Ghosts of the gulf: Marine debris a threat to corals in the Gulf of Mannar
Dive into the clear, shallow waters of the Gulf of Mannar and you'd be met with more than a hundred species of corals. Among these vivid corals of varying shapes…
Cyclones brought relief to migratory birds in parched Tamil Nadu but more action is needed
Cyclones Nivar and Burevi brought relief to migratory birds after a two-year lull post-cyclone Gaja in the southern Indian state of Tamil Nadu, which was finally able to clock a…
Oh My Gaur! Living alongside the Indian bison that’s moving out of forests
It’s not uncommon in India to see cattle grazing in farms and backyards, ruminating by the road, or even causing a minor inconvenience to vehicles. Replace cattle with herds of…
[Commentary] The disappearing grasslands of southern Tamil Nadu
The earliest record of grass and scrub jungle in south Tamil Nadu comes from the Sangam literature which termed them as Mullai and the drier parts as Paalai lands. In…
Though Cyclone Nivar had a soft landing, floods hit coastal districts
Sathyaseelan, 40, and his family live on the edge of Tamil Nadu’s Ekkiar Kuppam, a fishing village. Cyclone Nivar made landfall at 11.30 pm on November 25 near Marakkanam, barely…
[Commentary] Life of chow: a lockdown story
As COVID-19 surged in the sweltering plains, Ooty, the headquarters of the Nilgiris district, had a safe summer. Infection numbers and rates were under control. Locked-down at my parents in…
The Todas may have moved up the Nilgiris 3500 years ago: study
Climate change in peninsular India may have pushed a pastoralist community, most likely the Todas, and their buffalo herds, to the highest elevations of the Nilgiris in the Western Ghats,…
Concerns over Sillahalla hydroelectric project coming up in the ecosensitive Nilgiris
The mountainous Nilgiris district in Tamil Nadu is now witnessing an ecosystem collapse mainly due to extreme weather events. Floods that are happening almost every year are causing major landslides…
Discarded single-use plastic masks and gloves are choking ocean beds
On September 16, when Subhash Chandran, a scuba diver, along with four others, went for their first underwater clean-up post the lockdown at Rushikonda beach in Visakhapatnam, they found floating…
Sankar and his community dig canals to save Muthupet’s mangroves
Sankar grew up listening to stories of rain. For in Muthupet, where the 54-year-old’s family has been residing for about 250 years, it was the rainfall which nourished an extensive…
Nilgiris district collector says, environment before development
When it comes to taking crucial decisions, J. Innocent Divya, an administrative officer of the mountainous Nilgiris district in the southern Indian state of Tamil Nadu, goes by the mantra…
[Commentary] Of ants and antelopes – the ecological history of Chennai was not what one would imagine
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…
Splintered habitats may imperil egg-carrying butterflies
When Ph.D. student Vaishali Bhaumik cut open specimens of emigrant butterflies as part of her research, she noticed that the abdomen of the female dispersing butterflies were chock full of…
Tamil Nadu probes mysterious elephant deaths
A 15-year-old female elephant was found lying sick four kilometers inside the forests in Boluvampatti range in the Coimbatore forest division in Tamil Nadu on August 8. It's tough skin…
Cyclones made coral recovery quicker in Gulf of Mannar this year
Cyclonic disturbances between April and May in the Bay of Bengal caused massive destruction in West Bengal and Bangladesh in the form of Amphan in May this year. However, they…
Chennai’s Adyar river shows signs of recovery after years of government investment
The long suffering residents of Chennai have been living with two dead rivers, the Adyar and the Cooum, flowing through the heart of their city. These two rivers meander sluggishly…
With boiler blast, the Neyveli power station becomes a fiery grave
On July 1, what should have been a routine maintenance check in Unit 5 of the Thermal Power Station- 2 (TPS-2) of the NLC India Limited (NLCIL), formerly the Neyveli…
How carbon cycles in Pichavaram mangroves
The Pichavaram mangroves in the southern Indian state of Tamil Nadu, that had helped lessen the devastating impacts of the 2004 Asian tsunami in the region, capture and hold a…
Conserving the Toda buffalo before it is too late
Polker Kuttan, a 72-year-old Toda tribal from the Nilgiris, is like a local weather expert - he can predict the onset or delay of the seasonal rains and even the…
[Commentary] Pastoral communities of Tamil Nadu in peril
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…
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
- From abundance to endangerment to revival, Kachchh’s guggal comes a full circle
- [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
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
- Megaherbivores could be a potential solution to manage invasive plants, finds study
- 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
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?
