
Mongabay series: Wetland Champions
Among all the ecosystems in a biologically and ecologically diverse country such as India, the wetlands are the least reported in the media space, and in turn get less discussed in the public and the policy space. Amidst this rather bleak story for wetlands, there are individuals and communities that have understood the ecological significance and the importance of the ecosystem services that wetlands provide, and have been working to conserve them. We feature these individuals and communities in our Wetland Champions series. For many thousands across the country, a wetland is more than a pretty picture. It is intrinsically linked to their very survival – it is a source of water for drinking and domestic use, for fishing and for agriculture. In many other places, this water body is where migratory birds and other wildlife thrive. And for some, it is part of a region’s environmental heritage. Through 25 features, our series goes around the country, from the coast to the mountains, from big rivers to small streams and from individual heroes to active communities.


Navi Mumbai couple fights to save a bird haven from becoming a golf course

A group of women protect Sindhudurg’s mangroves through ecotourism

Saving Darbhanga’s wetlands from encroachment and apathy

Sankar and his community dig canals to save Muthupet’s mangroves

How an engineer found his calling in conserving wetlands

A citizen’s movement to protect wetlands emerges in Jammu and Kashmir

The shepherd who digs ponds for animals

It takes a village – and an inspired leader – to protect Kutch’s unique inland mangroves
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
