com/2025/04/decision-science-could-lead-action-in-mangrove-restoration/" data-wpel-link="internal">Mongabay</a>]]>
						</content:encoded>
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					<slash:comments>0</slash:comments>
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					<title>One ring to save them all: terracotta rings for mangrove regeneration</title>
					<link>https://india.mongabay.com/2025/04/one-ring-to-save-them-all-terracotta-rings-for-mangrove-regeneration/</link>
					<comments>https://india.mongabay.com/2025/04/one-ring-to-save-them-all-terracotta-rings-for-mangrove-regeneration/?noamp=mobile#respond</comments>
					<pubDate>29 Apr 2025 16:01:02 +0000</pubDate>
											<dc:creator>
							<![CDATA[Anusha Krishnan]]>
						</dc:creator>
										<author>
						<![CDATA[Aditi Tandon]]>
					</author>
							<category><![CDATA[Uncategorized]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[restoration]]></category>
										<enclosure url="https://imgs.mongabay.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/30/2025/04/29121621/Picture7-768x512.jpg" type="image/jpeg" />
					<guid isPermaLink="false">https://india.mongabay.com/?p=32385</guid>

											<reporting-project>
							<![CDATA[Climate Connections]]>
						</reporting-project>
					
											<locations>
							<![CDATA[West Bengal]]>
						</locations>
					
											<topic-tags>
							<![CDATA[Mangroves and Reforestation]]>
						</topic-tags>
					
					
											<description>
							<![CDATA[In the fantasy novel, The Lord of the Rings, the inscription “One Ring to rule them all, One ring to find them, One ring to bring them all, and in the darkness bind them” described the malicious golden one ring that shook the Middle Earth.  But the one ring does not exist in the reality of [&#8230;]]]>
						</description>
																					<content:encoded>
							<![CDATA[In the fantasy novel, The Lord of the Rings, the inscription “One Ring to rule them all, One ring to find them, One ring to bring them all, and in the darkness bind them” described the malicious golden one ring that shook the Middle Earth.  But the one ring does not exist in the reality of India’s eroding wetlands, and instead of orcs, humans are responsible for much of the destruction.  Nonetheless, there is hope that rather than a golden one ring, a humble terracotta ring could change the fate of the Sundarbans wetlands by being “A ring to trap the silt and soil, A ring to green them, A ring to bring them all and in the embankments bind them.” Arrangements of large terracotta rings, ranging from two to four feet in diameter and standing at about a foot or two in height, may help save sinking islands in the Sundarbans Biosphere Reserve. These rings, installed in grids measuring 92 metres in length along the embankment, and about 6.5 metres wide along its slope, are silt traps. Over a 16-month period, these silt traps have had some interesting impacts on the embankments as reported in this study that recorded observations of the experiment conducted between 2023 and 2024. The rings have captured and retained sediment, reducing the erosion of the embankment. The net sediment accumulation in these traps was two to three times the rate of annual sea level rise, which makes them an effective and relatively cheap solution to&hellip;This article was originally published on <a href="https://india.mongabay.com/2025/04/one-ring-to-save-them-all-terracotta-rings-for-mangrove-regeneration/" data-wpel-link="internal">Mongabay</a>]]>
						</content:encoded>
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					<title>The conservation conundrum leaves shrimp farmers on edge</title>
					<link>https://india.mongabay.com/2025/04/the-conservation-conundrum-leaves-shrimp-farmers-on-edge/</link>
					<comments>https://india.mongabay.com/2025/04/the-conservation-conundrum-leaves-shrimp-farmers-on-edge/?noamp=mobile#respond</comments>
					<pubDate>10 Apr 2025 15:18:18 +0000</pubDate>
											<dc:creator>
							<![CDATA[Aishwarya Mohanty]]>
						</dc:creator>
										<author>
						<![CDATA[Arathimenon]]>
					</author>
							<category><![CDATA[Uncategorized]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[aquaculture]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[shrimp]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Shrimp farming]]></category>
										<enclosure url="https://imgs.mongabay.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/30/2025/04/10130506/21834250326_c3059bbcc5_k-768x512.jpg" type="image/jpeg" />
					<guid isPermaLink="false">https://india.mongabay.com/?p=32152</guid>

											<reporting-project>
							<![CDATA[Beyond Protected Areas]]>
						</reporting-project>
					
											<locations>
							<![CDATA[Odisha]]>
						</locations>
					
											<topic-tags>
							<![CDATA[Conservation, Fishing, and Mangroves]]>
						</topic-tags>
					
