PEOPLE FOR PLANET: Sikkim, has added yet another feather to its cap, this time green in colour. The second smallest and least populous state of India has emerged the foremost in green cover among the states. The forest cover has increased from 43.95 percent in 1993 to 47.34 percent in 2013; the only state to […]
Defence Ministry Says No to use of Drones in Kaziranga
CONSERVATION CONCERN: Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs) more popularly referred to as drones, are successfully being integrated for forest and wildlife surveillance across the globe. However, the apprehensions of the Indian defence ministry are proving to be a major hurdle for the induction of UAVs by the country’s forest department. Recently, the defence ministry turned down […]
A Sackful of Surprise
Having been brought up in Manas Wildlife Sanctuary in Assam, Sangeeta, a nature and wildlife enthusiast always thought that everyone who visited this World heritage site, came to witness the wild animals. That was till the day her aunt visited – a genuine non-lover of wildlife. Read Sangeeta’s hilarious account of what followed that perhaps […]
The Smart Survivors: Animals living in Urban Jungles
Urban living is different from rural living – it is a sentiment that many relate to especially those who have made the shift in their lifetime. Lesser trees -more buildings, lesser meadows -more streets, lesser farms -more factories, the urban environment is a greyer setting that people adapt to and adjust to, to survive. Now […]
Invasive Species Eating Away Forest Cover Of Andaman Islands
The tropical rainforests of Andaman Islands are facing a bizarre ecological as well as economic crisis, due to the no-hunting policy of the Indian Government. Invasive species such as deer and elephants are fast eating into the pristine forest cover of these islands as there are no natural predators to keep their numbers in check. […]
Know Why the Snow Leopard is Endangered
Name – Snow Leopard Scientific Name – Panthera uncia Status – Endangered In India also known as – Barfani tendua, Him chita Population – There are as few as 3,500 to 7,000 snow leopards living in the wild today; the exact number is unknown as they are extremely elusive and hard to survey. Range – […]
Almost Extinct Turtles Facing Difficult Times in their Last Home
The black soft-shell turtle (Nilssonia nigricans) thought to be extinct in the wild and found only in few temples in India and Bangladesh, might soon join the woolly mammoth and the sabre-toothed tiger in the list of extinct species unless tangible measures are taken to protect the rare species. The turtles, popularly known as Bostami […]
Will a Poacher have the Last Laugh?
If there is a face of terror in the animal world, it has to be that of Sansar Chand, a wildlife poacher whose lists of lifetime accomplishments include killing 250 tigers, 2,000 leopards, 5,000 otters, 20,000 wild cats, 20,000 wild foxes and hundreds of other unaccounted wildlife. Dubbed Verappan of the North, the 55 year […]
Hornbills Feeding Bread and Biscuit to their Chicks!
What does an Indian Grey Hornbill eat? Ask a bird expert and he’ll tell you their meal consists of fruits of various trees like that of the Ficus species and also insects. But a first time study reveals how with changing times even these birds are being forced to change their food habits, with rotis […]
Natural Disaster or Cost of Ecological Sins?
I was visiting Uttarakhand exactly after a year. As the distant hills became visible and the anticipation of once again breathing the fresh mountain air grew, the heart plunged forward – already trekking up the slopes, hugging the Deodars, pines and oaks like a long lost friend. But the rendezvous was not exactly as I […]
Indian Forests Vanishing at 135 Hectares per Day!
There is only once species that will soon be seen in all India’s forests – the human being. In a shocking new revelation from data acquired through Right to Information (RTI) from the Environment Ministry, India’s forests are being turned into concrete jungles with 135 hectares (almost 333 acres) of forest land being diverted every […]