Western Ghats
61 Results
The Stare of the Snake and the Gaze of the Gaur
A teenager’s stay at the Kalinga Centre for Rainforest Ecology results in close encounters with a gaur, a leopard, and a checkered keelback. An excerpt from Ishan Shanvas' first book 'The Light of Wilder Things'
Book
Four New Tarantulas Discovered from Western Ghats
The new species of tarantulas, including one new genus, have been described from a chain of mountains running along the India’s west coast
News
Zoo in a Stem: The Ant-Plant Exchange
While numerous invertebrates shelter in the hollow stem structures of Humboldtia brunonis (kaadu Ashoka) trees, ants have a special reciprocal relationship with them, bartering shelter and nectar for protection from caterpillars and other insects who eat the tree’s tender leaves and buds
Wild Vault
Lateritic Plateau Frogs Threatened by Farms
A new study examines how converting lateritic plateaus into paddy fields and orchards impact amphibians
Conservation
Mating Anurans: Stories of Procreation from the Sahyadris
Short accounts of some of the reproduction strategies of frogs and toads of the Western Ghats
Photo Story
Nilgiri Marten: Phantom of the Western Ghats
While we know very little about these elusive, adorable mammals, we do know that they are clever predators and agile hunters with incredibly powerful jaws
Species
Shadowing Elephants: The Story of Kallar
The Kallar Corridor is a narrow habitat that allows for the movement of animals from one protected area to another. However, National Highway 181 and numerous other factors still severely restrict animal movement. Keeping the corridor a coexistence zone for people and wildlife is an ongoing process
Conservation
Species No Bar for Langurs
Primatologists are finding increased evidence of mixed species associations and hybridisation between Nilgiri and Hanuman langurs in the Western Ghats
Wild Vault
Ground Beneath Our Feet: Micro-life on Wayanad’s Forest Floor
Wayanad’s forests are known for their elephants and big cats, but crouch down to the forest floor for an incredibly revealing and rewarding examination of myriad smaller life forms
Photo Story
The Guide: Aralam Wildlife Sanctuary
There are plenty of birds and animals in Aralam, one of the lesser-known sanctuaries in northern Kerala, but the main attraction is undoubtedly its abundance of butterflies
Travel
Ruby-tailed Hawklet: Facts, Diet, Habitat
All you need to know about this dragonfly from Western Ghats
Infographic
Sacred Swamps: Where Culture Meets Conservation
On the protection of sacred swamps in the Western Ghats
Habitat
Deforestation Threatens Western Ghats' Amphibians
Infrastructure and plantation expansion in the southern Western Ghats threaten the region’s amphibian species, many of which have highly restricted habitats
Conservation
Love is in the Air: Indian Bullfrogs and the Romance of the Monsoon
Cacophony and bright yellow suits are the dominant love language of bullfrogs that congregate to mate in the rain pools and ponds of the Western Ghats at the start of the monsoon
Species
Purple Frog: A Brief Interlude from a Secret Life Underground
A subterranean burrowing life, bizarre body morphology, and unique breeding behaviour make the purple frog an intriguing and important amphibian to be studied and conserved
Species
The Guide: Bhagwan Mahavir Wildlife Sanctuary and National Park
Goa’s largest protected area is home to a wealth of plant and animal life – and it is under threat
Travel
Biodiversity Enhancement in Western Ghats Linked to Habitat Preservation
Several habitat and climatic factors influence evolutionary processes and play an important role in shaping biodiversity
Conservation
The Curious Lives of Orchids in the Northern Western Ghats
The biodiverse Western Ghats are a storehouse of blooming wild orchids, especially in the monsoon
Photo Story
The Small Service Providers of Goa’s Western Ghats
In the workings of a forest, even the smallest of creatures have a big role to play in supporting the ecosystem
Photo Story
The Endangered Nilgiri Tahr: What is Threatening South India's Only Mountain Ungulate
The incredibly biodiverse Nilgiris are home to southern India's only mountain ungulate - the Nilgiri tahr. Capable of scaling steep and rocky terrains, this mountain goat is the state animal of Tamil Nadu and a sure-footed presence in Western Ghats landscape. But why is its population endangered? Watch our film to find out.
Video
Malabar Gliding Frog: Habitat, Breeding, Threats
All you need to know about the most common gliding frog in the Western Ghats
Infographic
Intimate Connections: Falling in Love With a Walking Trail
A naturalist reminisces about familiar walking paths through national parks like Satpura in Madhya Pradesh and the Nilgiris in Tamil Nadu cement his relationship with the wilderness and give him a deep spiritual connection to the places
Wild Vault
Hide and Seek: The Water Drop Frog of the Western Ghats
Few have seen this rare, perfectly camouflaged amphibian that lives high in the rainforest canopy and has a very unique call
Species
How to Live Like a Leech
Cartoons and illustrations on wildlife, environment, and conservation
Green Humour
Malabar Grey Hornbill’s Population on the Decline in Western Ghats
Conservationists say a drop in numbers could have an irreversible impact on the forest ecosystem in the long term, as the species plays an important role in the growth and survival of a forest.
