When drought and extreme heat strike forests at the same time
The frequency of extreme weather events is going up around the world, and droughts and heatwaves are no exception. When the globe warms by 3-4 degrees - a possibility during…
Turtles lose to coastal projects in Gujarat and Odisha
The race was between the slow-moving turtles and the industrial projects for India’s fast developing economy – the latter won. The expert panels of the Indian government’s Ministry of Environment,…
Twists and turns in India’s first inter-state tiger relocation
India’s maiden inter-state tiger relocation, from Madhya Pradesh in central India to a tiger reserve in the eastern state of Odisha over 600 km away, has sparked a controversy with…
[Commentary] Chhattisgarh makes headway on tribal rights but more is needed
Dalsai Kunjam a Gond tribal from Junwani village in Dhamtari district of Chhattisgarh is happy that he can grow crops on his agricultural land without any fear of relocation, now…
Higher average temperatures linked to chikungunya risk in India
The risk of transmission of chikungunya in India increases with a steady spike in average temperatures in the south Asian nation, a climate-based modeling study has said. Researchers suggest the…
For communities living around forests, nature is the fundamental insurance
Communities that live around protected areas (PAs) in India have long been held responsible for a substantial percentage of forest and biodiversity degradation. And largely, most of these communities are…
Bracing against the surge: Ports need to be fortified against climate change
Ports in India need to fortify themselves from the onslaught of climate change, finds a study that forecasts changes in the shoreline along the Paradip Port in the eastern coast…
Air pollution from crop residue burning in the north spreads across India
Northern India, particularly Delhi, is notorious for its choking smog blanketing the city and nearby areas during the post-monsoon period in October-November. This is the time when farmers in the…
Bringing traditional grains back in vogue: Biofortified sorghum debuts in India
Amid concerns of rising carbon dioxide levels sapping nutrients from crops, “Parbhani Shakti”, India's first biofortified sorghum variety with enhanced zinc and iron, offers hope in tackling undernutrition and preserving…
[Commentary] The coasts need science-based policy action
The coasts are in turmoil again. It is neither storms nor monsoonal winds that are affecting the coast at present. The turbulence is because the Ministry of Environment, Forest and…
Karnataka cracks down on visitors disturbing wildlife, going on selfie sprees
In 2016, in the desert state of Rajasthan, a man had a narrow escape while he tried a selfie attempt with a python. In the same year, an Indian cricketer…
[Interview] Imagining an alternative future
Ashish Kothari, activist from Kalpavriksh in Pune, has co-edited with K.J. Joy a large and impressive tome called Alternative Futures: India Unshackled (Authors Upfront, 2017). They boldly attempt to predict…
Hatchlings out and turtles in: A second mass nesting at Rushikulya this year
The Rushikulya beach on the eastern coast of India is seeing a lot of traffic, some of which is unusually two-way. Millions of baby turtles are emerging from their sandy…
Bamboo blooms in Odisha sanctuary, but rat boom and crop damage need not be a given
Around mid-December last year (2017), dense clumps of Indian thorny bamboo (Bambusa bambos), burst into flower simultaneously across several square km of the Chandaka-Dampara Wildlife Sanctuary, close to the Odisha…
Chilika Lake emerges as single largest habitat of Irrawaddy dolphins in the world
The Chilika Lake in Odisha has emerged as the “single largest habitat of Irrawaddy dolphins in the world”, following a fresh monitoring survey that pegs the number of individuals of…
Keeping India’s tiger tapestry alive by connecting landscapes
About six years ago, a tigress was rescued from an irrigation canal in the western state of Maharashtra in India. Radio-collared by a scientific team, led by Vidya Athreya from…
The Eastern Ghats yield two new species of large geckos
It was a cold December day in Kanger Valley National Park in Chhattisgarh, India, and Zeeshan Mirza was not happy. He was on a faunal survey for the state government,…
Special series
Wetland Champions
- [Commentary] India establishes the largest network of Ramsar Sites in South Asia
- [Commentary] Wetland champions: Promise from the grassroots
- The story of Jakkur lake sets an example for inclusive rejuvenation projects
- Welcome to Tsomgo lake: Please don’t litter
Environment And Health
- Gig workers in India are exposed to highly polluted air and carcinogens, finds preliminary study
- [Explainer] Living with microplastics, is not fantastic
- Residents in Haryana point to stone crushing units for their respiratory troubles and drop in crop yield
- As heatwaves projected to worsen across India, do vulnerability assessments and heat action plans suffice?
Almost Famous Species
- [Commentary] Why are evolutionary scientists studying the crawlies?
- The silent trade of elusive small cats in Mizoram
- Researchers study the elusive dugongs of the Andamans with help from community stakeholders
- New species of parachute gecko recorded in Mizoram
Eco Hope
- Green pilgrimage model balances faith and conservation
- [Video] Restoring the perennial Thamirabarani river with people power
- [Interview] Conservation scientist Joli Rumi Borah on integrating traditional knowledge in research
- [Interview] Scientist Ruth DeFries on deforestation: There isn’t one driver, there’s a different context in different places
India's Iconic Landscapes
- Studies reveal impact of land use on species diversity in rock outcrops
- Improved tiger numbers come with hidden messages on invasives, habitat connectivity
- Gymnosperms that are critical for coniferous forest health may be steadily declining in response to climate change
- Experts call for coexistence, sustainable development as tiger population is close to saturation
Beyond Protected Areas
- Darkness-loving bats are being nudged out of the shadows
- Bioinvasions are a global threat to ecosystems, says IPBES report
- Artisanal fishers wary of coastal aquaculture regulation amendments that legalise past violations
- Tiger poaching network, that spread from west to east India, busted
Conserving Agro-biodiversity
- Excavating farmlands for highways
- Increasing carbon dioxide is making our food less nutritious
- Ecosystem-based adaptation takes nature-based, people-centric approach to agriculture
- [Commentary] How grassroots-led natural farming at the landscape scale can support communities and heal the planet
Just Transitions
- Climate action not on track to meet Paris Agreement goals, says Global Stocktake report
- [Interview] Suravee Nayak on why transformative justice for women, Dalits is key for a just transition
- Promised rehabilitation eludes residents living near one of India’s earliest coal mines
- As e-mobility gains traction, what’s in store for the friendly neighbourhood mechanic?
