Chilika, Bharatpur, Point Calimere-India’s premier hotspots for migratory birds are also some of its most attractive tourist destinations, besides being magnificent storehouses of biodiversity. Pollution, habitat destruction, hunting and climate change have all put these habitats under threat. However, with India rolling out a new five-year national action plan, known as the “National Action Plan […]
More Asiatic Lions Dead, Toll Rises To 21 In Gir
The single abode of Asiatic Lions in the world is in mourning. After the death of 14 lions since 12th September, 7 more wild lions have died between 20th and 30th September raising the total number of lion deaths to 21. The last seven lions were sent to rescue centre for treatment, but could not […]
Lions Being Screened In Gir For Infection And Injuries After The 14 Deaths
7 Asiatic Lions including 3 males, 3 females and a cub have been moved from Dalkhaniya range of Gir National Park as a precautionary measure after 14 lions were found dead in the same range since 12th September. The forest department says the lions died due to infighting, though vets also suggested they could have […]
Two Species Of Jumping Spiders Discovered In Uttarakhand
Two new species of jumping spiders have been discovered from the Valley of Flowers National Park in Chamoli district of Uttarakhand, raising the number in the catalogued diversity of this family of arthropods to 250. Specimens of both these new species measure between 2mm to 5mm and were collected from the alpine meadows of the […]
Plastic Is Killing Sea Turtles
Plastic use threatens sea turtles and other marine life with extinction, study finds Sea Turtles represent one of the most highly threatened groups of wildlife in today’s world. Pollution, bycatch, destruction of nesting habitat and hunting have served to make 4 of the 7 extant species highly threatened. And as if that wasn’t bad enough, […]
11 Lions Found Dead In Gujarat’s Gir Forest
Bodies of 11 Asiatic Lions were found in Gujarat’s Gir Forest in the last 11 days. Officials deny foul play and say that most of them died of a lung infection the cause of which is still not known. Gir is the last bastion of the Asiatic Lion and it has been long felt that […]
Scientist Finds An Unusual Bond Between Himalayan Bears And Langurs
It was fruiting season of Acorns in the pristine Himalayan alpine forests of the Kedarnath Wildlife Sanctuary. Researcher Himani Nautiyal was on a field trip to observe the Central Himalayan Langur (Semnopithecus schistaceus) and their interactions with livestock, when she observed an interaction of a very different kind. A Himalayan black bear was prowling in the […]
In A First, Lion Gives Birth To Cubs Through In-Vitro Fertilization
When one refers to the term “Wildlife Conservation”, the imagery associated with it is usually one where charismatic species of megafauna are being preserved in a Protected Area such as a National Park or Wildlife Sanctuary. Even though the use of “ex-situ” methods such as the use of captive rearing programmes have been advocated since […]
Lost Species Of Shark Seen Again In India
Field biologists Mahesh Babu and Ganesh Pallela of EGREE Foundation were out surveying the Godavari River estuaries in Kakinada, Andhra Pradesh when they spotted an unusual marine animal. It was a shark, not longer than 3 feet, and had distinct black tip on the dorsal, pectoral and tail fins. Could it be the rare Pondicherry […]
Elephant And Unborn Calf Electrocuted In Assam
A highly tragic incident has been reported from Assam, where a female elephant was electrocuted after coming in contact with live wires. The baby that the young female was carrying was also lost in the mishap. The live wires were set up at a riverine island near Borgang river of Assam’s Biswanath district, about a […]
Resurrecting Paper Tigers
Read another story from Sonali Prasad’s long term multimedia project ‘Ranger Ranger’…this time from the forests of Sariska Tiger Reserve….