Stories
Highlighting engaging accounts of our biodiversity and its protection
1,198 Stories

SARPA – An App That Saves Lives
This innovative tech intervention, accessible to anyone with a smartphone, streamlines snake rescue efforts and minimises human-wildlife conflict

How Ancient Koli Wisdom is Informing Marine Science in Mumbai
For centuries, Mumbai’s Koli fisherfolk have stewarded its waters using traditional ecological knowledge passed down through the generations. As the city faces threats from climate change and coastal development, scientists and conservationists are increasingly recognising that Koli wisdom is critical to understanding and protecting its fragile marine ecosystems

Butterfly Affect : Beauty, Symbolism, and Wonder on a Wing
With their gracefulness, colour, and vibrancy, butterflies evoke feelings of wonder, hope, freedom, and connection with our evolution and soul. They bring humans closer to nature and instil a sense of well-being and joy
The Rise and Fall of Acropora
Despite being among the fastest growing corals, the warming of the oceans has caused high mortality among Acropora. However, they also have the potential to recover rapidly and provide shelter to other marine life

Damselfish: The Farmers of the Reef
Colourful and charismatic and with elaborate courtship rituals, damselfish protect their territories fiercely, defending small patches of turf algae as they farm and cultivate them meticulously

Giant Water Bugs: Close Encounters with Toe Biters
From summer screams to scientific curiosity, it has been a long journey to understand these master hunters of freshwater habitats

The Climate Refugee Elephants of South India
Climate change and habitat loss are driving elephants from neighbouring Tamil Nadu and Karnataka to travel to Andhra Pradesh to forage in farms

Mangroves Still Reeling from Aftermath of 2004 Tsunami
After the 2004 tsunami, mangroves in the Andaman and Nicobar Islands are still changing

Fishing Cat Population Booming in Chilika
A recent survey of fishing cats in Chilika reveals an increased population density of the small wild cat

Exploring Upper Siang: A Story of Wildlife, Community, and Conservation
Discovering birds and butterflies through a community-led initiative in the village of Gobuk provides hope for the conservation of the rich biodiversity of Arunachal Pradesh’s Upper Siang landscape

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

When Golden Jackals Swim Across the Karli River
In southern Maharashtra, jackals swim from the mangrove-lined riverine Hopkins Island where they live, across the Karli River, to the mainland and back

Ali Hussian: The Masterful Bird Trapper
Building on his foundation of indigenous bird trapping knowledge, Hussain has developed a repertoire of unique techniques and has helped ornithologists from across the world catch birds for their research

What Woodpeckers are Telling Us, and Why it’s Important
Few bird groups are so intimately dependent on forests as woodpeckers. The significant decline of several woodpecker species is a signal that we need to do more to conserve our forests and biodiversity

Figs and Fig Wasps: Microcosmic Partners in Love or Frenemies?
Wasps and cluster figs are pollinating partners. Without them, figs cannot transport pollen between trees, while young wasps cannot survive outside the figs. Then come the gallers, enemies of both figs and pollinators and directly competing with them for space and nutrition

Minivets: Small, Ember Birds of Tropical Forests
With long tails, slender bodies, and often vibrant plumage, various minivets are found in the jungles and shrublands of eastern and southern Asia

Savannas Under the Scanner
A new remote sensing study used tree cover as a metric to examine the drivers influencing the savannas and forests

Birds, Beasts, and Other Adventures
Asad Rahmani’s memoir Living With Birds is the story of his life. He speaks about studying India’s birds and landscapes, fighting for endangered species and shaping the country’s fledgling conservation movement. Here’s an excerpt.

Baby Packs More of a Punch Than Mumma
A new study finds Russell’s viper neonates produce venoms that are twice as potent towards mammals, compared to the ones produced by adults

How Tea Gardens in Darjeeling and Kalimpong Can Contribute Towards Landscape Conservation
Today, as tea gardens face existential threats due to market pressures, climate change and landuse change, sustainable practices such as agroforestry and efficient water management, could provide environmental, economic, and social benefits, contributing to conservation efforts

The Case of the Missing Turtles
A poor fisherman is wrongly accused of smuggling turtles. Now it is up to the M4 – three children and a dog – to come to his rescue

