Researchers studying the floral diversity of the Chandoli national park in the northern Western Ghats of Maharashtra have accidentally discovered a rare plant species’. The species was last seen in 1851 and was thought to be extinct.
Western Ghats become a World Heritage Site
The Western Ghats, India’s veritable treasure of some of nature’s best specimens, became the country’s 32 World heritage site after The UNESCO world Heritage Committee at its 36th meeting in St Petersburg inscribed it as a natural world heritage site.
Western Ghats Medicinal Plants face Extinction Threats
A new government approved study at the Kalakkad Mundanthurai Tiger Reserve (KMTR), has found out that around 58 species of medicinal plants found in the Western Ghats are threatened and can become extinct if strict laws and conservation efforts are not made to save them.
Endangered Fish Species Thrives again in Maharashtra River
The Mahseer or Deccan Mahseer is an indigenous species of fish which was found in the Indrayani river flowing in India’s western state of Maharashtra. The fish was last sighted 14 years ago until it disappeared due to excessive pollution of the waters and urbanization. But thanks to the efforts of a conservation organization, today the fishes have again made Indrayani their home.
Slender Loris on the hit list of Poachers
Slender Lorises are the little known primates found in the southern states of India, especially in the Western Ghats and Karnataka. Till date very little is known about these nocturnal creatures, their habits or even their population. But now experts fear the species is under threat from poachers who are killing them in hundreds.
Maharashtra’s Biodiversity Revealed
India’s western state and economy hub Maharashtra is also blessed with verdant natural beauty. With the biodiversity hot spot Western Ghats beginning from this state, the Zoological Survey of India recently found that the state has 1065 species of vertebrates and 642 species of invertebrates.
Frog Songs Help Researchers Understand Climate Change
Not everyone might appreciate the ‘croak-croak’ of a frog, but few researchers from India are listening to these amphibian sounds night and day to better understand the affect of climate change on these species.
Fish in a Tank…None in the River
The Roseline Shark (Puntius Denisonii) has become a popular aquarium fish adorning homes, hotels and malls. But unknown to the hundreds who watch the beauty of this fish in a tank, the species is actually victim of the aquarium trade and economic development that is harming the fish as well as its freshwater habitat.
Western Ghat Aquatic Species plunging towards Extinction Warns IUCN
There is a new fear that has gripped biologists in recent times owing to a number of studies and research done on marine species around the world. The fear is that over fishing is killing many small and big fishes in masses, pushing them towards extinction at a very fast pace. The threat is now being felt closer home in India, as an IUCN study reveals that aquatic freshwater species in the western ghats are showing ‘tendencies of extinction’.
Ten New Frog Species Discovered in Western Ghats
Discovery of new frog species at the Western Ghats of India has further strengthened the claim that these Ghats are the heart of biodiversity. While frog species round the world are driven to extinction due to habitat destruction, pollution, climate change and of late, much sought frog legs, the discovery of new frog species is refreshing news. The expedition in the Ghats was carried out by biodiversity researches, voluntary researches and nature enthusiasts without any funding from agencies and they succeeded in discovering ten new frog species.
Saving One Baby at a Time
The Grizzled Giant Squirrels are a species endemic to the Western Ghats of India. It is in the same region that the native Paliyan tribe has been living for centuries. While modern civilization has touched their lives only recently, these tribesmen continue to harbor their affection for nature and all its creatures. That is why when a baby grizzled giant squirrel fall from a tree nest accidently, it is safely nurtured in the tribal homes.