					
											<description>
							<![CDATA[“We are not against conservation, but what about our survival?” asks Devdutt Sethi, a shrimp farmer from Rajnagar block of Kendrapara, as he recalls bulldozers ploughing through makeshift embankments in his village, two years ago. Every summer, the forest department in Odisha’s Kendrapara district faces an uphill task — identifying and dismantling illegal shrimp gherries [&#8230;]]]>
						</description>
																					<content:encoded>
							<![CDATA[“We are not against conservation, but what about our survival?” asks Devdutt Sethi, a shrimp farmer from Rajnagar block of Kendrapara, as he recalls bulldozers ploughing through makeshift embankments in his village, two years ago. Every summer, the forest department in Odisha’s Kendrapara district faces an uphill task — identifying and dismantling illegal shrimp gherries or enclosures. The drive, mandated by an Orissa High Court order, aims to protect the region’s fragile mangrove ecosystem. Kendrapara is home to Bhitarkanika National Park, spread over 672 sq. km, where the Brahmani and Baitarani rivers merge, forming a fertile delta. The wetlands here sustain a vast biodiversity, making conservation efforts critical. But for many shrimp farmers, these demolitions spell disaster, threatening their primary source of livelihood. A shrimp farm in the Rajnagar block of Kendrapara district. Most farmers who are unable to grow crops due to saltwater intrusion and scant rainfall have switched to shrimp farms over the year. Image by Radhakant Mohanty. Caught between conservation and survival Odisha has long been a hub for shrimp and fish farming, thanks to the state’s vast coastline spanning 450 kilometres. The state’s 418,000 hectares of brackish water resources have made aquaculture a viable livelihood, particularly as traditional farming becomes increasingly difficult due to saltwater intrusion and recurring cyclones. Over the past two decades, Odisha has experienced significant expansion in brackish water shrimp aquaculture. The shrimp farming area has increased from 6,038 hectares to 17,730 hectares over the last two decades. However, as the state moves&hellip;This article was originally published on <a href="https://india.mongabay.com/2025/04/the-conservation-conundrum-leaves-shrimp-farmers-on-edge/" data-wpel-link="internal">Mongabay</a>]]>
						</content:encoded>
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						<item>
					<title>Understanding coastal risks with and without mangroves</title>
					<link>https://india.mongabay.com/2025/03/understanding-coastal-risks-with-and-without-mangroves/</link>
					<comments>https://india.mongabay.com/2025/03/understanding-coastal-risks-with-and-without-mangroves/?noamp=mobile#respond</comments>
					<pubDate>31 Mar 2025 16:36:18 +0000</pubDate>
											<dc:creator>
							<![CDATA[Sharmila Vaidyanathan]]>
						</dc:creator>
										<author>
						<![CDATA[Priyanka Shankar]]>
					</author>
							<category><![CDATA[Uncategorized]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[mangroves]]></category>
										<enclosure url="https://imgs.mongabay.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/30/2025/03/31114450/1200px-Inside_Pichavaram_Mangrove_Forest-768x512.jpg" type="image/jpeg" />
					<guid isPermaLink="false">https://india.mongabay.com/?p=31998</guid>

											<reporting-project>
							<![CDATA[Climate Connections and Nature-based Solutions]]>
						</reporting-project>
					
											<locations>
							<![CDATA[India and Tamil Nadu]]>
						</locations>
					
											<topic-tags>
							<![CDATA[Mangroves]]>
						</topic-tags>
					
					
											<description>
							<![CDATA[Mangroves in Pichavaram and Muthupet in Tamil Nadu significantly reduce the magnitude and occurrence of extreme coastal hazards such as tsunamis, cyclones, coastal floods etc., finds a recent study by researchers from the School of Public Policy, Indian Institute of Technology &#8211; Delhi (IIT-Delhi), along with researchers from The University of Tokyo and Institute for [&#8230;]]]>
						</description>
																					<content:encoded>
							<![CDATA[Mangroves in Pichavaram and Muthupet in Tamil Nadu significantly reduce the magnitude and occurrence of extreme coastal hazards such as tsunamis, cyclones, coastal floods etc., finds a recent study by researchers from the School of Public Policy, Indian Institute of Technology &#8211; Delhi (IIT-Delhi), along with researchers from The University of Tokyo and Institute for Global Environmental Strategies in Japan. The study analyses the impact of these mangroves in the southern state in reducing coastal exposure while also warning of significant loss of these habitats by the end of the century due to increase in sea levels. Mangroves, globally, play a critical role in climate resilience. They are capable of extracting five times more carbon than forests on land. Halophytic or salt-tolerant plants, that can grow in the intertidal zones, mangroves are the first line of defence for coastal regions, protecting them from various natural disasters. The presence of the mangroves in Pichavaram reduces the region&#8217;s coastal exposure value from 3.47 to 2.80 and Muthupet&#8217;s exposure value from 4.78 to 2.10, notes the study published in Progress in Disaster Science. The values are expressed on a scale of one to five, where 5 indicates ‘very high’ exposure and 1 indicates ‘very low’ exposure. The study addresses two key gaps in the existing literature — evaluating the role of mangroves in reducing coastal vulnerabilities and the impact of sea level increases on future ecosystem availability. Mangroves in Muthupet, Tamil Nadu. Image by MarineBalaji via Wikimedia Commons (CC BY-SA 3.0). Mitigation impacts of&hellip;This article was originally published on <a href="https://india.mongabay.com/2025/03/understanding-coastal-risks-with-and-without-mangroves/" data-wpel-link="internal">Mongabay</a>]]>
						</content:encoded>
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					<slash:comments>0</slash:comments>
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						<item>
					<title>Tracking an elusive turtle with genetic clues from nature</title>
					<link>https://india.mongabay.com/2024/12/tracking-an-elusive-turtle-with-genetic-clues-from-nature/</link>
					<comments>https://india.mongabay.com/2024/12/tracking-an-elusive-turtle-with-genetic-clues-from-nature/?noamp=mobile#respond</comments>
					<pubDate>12 Dec 2024 15:56:12 +0000</pubDate>
											<dc:creator>
							<![CDATA[Laasya Shekhar]]>
						</dc:creator>
										<author>
						<![CDATA[Priyanka Shankar]]>
					</author>
							<category><![CDATA[Uncategorized]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[conservation]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Sundarbans]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[turtle]]></category>
										<enclosure url="https://imgs.mongabay.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/30/2024/12/27102321/1200px-Reptile_BATAGUR_BASKA-768x512.jpg" type="image/jpeg" />
					<guid isPermaLink="false">https://india.mongabay.com/?p=30674</guid>