A Walk Across Tiger Country In Search Of India’s National Butterfly
An early monsoon walk through Arunachal Pradesh’s Pakke Tiger Reserve looking for the orange oakleaf butterfly reveal a captivating wealth of creatures and habitats

Himalayan Pikas' Winter Plans Dependent on Weather
Research reveals that Ladakh and Nubra pikas, each with distinct ‘personalities’, wait for specific weather cues before food caching, at the same time, exhibit significant differences in the size and structure of their haypiles
Trailing the Spiny-tailed Lizard in Kachchh, Gujarat
In Nakhatrana, Gujarat, a small community initiative to save spiny-tailed lizards and prevent them being hunting has helped revive their population

Sacred Stripes: Reverence for Waghoba in Central India
Waghoba worship and accepting the tiger as a clan deity are common practices among various Central Indian communities. Statues are often placed at village entrances both to commemorate those killed by tigers and to protect the village from future attacks

Van Majdoors: Unsung Heroes of the Indian Conservation Regime
Thousands of forest labourers form the true backbone of the Indian forest and protected area management system and yet, their contributions go largely unnoticed

Mote Majra: Making a Case for an Unkempt Swamp
How ragged urban wetlands like Mote Majra in Mohali are a city’s unlikely, unsung heroes

Arunachal’s birds: Canary in the Coalmine
Birds in this biodiversity hotspot are shifting their ranges upslope, signalling serious ecological damage in the eastern Himalayas. Alarmed at the change, local people are actively participating in conservation efforts

A Match Made in Heaven: Traditional Wisdom and Modern Science
Community members monitoring ecology in the Nilgiri Biosphere Reserve integrate traditional knowledge with modern scientific methods to monitor climate impacts on their forests, rivers, and farms

The Wild Elephants of the Andaman Islands
Elephants introduced to the Andaman Islands escaped captivity or were released into the jungle on occasions. These feral elephants are now found on Interview Island and North Andaman

Scarlet Finch: Dazzling Red Feathers
With males sporting such arresting red plumage, it’s no surprise that this small passerine bird is on the bucket list of many birdwatchers in north and Northeast India

Asian Koels: The Songsters of Summer
In the summer months, the koel calls out day and night, from the dense foliage of trees it hides in. While some urban dwellers find the calls “annoying”, artists, poets, birdwatchers and researchers have long been fascinated with this shy, vocal bird

The Guide: Malvan Marine Sanctuary
The turbid nearshore waters of the Konkan coast harbour a little-known ecosystem. Come for the beaches and delicious food, and leave with a newfound appreciation for the resilient and diverse reefs of India’s southwestern coastline

A Python, an Anaconda, and the Dream of Starting a Snake Park in India
Romulus Whitaker has had a lifelong love affair with snakes and other wild reptiles. His latest book ‘Snakes, Drugs and Rock ‘n’ Roll: My Early Years’, authored by Janaki Lenin, is a candid and wild memoir of his younger days

Winged Wonders of Kadalundi-Vallikunnu Community Reserve
Where the Kadalundi River meets the Arabian Sea in Kerala, community engagement in conserving migratory birds and other wetland creatures has created India’s first riverfront community reserve and an ideal destination for nature enthusiasts and birdwatchers

Oriental Magpie-robin: The Tropical Maestro
Male magpie-robins have a variety of calls and songs and may even imitate notes from other birds. They are most vocal during the breeding season, when they also strut, chest-puff, flare their tail, and fiercely guard their territories

Easy Riders: Cruising with the Currents
The ocean is constantly moving drifters like jellies, comb jellies, salps, as well as trash, between sites, regions, and across the world

Harnessing the Power of AI to Combat Human-wildlife Conflict in Tadoba
An innovative early warning system introduced at villages in the Tadoba-Andhari landscape in eastern Maharashtra has helped mitigate human-wildlife conflict and achieve zero casualties in those places where the system is installed

Ornament, Armament, and Aggression: The Forgotten Beauty of Females
The current evolutionary understanding of sexual selection explains male traits and tendencies as competition for reproductive opportunities. Female extravagance, however, does not completely fit this narrative

Industrial Effluents Claim Fish Lives in Periyar
The fish mortality was caused by the opening of the gates at the Pathalam regulator-bridge upstream, leading to the release of polluted water

Neglected Mammal and Bird Pollinators in the Spotlight
Scientists highlight the role of mammals such as bats and squirrels as economically important pollinators at a time their population is declining

Smugglers Target Otters in Northeast India
In May, four otter skins were seized in Dhemaji district, Assam, highlighting that otter trade, particularly of the fur, is rampant in the northeast.

