Animal lovers in Kashmir are rejoicing after the rare Himalayan brown bear was sighted in the state after years of absence. In the past 20 months the animal has been seen five times, making conservationists to believe that the bear is returning to the valley. The Himalayan brown bear is a sub species of the […]
‘Frozen Ark’ collects animal DNA in face of mass extinction
Our planet may be in the middle of the 6th extinction and some scientists are not taking any chances. To ensure that the most threatened and endangered species of the world make it to the future, a British-led project called “Frozen Ark” is preserving the DNA of all these species. “Many of these species are […]
Loosing Animal Poop is Bad for the Planet
In nature, nothing is waste – not even poop. A new study by Univertiy of Vermont researchers suggests with a lot less animal poop like that of the blue whale, spreading on the planet, the nutrient transfer from one species to another has also reduced – a loss that’s affecting marine and land animals. Image […]
India to have 200 City Forests in the Next Five Years
In an effort to enhance and protect green cover in urban areas, the Environment ministry has brought out plans to develop 200 ‘city forests’ in the country in the following five years and inaugurate a ‘school nursery’ scheme to spread awareness about environment protection. The Centre proposes to do so by developing at least one […]
Photos: These are the Most Threatened Birds of India
As per the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species, the number of Indian birds that are at risk of extinction has risen to 180 species in 2015 from the 173 species listed last year. The most at risk species are birds from Indian wetlands and this reflects on the diminishing status of wetlands across the […]
Is India’s Eastern Coast Safe for Whale Sharks?
The population of whale sharks in the Indian Ocean is increasing. However lack of knowledge about their importance is leading fishermen to kill them on sight or accidentally net them while fishing. As carcass of the biggest fish in the world continue to be found on the Eastern coast of the country, the count of […]
Damsel in Distress Sends SOS Calls to Escape Predators
It’s a tiny fish not more than 2 inches long, but when predators attack the Damsel fish, it knows how to save itself from the hungry shark or other sea-faring creature by calling more predators around itself and escaping in the chaos! This was discovered by a team of researchers from Australia who added that […]
Paashu: Animal Tales from Hindu Mythology – Book Review
Amrita Sharma reviews for India’s Endangered, Paashu: Animal Tales from Hindu Mythology by Devdutt Pattanaik The content and the context of this fascinating book by Devdutt Patnaik is pretty much made evident by the title itself. Taken from the vast written and oral traditions in Hinduism, this is an anthology of about a 100 gorgeously illustrated tales […]
World’s Glaciers Melting at Fastest Rate Ever
A recent study on glaciers has indicated a serious imbalance in many regions of the world due to the severe ice loss of the past two decades. The research adds that stability in climatic conditions would not prevent further ice loss from glaciers. “The observed glaciers currently lose between half a metre and one metre […]
Food for Thought: Asiatic Black Bear
Image courtesy cc/Flickr The Asiatic black bear is also known as the Himalayan black bear or moon bear. It is an omnivore but primarily a vegetarian. The bear prefers to eat fruits, nests of bees, insects, invertebrates, small vertebrates, and carrion. It is highly adaptable to the type of food available and will change it’s […]
Food for Thought: Asiatic Lion
Asiatic Lion Asiatic Lions are only found in the Sasan Gir National Park and Sanctuary in Gujarat, India. They are top predators and the only wild cats in the world to live and hunt in a social group called pride. Although Asiatic lion prides are much smaller than African lion prides, the way they chase […]