Conservation
Malabar Grey Hornbill: Facts, Habitat, Threats
All you need to know about the smallest of oriental hornbills
Infographic
Over-exploitation of Groundwater Threatens Gondwana Fishes
Groundwater management and aquifer protection key to conserving subterranean fish found in the Western Ghats
Conservation
Gone Rogue: The Golden Shower Turns Invasive in the Western Ghats
Don’t let the pretty blossoms fool you. The golden shower is a vigorously proliferating invasive species that has become a serious threat to critical wildlife habitats in the Western Ghats
Conservation
King Cobra: The Ruling Serpent of Fields and Forests
The longest of all venomous snakes in the world is also very shy, unless it’s time to hunt
Video
The Land of Naga Bana
Herpetologist Gowri Shankar, who has spent a lifetime studying and protecting the king cobra, demystifies the remarkable relationship between serpent and human
Video
Vasanth Bosco: Choosing the Promise of the Present
Leaving behind a career in alternative energy, he has chosen to dedicate his life to rewilding the depleted shola grasslands in the Nilgiris with native trees, shrubs and grasses
Hero
Hop, Skip and Jump: The Giant Squirrels of India
Usually perched on the upper branches of tall trees, these squirrels are the quintessential charmers of the forest canopy
Photo Story
What Frog Songs Tell Us
Frogs sing every monsoon to charm a mate, but new disturbances are drowning out their songs
Multimedia
Shaking a Leg with the Kottigehar Dancing Frog
A critically endangered frog, endemic to the perennial forest streams of the Western Ghats, “foot-flags” to charm a mate
Species
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
A Secret Forest: The Hidden Lives of Agumbe
Look beyond the king cobra — under the rocks, in the gaps of roots, trees crevices, in gurgling streams and puddles — to discover a hidden world of astounding small creatures
Photo Story
Hidden Kingdom: Fantastic Plants and Where to Find Them
The book Hidden Kingdom champions the mystical plants of Western Ghats through sensuous, powerful illustrations set to enchanting rhyme
Book
The Skin of Many Colours: Morphs of the Malabar Pit Viper
Why it’s not easy to identify this snake species and the mystery of its diverse and changing colours
Photo Story
Pushed to The Edge: Lion-tailed Macaques and the Case of Disappearing Forests
Destruction of forests is pushing a growing population of the shy lion-tailed macaques to look for food in human settlements
Conservation
Lion-tailed Macaque: Facts, Habitat, and Threats
Everything you need to know about the lion of the tree canopies
Infographic
Malabar Grey Slender Loris: Facts, Appearance, Life Span
Everything you need to know about this stealthy nocturnal primate from the Western Ghats
Infographic
Malabar Pit Viper: Facts, Venom, Size
All you need to know about this stealthy, silent predator of the night
Infographic
Silent Knight: How the Malabar Pit Viper Hunts in the Dark
The Malabar pit viper is a study in stillness. It remains motionless, waiting for its prey for hours, even days. But when the time is right, it strikes with lightning speed
Video
A Monsoon Romance: Malabar Gliding Frog Looks for a Mate
“Tuck-tuck-tuck”. The monsoon has arrived and fresh out of hibernation, the Malabar gliding frog is calling out for a mate. Will he find a suitor?
Video
The Flying Dragons of South India
Draco, also known as the southern flying lizard, is a master of disguise. But it has another astounding trick up its sleeve
Video
Small-clawed Otter: The Secret Surprise by the Stream
Our lives are implicitly intertwined with this shy, mostly nocturnal creature. The destruction of its riverine habitat could spell danger for an entire ecosystem
Conservation
Malabar Grey Hornbills: Gardeners of the Rainforest
The Malabar grey hornbill is endemic to and emblematic of the rainforests of the Western Ghats, which often resonate with their calls and cackles
Species
Will Agumbe Remain One of Wettest Places in India?
Traditionally stable weather systems have changed and the rainfall pattern in Agumbe has become erratic — the effect of both global and local factors
Conservation
On the Fly: An Afternoon with the Dragon Lizards of Agumbe
You can never tire of watching the smooth, precise gliding motion of draco lizards as they ‘fly’ from tree to tree
Species
Out of Place: Invasive Species in the Western Ghats
When plants and animals are relocated from their native habitat to new sites and environments they can cause havoc and be detrimental to local communities, habitats, and wildlife.
Conservation
A Lesson in Love: The Great Hornbill Charms a Mate
Wooing a female hornbill can take days, even weeks. After all, it's a big decision. Great hornbills are monogamous and even mate for life
Video
Great Hornbill: Facts, Threats, Habitat
Everything you need to know about these feathered farmers of the forest
Infographic
Flying Wizard: Draco the Gliding Lizard
With a little yellow dewlap flag for communication, wing-like extensions to parachute through the forest, and cryptic camouflage, the southern flying lizard is no ordinary reptile
Species
King Cobra: The World’s Longest Venomous Snake
How does the cannibalistic, snake-eating king cobra manage to multiply and survive?
Species
Monkey Spa: How Grooming Wins Lion-tailed Macaques Favours and Food
Females spend hours grooming themselves and each other. It's an excellent way to make friends, stay clean and win favours from elders
Video
Nirmal Kulkarni: Wild Child of the Western Ghats
As herpetologist, conservationist, eco resort partner, and more, Nirmal Kulkarni wears many hats. But it is his fascination for reptiles and jungles that defines his life and career
Hero
Pride of the Western Ghats: The Elusive Lion-tailed Macaque
The life and times of one of India’s most endangered primates
Photo Story
Lion-tailed Macaque: Acrobats of the Upper Canopy
Don’t be fooled by the name or the sharp canines, the endangered lion-tailed macaque is a shy, fruit-eating primate that inhabits the upper canopy of the rainforests of the Western Ghats
Species
High Life: Gliding Frogs of the Western Ghats
Four endemic species of gliding frogs live, love, and leap in the trees and ponds of the Western Ghats.
Species
Hiking in the Western Ghats
Cartoons and illustrations on wildlife, environment, and conservation
Green Humour
Lessons in Love (and Housekeeping) from the Malabar Trogon
It takes two to build a happy home
Species