The easiest way to collect an elephant’s DNA is through its dung. Elephants defecate frequently—about 12 to 15 times a day, often in large quantities—and sometimes even in sync with others in the herd, making it possible to gather multiple samples at once. The method is also non-intrusive, requiring no direct contact with the animal. […]
Simlipal Black Tiger on National Geographic Cover
A captivating photograph of a rare black tiger from Simlipal National Park has earned global attention after gracing the cover of National Geographic’s October 2025 issue. The exceptional milestone belongs to Prasenjeet Yadav, a wildlife photographer originating from Nagpur, whose unwavering efforts in the forests of Odisha have spotlighted one of the world’s most unusual […]
Top 5 Endangered Animals Found In India
India is home to an extraordinary variety of wildlife, but many of its species are facing serious threats. According to the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) Red List, India has 479 species of animals, 286 species of plants and 2 species of fungi that are considered as endangered*(IUCN2025). From these, certain animals stand […]
India’s Ghost Bird: Jerdon’s Courser Heard Beyond Its Known Range
India’s legendary Jerdon’s Courser, one of the world’s top “lost birds,” was rediscovered outside its known range in August 2025—ending a 125-year absence from locations beyond Lankamalla hills. A team of birders recorded audio calls of the bird. The Jerdon’s Courser is a Critically Endangered bird as per the IUCN (International Union for Conservation of […]
Historic First: Captive-Bred Wolves Give Birth in the Wild in Gujarat’s Grasslands
Sometimes, it takes just one birth to change the course of conservation history. “Randeepak” — a male wolf pup — was born in the wild to captive-bred Indian wolf parents, Sona and Pradeep, who were released last year into the open grasslands of Kutch’s Nadabet under Gujarat’s Wolf Breeding and Conservation Programme. This birth marks […]
New Animal And Plant Species Discovered in India this August (2025 Update)
India’s biodiversity continues to reveal its secrets as scientists uncover a remarkable range of new species across the country’s rivers, forests, and hills. From two vibrant freshwater crabs in Kerala’s Western Ghats to a narrow-banded snake in Mizoram, the Western Ghats and North east India reveal more secrets that nature has still in store. Here […]
A Tiger’s Death by Wire Snare Exposes Hidden Dangers in India’s Forests
When a four-and-a-half-year-old tigress was brought for treatment to the zoo in Tirupati, veterinarians were confronted with a horrific sight — a huge, gaping hole in her throat. This was not the result of a territorial fight or a hunting mishap. The wound was caused by a poacher’s wire snare illegally set in the Nagarjunasagar […]
Rare Return of Dholes to Kaziranga-Karbi Anglong, Assam: First Sighting in Decades
In a significant conservation breakthrough, the elusive Dhole (Cuon alpinus), also known as the Asiatic wild dog, has been rediscovered in the Kaziranga-Karbi Anglong Landscape of Assam. A study by the Wildlife Institute of India (WII) confirmed photographic evidence of the species—once believed extinct in the region since the 1990s. Camera traps captured images of […]
India’s Secret Wildcats: New Report Reveals Where Small Cats Still Roam
India is home to several big cats – the Tiger, Asiatic Lion, Leopard and the Snow Leopard. But hidden in the same forests are other wild cats – smaller in size – but no less important. To understand where these small cats live and their present occupancy status, the Wildlife Institute of India (WII) recently […]
New Animals and Plant Species Discovered in India This July (2025 Update)
India had a biodiversity boost in 2024, with scientists documenting 1,116 new species and records — 683 animals and 433 plants. The finds include reptiles, amphibians, butterflies, orchids, fungi, and lichens, many from biodiversity hotspots like the Western Ghats and Northeast India. Kerala led the discoveries, followed by Karnataka and Tamil Nadu. These species, some […]
Uttarakhand Reintroduces Rare and Endangered Plant Species into the Wild
In a landmark conservation initiative, the Uttarakhand Forest Department has launched India’s first Flora Rehabilitation Programme to revive rare, endangered, and threatened (RET) plant species native to the Himalayas. A Himalayan Blue Blossom Fights for Survival High up in the Garhwal Himalayas grows a delicate blue flower with a powerful medicinal legacy — Gentiana kurroo, […]