Nature’s Artists: The World of Potter Wasps
Potter wasps exhibit remarkable nesting plasticity, adapting to various environments and utilising different materials to create secure spaces for their offspring

Observation as an Antidote to Intolerance
When curiosity replaces fear, a whole new world opens up

The Scientist Who Speaks to Elephants
In her latest book for kids Planet Protectors: Stories of Green Heroes, author Bahar Dutt takes the reader on an adventure to meet real-life heroes of nature conservation

Living on the Edge: The Pir Panjal Markhor
The world’s largest wild goats, among the most elusive large mammals in India, need protection, and so do their guardians

Mantis Shrimp: Eye-popping Predators of Reefs and Seagrass Meadows
With superhero-like vision and strength and lightning-fast movements, mantis shrimp are formidable marine predators

Sal: The Robust Timber Tree
The sal’s flowers, leaves, and wood are considered sacred and medicinal in some parts of India. But it is its straight, wide trunk circumference, massive height, and resistance to termites that make it most valuable

Hispid Hare Left With Nowhere to Go
A new study provides insights into the distribution of the elusive and shy hispid hare, emphasising the growing threats of climate change, habitat loss and land cover changes

Birding Around the Salt Pans of Tuticorin
The nutrient-rich, shallow waters of the salt pans of Thoothukudi are interspersed with vegetation, forming a unique habitat that attracts a vast range of birds

Central Asian Lynx Recorded in Kargil
A subspecies of the Eurasian lynx, the individual was captured on a camera trap in the Rangdum area of Kargil district at the altitude of 4,154 m above sea level

Little to Celebrate for Koraput Tribal Communities as Forest Commons Dwindle
Indigenous communities in Odisha’s Koraput district have observed a steady degradation of forest commons due to anthropogenic activities as well as climate change

India’s Western Coastline Under a Fish Knife
Fish stocks in the Arabian Sea, off India’s western coast, have been declining rapidly. While policymakers need to act fast to ensure we have fish for decades to come, consumers can be aware and do their bit too

Save the Whale Sharks of the Lakshadweep Islands
The largest fish in our oceans has thrived in the pristine waters of the Lakshadweep islands, but unregulated large-scale fishing, dumping of waste, and increased ship traffic have disturbed the reefs and the marine diversity of this region

Small Cats Meow to Nobody’s Notice
A review paper on the ecology and current status of nine small felids in India flags declining conservation status

Shrimp Farming Transforming Land Use in Sundarbans
The Sundarbans region of India has experienced a significant shift from traditional agriculture to shrimp aquaculture due to erratic weather and increasing global demand for shrimp

Dashing Damselflies: Aerialists in an Arthropod Circus
In the fascinating world of damselflies, discover elaborate courtship displays, accessory genitalia, cannibalism, and even a unique lock-and-key mechanism that prevents cross-mating among related species

Delicate Balance: Agro-pastoral Life in the Spiti Valley
In the fragile ecological landscape of the high Himalayas in Spiti, local communities have found sustainable ways of encouraging tourism and generating livelihoods that are respectful of the environment and local culture

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

Narcondam Hornbill: Tale of a Rescue
Memories of a chance encounter with the endemic Narcondam hornbill in a dense forest of an isolated tropical island in the southern Bay of Bengal

Mahi Miri: The Forgotten Hero Behind Kaziranga
In the 1930s, Mahi Chandra Miri of the Mising community started some of the earliest measures to stop elephant and rhino poaching. His early conservation initiatives paved the way for the success story that is today’s Kaziranga National Park

Local Rituals Pay Tribute to Muggers Despite Present-day Trials
The annual Maange Thapnee ritual in Ponda, Goa, is an agrarian tradition symbolising the relationship between people and muggers, highlighting the cultural significance of coexistence

Poison in Diet Emerges as Threat to Greater Adjutant Storks
After the population of greater adjutant storks rose in Bhagalpur, Bihar, stork deaths are being noted across the district, due to the consumption of poisoned rats and fish

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

Recollections of Sambelong
The southern islands in the Nicobar archipelago are home to numerous endemic species, which thrive in the secrecy of dark forests. If this rich ecosystem is disturbed, we stand to lose diverse species, some of which may not even have been recorded.

