Madhya Pradesh seeks GI tag for the fruit of the endangered baobab in Mandu
Mandu, in Dhar district of Madhya Pradesh, is perhaps the only place in India where baobab trees are found in abundance, with an estimated 1,000 trees in the periphery of…
endangered
Climate change threatens the habitat of the endangered white-winged wood duck, finds study
Alarm bells ring for the white-winged wood duck (WWWD). Declared the state bird of Assam in 2003, the on-ground conservation situation of the bird has not improved in recent years.…
Gangetic river dolphins in Assam decline in the wake of anthropogenic pressures
Local folklore of the Mising people (an indigenous community) has facilitated a reverence for rivers and their wild inhabitants over the centuries. The story features a Mising woman named Yakashi,…
[Commentary] The shrinking habitats of blackbucks in Chennai
In April 2022, news organisations in Tamil Nadu reported a sudden decline in the blackbuck population within the Raj Bhavan campus in Chennai – a staggering 20 deaths in five…
Nepal, India need robust conservation policies for farmland birds outside protected areas
When Nepali ornithologist Hem Bahadur Katwal reviewed the existing literature to prepare a proposal for his Ph.D., he came across a subject barely explored, not just in Nepal, but in…
Impact of armed conflicts on wildlife underestimated: study
The impacts of armed conflicts on wildlife globally are underestimated, according to recent research which calls for urgent attention to conflict resiliency in conservation plans for a wide suite of…
In rare behaviour, male tiger cares for cubs after mother’s death
Early on June 6 morning, near a village in Panna Tiger Reserve (PTR) in Madhya Pradesh, a male tiger killed a cow. For the entire day the tiger remained in…
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…
Wild buffalo, Chhattisgarh’s state animal, is on the verge of extinction
The state animal of Chhattisgarh, the wild water buffalo (Bubalus arnee) is in danger. Despite all the efforts by the government, the population of wild buffalo is not increasing in…
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…
Latest draft notification is another step in the ongoing journey to protect the Western Ghats
After being criticised by the National Green Tribunal (NGT) for failing to finalise the ecologically sensitive area (ESA) in the Western Ghats region, the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate…
India’s policy flip flop on the lion and cheetah
It is a tale of two large carnivores. While authorities have dragged their feet over finding another home for the lion to ensure its survival in case of unseen dangers,…
Modern day Noah’s Ark: Banking genes of wild animals for conservation
Armed with innovative genetic tools and techniques, conservation biologists and veterinarians in India are banking away genetic resources of wild animal species, especially those that are at risk of being…
Killer skin fungus mapped in all frog hotspots in India
Something wicked this way comes for amphibians in India? The chytrid fungus, which has spelt doom for amphibian populations across the globe, has been detected in frogs across all major…
Shifting antibiotic resistance patterns noted in wintering Egyptian vultures in Rajasthan
Hundreds of Egyptian vultures — an endangered scavenger — flock to India in October where they spend the winter voraciously feasting on the plentiful supply of livestock carcasses at a…
Chilika Lake emerges as single largest habitat of Irrawaddy dolphins in the world
The Chilika Lake in Odisha has emerged as the “single largest habitat of Irrawaddy dolphins in the world”, following a fresh monitoring survey that pegs the number of individuals of…
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
- 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
- [Interview] Scientist Ruth DeFries on deforestation: There isn’t one driver, there’s a different context in different places
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
- 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
- India following a global trend of forsaking environment protection for “national security,” paper says
Conserving Agro-biodiversity
- [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
- [Commentary] Soil degradation in India spells doom for millions
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
