Mongabay series: Beyond Protected Areas
Protected areas only cover about 5.02 percent of India’s total area. Consequently, a large percentage of India’s wildlife live outside protected boundaries. This gives rise to situations spanning between coexistence and conflict, which requires acknowledgement and awareness. With just five percent of India’s total forest cover officially protected, sharing habitat with humans is the reality for much of India’s diverse wildlife. In western Maharashtra, for example, every 100 square kilometers of land is home to 10 large carnivores (leopards and hyenas) -- and more than 30,000 people. In India, a protected area (PA) is defined as a zone “in which human occupation or at least the exploitation of resources is limited.” These PAs include national parks, wildlife sanctuaries, conservation reserves, community reserves and marine protected areas. In this series, Beyond Protected Areas, Mongabay-India will be addressing the urgent need to raise awareness of practices which make the land surrounding official protected areas more supportive of wildlife. One of the main threats to biodiversity outside protected areas is widespread infrastructure development, including linear incursions like roads and railways. The resultant habitat fragmentation splits up wildlife populations, causing an overall reduction in genetic diversity, which in turn decreases the resilience of species to pressures such as climate change and diseases. In this context, large carnivores prey upon livestock, while herbivores such as elephants, nilgai and wild boar damage crops. Human-wildlife conflict seems inevitable, but there are novel solutions that have come to light from across the country. We explore biodiversity and communities along the spectrum between conflict and coexistence, from across the country.
[Interview] Richie Mehta on addressing the elephant in the room in ‘Poacher’
Scientists leap beyond Latin to give local flair to species names
Deaths in human-animal conflict in Wayanad spark protests and debates
Idu Mishmi protect ancestral land through community conservation
An invasive plant is threatening sloth bear habitats and could increase conflict
Gharial conservation should extend to unprotected rivers
A village protects a flock, round the clock
Insufficient data hinders otter conservation in northeast India
With more than 700 snow leopards, next step in conservation is long term monitoring, say experts
Silence of the wolves: How human landscapes alter howling behaviour
More wild water buffaloes in central India to fix population decline and ecological degradation
Himalayan wolf listed as ‘vulnerable’ in IUCN, prompts concerted conservation efforts
Indrella ampulla’s genetic tapestry unveils colour morphs isolated across the Palghat Gap
While Banni readies for cheetah, native pastoralists demand land rights
Restaurants fuelling demand for shark meat in India, finds study
India one of the nine countries to sign global pact to protect endangered river dolphins
Gujarat bans exotic Conocarpus tree amid health and environment hazard
Controlling the population of animals in conflict
[Commentary] The future of Delhi’s green spaces
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
- Stitching sustainability amidst climate change challenges
- Gujarat bans exotic Conocarpus tree amid health and environment hazard
- Malaria-carrying mosquitoes shift homes from forests to rice fields
- [Commentary] Neglecting household biomedical waste management can lead to adverse environmental effects
India's Iconic Landscapes
- Indrella ampulla’s genetic tapestry unveils colour morphs isolated across the Palghat Gap
- [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
Beyond Protected Areas
- Rehabilitating trafficked star tortoises using genetic intelligence
- [Interview] Richie Mehta on addressing the elephant in the room in ‘Poacher’
- Scientists leap beyond Latin to give local flair to species names
- Deaths in human-animal conflict in Wayanad spark protests and debates
Conserving Agro-biodiversity
- Millet tradition loses flavour among Madhya Pradesh’s tribals
- A village nurtures traditional food systems in response to climate change
- Rising air pollution impacts India’s crop yields and food security
- Konkan Railways impacted agricultural lands more than forest cover, finds study
Just Transitions
- Conflict over critical mineral prospecting in Odisha signals need for better community involvement
- Fuel leak in Manipur raises concerns over water contamination
- Has solar energy been deployed to the point of no return? Some researchers think so
- [Video] Rooftop solar, an emerging solution to Bihar’s land shortage that’s stalling renewable progress