Maharashtra
57 Results
Where Did the Grassland Birds Go?
The fragmented grasslands of Nannaj, Maharashtra, are witnessing strong declines in specialist birds such as the great Indian bustard, red-necked falcon and great grey shrike
Conservation
Mumbai’s Tide Pools: A Secret World
Mumbai’s beaches provide much-needed calm to the city’s residents, but they are also a refuge for a secret wilderness. When the tide recedes, a parallel universe emerges. Watch to learn about the marine marvels of Mumbai, why they are threatened and the citizens who strive to protect them.
Video
Apprehension Raised Over Translocation of Tigers in Maharashtra
Conservationists concerned that the Navegaon-Nagzira Tiger Reserve does not have favourable conditions for tigers from Chandrapur
Conservation
Gadchiroli Adopts Drones and Thermal Cameras to Mitigate Human-Animal Conflict
Forest department turns to technology-oriented solutions to support the monitoring of animals and alert villages
Conservation
Fading Glow of Maharashtra’s Firefly Festivals
Environmentalists oppose such festivals, citing harm to fireflies during the mating season and disruption of the habitat
Conservation
Sundews: Shiny, Sugary Illusions in the Wild
Sundews are pretty plants with tender tentacles that have mastered the art of predation. They hoodwink insects and other arthropods and kill and consume them for their nutrients
Wild Vault
Indian Grey Wolf: Mystique and Misfortune on the Grasslands
Humans have a complex relationship with this apex predator of many Indian grassland habitats, and it ranges from reverence to fear to loathing
Photo Story
Chirgaon Leads the Way in Vulture Conservation
Vulture population in village in Maharashtra rises from 22 in 1999-2000 to 249 in 2021
Conservation
The Guide: Bor Tiger Reserve
In Maharshatra’s Wardha district, a little-known tiger reserve harbours big surprises
Travel
Shivaji Kutikela: “To Protect Animals, I Must Think Like a Hunter”
What does it take to protect wild animals from snare traps? Good observation skills, knowledge of wild animals, and the ability to think like a hunter. A day in the life of an anti-snaring field assistant
Hero
A Spotlight on the Scorpions of the Western Ghats
Discovery of seven new species from the region highlights the need for further studies to conserve these arachnids
News
Sindhudurg’s Cashew Nut Plantations Offer Refuge to Wild Mammals
Sambar, porcupine, boar, gaur, hare, mongoose, leopard, and civets among the animals recorded in a study
Conservation
Droughts Mitigated at Lamkani through Grassland Restoration
A ban on grazing and felling of trees coupled with watershed management restores this village near Dhule to its former glory
Wild Vault
Mohammed Dilawar: A Superhero for the House Sparrow
The humble house sparrow’s population was seeing a steep decline for decades, until an ecologist decided to do something about it
Hero
Bantam Force: Ambushed by the Termite Parade
Termites are tiny but they are super builders and play an integral role as decomposers and ecosystem engineers of the natural world. In human habited landscapes, however, they are known as the silent destroyers
Urban Jungle
The Dark Knights: How Hyenas Protect our Ecosystems
Hyenas feed on rotting carcasses, and never leave decaying matter around to spread disease. These misunderstood scavengers are crucial to the health of Saswad’s grasslands
Video
Leopards of Saswad: On the Edge of a Concrete Jungle
Wolves have ruled the Saswad grasslands for years, but recently an uninvited guest has taken over– the leopard. Now, the city threatens to take over these grasslands. Will the leopard survive the onslaught of the urban?
Video
A Reign at Risk: The Indian Grey Wolf and the Grasslands of Saswad
The Indian grey wolf is the apex predator of Saswad's grasslands, but defending its territory is not easy. It must chase away hyenas and aggressive packs of dogs. And now, a new challenger has shown up. Can the grey ghost of the grasslands retain its dominance?
Video
Indian Grey Wolf: Ghosts of The Grasslands
These elusive wild predators are not found in jungles, but in scrubland and grasslands adjacent to human habitation
Species
Saswad: In Harmony with Wild Neighbours
In Saswad, locals and the wild have learned to live with each other — leopards and wolves polish off poultry carcasses, birds show up to feast on the seasonal crop, and the timid Bengal fox builds homes in cultivated farms
Video
Coast Guards: How Women are Protecting Sindhudurg’s Mangroves
A ten-member, all-female group has been raising awareness about mangroves through boat safaris in Mandavi creek since 2017
Hero
How the Coastal Road Threatens Mumbai’s Secret Marine World
Over the last four years, Sarang Naik has documented the marine diversity along Mumbai's coast. However, it is now being threatened by the construction of the Coastal Road
Multimedia
Hiding in Plain Sight: Mumbai’s Tide Pools and the City Beyond the Shore
This urban seashore throws up a world of surreal organisms and is sure to change the way you look at India’s commercial capital
Photo Story
Accidental Tourist: The Vagrant Long-Billed Dowitcher
Thousands of kilometres from its natural habitat, a lone, unexpected guest becomes a temporary celebrity for the birdwatching community of Thane Creek Flamingo Sanctuary
Species
Five Chandrapur Tigers Make a Thermal Power Station their Home
The striped cats have been roaming freely in the power station since the past four to five years, and frequenting nearby residential areas
Wild Vault
Why We Need to Save Amboli from Ourselves
For years, Amboli was one of Western Ghats’ best keep secrets. But as tourism grows, there’s a need to be more mindful — of how we travel, and how that impacts all those who thrive in this sensitive habitat
Photo Story
Mangroves: Forests, Coast Guards, Threats