Asir Jawahar Thomas Johnsingh (1945-2024): Farewell Friend, Guide, and Compatriot
Eminent wildlife biologist, field researcher, and pragmatic conservationist AJT Johnsingh was a passionate educator and a good friend to this author and all things wild

Shifting Baselines: A Fish Spawning Aggregation in Lakshadweep
A remote atoll in the northern Lakshadweep archipelago harbours a unique fish spawning aggregation site of squaretail groupers. With commercial reef fisheries having discovered this once-pristine aggregation, unsustainable extraction of resources is now the main story

Animal Rescuers Face an Uphill Battle as Human-wildlife Interactions Rise in Kashmir
There are regular reports of wild bears and leopards in Kashmir, venturing out of forests in search of food, resulting in encounters with humans and their livestock

Wolves Give the Silent Treatment
In landscapes heavily altered by human activity in Maharashtra, a study suggests that the Indian wolf may be adapting by suppressing its iconic howl

Lack of Research Impediment to Otter Conservation in Northeast India
Experts say detailed surveys and research inputs on the species are needed to formulate effective conservation plans

Crofton Weed: The ‘Devil’ Spreading in the Mountains
Labelled a ‘High Concern Invasive Species’, invading moist grasslands and evergreen forests, the Crofton weed is rapidly establishing itself in the Himalayas

Elevational Movements of Himalayan Birds Lend Clues to Improve Conservation Efforts
A study of eBird checklists from 2011 to 2022 suggests that conservation of lower elevation habitats may benefit high elevation birds that move downslope for the winter

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

Turtle Tales: Conservation Along India’s Coast
At Agonda beach in Goa’s Canacona district, a record 181 olive ridley turtles nested in 2024. The beach also has a hatchery to safeguard eggs and hatchlings from predators, aid research, combat poaching, and offer ecotourism and educational opportunities
The Nutcracker Suite: Fish that Use Tools to Crack Open Shells
The use of tools is not limited to primates and birds. Observers have recorded fish, like wrasses, using corals as anvils to break open and eat juicy sea urchins in Lakshadweep

Bengal Fox: Resilient Canid of Indian Grasslands
Although confined to small, fragmented savanna patches, foxes persist in some grasslands in Gujarat’s Surendranagar district

Ibisbill in Kashmir: Where Boulders Have Wings
Though widespread in other higher regions of Asia, the ibisbill is found only in a few specialised riverine habitats in India, and these are, unfortunately, under significant threat from mining and other human activities

Pingers and an Attempt to Save the Ganges River Dolphin
Can an acoustic device attached to fishing nets save the Ganges river dolphin from becoming bycatch in traditional gillnet fishery?

Sizing the Scavenging Value of Vultures
A new paper captures the value of carcass disposal services provided by vultures and highlights the benefits of investing in captive breeding and vulture safe zone

Remembering Sultanpur: Birding for the Soul
A birder reminisces about spending quality time with the astonishing variety of birds that graced Sultanpur Lake and sanctuary in the 80s and 90s

My Old Friend, the Pipal Pani Tiger
An account of how hunter-naturalist Jim Corbett killed a tiger under the misapprehension that it could become a man-eater

Tadoba Welcomes White-rumped Vultures
As part of a larger plan to revive the decimated vulture populations of India and secure their long-term survival, captive-bred vultures will soon be rewilded in Maharashtra’s Tadoba-Andhari Tiger Reserve

Botanists and Barberies, Palms and Patwas
A group of scientists were looking for rare, endemic, and endangered plants in the Kumaon, to learn about their habitat and geographic distribution, which could also provide clues to their evolutionary origins. Sometimes, they found answers, sometimes not

Garden of Earthly Delight: My Last Wild Place
A little terrace in Bengaluru glows with wildness and tranquillity, and brings home the lesson that your very own Zen garden does not have to be an immaculately tended space

Finding Nature Through the Gift of Our Attention
From observing bird behaviour in an urban garden to tracking butterfly lifecycles on a balcony, we can all build an enduring connection to the natural world

