
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.


Climate change and catfight in the Himalayas: tigers, leopards venture into snow leopard land

Mapping connectivity and human-elephant conflict in Karnataka

Despite efforts and funds, human-wildlife conflict in Uttarakhand is not contained

Farmers in Kaziranga demand timely, sufficient compensation for the crop raids by wildlife

[Commentary] A safe passage for the jumbos to the islands on the Brahmaputra

[Commentary] A story of two mothers from a human-elephant conflict zone in Assam

Assam loco pilots on the need for effective communication to prevent elephant-rail collision

[Podcast] Imprints: Digging up bones with Advait Jukar

Helping wildlife navigate road and railway infrastructure

What’s for lunch? Elephants are picky eaters finds study in northern West Bengal

[Interview] Forests in the sky: ATREE scientist Soubadra Devy on studying tree canopies in India

India garners international support to save two endangered freshwater turtles

Grazing and invasive species impact food availability for wild herbivores in MM Hills, finds study

Uttar Pradesh reports an increase in rhino population since reintroduction over three decades ago

Adivasi honey harvesters demand forest control and criticise ‘unfriendly’ conservation measures

A newly described cave bat in Sri Lanka indicates presence of more species

Concern over translocation of tigers in Maharashtra, as conditions in new areas ‘unfavourable’

Top invasive species are blooming in India despite climate change

Rajasthan is getting wetter and it’s not good news for the desert ecology
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
- Brahmapuram fumes over waste
- Transgender activists highlight the impacts of climate change and environmental issues on the community
- Stubble burning is back, smothering north India with concerns for the upcoming winter
- Humans are contaminating Earth’s waterways with medicines, pharmaceutical ingredients

Almost Famous Species
- India garners international support to save two endangered freshwater turtles
- What protecting the slender loris could mean for forest communities in Tamil Nadu
- [Video] Hangul, the shy Kashmiri deer, is facing the threat of extinction as its habitat shrinks
- Identifying individual mugger crocodiles using drone technology to minimise conflicts

India's Iconic Landscapes
- Ain’t no mountain high enough: alien invasive plants increasing in higher elevations
- Unplanned, faulty buildings tremble under weather events in the fragile Himalayan regions
- Nourishing soils of Kashmir’s karewas crumble under infrastructure
- Shielding hijol, a floodplain tree, from climate impacts

Beyond Protected Areas
- Habitat preservation in the Western Ghats can help enhance biodiversity in the hotspot
- Climate change and catfight in the Himalayas: tigers, leopards venture into snow leopard land
- Mapping connectivity and human-elephant conflict in Karnataka
- Despite efforts and funds, human-wildlife conflict in Uttarakhand is not contained

Conserving Agro-biodiversity
- Thirunelly’s seed festival celebrates traditional climate-resilient seeds and farm produce
- [Explainer] Why is 2023 the International Year of Millets? What do we achieve by celebrating such years?
- Nations adopt Global Biodiversity Framework amid concerns over watered-down targets
- [Commentary] A renewed CGIAR can better support South Asia to determine its food future

Just Transitions
- Incentives to boost demand, increase in e-buses in Tamil Nadu’s latest EV policy
- Electricity transition in India’s renewable-rich states needs to accelerate, says study
- [Interview] Ajay Kumar Rastogi on leading India’s first just transition task force
- Helping wildlife navigate road and railway infrastructure
