Mangar, on the outskirts of New Delhi, looks to its past to protect its future
On the outskirts of a bustling New Delhi, the quiet village of Mangar in Haryana has long held a secret in its caves: ancient paintings. Growing up grazing livestock in…
Study examines wildlife-friendly land use for conservation beyond Nagarahole and Bandipur national parks
One of the key targets of the first draft of the Global Biodiversity Framework published recently is to conserve at least 30% of global land and sea areas as protected…
Maharashtra’s first endemic tree rediscovered after 180 years at Harishchandragad hill
While working on a project to document Maharashtra’s endemic species, researchers from the Naoroji Godrej Centre for Plant Research (NGCPR) came across a unique tree that they had never seen…
Blue whale songs recorded off Lakshadweep coast
One hot 2019 afternoon in Lakshadweep, as marine mammal scientist Divya Panicker sat engrossed in listening to recordings retrieved from underwater sound recorders, she came across low blue whale moans,…
All three tiger reserves of Chhattisgarh now in Maoist territory
The threat of Maoist conflict is now looming in Chhattisgarh's Achanakmar Tiger Reserve. The central government recently included Mungeli district, where the tiger reserve is located, in the list of…
Incentivising landowners around Pench to engage in agroforestry for conservation
The United Nations declared the decade of 2021-2030 as the Decade on Ecosystem Restoration. The UN Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD) recently released the first draft of a new framework…
Impact of armed conflicts on wildlife underestimated: study
The impacts of armed conflicts on wildlife globally are underestimated, according to recent research which calls for urgent attention to conflict resiliency in conservation plans for a wide suite of…
Longest dispersal of a female tiger recorded in Central India
Wildlife biologists have reported the longest dispersal and subsequent home establishment of an 18-month-old female tiger 99-kilometres away from her home site at Panna Tiger Reserve in Madhya Pradesh. The…
In rare behaviour, male tiger cares for cubs after mother’s death
Early on June 6 morning, near a village in Panna Tiger Reserve (PTR) in Madhya Pradesh, a male tiger killed a cow. For the entire day the tiger remained in…
Reviving the critically endangered gharials in Odisha
On May 22, a forest protection team of Satkosia wildlife division was on its usual patrol duty when they spotted a nest of a female gharial with 28 hatchlings on…
[Commentary] Conserving marine ecosystems through the Wild Life Protection Act is not very effective
India is a mega-biodiverse nation. It is home to 7-8% of the recorded species of the world. Its marine ecosystems are equally biodiverse: of the 32 animal phyla known to…
A new tiger reserve holds hope for revival of Vaigai river in Madurai
River Vaigai, seminal to Tamil literature, culture, and civilization, is now almost a dead river in Madurai, a city where it has been the lifeline since the ancient Sangam era.…
Van Gujjars: People of the forest or nowhere?
In Uttarakhand, there is a strong drive to displace the nomadic pastoral tribe of Van Gujjars in order to protect wildlife. ‘Van’ means forest. It was an identity conceived by…
The risks of tree plantation in grassland and non-forest areas
A tree-planting frenzy has taken over many countries to counter climate change. In July 2019, Ethiopia announced that they planted more than 350 million trees in one day. A month…
[Interview] Bittu Sahgal: “Young people want to protect the environment, but don’t have their hands on the wheel”
Institutionalised conservation efforts in India started with the enactment of the Wildlife Protection Act in 1972 and the launch of the Project Tiger - to conserve the apex predator and…
Forest department identifies wildlife corridors in Chhattisgarh for conservation
A strategic plan for conservation, monitoring and management of wildlife corridors has been prepared by the Chhattisgarh forest department. As part of this exercise under the CAMPA (Compensatory Afforestation Fund…
Proposed infrastructure through Goa’s protected areas red-flagged by SC-appointed panel
On April 23, the Central Empowered Committee (CEC), a fact-finding body appointed by the Supreme Court of India to research on matters related to the environment, in response to a…
Elusive white-bellied heron spotted in the high Himalayas
The rare and threatened white-bellied heron (Ardea insignis) has been spotted for the first time in a high-altitude area in India, sparking hope for potential conservation habitats. Marked as Critically…
Gharial nesting threatened by woody vegetation on riverbanks
A new study from Katerniaghat Wildlife Sanctuary near the Indo-Nepal border found that reduced flow in the Girwa River has adversely impacted gharial nesting by promoting the growth of vegetation…
Controversial uranium mining project shelved in Telangana
Between protecting the interests of the tigers and Chenchu tribals, and pursuing uranium mining in Telangana state, the former has won for now. The Atomic Minerals Directorate for Exploration and…
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
- Lower species richness in deforested landscapes tied to high Kyasanur forest disease risk: study
- Soils from city parks are important hotspots of microbial diversity: study
- India’s dietary guidelines have a relatively lower carbon footprint: study
- [Commentary] Will the COVID-19 second wave buck the trend for the Indian middle class?
Almost Famous Species
- The neelakurinji bloom is wilting with time
- Misfired shot: Law to protect camel is contributing to its decline in Rajasthan
- [Commentary] Bactrian camels in Nubra Valley provide lessons for conservation of animal genetic resource
- 148 zebra loaches exported per day from Western Ghats to feed global pet trade
Eco Hope
- Keeping alive a mangrove conservationist’s legacy to protect Kerala coast
- [Interview] The glass ceiling has been shattered, says ZSI’s first woman director
- Kerala’s homegardens are a natural solution for climate change mitigation
- Microbial boost to Himalayan dry toilets can help mainstream organic farming
India's Iconic Landscapes
- Snug in Kashmir’s meadows, ox-eye daisy worries scientists
- Assam to destroy nearly 2500 seized rhino horns in anti-poaching message
- Rethinking tourism could save Udaipur from its pressures
- [Commentary] India establishes the largest network of Ramsar Sites in South Asia
Beyond Protected Areas
- Excess paddy kept for elephants in Chhattisgarh may not have the intended impact
- Will Odisha notify 14 proposed elephant corridors?
- Hope in sight for the ambassador of Chilika lake, the elusive fishing cat
- Lower species richness in deforested landscapes tied to high Kyasanur forest disease risk: study
Conserving Agro-biodiversity
- Sweet pineapples and a variety of trees nurture each other in this patchwork plantation
- How climate change is taking a toll on livelihoods of small-scale fishers in Kerala
- Plant Man Miguel Braganza on how Konkan Fruit Fest preserves food biodiversity
- Building up carbon sinks in northeast India’s shifting cultivation landscape
