[Video] Bihar’s makhana and the wetlands they grow in
A popular snack in India, makhana, is the seed of a water lily species, Euryale ferox, found in south and east Asia. When harvested, it is actually a tough blackish…
Wetlands
Red listing the Pulicat lagoon may help protect the ecosystem, say researchers
“If the Pulicat lagoon dies, there will not be any rain in Chennai,” said architect and researcher Xavier Benedict of the Art & Architecture Research Development and Education (AARDE) Foundation,…
Fifty shades of green: The union budget’s environmental hits and misses
Union Minister of Finance Nirmala Sitharaman reiterated 'green' 23 times and 'sustainable' nine times in her budget speech on February 1. She pegged 'green growth' as one among four opportunities…
[Commentary] Decentralised waste water treatment systems to improve water security
India’s water requirement is expected to be 1.5 trillion cubic metres by 2030. The country only treats 16.8% of the total estimated sewage generated. There is a huge gap between…
[Commentary] Tamil Nadu needs an innovative wetland conservation strategy starting with Kazhuveli
Wetlands, which connect land and water are among the planet’s most productive and diverse habitats. They play a significant role in shaping our biosphere. Wetlands in the coastal state of…
Wetland conservation in MP limited by low notification of wetlands
Madhya Pradesh is celebrating its three new Ramsar Sites that were designated in 2022, but the journey for the rest of the state's wetlands, to be eligible for a Ramsar…
Saving elephants from train hits near Deepor beel in Assam
About three years ago, the silence of a quiet evening was broken for Dinesh Das as an adult male wild elephant entered the courtyard of his tin-roofed house in Rani,…
Baghjan oil blowout: Report indicates a long road to recovery and ecological restoration
Ecosystems damaged in the 2020 Baghjan oil and gas leak fire in Assam, which took over five months to douse, might take at least a decade to recover 70-80 percent…
Kochi’s disappearing mangroves lock away significant carbon
The highly fragmented 3.96 square km mangrove habitat of Kochi, an important port city flanked by the Arabian Sea on the country’s southwest tip, sequesters significant amounts of carbon, according…
Otter sighting in Andhra bird sanctuary raises excitement but also questions
The unexpected sighting of an otter in the lake waters of the Uppalapadu Bird Sanctuary, on the outskirts of Guntur in Andhra Pradesh recently, has generated excitement among birders, conservationists…
Kerala coast contains ecologically and socio-economically most vulnerable stretches
Home to ‘Venice of the East’, the coastal district of Alappuzha in the south Indian state of Kerala, and forested hills in tourist-magnets Idukki and Wayanad, are “very highly vulnerable”…
Manipur’s native fishes in troubled waters
Hailing from a fishing village in Manipur’s Loktak Lake, which has seen indigenous fish varieties flounder in recent decades, Tongbram Amarjit Singh’s dream project since his school days was to…
Community protest in the fragile Ladakh Himalayas forces motor rally to change course
A recent stir launched by wildlife enthusiasts and activists in the Ladakh Himalayas over a major motorsport rally intruding upon ecologically sensitive areas of the cold desert, including high-altitude wetlands,…
Seeking a second home for Manipur’s dancing deer
Is time running out for the 260-odd endangered sangai deer which have their only home Manipur? The sangai or the Indian Eld’s deer (Rucervus eldii eldii) resides as an isolated single…
Wetlands of Tamil Nadu soon to have protected status
Kannampalayam Lake, about 20 kilometres from Coimbatore in the south Indian state of Tamil Nadu, is tucked away in an undisturbed, rustic environment. Pelicans and cormorants are commonly found here.…
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