											<reporting-project>
							<![CDATA[Almost Famous Species]]>
						</reporting-project>
					
											<locations>
							<![CDATA[Bangladesh, India, and Sundarbans]]>
						</locations>
					
											<topic-tags>
							<![CDATA[Endangered species, Mangroves, Research, and Technology]]>
						</topic-tags>
					
					
											<description>
							<![CDATA[Commonly called the northern river terrapin, Batagur baska is a terrapin uniquely adapted to mangroves. Once found in abundance in the mangrove-lined rivers and estuaries in Myanmar and in the Sundarbans across India and Bangladesh, the small turtle species is now listed as critically endangered by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) and [&#8230;]]]>
						</description>
																					<content:encoded>
							<![CDATA[Commonly called the northern river terrapin, Batagur baska is a terrapin uniquely adapted to mangroves. Once found in abundance in the mangrove-lined rivers and estuaries in Myanmar and in the Sundarbans across India and Bangladesh, the small turtle species is now listed as critically endangered by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) and there are no records of adults in recent years. As these turtles are elusive and sensitive to human activities, the typical boat-based visual survey methodologies have not been sufficient to detect the presence of these turtles in their habitat. The Wildlife Institute of India (WII) applied an environmental DNA (eDNA) protocol, where they study genetic material in an environment sample, to detect the presence of the turtle in parts of the Indian Sundarbans. In this particular protocol, they monitored and mapped the presence of the turtle genus in its habitat by analysing water samples for traces of its DNA found in mucus secretion, faecal matter or shedded scales. They successfully detected the DNA of the genus Batagur in the water samples, which offers hope for future conservation action for the Batagur baska species. The eDNA methodology, however, is difficult to carry out for species that are extremely rare, especially in vast habitats such as the Sundarbans. Large amounts of samples need to be collected and processed immediately, before the DNA degrades. “It&#8217;s like searching for a needle in a forest,” said Abhijit Das, a WII scientist who led the study. “But it’s the only viable&hellip;This article was originally published on <a href="https://india.mongabay.com/2024/12/tracking-an-elusive-turtle-with-genetic-clues-from-nature/" data-wpel-link="internal">Mongabay</a>]]>
						</content:encoded>
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					<slash:comments>0</slash:comments>
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						<item>
					<title>Almost 20 years after the tsunami, Andaman’s mangroves are still changing</title>
					<link>https://india.mongabay.com/2024/10/almost-20-years-after-the-tsunami-andamans-mangroves-are-still-changing/</link>
					<comments>https://india.mongabay.com/2024/10/almost-20-years-after-the-tsunami-andamans-mangroves-are-still-changing/?noamp=mobile#respond</comments>
					<pubDate>03 Oct 2024 12:43:51 +0000</pubDate>
											<dc:creator>
							<![CDATA[Divya Kilikar]]>
						</dc:creator>
										<author>
						<![CDATA[Priyanka Shankar]]>
					</author>
							<category><![CDATA[Uncategorized]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Andaman and Nicobar Islands]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[islands]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[mangroves]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[nature]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[tsunami]]></category>
										<enclosure url="https://imgs.mongabay.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/30/2024/10/02163235/image2-768x512.jpg" type="image/jpeg" />
					<guid isPermaLink="false">https://india.mongabay.com/?p=29727</guid>

											<reporting-project>
							<![CDATA[India's Iconic Landscapes]]>
						</reporting-project>
					
											<locations>
							<![CDATA[Andaman and Nicobar Islands and India]]>
						</locations>
					
											<topic-tags>
							<![CDATA[Islands, Mangroves, and Tsunami]]>
						</topic-tags>
					
					
											<description>
							<![CDATA[On December 26, 2004, the Andaman and Nicobar Islands changed forever. A tremor stirred 30 kilometres deep beneath the ocean floor in the Sunda trench off the coast of Sumatra, Indonesia. It reverberated into a deadly earthquake of 9.1 magnitude. Massive waves engulfed the entire archipelago. At least 250,000 people were severely affected. A tsunami, [&#8230;]]]>
						</description>
																					<content:encoded>
							<![CDATA[On December 26, 2004, the Andaman and Nicobar Islands changed forever. A tremor stirred 30 kilometres deep beneath the ocean floor in the Sunda trench off the coast of Sumatra, Indonesia. It reverberated into a deadly earthquake of 9.1 magnitude. Massive waves engulfed the entire archipelago. At least 250,000 people were severely affected. A tsunami, the result of this tremor, was witnessed across South and Southeast Asia, and even distant East Africa. Human and socio-economic losses were brutal. To this day, we are yet to understand the full impact of this tragic event on the Andaman archipelago. The tsunami also impacted mangroves along the coast of the Islands. While initial reports recorded a 60-70 percent loss of mangrove cover, detailed studies reported a 97 percent loss. Twenty years after the devastation, the archipelago and its mangroves are still reeling from the aftermath. A study published in May 2024 monitored the long-term response of mangroves to the geomorphological changes left in the wake of the tsunami. North Andaman experienced coastal uplift (sea level drop or SLD) of approximately 1.3 metres, while South Andaman experienced coastal subsidence (sea level rise or SLR) of about 1.1 metres. Little to no changes were observed in Middle Andaman. Mangrove species are changing slowly but surely in the 20 years since the tsunami. “The uplifted sites mimicking the SLD scenario appeared more destructive to mangroves (tree density – 771/ha) in comparison to subsided sites mimicking the SLR scenario (tree density – 937/ha),” noted the study. The turning of&hellip;This article was originally published on <a href="https://india.mongabay.com/2024/10/almost-20-years-after-the-tsunami-andamans-mangroves-are-still-changing/" data-wpel-link="internal">Mongabay</a>]]>
						</content:encoded>
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					<slash:comments>0</slash:comments>
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						<item>
					<title>To save the vulnerable fishing cat, protect its threatened wetland habitat</title>
					<link>https://india.mongabay.com/2024/06/to-save-the-vulnerable-fishing-cat-protect-its-threatened-wetland-habitat/</link>
					<comments>https://india.mongabay.com/2024/06/to-save-the-vulnerable-fishing-cat-protect-its-threatened-wetland-habitat/?noamp=mobile#respond</comments>
					<pubDate>20 Jun 2024 14:52:27 +0000</pubDate>
											<dc:creator>
							<![CDATA[Sean Mowbray]]>
						</dc:creator>
										<author>
						<![CDATA[Mongabay Editor]]>
					</author>
							<category><![CDATA[Uncategorized]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Fishing cat]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Wetlands]]></category>
										<enclosure url="https://imgs.mongabay.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/30/2024/06/20141324/fishing-cat-768x512.jpg" type="image/jpeg" />
					<guid isPermaLink="false">https://india.mongabay.com/?p=28212</guid>

