A new and rare species of climber has been discovered in the Western Ghats in Idukki district of Kerala. The discovery was made by a team of scientists from the Jawahar Lal Nehru Tropical Botanical Garden and Research Institute. The climber belongs to the same family as Colocasia, the popular indoor plants with broad heart-shaped […]
Extent of Deforestation shows why Human-Elephant Conflict increasing in the Western Ghats
Extent of Deforestation shows why Human-Elephant Conflict increasing in the Western Ghats What has been the extent of deforestation in the Western Ghats elephant habitat in the last 40 odd years? A new study has mapped a total area of over 47,000 sq km across Karnataka, Tamil Nadu and Kerala to find that it is […]
A Scorpion with a Black Sting Discovered in the Western Ghats
It took the researchers 11 years to convince the scientific community that they had discovered a new scorpion. Because the specimen they had first spotted in Amboli Ghats of Maharasthra looked so similar to another commonly found Indian scorpion the Hottentotta rugiscutis, that it could possibly have been just a colour variation, thought the experts. […]
Here Are The 8 Natural World Heritage Sites of India
See the 8 majestic natural world heritage sites of India
Arabica or Robusta Coffee? These Researchers Asked the Birds!
It’s an age-old debate for coffee lovers. Which is better: Arabica beans with their sweeter, softer taste, or the bold, deep flavor of Robusta beans? A new study by WCS, Princeton University, and the University of Wisconsin-Madison appearing in the journal Scientific Reports has taken the question to unlikely coffee aficionados: birds. The researchers, led by WCS […]
To Breed or Not to Breed? Migratory Butterflies of India Make Smart Choices, Finds a New Study
Quick Notes Butterflies of peninsular India that undergo a bidirectional migration every year choose a reproductive pause to conserve energy. Migrating and non-migrating female butterflies have distinct morphological and physiological differences. A non-reproductive state helps migratory butterflies to use energy for the exhaustive 300 km migration journey from Western to Eastern Ghats. Post migration the […]
New Aquatic Species of Snake Discovered in the Western Ghats
Quick Notes A new species of aquatic snake has been discovered in the Western Ghats. It is endemic to India. The snake prefers to live in fresh water streams. Juveniles and adults have different coloration. The snake was earlier mistaken to be Olive forest snake but was correctly identified after DNA testing to be a […]
4 New Species Of Burrowing Frogs Discovered In India
For researcher Sonali Garg, the discovery of not 1 but four new species of frogs by her comes as a complete surprise. It is because for her field study in the Western Ghats, she was on the lookout for only a single species of burrowing frog named the Rufescent Burrowing Frog (Fejervarya rufescens) that builds its […]
Rare Dhole Home Range Studied Using Camera Traps For The First Time
A new study led by scientists from Wildlife Conservation Society-India Program, Centre for Wildlife Studies (Bangalore), and University of Florida, USA, presents the first home-range size estimate of Asiatic wild dogs or ‘dholes’ based on camera trap surveys. Image via wikimedia The study, based on intensive camera-trap surveys conducted in Nagarahole and Wayanad wildlife reserves […]
Wild Cats And Wild Dogs Of India Choose To Co-Exist Rather Than Compete
A new study in India by Wildlife Conservation Soceity (WCS) shows that three carnivores – tigers, leopards, and dholes (Asian wild dog) – seemingly in direct competition with one other, are living side by side with surprisingly little conflict. Usually, big cats and wild canids live in different locations to avoid each other. Read More: […]
New Wasp Species Discovered In Western Ghats
Scientists have discovered a new species of wasp in the forests of the Western Ghats. It was identified by a team of scientists consisting of P Girish Kumar and P M Sureshan of the Western Ghats Regional Centre(WGRC) of the Zoological Survey of India(ZSI) and and James M. Carpenter of the American Museum of Natural […]