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 […]
Three New Species of Horned Frogs Discovered in North East India
Asian Horned Frogs are a group of small frogs found in Northeast India, Nepal, Bangladesh, and Bhutan. They belong to the genus Megophrys and most have for centuries broadly categorized into one name Megophrys parva – considered to be among the most widely dispersed species within the genus. However, recent studies have provided compelling evidence […]
Tracing The Evolutionary History Of Asian Horned Frogs, Without Fossil Records
If you are in Nagaland, the next time you put frogs in the cooking pot, beware – you might be an unsuspecting contributor to wiping out evolutionary history. A culinary delight to many Southeast Asian communities, frogs are no stranger to Nagaland’s food menu. Held in high gastronomic regard, aficionados here claim that frogs taste […]
Turtle Thought To Be Extinct In The Wild, Discovered In Nagaland
The International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) lists the black soft shell turtle as Extinct in the Wild (EW) which means wild population of the species are no more present in the world though they could be present in captivity. It comes as a huge surprise therefore when this freshwater turtle was discovered recently […]
Intangki National Park: Haven For Illegal Logging
One of the last refuges of forest wildlife in Nagaland- the Intangki National Park in Peren district is fast diminishing under the axe of illegal logging. A trek inside the Intangki National Park brings a sense of the helpless despondency it is facing – hardly any huge trees in sight; felled trees strewn around and […]
First Flock of Amur Falcons Arrive in Nagaland
The early morning hubbub in Pangti village of Nagaland’s Wokha district came to a standstill when the villagers stopped to greet the first flock of Amur Falcons arriving in the North eastern state. The 100 or so birds arrived on 8th October, marking the beginning of this year’s migration season. What was once a death […]
Interesting Facts about India’s only Apes: Hoolock Gibbons
India’s biodiversity is home to a varied number of plant and animal species. From the Asiatic Lions inhabiting the semi deciduous forests of western India to the royal Bengal Tigers of Sunderbans, the country has a flora and fauna treasure that is as diverse as the nation itself. But while monkeys and langurs are a common enough site in many Indian states, their cousins, the great man-like apes namely gorillas and orangutans are not found in India. The only tribe of apes inhabiting the country is the Hoolock Gibbons, found in the North-east forests. And because it is the only one, the ape is unquestionably a precious jewel of the Indian forest.