					
											<locations>
							<![CDATA[Asia, India, South Asia, and Sundarbans]]>
						</locations>
					
											<topic-tags>
							<![CDATA[Animals, Cats, Mangroves, and Wetlands]]>
						</topic-tags>
					
					
											<description>
							<![CDATA[The fishing cat is not your regular feline: it loves the mud and water of wetland habitats, unlike others. The mysterious species roams the wetlands of South and Southeast Asia, where it has uniquely adapted — so much so that its call resembles the quack of a duck. Little known and under-researched, it faces an [&#8230;]]]>
						</description>
																					<content:encoded>
							<![CDATA[The fishing cat is not your regular feline: it loves the mud and water of wetland habitats, unlike others. The mysterious species roams the wetlands of South and Southeast Asia, where it has uniquely adapted — so much so that its call resembles the quack of a duck. Little known and under-researched, it faces an uphill battle against multiple threats, including loss of its wetland habitat to humanity’s incursions, and escalating climate change, as extreme drought and rising coastal waters disrupt aquatic ecosystems. Though in peril, the fishing cat (Prionailurus viverrinus) has many champions fighting for its survival. Numerous projects dedicated to protecting the species have sprung up across the cat’s range countries, from India to Pakistan and Bangladesh, Cambodia to Thailand. Each year, conservationists celebrate Fishing Cat February, shining a light on this once-neglected felid. Tiasa Adhya, co-founder of the Fishing Cat Project in India, a conservation and research program dedicated to the species, began her journey to researching P. viverrinus on a tiger survey in the West Bengal&#8217;s Sundarbans in 2010. “There was this miniature pugmark — [a footprint] like that of a small tiger — that the forest department ranger pointed me to,” she recounts. “They said it belonged to the fishing cat. It was the state animal of West Bengal. But I had no idea what a fishing cat was, and that was true for most people [living] in my state.” Adhya went on to co-found the Fishing Cat Project that same year. Over time, the group’s&hellip;This article was originally published on <a href="https://india.mongabay.com/2024/06/to-save-the-vulnerable-fishing-cat-protect-its-threatened-wetland-habitat/" data-wpel-link="internal">Mongabay</a>]]>
						</content:encoded>
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					<slash:comments>0</slash:comments>
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						<item>
					<title>Unchecked shrimp farming transforms land use in the Sundarbans</title>
					<link>https://india.mongabay.com/2024/06/caught-in-the-net-unchecked-shrimp-farming-transforms-sundarbans/</link>
					<comments>https://india.mongabay.com/2024/06/caught-in-the-net-unchecked-shrimp-farming-transforms-sundarbans/?noamp=mobile#respond</comments>
					<pubDate>19 Jun 2024 10:05:59 +0000</pubDate>
											<dc:creator>
							<![CDATA[Niladry Sarkar]]>
						</dc:creator>
										<author>
						<![CDATA[Kundan Pandey]]>
					</author>
							<category><![CDATA[Uncategorized]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[aquaculture]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[shrimp]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Shrimp farming]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Sundarbans]]></category>
										<enclosure url="https://imgs.mongabay.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/30/2024/06/17180450/IMG_8246-768x512.jpeg" type="image/jpeg" />
					<guid isPermaLink="false">https://india.mongabay.com/?p=28173</guid>

											<reporting-project>
							<![CDATA[India's Iconic Landscapes]]>
						</reporting-project>
					
											<locations>
							<![CDATA[India and West Bengal]]>
						</locations>
					
											<topic-tags>
							<![CDATA[Fishing, Industry, Land Rights, and Mangroves]]>
						</topic-tags>
					
