The silent trade of elusive small cats in Mizoram
The commercial value of products coming from rarer wildlife species has increased because of their growing demand among the middle class across Asia. The profitability of wildlife trade is high…
Facing space and resource crunch, North East states to build new shelters for seized wildlife
India’s northeasten states are building new homes for seized exotic animals and rescued native wildlife. The states have been coping with the pressures of housing and proper upkeep of these…
[Video] Combatting wildlife crime with technology
In 2015, under Operation Shikar, the Kerala Forest Department solved one of the most sensational ivory poaching cases in India. The case highlighted an important issue in the process of…
[Commentary] Mobilising resources for biodiversity conservation in the far eastern Himalayas
One among the many critical biodiversity-rich landscapes spread across the Hindu Kush Himalaya (HKH) region, the far eastern Himalayas, is home to several species of rare, endemic, and threatened flora…
Champhai district in Mizoram is now a hotspot for wildlife trafficking in India
Early morning on May 25, a Tata Sumo ‘maxi cab’ – an SUV commonly used for long distance travel across Mizoram – was stopped at the Khankawn police check gate…
Global illegal trade and farming flourish amid tiger conservation efforts
The illegal tiger-farming business is thriving in parts of Asia. Tigers and bears can be seen pacing inside prison-like cages made of cement and corrugated steel in a new, covert…
[Explainer] Why is India a major hub for wildlife trafficking?
Wildlife trafficking, which is the illegal trade of wild animals and plants, either as dead or live specimens, or their parts, has a huge negative effect on the world’s environments,…
Trafficked kangaroos rescued in north Bengal en route to Indore turn the spotlight on Indian zoos
On April 2, there was a widespread sensation in the Dooars region of West Bengal over the sighting of kangaroos in different parts of the area. Initially, a team from…
[Interview] Priyan Perera: Shining a light on the little-studied Indian pangolins in Sri Lanka
Sri Lanka's small population of Indian pangolins in the wild have faced a single consistent threat for decades: the domestic meat market. While some believe pangolin parts have medicinal properties…
Sri Lanka growing as smuggling hub for star tortoises mainly collected in India
In a secretly recorded video, a man is heard confidently saying, “I have 560 pieces of live tortoises of size 5-12 centimetres [2-5 inches] and the tortoises can be sent…
Smugglers using government amnesty scheme as a new tool for exotic wildlife trade
With a complete ban on wildlife trade of Indian species, there has been a surge in demand in India, for exotic species from different parts of the world, noted the…
Rare ornamental fish from Assam on the brink of extinction
It's late May and it has been raining continuously since the last three days. The beels and ponds of Orang National Park in Assam are filling up again. Monsoon is…
Exotic animal trade carries risks of disease outbreak and introduction of invasive species
On March 16 this year, around ten days before Assam went to polls, routine checks were on at the checkpoint in Ghiladhari in Golaghat district of the eastern state. When…
Excess Baggage: How wildlife is trafficked by air in and out of India
The global illegal trade in wildlife is worth upto US$ 19 billion annually, and is the fourth largest illicit market after drugs, counterfeit, and human trafficking. On June 21, 2020,…
Lockdown slows wildlife forensics
As India cautiously emerges from an extended lockdown put in place to curb the spread of the novel coronavirus disease (COVID-19), wildlife forensic scientists have flagged concerns over the delay…
A tale of non-existent jackal horns and their online sales
'Jackal horn', locally referred to as siyar singhi, gidar singhi or nari kombu, is considered a lucky charm by some and is used in black magic and astrology. While there…
[Commentary] Crackdown on wet markets and illegal wildlife trade could prevent the next pandemic
Leaving his stall at the Golbazar Maharajganj Fish Market in Agartala, the vendor headed out toward another shop, a hovel really, tucked between the market’s boundary wall and a stack…
COVID-19 may be the watershed to spur action on wildlife trafficking
The World Health Organization has categorised the novel coronavirus disease (COVID-19) as a pandemic in light of its spread around the world. Ever since the first cases emerged in the…
Bringing freshwater turtles out of their shells and into the spotlight
For believers of Vastu Shastra and Feng Shui, the kachua (turtles or tortoises) attracts good fortune. Decorative items, rings and pendants depicting these creatures are common talismans and some homes…
Editor’s pick 2019: Elections, climate change and extreme weather events
The national elections dominated the happenings of 2019. So did a string of floods, drought and cyclones. In our second year of publication, we at Mongabay-India extensively covered how environmental…
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
- Adivasis of Kerala’s Attappadi hills revive millet cultivation to preserve a fading tradition
- [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
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
