Pythons return home, slowly but surely, finds a new study
A recent telemetry study on 14 Indian rock pythons (Python molurus) in two South Indian tiger reserves has shed light on various aspects about the species, adding to the knowledge,…
No magic bullets to deal with snakebites
Ganesh V.S. from Chowdikatte, a village in Karnataka’s Mysuru district, had lost his wife to renal failure, a little over a year after she was bitten by a snake. In…
Study busts myths around king cobra venom
King cobra venom is less complex in its composition than the spectacled cobra venom, potentially due to the strict snakes-only diet the king cobra follows, finds a new study. The…
Venomous snakebites, an occupational hazard for women tea workers
Pahi Bhumij shudders to recall that day, and says she is grateful to have escaped death. On May 5, as part of her routine, Bhumij went to work in a…
The endangered gharial’s conservation crisis highlighted after death of a male in Nepal
On June 26, in Nepal's Chitwan National Park, a male gharial, one of the world's most endangered crocodilians, was found dead. A fishing net was found wrapped around the animal's…
With a Russell’s viper and snakebite resurgence, Bangladesh looks to developing antivenom
One of the most venomous snakes in the Indian subcontinent is steadily increasing in population across Bangladesh. This begs the question about the country’s readiness to deal with venomous snakes…
Call to save rare snake habitat follows red coral kukri sightings in Bangladesh
In January, in Bangladesh's northern district of Panchagarh, as a landlord was getting a bamboo bush cleared with an excavator to make space for a pond, two orange snakes came…
Why the dancing frog may no longer be able to shake a leg
If you peer carefully at rocks in perennial streams in the Western Ghats in Karnataka, you might see a tiny frog tapping its feet and kicking its hind legs in…
Evolutionary lineages of the banded krait discovered through molecular methods
A recent study finds that the highly venomous banded krait (Bungarus fasciatus) is likely to be an assemblage of different species across Asia. In recent years, genetic analysis methods have…
The elusive and endangered Sikkim grass lizard makes a rare appearance in Nepal
In 2020, zoologist Bivek Gautam and members of his team were exploring the forests of eastern Nepal on an expedition to look for the Himalayan salamander (Tylototriton himalayanus). That's when…
The container terminal that could sink the Great Nicobar Island
The government of India is going all guns blazing on the “holistic development” of the Great Nicobar Island with a multi-component mega project. An international container trans-shipment terminal, a military-civil…
New gharial hatchlings in Nepal a hopeful sign for the critically endangered reptile
On June 15, after 16 long years, villagers from Nepal's Bardiya National Park region have discovered a successful nesting and breeding site of gharial crocodiles in the park. On the…
[Commentary] Tracing the leopard gecko’s story from pet trade to the lab and beyond
The term 'gecko' might lead one to picture the drab brownish lizards ambling on the walls in homes, occasionally sticking out a tongue to grab insects and then disappearing into…
Snakes in Bengaluru city
“Sun’s out, snakes out!” exclaimed Shuayb Ahmed, and Yatin Kalki as they jumped to action. Ahmed, an independent snake rescuer, had received a frantic call from a woman who spotted…
Scientists describe a new Himalayan snake species found via Instagram
Researchers have found a snake species new to science in the Himalayas — on Instagram! During the COVID-19 lockdowns, Virender Bhardwaj, a master’s student at Guru Nanak Dev University, Amritsar, explored…
Jackie Chan, Balerion and Smaug inspire names of gecko species described from Western Ghats
Researchers recently described 12 new gecko species from the Western Ghats, 10 of which are endemic and found nowhere else in the world. Some of them got quirky names, after…
Tracking Russell’s vipers in rural Karnataka unravels their behaviour
Native to the Indian subcontinent, Russell’s vipers are highly venomous snakes and the major cause of mortalities and permanent disabilities each year in South Asia. Now, a new study, which…
What’s dangerous about these cute turtles which are popular pets in India?
Around three months ago, Adithyan D. Thambi, a sixth standard student from Kalathode in central Kerala's Thrissur town, chanced upon a turtle while fishing in a local canal. As soon…
[Video] A mugger crocodile on shared space, fear and future
As the light fades over the village in the winter evening, the residents of Charotar return home after a day’s work. They’re careful with their routes. It’s almost the end…
Newly described chameleon from Madagascar may be world’s smallest reptile
German herpetologist Frank Glaw has helped describe over 200 new species from Madagascar. But the most recent one is special: Brookesia nana is a chameleon that may be the smallest reptile…
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
- [Commentary] Neglecting household biomedical waste management can lead to adverse environmental effects
- No magic bullets to deal with snakebites
- Six years on, cyclone Ockhi survivors battle lingering mental health impacts
- Gig workers in India are exposed to highly polluted air and carcinogens, finds preliminary study
Almost Famous Species
- Genetic insights of the Kempholey night frog offer better conservation strategies
- Saving India’s only ape, the hoolock gibbon
- [Interview] “Favourable conditions and diet important for ex-situ conservation of wild cats”
- A 100 camera traps to monitor rusty-spotted cats in Keoladeo National Park
Eco Hope
- How the loss of a natural dye-producing plant initiated the idea of a village sanctuary
- 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
India's Iconic Landscapes
- [Commentary] Up close and personal with the fragility of the Himalayas
- 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
Beyond Protected Areas
- Pythons return home, slowly but surely, finds a new study
- Grassland loss threatens endemic birds in Arunachal sanctuary
- Genetic insights of the Kempholey night frog offer better conservation strategies
- Loss of forest cover in Kashmir is pitting a protected animal against the world’s costliest spice
Conserving Agro-biodiversity
- [Commentary] Erratic weather, altered social dynamics disrupt mahua economy in eastern India
- Horseshoe crab decline sparks urgent conservation plea
- Production of rugra, a nutritious mushroom found in Jharkhand, impacted by weather changes
- [Commentary] Soil degradation in India spells doom for millions
Just Transitions
- [Video] Rooftop solar, an emerging solution to Bihar’s land shortage that’s stalling renewable progress
- India needs to face challenge of funding thermal power plant closure, says new report
- With no primary data on impacts, government approves an oil extraction technique 500 m outside forests
- Climate action not on track to meet Paris Agreement goals, says Global Stocktake report