					
											<description>
							<![CDATA[In the village of Nagendrapur, located in the Sundarban Biosphere Reserve (SBR) in West Bengal, a narrow, six-foot-wide lane separates a large wetland used for aquaculture from a cluster of shanties. One of these shanties is home to Roshanara Piyada, her husband, Saidulla Piyada, and their three children. “Every time it rains, saline water from [&#8230;]]]>
						</description>
																					<content:encoded>
							<![CDATA[In the village of Nagendrapur, located in the Sundarban Biosphere Reserve (SBR) in West Bengal, a narrow, six-foot-wide lane separates a large wetland used for aquaculture from a cluster of shanties. One of these shanties is home to Roshanara Piyada, her husband, Saidulla Piyada, and their three children. “Every time it rains, saline water from the fishery overflows and floods our home,” said 31-year-old Roshanara while washing dishes at a freshwater pond next to the fishery. “We used to work as agricultural labourers before aquaculture started on this land. Now it has become tough to make ends meet,” said Saidulla, pointing to the aquaculture ponds with a thin line of greenery at the other end, some 600-700 metres (1,970-2,300 feet) away. “That is mangroves. They were closer, but these aquaculture people keep destroying them every year.” The land where they once worked was converted into a fishery a decade ago, an increasing trend in the region. The landowners leased the land to an aquaculture operator who now employs his own workers, leaving Saidulla, Roshanara and their neighbours out of a job. “We are called to either till the land or build embankments before they refill the water in the fisheries at the beginning of each season,” said 48-year-old Saidulla. “But even that work is drying up now as the fishery people use heavy machinery,” Roshanara added. Their neighbours in the village and across other parts of the Sundarbans in the state share similar stories. The SBR, spread across West Bengal&hellip;This article was originally published on <a href="https://india.mongabay.com/2024/06/caught-in-the-net-unchecked-shrimp-farming-transforms-sundarbans/" data-wpel-link="internal">Mongabay</a>]]>
						</content:encoded>
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					<title>Microplastics, mostly fibres, found in mangroves in southwestern India</title>
					<link>https://india.mongabay.com/2024/02/microplastics-mostly-fibres-found-in-mangroves-in-southwestern-india/</link>
					<comments>https://india.mongabay.com/2024/02/microplastics-mostly-fibres-found-in-mangroves-in-southwestern-india/?noamp=mobile#respond</comments>
					<pubDate>20 Feb 2024 13:45:10 +0000</pubDate>
											<dc:creator>
							<![CDATA[T. V. Padma]]>
						</dc:creator>
										<author>
						<![CDATA[Aditi Tandon]]>
					</author>
							<category><![CDATA[Uncategorized]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[mangroves]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[microplastics]]></category>
										<enclosure url="https://imgs.mongabay.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/30/2024/02/20133426/DSC3161-768x512.jpg" type="image/jpeg" />
					<guid isPermaLink="false">https://india.mongabay.com/?p=26567</guid>

											<reporting-project>
							<![CDATA[Climate Connections]]>
						</reporting-project>
					
											<locations>
							<![CDATA[India]]>
						</locations>
					
											<topic-tags>
							<![CDATA[Mangroves, Plastic, and Waste management]]>
						</topic-tags>
					
					
											<description>
							<![CDATA[A new study from India describes the type and distribution of microplastics detected in a mangrove in south-western India, offering fresh insights into the extent of infiltration of these contaminants, described by the United Nations Environment Programme as one of the “long-lived legacies of plastic pollution.” Fibres, mostly measuring less than a millimetre, emerged as [&#8230;]]]>
						</description>
																					<content:encoded>
							<![CDATA[A new study from India describes the type and distribution of microplastics detected in a mangrove in south-western India, offering fresh insights into the extent of infiltration of these contaminants, described by the United Nations Environment Programme as one of the “long-lived legacies of plastic pollution.” Fibres, mostly measuring less than a millimetre, emerged as the most abundant category across all samples studied from the mangrove in a coastal village Kota in Udipi district of Karnataka state, by researchers from the Manipal Institute of Technology and Universidad del Atlántico, Colombia.  The mangrove forest at Kota is about three kilometres long and has over 10,800 people residing there. Previous studies from Asia also have shown the prevalence of microplastics in mangroves in Asia which is home to 42% of mangroves. A study from China in 2020 reported dominance of foams and fibres from mangroves in China.  Another study from Thailand showed pollution of the mangrove sediment in the Mae Klong river basin, an important fishery site in the upper Gulf of Thailand, with microplastics and microparticles, mainly chemicals used in the textile industry. But there is scant data on their occurrence and distribution in mangrove ecosystems specifically from south-western India. The scientists in the Kota study used a combination of field sampling, laboratory analyses and statistical methods to study microplastics in the mangrove, to identify the types of microplastics and understand their potential impact on the mangrove ecosystem. They found all categories – from fragments to foam, fibres, films and pellets&hellip;This article was originally published on <a href="https://india.mongabay.com/2024/02/microplastics-mostly-fibres-found-in-mangroves-in-southwestern-india/" data-wpel-link="internal">Mongabay</a>]]>
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						<item>
					<title>[Commentary] Rising tides, rooted solutions</title>
					<link>https://india.mongabay.com/2024/02/commentary-rising-tides-rooted-solutions/</link>
					<comments>https://india.mongabay.com/2024/02/commentary-rising-tides-rooted-solutions/?noamp=mobile#respond</comments>
					<pubDate>02 Feb 2024 12:36:41 +0000</pubDate>
											<dc:creator>
							<![CDATA[Priya Ranganathan]]>
						</dc:creator>
										<author>
						<![CDATA[Aditi Tandon]]>
					</author>
							<category><![CDATA[Uncategorized]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[mangroves]]></category>
										<enclosure url="https://imgs.mongabay.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/30/2024/02/02113942/Mangroves_Udupi_SudeshnaGupta2-768x512.jpeg" type="image/jpeg" />
					<guid isPermaLink="false">https://india.mongabay.com/?p=26332</guid>