Everything you need to know about these guardians of the coast
Explainer
Trees and Toddy: In the Sacred Grove of Ajeevali
Saving a forest of gods in Maharashtra from the long arm of greed for natural resources
Habitat
Why Human-nature Relationships are Complicated
When large and potentially dangerous carnivores are involved, the relationship between humans and nature becomes complex
Wild Vault
Urban Ecosystems: Snakes and the City
Unbeknown to most of us, snakes are often permanent residents of urban environments. We have to find the happy balance of human-snake coexistence
Urban Jungle
Chinkara: The Graceful Gazelles of Saswad
The chinkara may not be on everyone’s watch list, but it should be, for this alert and agile doe-eyed antelope is a study in beauty and poise
Species
The Guide: The Backwater of Bhigwan
A boat safari through this wetland in rural Maharashtra reveals an abundance of resident and migratory birds
Travel
In the Laterite Plateaus of Maharashtra, Rock Bottom is a Wonderful Place
The rocky outcrops of the northern Western Ghats are often considered wastelands, when they are hotbeds of endemic diversity
Habitat
Dhangars of Saswad: How Traditional Livelihoods Conserve Unique Ecosystems
Climate change and infrastructure projects are threatening the traditional pastoral occupations that have helped preserve the grasslands of Saswad for centuries
Conservation
Aarey: The Wild Heart of Mumbai
Few cities in the world have large swathes of jungles within their borders, even fewer have leopards living within. Unfortunately, the green cover of India’s maximum city is under grave threat
Urban Jungle
Painted Sandgrouse: The Art of Blending In
With its black, white, and brown plumage the painted sandgrouse is well camouflaged in the rocky landscapes of the Saswad grasslands near Pune
Species
The Guide: Tadoba-Andhari Tiger Reserve
After decades, Maharashtra’s oldest park returns to the spotlight as the hot favourite for wildlife enthusiasts
Travel
Of Sacred Streams and Groves
The authors explore how community attitudes towards conservation is helping protect two ecosystems in Maharashtra
Book
The Flamboyance of Maximum City at Thane Creek Flamingo Sanctuary
A short hop from Mumbai this sanctuary is a mix of grassland, scrub, woodland, and mangroves with a wide variety of resident and migratory birds
Habitat
A Date with Mumbai’s Marine Wildlife
Mumbai’s Juhu Beach suddenly comes alive with crabs, anemones, shrimp, snails and other marine biodiversity that lives on city’s coastline
Urban Jungle
Treasure or Trash? When Unwanted Fish Sustain Livelihoods
The tussle, between the conservation of natural resources and ecosystems and people’s incomes, extends well beyond overfishing the most coveted varieties of fish from the sea
Conservation
The Wilds of Saswad: The Vibrant Grassland Near Pune
“Wasteland” is such a gross misnomer for the thriving but fragile grassland habitats of India. Saswad is one such unprotected landscape where abundant bird and animal life flourishes
Habitat
In the Heart of Suburban Mumbai, an Oasis for Birds and Birders
Despite the concrete jungle around, Lokhandwala Lake in Mumbai’s crowded Andheri suburb hosts a healthy diversity of avian species
Urban Jungle
Is the Lesser Florican Jumping to Extinction?
The smallest member of the bustard family faces a peculiar conundrum: breed or be safe?
Conservation
Breaking News! A Brown Cloud Descends on Mumbai
A Cloud Called Bhura by Bijal Vachharajani is a rib-tickling, teen mystery on climate change set in Mumbai. Here’s an sneak peek
Book
A Reluctant Birder’s Guide to Birdwatching
The author hated birding for as long as she could remember, until she realised she doesn’t have to do it the way everyone else does
Urban Jungle
The Guide: Amboli, an Evergreen Eden
On the wildlife travel map, Amboli is a favourite destination for nature lovers and adventurers, who want to experience its staggering biodiversity
Travel
Buffaloed by the Climate in Kolhapur
Human-wildlife conflict is escalating in Radhanagari, Kolhapur, where the gaur buffalo are raiding nearby farms. This is spurred by deforestation, cropping changes, drought and fluctuating weather patterns
Conservation
Kharghar’s Hills are Alive with the Sound of Birdsong
Remarkably beautiful throughout the year, these biodiverse hills in Navi Mumbai are the ideal escape for the curious, urban nature lover
Urban Jungle
Mumbai’s Mangroves: Forests of Breathing Roots
Not all shores are the same; Mumbai’s mangroves are the city’s green guards and they host an entire civilisation in their midst
Urban Jungle
There’s a New Species of Scorpion on the Block
In July 2O19, after a decade of ambiguity, Hotentotta vinchu, identified by researchers in the Western Ghats, was acknowledged as a new species of scorpion
News
Monsoon Miracles in Navi Mumbai’s Green Valley Park
Secret streams and colourful insects — the arrival of rain heralds the transformation of the Parsik Hills, close to the bustling business area of CBD Belapur
Urban Jungle
Prakash Bhoir is Fighting for the Forest
An activist’s struggle to save Aarey’s forest and the way of life of its Adivasi population
Hero
When Flamingos Frolic and Feed in the Talawe Wetlands
Hundreds of migrating flamingos and other wildlife can be seen just a stone’s throw away from a bustling Navi Mumbai residential complex
Urban Jungle
Wild Shores: Life in a Tide Pool
When the tide goes out, take a walk along the shore and discover a fascinating range of marine animals and plants
Habitat
Folktales from Maharashtra: The Magic Ring
Animals are a necessary and integral part of everyday life in a village, according to the folk tales and art of the Warli Adivasis
Wild Vault
Folktales from Maharashtra: The Mouse’s Share
An Adivasi folktale about mice and men reflects the belief system of the indigenous Warli people and affords a conservation lesson for all
Wild Vault