The neelakurinji bloom is wilting with time
After two consecutive years of incessant rains, floods and landslides in the month of August, the smallest district in Karnataka, Kodagu, was in for a surprise this year. The famous…
Mongabay series: Almost Famous Species
Our Almost Famous Species series is a take off from Mongabay.com's Almost Famous Animals series, both created "in the hope that familiarity will help generate concern and action for these under-appreciated species". Through the series, we'd like to introduce to you India's gamut of invertebrates, birds and marine flora and fauna, which perhaps don't get as much attention as our more popular big cats and elephants.
Misfired shot: Law to protect camel is contributing to its decline in Rajasthan
Camels were once a prized possession for breeders in Rajasthan. Madhavram Raika, a breeder from Pali district, said that his father owned 150 camels. Of these, both young and adult…
[Commentary] Bactrian camels in Nubra Valley provide lessons for conservation of animal genetic resource
They have peaky humps, soulful eyes under long lashes, and stoically wait for things to come: rows of couched and saddled Bactrian camels lined up at the edge of a…
148 zebra loaches exported per day from Western Ghats to feed global pet trade
Zebra loach a popular aquarium species is being “unsustainably fished” out of Western Ghats’ waters to grace fish tanks across the world, says a new study underscoring the execution of…
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…
Common, yet threatened: The case of northeast India’s Malayan giant squirrels
It was a hot summer morning and Samrat Sengupta, a masters’ student of science at the Guwahati University, was watching birds through his binoculars in a reserve forest in north-eastern…
Newly described scorpion species from Western Ghats highlight need for more research and conservation
Since March 2020, scientists from the Institute of Natural History Education and Research (INHER), Pune have described seven new species of scorpions from the Western Ghats – six from the…
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…
New marine flatworm from rare group discovered from the coral atolls of Lakshadweep
A new species of marine flatworm has been discovered from the coral atolls of the Lakshadweep archipelago located in the Arabian Sea off the west coast of southern India in…
No honey, no hives, but solitary bees have important lives
One morning in April 2020, early in the lockdown during the COVID-19 pandemic, I leaned over the terrace parapet of my home in Bengaluru, scanning the spreading branches of a…
Almost Famous species: the wild side of 2020 from forest to backyard
Stretching from the Nicobar Islands very close to the equator to the Western Himalaya in the north, India covers about 30 degrees of latitude, with a long coastline on its…
New tree-spider crab species with purple patches described from Kerala’s mangroves
In a serendipitous discovery, researchers have described a tiny, cryptic species of tree-spider crab found climbing the mangrove trees of Kasargod district in the southern state of Kerala. Covered in…
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…
Gharials bounce back in Punjab but the real test is breeding
Over half a century after they were considered extinct in Punjab, the critically endangered long-snouted gharials have bounced back to life in the northern state, thanks to a reintroduction programme,…
Life and struggles of the sloth bear in human-dominated areas
Sloth bears are the world's only bears built to eat ants. They love their occasional meat tidbits of course but thrive mostly on ants, insects, fruits and wild berries. Their…
Lesser florican on verge of extinction in Madhya Pradesh, a ray of hope in Rajasthan
Described as "elegantly comical" by the late ornithologist Ravi Sankaran, the lesser florican, a bird of open grasslands, has been consistently dwindling in numbers in Madhya Pradesh, with farmers switching…
Mysterious new bioluminescent mushroom glows in the forests of Meghalaya
During the monsoon season, a team of scientists from India and China embarked on a fungal foray in Assam. Over the course of two weeks, they were amazed by the…
Saving the world’s largest mountain goat in Jammu and Kashmir
Once thought to be extinct in India, the markhor (Capra falconeri) – the world’s largest mountain goat – was found at two sites in Jammu and Kashmir after the Wildlife…
Architectural secrets of termite mounds
Of the insect world’s many architects, the termites are undoubtedly the reigning monarchs. The earthen mounds that these tiny insects construct out of soil, water and their own saliva, are…
[Commentary] Tilapia: How an invasive fish came to dominate our ecology, food and psyche
Karmali (also called Carambolim) is among Goa's most picturesque railway stations, perched on the banks of the lake with the same name. The lake has long been known for the…
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