											<reporting-project>
							<![CDATA[Nature-based Solutions]]>
						</reporting-project>
					
											<locations>
							<![CDATA[India and Sundarbans]]>
						</locations>
					
											<topic-tags>
							<![CDATA[Mangroves, Nature-based Climate Solutions, and Wetlands]]>
						</topic-tags>
					
					
											<description>
							<![CDATA[Dependable, sturdy and rich in biodiversity, mangroves form the final frontier between the land and the sea. Their branching root systems protrude from the gentle ebb and flow of the tides, and their presence ensure the presence of specialised endemic wildlife. However, despite their many contributions towards the wellbeing of human and non-human species, mangroves [&#8230;]]]>
						</description>
																					<content:encoded>
							<![CDATA[Dependable, sturdy and rich in biodiversity, mangroves form the final frontier between the land and the sea. Their branching root systems protrude from the gentle ebb and flow of the tides, and their presence ensure the presence of specialised endemic wildlife. However, despite their many contributions towards the wellbeing of human and non-human species, mangroves remain threatened by habitat loss, rising sea level, climate change and anthropogenic pressures. Mangroves are shrubs or trees that grow in brackish water, where saline sea water meets freshwater. Often, these short trees are found in the inter-tidal zone, where their complex root systems allow them to breathe despite waterlogged conditions and stabilise the ever-shifting soil. These are species that preferentially grow in an equatorial climate and unlike most other tree species, mangroves have adapted to shifting levels of salinity. These forests of land and sea are some of the most productive wetlands, known in particular for their plethora of ecosystem services and their high biodiversity. Mangroves play an important role in soil stability with their complex root system. Photo by Sangita Balial. There are over 70 known species of mangroves and different species have varying tolerances towards salinity. This leads to a phenomenon known as zonation, where more salt-tolerant species form the first line of defence against the tide, while those that prefer a less saline environment congregate towards the freshwater inflows. High salinity is typically associated with reduced species diversity. A near-constant push and pull is the result; sometimes, mangrove forests are broad&hellip;This article was originally published on <a href="https://india.mongabay.com/2024/02/commentary-rising-tides-rooted-solutions/" data-wpel-link="internal">Mongabay</a>]]>
						</content:encoded>
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					<slash:comments>0</slash:comments>
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						<item>
					<title>Bangladesh&#8217;s tiger conservation efforts win with rise in population in the Sundarbans</title>
					<link>https://india.mongabay.com/2023/10/bangladeshs-tiger-conservation-efforts-win-with-rise-in-population-in-sundarbans/</link>
					<comments>https://india.mongabay.com/2023/10/bangladeshs-tiger-conservation-efforts-win-with-rise-in-population-in-sundarbans/?noamp=mobile#respond</comments>
					<pubDate>25 Oct 2023 16:44:44 +0000</pubDate>
											<dc:creator>
							<![CDATA[Mohammad Al-Masum Molla]]>
						</dc:creator>
										<author>
						<![CDATA[Nandithachandraprakash]]>
					</author>
							<category><![CDATA[Uncategorized]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[conservation]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[tiger]]></category>
										<enclosure url="https://imgs.mongabay.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/30/2023/10/25124616/Bengal_Tiger_in_rain_at_Sundarban-768x512.jpg" type="image/jpeg" />
					<guid isPermaLink="false">https://india.mongabay.com/?p=25027</guid>

											<reporting-project>
							<![CDATA[Connected Environments]]>
						</reporting-project>
					
											<locations>
							<![CDATA[Asia, Bangladesh, and South Asia]]>
						</locations>
					
											<topic-tags>
							<![CDATA[Conservation, Mangroves, Tigers, and Wildlife]]>
						</topic-tags>
					
