Bengaluru’s neighbourhood parks can support biodiversity
For residents of India’s IT capital, Bengaluru, a neighbourhood park (NP) is not an uncommon sight. Their role in providing the urban population a recreational space has been appreciated by…
Can humans and elephants cohabit in Kodagu?
Part 1: Humans and elephants tussle for space in Kodagu It’s 6 a.m. at the Maldare elephant crossing in the Kodagu district of Karnataka. The Rapid Response Team (RRT) is…
Elephants in the estate: Humans and elephants tussle for space in Kodagu
It’s a cloudy Saturday evening at Athivana estate in Srimangala in Kodagu, Karnataka. The forest department’s Rapid Response Team (RRT) is ready to chase three elephant cows that have entered…
Mekedatu project threatens to submerge chunks of Cauvery Wildlife Sanctuary
Located around 90 kilometres away from Karnataka's capital Bengaluru, Mekedatu is a scenic site where south India's mighty river Cauvery dives into an amazing gorge, facilitating the creation of a…
An agroforestry scientist’s notes on Kodagu, coffee and climate change
As southwest India finally has a respite from the recent heavy rains, the discussions have now turned to what went wrong. In the district of Kodagu, nine days of non-stop…
In the Western Ghats ridges it is ice that keeps the shola-grasslands intact
Across the globe, naturalists have recorded distinct habitats that they call forest-grassland mosaics, where both ecosystems seem to co-exist. In the highlands of the Western Ghats forests and grasslands stand…
[Commentary] Is climate change the only reason for flooding in the Western Ghats?
Our earth has taken billions of years for its formation and to bring life forms on it. It is the only living planet that we are aware of. Every natural…
There’s bajra in my beer!
As you sip the freshly brewed craft beer, there is nothing to indicate the pale brew is generously infused with bajra, or pearl millet, a grain that has been grown…
Kodagu coffee planters take on giant snail invasion
The monsoon rains have arrived late this year in the verdant hills of Kodagu (Coorg) in Karnataka, the coffee capital of India. For some planters, it’s a mixed blessing. A…
As cloud seeding catches on in times of climate change, more research holds the key
An aircraft poised to enter dark clouds – and spray chemicals to produce rain. Sounds magical -- that’s the image often associated with cloud seeding. In reality, it is much…
