A new species of blind, underground ant from Goa
A new species of ant has emerged from the leaf litter at Netravali Wildlife Sanctuary in Goa. This underground-dwelling species turned up as part of a statewide survey of ants…
How butterflies strike a relationship with ants using specialised organs
Some butterflies go to any lengths to make ant-friends. Their caterpillars have evolved button-like spots on their backs to spout sugary rewards to attract ants; a special gland in their…
Bera’s free-roaming leopards walk on thin ice as tourism grows
Bera in the Pali district of Rajasthan is often nicknamed ‘Leopard Country’. Widely regarded as being home to one of the highest densities of leopards found anywhere, the otherwise shy…
The wild side of India’s educational campuses
Snow trout in cold Himalayan waters, bat roosts, crocodiles basking in the sun, sprinting blackbucks, and prowling leopards -- India’s higher education campuses are home to diverse wildlife species, warranting…
Uttarakhand’s draft ecotourism policy could threaten biodiversity
About 65 percent of India’s hill state of Uttarakhand is forested. Now, a latest proposed ecotourism policy suggests using vast stretches of these forests for ecotourism activities. While the policy…
SDGs provide direction for sustainable post-COVID recovery
The novel coronavirus disease pandemic (COVID-19) has brought a smidge of immediate relief in selected areas related to Sustainable Development Goal 15 to protect ‘Life on Land’. While lowered biodiversity…
Elephants in north Bengal more likely to raid crops near fragmented forested patches
Elephants in north Bengal are more likely to raid crops in areas with a matrix of agriculture, forests, riverine patches, tea plantations and peripheries of protected areas, a study has…
Children sketch human-elephant conflict and coexistence in Odisha
A pencil sketch shows an elephant trying to dismantle a thatched roof. Another depicts a pachyderm helping itself to succulent sugarcane stalks from a farm as people brandish fire torches…
Assam reels under flood as pandemic wears on
Floods which are a recurring phenomenon in the northeast Indian state of Assam have hit the state heavily this year but healthcare workers have risen to the occasion serving the…
Watching my friendly neighbours, flying foxes
Dusk settles over the city. On cue, the sky brings out its colour palette. As deep oranges and reds take over, the day - with its creatures - shifts. It's…
