CONSERVATION ACTION: Indian elephants may finally breathe easy while crossing railway tracks. Considering the high figures of wildlife death due to locomotive accidents, the Supreme Court of India has ordered the railway ministry to instruct engineers to slow down all trains while passing through dense forests. The news comes as a relief to wildlife enthusiast […]
National Tiger Census: India all Set to Count its Tigers from Today
SPECIES WATCH: It is a day that holds many promises. A day that may eventually help a number of people working tirelessly to save India’s tiger know if their efforts have reaped rewards – in the form of rising number of the national animal. Starting 16th December is the third synchronized all India tiger census […]
Tripura’s Vanishing Vultures to be Bred in Captivity
The future of vulture species in Tripura remains an uncertainty as their numbers continue to rapidly decline. In a recent survey by the state forest department it was discovered that only 55 vultures remain in the entire state. This shocking revelation has prompted the forest department to initiate a captive breeding program for vultures at […]
Critically Endangered Great Indian Bustard Spotted in New Habitats
NEW SIGHTING: Isn’t it a great irony that the Great Indian Bustard (Ardeotis nigriceps), which was once a proposed candidate for the title of ‘National Bird of India’, stands today on the throes of extinction? As the new IUCN Red List of Threatened Species once again tags this magnificent bird as Critically Endangered (CR), sightings in new […]
Tiger Population Slowly but Steadily On the Rise in Sunderbans
GOOD NEWS: In an exciting news for animal lovers, forest officials inform that there could be more tigers in the Sunderbans than what was earlier believed to be their numbers. This news comes in the wake of the sudden spurt in cub sightings in the mangroves. In fact, the latest camera trap census reveals that […]
12 Gir Lions to Get a New Home in Kuno
Palpur Kuno is finally set to get 12 lions in the first phase of a conservation project involving translocation of Asiatic lions from Gir in Gujarat to neighboring Kuno in Madhya Pradesh. Experts from the Wildlife Institute of India had long identified Kuno in Sheopur district as the ideal location for a second home for […]
Breakthrough: Scientists Successfully Sequence Entire Tiger Genome
RESEARCH: In a ground breaking news, a group of scientists announced the successful completion of the full genome sequencing of the tiger. The data collected from the tiger genome will now form the basis of all future genetic studies related to conservation of the highly endangered species of big cats. The complete genome sequencing of […]
Satellite tags to help reveal More about Lesser Floricans
CONSERVATION: Endangered species are animals and plants whose number in their natural habitat is so limited that they might get extinct if proper measures are not taken to save them. However, more often than not, it is lack of comprehensive information related to these species that makes planning their protection or conservation difficult. It is […]
India’s Second Special Tiger Protection Force formed in Simplipal
CONSERVATION ACTION: Indian forests, which were once home to a healthy population of tigers, might soon miss the majestic roars. These awe-inspiring animals are currently on the verge of extinction, and in such crucial times, any new measure by the government to further ensure the protection of these big cats is welcome news. One such […]
Sikkim becomes the Greenest State of India
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 […]
Shadow Puppetry Spreading Awareness about Medicinal Plants
CONSERVATION: Mixing education with entertainment, the Arunachal Pradesh government has decided to take the help of shadow puppetry to supplement its efforts in creating awareness about the importance of conserving medicinal plants in the state. Using a dying art to spread word about at risk plants is an innovative idea that can now help both […]