The most common of Indian butterflies are becoming uncommon these days. Mega species like tigers and elephants get a little attention but insects are regarded more like pests or mere things of beauty that have no bigger roles to play. But experts say it is this loss of interest in saving small sized species like butterflies that is most fearsome because with the disappearance of these fluttered friends, plants too will lose their pollinators and fail to bloom, bear fruit or provide food for the planet.
Road Trip to Save Tigers
How far will you go to save the tigers of India? Few avid conservationists have answered the question literally, by planning to go on a 6,500 km road trip panning India and spreading the word about conservation and protection of the national animal.
Dancing Deers Losing Ground
The dancing deers of Manipur are so named because of the ease with which they use two legs to manoeuvre the swamps of their habitat – a one-of-its-kind floating biomass vegetation on the Loktak lake. But experts warn that the remaining members of this critically endangered species may soon drown as the biomass that floats on the water is vanishing fast.
Researchers Find 341 Species of Birds in Kerala
A first time ever dedicated ornithological survey carried out for a year in the Malabar coast of the country by forest department of Kerala has found that there are 341 species of birds in the region with many endemic to the area.
Urban Jungle No Place for Animals
Ten days ago tragedy struck the world of exotic pets in a bitter way. In Ohio, USA a deranged man left the gates open of his private zoo, freeing all his collection animals after which he committed suicide. The fate of these animals including tigers, lions and wolves, was doomed as soon as the gates […]
Why Owls of India do not like Diwali
For Hindus, this time of the year is the most awaited and most auspicious period in the annual calendar. While many get ready to be part of the celebrations with two major festivals of Dussehra and Diwali coming one after the other, there are also a few who wish to seek the blessings of the Goddess of Wealth, Lakshmi through whatever ways and means. Even today, therefore the goddesses’ traditional mount, the owl, is sacrificed by blinded individuals to ensure prosperity in their lives but forever doom the life of a harmless bird.
Young Endangered Ghariyals set to be released into the Wild
The ghariyal rehabilitation centre at Kukrail in Uttar Pradesh is that rare glimmer of hope for a conservationist that assures that all is not wrong with conservation in India. 90 percent of the centre’s ghariyal hatchlings born in June have survived and those that were bred two years ago are now ready to be released into the wild.
Fish in a Tank…None in the River
The Roseline Shark (Puntius Denisonii) has become a popular aquarium fish adorning homes, hotels and malls. But unknown to the hundreds who watch the beauty of this fish in a tank, the species is actually victim of the aquarium trade and economic development that is harming the fish as well as its freshwater habitat.
Karnataka May Get India’s First Leopard Safari
Bannerghatta Biological Park (BBP) near Bangalore in Karnataka may soon be known for its leopards as plans are being finalised to turn the park into a leopard safari.
Western Ghat Aquatic Species plunging towards Extinction Warns IUCN
There is a new fear that has gripped biologists in recent times owing to a number of studies and research done on marine species around the world. The fear is that over fishing is killing many small and big fishes in masses, pushing them towards extinction at a very fast pace. The threat is now being felt closer home in India, as an IUCN study reveals that aquatic freshwater species in the western ghats are showing ‘tendencies of extinction’.
Bear Cub Saved from a Dancing Fate
There was a time in India when the streets were abuzz with animal performers especially those who could make the bears dance. With time the practice of torturing animals in the name of entertainment was abolished especially after bear dancing was made illegal by the government of India. But despite the ban in place for more than two decades, another case of illegal sloth bear capturing came into light when officials nabbed two suspects from Jharkhand with a nine month old bear cub.