According to legend, King Solomon had a brief encounter with a “valley of ants” and his admiration for them led him to value all life forms. The resilience of ants…
Alpine meadows, also known as bugyals, are a valuable part of the Himalayan ecosystem. These meadows start appearing at the height of 3000 meters above sea level, where the treeline…
Scientists are undivided on the need to conserve natural habitats to maintain biodiversity, but divided on which ones to prioritise: intact wild habitats, or fragmented, degraded lands that are becoming…
Blue sheep, locally known as bharal, are wild mountain ungulates which are, in fact, more closely related to goats than sheep. They reside in the Himalayas and are the main…
The Finn’s weaver (Ploceus megarhynchus) is listed as vulnerable in the International Union for Conservation of Nature’s Red List. However, the bird is at the risk of extinction, alerts the…
Esekki leans on his broad staff as he speaks, keeping a watchful eye on his flock of sheep to make sure they didn’t stray too far. “The grasslands used to…
Grasses that glint like they are studded with tiny diamonds, as the salt crystals on their blades catch the bright sun. A grass species named after how its spiked seeds…
Imagine semi-decayed plant material accumulating for thousands of years under water-logged conditions. This thick and condensed layer of soil that packs a large amount of organic carbon is called peat.…
Since the first week of September, Pur, a town in Bhilwara district of Rajasthan has been on an indefinite protest. One of their banners says, “Shut Jindal Company, provide relief…
This week's stories rolled into one. To receive a weekly email with a roundup of our stories, please sign-up to our newsletter. Punjab farmers’ widows respond to apathy by standing…