Can a Rare Bird Save a Remote Manipuri Village?
While the locals of Manipur’s Jessami Village have hunted wildlife for generations, the presence of the state bird, Mrs Hume’s pheasant, in their backyard is slowly pushing them to give up hunting and protect its habitat

With the Gaze on Me: Living with the Rhythms and Moods of Nature
Being looked at, witnessed, and experienced by other beings reveals our interbeingness and reassures us of our shared existence

Beetles: Tiny Titans of Pollination
Beetles’ role in pollination is largely unknown though they are globally recognised as early pollinators of primitive flowering plants

The Making of Delhi’s First Bird Lists and Birdwatching Clubs
Sudhir Vyas’ new book ‘The Birds of Delhi Area’ is an essential guide for city birders. Learn how to identify birds, read about the people that documented them and the threats the birds face today. Here’s an excerpt

A Botanical Pilgrimage in the Kumaon Hills
In Uttarakhand, a group of scientists go looking for rare plants in order to gain insights into the distribution of moist and dry habitats in the Himalayas

Human-animal Conflict Triggers Protests and Debates in Wayanad
Wayanad district grapples with escalating wildlife encounters, including fatal incidents involving elephants and tigers
Turbid Seas: A Soup of Minerals and Marine Wonders
Turbid waters represent the ocean in flux as living organisms and abiotic elements are churned around by tides, currents, and waves in a delicate balance that sustains complex lives and processes

Spider Wasps: Solitary Hunters in our Backyards
Known for their size, striking colour, and ability to sting and paralyse their prey, these skilled hunters specialise in capturing spiders to nourish their offspring

Rhinos Rebound in Manas
Rhinos translocated from Kaziranga and Pobitora are thriving at Manas National Park

Invasive Tilapia Reaches the Sea
Recent observations of tilapia in the coastal waters near Devipattinam have prompted an investigation to understand and assess their colonisation patterns

Along the Chambal
In The Cobra’s Gaze, writer Stephen Alter takes us on a journey of discovery through the wild places of India

Conflict vs Coexistence: Mitigating Human-Leopard Interactions
In parts of Uttarakhand, officials of the forest department are implementing a human behavioural change programme among local populations to reduce incidents of human-leopard conflict

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

Fields of Fire, Vales of Snow
Dachigam’s assorted forests, grasslands and scrublands are a biodiversity jewel, harbouring a striking profusion of wildlife, including the critically endangered Kashmir stag, protected by a small, dwindling number of frontline staff

Hope in the Land of the Rising Sun: Hunting and the Adis of the Siang River Basin
From practising ritualistic and sustenance hunting, the Adi have now banned it. Recognising the biodiversity crisis, the community is trying hard to revive the harmony between human activity and nature

Admiring the Perfect Blade of Grass
An enchanting short book about a little boy and the relationship he built with nature living in Dehradun under the watchful eye of his granny. Were the seeds of Ruskin Bond’s plentiful oeuvre of inspiring nature writing planted in those early days?
Subtle Showstoppers: Bowled Over by the Monitors in My Yard
Their ancient aura and irreplaceable swagger intact, udumbus or common monitor lizards have proliferated in a little village in Kerala’s backwaters

Palash: An Account of the Flame of the Forest
Fortune, fate, and a peek into the bevvy of springtime visitors that throng the blossoms of the flame of the forest tree

Why the Television Matters for Elephant Conservation
Understanding how people think, feel, and make decisions in the context of human-wildlife interactions is critical for conservation action. Behavioural economics can help navigate these complex systems

As Central Indian Wild Water Buffalo Faces Extinction, can Reintroduction Revive Their Numbers?
As the central Indian wild water buffaloes face extinction, a new study proposes reintroducing genetically similar individuals from northeast India to Kanha Tiger Reserve in central India

Bedazzled by Beaks: Why I Started Birding
Parents tend to be the ones trying to get their children interested in hobbies, but sometimes, it works the other way around

Be My Guest: Bugs in My Bedroom
Welcome and unwelcome guests, ranging from emerald-coloured beetles to moths and butterflies, are not uncommon in this big city bedroom

Crossing Corridors: In the Footsteps of a Tiger
In the face of road expansion and development projects, making space for animal corridors holds the potential to create robust connectivity for various wildlife