					
											<description>
							<![CDATA[Only five years ago, Bangladesh&#8217;s conservation community was deeply concerned about the tiger&#8217;s shrinking population in the Sundarban mangrove habitat. In a happy turn of events, however, the Sundarbans, which is shared between Bangladesh and India, is seeing positive signs of recovery for the species. The conservationists&#8217; concern was particularly stark when considering the success [&#8230;]]]>
						</description>
																					<content:encoded>
							<![CDATA[Only five years ago, Bangladesh&#8217;s conservation community was deeply concerned about the tiger&#8217;s shrinking population in the Sundarban mangrove habitat. In a happy turn of events, however, the Sundarbans, which is shared between Bangladesh and India, is seeing positive signs of recovery for the species. The conservationists&#8217; concern was particularly stark when considering the success stories of India and Nepal, where their close tiger cousins had managed to thrive and increase their populations. The decline in Bengal tigers in the Sundarbans cast a shadow of uncertainty over their future. However, a series of dedicated efforts spearheaded by the Bangladesh government and various stakeholders have yielded encouraging results, rekindling hope for the survival and growth of these big cats. The key strategies employed in this concerted conservation campaign have centred around preserving the tigers&#8217; natural habitat, tackling food scarcity issues and combating poaching through a collaborative community-based approach. These initiatives have not only benefited the tigers but also the entire ecosystem of the Sundarbans. Recent surveys conducted jointly by the government&#8217;s forest division, German Cooperation and the Swiss unit of the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) have unveiled two critical findings that paint an optimistic picture of Bengal tiger resurgence. First, the surveys have observed an encouraging increase in the population of prey animals such as spotted deer, wild boars and monkeys within the Sundarbans. This bountiful prey availability signals a positive turn for the tigers, ensuring they have a steady food supply to sustain themselves and their potential&hellip;This article was originally published on <a href="https://india.mongabay.com/2023/10/bangladeshs-tiger-conservation-efforts-win-with-rise-in-population-in-sundarbans/" data-wpel-link="internal">Mongabay</a>]]>
						</content:encoded>
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					<slash:comments>0</slash:comments>
														</item>
						<item>
					<title>Palmyra leaf bags substitute plastic nursery bags to support sustainable mangrove restoration</title>
					<link>https://india.mongabay.com/2023/07/palmyra-leaf-bags-substitute-plastic-nursery-bags-and-aid-in-sustainable-mangrove-restoration/</link>
					<comments>https://india.mongabay.com/2023/07/palmyra-leaf-bags-substitute-plastic-nursery-bags-and-aid-in-sustainable-mangrove-restoration/?noamp=mobile#respond</comments>
					<pubDate>18 Jul 2023 12:16:27 +0000</pubDate>
											<dc:creator>
							<![CDATA[M.T. Saju]]>
						</dc:creator>
										<author>
						<![CDATA[Priyanka Shankar]]>
					</author>
							<category><![CDATA[Uncategorized]]></category>
										<enclosure url="https://imgs.mongabay.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/30/2023/07/17110846/women-with-palmyra-nursery-bags-scaled-e1689572409831-768x512.jpg" type="image/jpeg" />
					<guid isPermaLink="false">https://india.mongabay.com/?p=23658</guid>

											<reporting-project>
							<![CDATA[Climate Connections]]>
						</reporting-project>
					
											<locations>
							<![CDATA[India and Tamil Nadu]]>
						</locations>
					
											<topic-tags>
							<![CDATA[Mangroves, Plastic, Research, and Water Pollution]]>
						</topic-tags>
					
					
											<description>
							<![CDATA[Sitting near her thatched hut, Achikkannu reaches for a set of dried palmyra (Borassus flabellifer) leaves kept on a fence, made of broken fishing nets. She cuts the leaves into equal parts. Despite her struggles with frequent bouts of flu, she can weave a nursery bag in 40 minutes with dried palmyra leaves. Like many [&#8230;]]]>
						</description>
																					<content:encoded>
							<![CDATA[Sitting near her thatched hut, Achikkannu reaches for a set of dried palmyra (Borassus flabellifer) leaves kept on a fence, made of broken fishing nets. She cuts the leaves into equal parts. Despite her struggles with frequent bouts of flu, she can weave a nursery bag in 40 minutes with dried palmyra leaves. Like many women in Kollukkadu, a coastal village in the Thanjavur district of Tamil Nadu, this 70-year-old depends on these leaves for a livelihood. Achikkannu gets Rs. 15 for weaving one nursery bag. Weaving palmyra bags. Photo by Balaji Vedharajan. Palmyra leaves have, for a long time, been used for covering the roofs of houses and making baskets, mats and crockery. However, Achikannu uses the leaves for a different purpose: to make nursery bags for planting seedlings that will be used for a mangrove restoration drive along the shores of Palk Bay off the coast of Tamil Nadu. The palmyra nursery bags will help reduce the dependence on plastic bags that are generally used by nurseries to plant seedlings. Testing the effectiveness of palmyra nursery bags Mangroves are increasingly being recognised for their role in reducing erosion, and absorbing impacts of storm surges and coastal floods. This has resulted in a wave of mangrove restoration drives across the country’s vast coastline, which has led to the problem of plastic waste arising from disposal of nursery bags that carry mangrove seedlings. A duo of marine biologists, a forest official and a fisherman in Palk Bay began using palmyra&hellip;This article was originally published on <a href="https://india.mongabay.com/2023/07/palmyra-leaf-bags-substitute-plastic-nursery-bags-and-aid-in-sustainable-mangrove-restoration/" data-wpel-link="internal">Mongabay</a>]]>
						</content:encoded>
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						<item>
					<title>Kerala’s dwindling mangroves need concerted effort in conservation</title>
					<link>https://india.mongabay.com/2023/07/keralas-dwindling-mangroves-need-concerted-effort-in-conservation/</link>
					<comments>https://india.mongabay.com/2023/07/keralas-dwindling-mangroves-need-concerted-effort-in-conservation/?noamp=mobile#respond</comments>
					<pubDate>18 Jul 2023 11:37:06 +0000</pubDate>
											<dc:creator>
							<![CDATA[Arathi Menon]]>
						</dc:creator>
										<author>
						<![CDATA[Aditi Tandon]]>
					</author>
							<category><![CDATA[Uncategorized]]></category>
										<enclosure url="https://imgs.mongabay.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/30/2023/07/18092559/mangroves-Valapattanam-kannur-prasoon-kiran-1-768x512.jpg" type="image/jpeg" />
					<guid isPermaLink="false">https://india.mongabay.com/?p=23679</guid>

											<reporting-project>
							<![CDATA[Nature-based Solutions]]>
						</reporting-project>
					
											<locations>
							<![CDATA[Kerala]]>
						</locations>
					
											<topic-tags>
							<![CDATA[Climate Change, Climate Change Adaptation, Conservation, Mangroves, Natural Resources, Nature-based Climate Solutions, Trees, and Wetlands]]>
						</topic-tags>
					
