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.
Trafficked kangaroos rescued in north Bengal en route to Indore turn the spotlight on Indian zoos
Corridors with high human activities may not ease elephant connectivity: study
Nepal, India need robust conservation policies for farmland birds outside protected areas
Spirits are low this mahua season as fear and grief take over these MP villages
The ‘mad babul’ spreads its roots, dominating Indian desert fox habitat
[Book review] A rough draft of conservation history
Two tiger reserves, two different stories of resettlement
Is a tiger reserve in Rajasthan’s Kumbhalgarh a bad idea?
As the climate crisis deepens, Indian scientists call for the conservation of caves
Golden langur threatened by lack of suitable habitat
Mahatma hill’s avian diversity shows the importance of conserving the ‘tekdis’ of Pune
From shandong to stupa: the story of conservation of wolves in Ladakh
Saving elephants from train hits near Deepor beel in Assam
Oil palm expansion in northeast India gives rise to human-elephant conflict concerns
Counting India’s wolves, one howl at a time
Elephant corridors impacted as mining expands in Jharkhand
Assam tea gardens experiment with solar for reliable power supply and cutting costs, emissions
Mahananda river survey records 190 dolphins, warns of fishing threats to Red List species
[Commentary] Tracing the leopard gecko’s story from pet trade to the lab and beyond
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
- Marine plastic pollution is not just a waste problem; reducing production is needed too
- 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
India's Iconic Landscapes
- Majuli’s shrinking wetlands and their fight for survival
- Saving India’s wild ‘unicorns’
- Indrella ampulla’s genetic tapestry unveils colour morphs isolated across the Palghat Gap
- [Commentary] Up close and personal with the fragility of the Himalayas
Beyond Protected Areas
- New rules spell giant troubles for jumbos
- Climate litigation has entered the room. But could great Indian bustards be inched out?
- The dietary habits of endangered vultures
- Waterbirds adapt to nest and roost in the urban oases of Udaipur
Conserving Agro-biodiversity
- Pricey guests: Urban invasive species cost the world billions every year
- [Commentary] GROW with agroforestry, a step towards sustainable land management
- Millet tradition loses flavour among Madhya Pradesh’s tribals
- A village nurtures traditional food systems in response to climate change
Just Transitions
- How unplanned coal mine closures in India are affecting dependent communities, especially women
- Green Credit Scheme’s ‘methodology’ doesn’t inspire confidence among experts
- Conflict over critical mineral prospecting in Odisha signals need for better community involvement
- Fuel leak in Manipur raises concerns over water contamination