					
											<description>
							<![CDATA[When 1000 kilometres of mangrove tidal wetland vegetation, along the shoreline of Australia’s remote Gulf of Carpentaria, died en masse in a short span of time between late 2015 and early 2016, it caug​​ht the global scientific community by surprise. While the actual causes were unknown, it was noticeable that it coincided with an extreme [&#8230;]]]>
						</description>
																					<content:encoded>
							<![CDATA[When 1000 kilometres of mangrove tidal wetland vegetation, along the shoreline of Australia’s remote Gulf of Carpentaria, died en masse in a short span of time between late 2015 and early 2016, it caug​​ht the global scientific community by surprise. While the actual causes were unknown, it was noticeable that it coincided with an extreme weather event—drought. &#8220;You don&#8217;t expect mass mortality in a wetland species due to drought,&#8221; said principal scientist, Kerala Forest Research Institute (KFRI), Sreejith Ashtamoorthy. Intrigued by this phenomenon, he set out to understand climate resilience of mangrove species in Kerala. One property stood out in six true mangrove species in the study area of Kollam district in Kerala — foliar water uptake, a mechanism that allows plants to acquire water from the atmosphere through their leaves. Climate change Sreejith, along with scientists from the Ghent University, Belgium who were involved in the study, said that considering the probability of frequent droughts in the future due to climate change, the salinity of the water could alter which could affect the mangroves’ ability to take up water. This, in turn, could adversely impact their productivity. The scientists hypothesise that the foliar water uptake feature may help mangrove species tide over extreme climate variations. The study revealed that the foliar water uptake capacity differed between species and that the salt-excreting species showed a higher capacity for it than the non-excreting ones. A salt-excreting species, Avicennia marina showed a distinct leaf anatomical trait, trichomes—not observed in the other species—which&hellip;This article was originally published on <a href="https://india.mongabay.com/2023/07/keralas-dwindling-mangroves-need-concerted-effort-in-conservation/" data-wpel-link="internal">Mongabay</a>]]>
						</content:encoded>
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														</item>
						<item>
					<title>Pinpointing priority areas for mangrove conservation in the Sundarbans</title>
					<link>https://india.mongabay.com/2023/02/pinpointing-priority-areas-for-mangrove-conservation-in-the-sundarbans/</link>
					<comments>https://india.mongabay.com/2023/02/pinpointing-priority-areas-for-mangrove-conservation-in-the-sundarbans/?noamp=mobile#respond</comments>
					<pubDate>13 Feb 2023 11:54:00 +0000</pubDate>
											<dc:creator>
							<![CDATA[T. V. Padma]]>
						</dc:creator>
										<author>
						<![CDATA[Sahana]]>
					</author>
							<category><![CDATA[Uncategorized]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Biodiversity]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[climate change]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[conservation]]></category>
										<enclosure url="https://imgs.mongabay.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/30/2023/02/13100559/Middle_point_of_Sundarban-768x512.jpg" type="image/jpeg" />
					<guid isPermaLink="false">https://india.mongabay.com/?p=21670</guid>

											<reporting-project>
							<![CDATA[Climate Connections]]>
						</reporting-project>
					
											<locations>
							<![CDATA[West Bengal]]>
						</locations>
					
											<topic-tags>
							<![CDATA[Biodiversity, Climate Change, Conservation, and Mangroves]]>
						</topic-tags>
					
					
											<description>
							<![CDATA[A new study published in Scientific Reports has mapped priority areas in the Sundarbans Biosphere Reserve (SBR) that are highly suitable for mangrove conservation and restoration. The Sundarbans Biosphere Reserve is spread across 9,630 sq. km., of which 4,266 sq. km. is under mangrove forests. It is the world’s largest single block of mangrove and [&#8230;]]]>
						</description>
																					<content:encoded>
							<![CDATA[A new study published in Scientific Reports has mapped priority areas in the Sundarbans Biosphere Reserve (SBR) that are highly suitable for mangrove conservation and restoration. The Sundarbans Biosphere Reserve is spread across 9,630 sq. km., of which 4,266 sq. km. is under mangrove forests. It is the world’s largest single block of mangrove and “is highly threatened and drastically reducing at an alarming rate due to the overexploitation of resources, land transformation for aquaculture practice, increase in paddy cultivation, infrastructural development, and human settlements,” according to the study. For the study, researchers from the University of Manchester, Jamia Milia University, New Delhi and World Wide Fund for Nature India (WWF-India) assessed the habitat suitability for 18 true mangrove species in the Indian Sundarbans, using 10 machine-learning algorithm and field-based occurrence data. They identified areas covering a total of 1,203 sq. km. for prioritising restoration. Nearly 13% of this area was found under uninhabited islands and 87% area was found within the human habitat islands, Mehebub Sahana, from the University of Manchester and one of the study authors, explained to Mongabay-India. “We have also prepared a species-specific recommendation for the restoration of mangroves to reduce the impact of climate change and cyclones,” he said. “This is the first article that tried to prepare species-specific mangrove restoration recommendations,” Sahana added. The findings of this article will scientifically enhance current restoration efforts in the Sundarbans and can be replicated around the world. Mangrove cover map of Sundarban Biosphere Reserve during 1975 (A)&hellip;This article was originally published on <a href="https://india.mongabay.com/2023/02/pinpointing-priority-areas-for-mangrove-conservation-in-the-sundarbans/" data-wpel-link="internal">Mongabay</a>]]>
						</content:encoded>
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