Barn Owls: Caught in the Urban Rat Race
Let’s safeguard this apex predator that shares space with us in various landscapes, especially in our cities

Finding Nori: Journey into the Underwater World of Seaweeds
Nearly all marine life depends on the existence of algae (which are all seaweeds), ranging from microscopic phytoplankton to relatively large macroalgae

Charles Darwin’s Frog: Tree-nester in the Andaman Islands
Although it lives on the forest floor, this endemic frog has adapted to nest and breed in tree holes. But its future is threatened by the loss of tree cover

Demand for Shark Meat Fuelled by Restaurants
A survey of seafood restaurants in 10 coastal states of India found that they form an important part of domestic supply chains for shark meat

Population Control of Animals to Resolve Conflict
A new report by the Wildlife Institute of India suggests population control of four species that are most in conflict with humans

Stigmas in Research Revealed as Study Finds More Animals Showing Same-sex Behaviour
Researchers note that stigmas have long prevented scientists from investigating same-sex sexual behaviours in animals or receiving funding to carry out such studies

Birding from a Balcony in Goa
Magpie robins sing, raptors vie for bycatch from fishers’ nets, graceful paradise catchers take a quick dip in the pool — all is well for the avian residents of this tourist haven

Making a Nature Walk Your Own
A nature walk can be rich and satisfying even in the largest cities. Tune your senses, slow down your pace, linger, explore the wild things around you, and embrace nature as part of your daily routine

Dark Knights: Urban Encounters of the Bat Kind
In our cities, bats may roost anywhere — under window shades, overhangs, tree branches, buildings, temples, bridges, tunnels and even the undersides of tiled roofs

A Day in the Life of Wildlife Veterinarian Sanath Muliya
On capturing and collaring wolves in the challenging, high-altitude trans-Himalayan landscape of Spiti

Quest for the Himalayan Giant Honey Bee
The Naga people have mastered the delicate art of braving treacherous cliffs to harvest the honey of Apis laboriosa bees

Does Wildlife Thrive When Human Settlements are Moved Out of a Forest?
An examination of how relocating human settlements from protected areas affects forests and wildlife in Satpura Tiger Reserve

Guitarfish: The Threatened Coastal Cruisers of South Goa
Guitarfish spend most of their time buried and concealed on the seafloor, where these fast movers feed on fish, crabs, prawns and other tiny organisms

Bugun Liocichla: A Quest to See this Rare Gem of the Northeast
The first new bird species to be discovered in India after independence is found only in a tiny, protected area of Arunachal Pradesh

Fireflies: Bioluminescent Beauties Light Up the Trees
Will the neon lights dancing across dark landscapes continue to bedazzle us? Or are these shimmering beetles doomed to disappear from our world?

Karnataka’s Elephantine Problem
State forest department being questioned after celebrated elephant gets killed during an elephant capture operation

Birds of Arunachal Sanctuary Threatened by Loss of Grasslands
The grasslands of Daying Ering Memorial Wildlife Sanctuary are home to the rare Bengal florican and the endemic swamp grass babbler

Oil Spill in Ennore Affects Local Ecology
Crude oil, reportedly from a public sector refining company, has leaked into the Kosasthalaiyar river to the north of Chennai, the Ennore creek, and the Bay of Bengal, thereby polluting the ecosystem

Zoological Survey of India to Use eDNA to Study and Monitor Wildlife
The new technology may also be able to provide much-needed data on invasive alien species in India

Marbled Cat: Master of Stealth in the Treetops
The forests of Northeastern India harbour the perfect habitat for an elusive small cat species that lives partly in the canopy

Hit by the Climate Crisis, Fairy Tales Just Got Real
In this rollicking (and thought-provoking) read, Fairyland meets the modern world. Enchanted forests and oceans are transformed by social media, smog, and climate change and happily ever after is no longer a sure deal. How do the beloved characters of our childhood stories rise to the challenge?

A Sister’s Recollections of Jim Corbett
An account of the famous hunter’s early life as dictated by his devoted sister and lifelong companion Margaret Winifred Corbett, better known as ‘Maggie’, to a close friend

Modern Family: Observing a Rusty-Spotted Cat Clan in Rajasthan
Seemingly unafraid of humans, the smallest wildcat species in the world has adapted to live alongside us in the fields and plantations of the Indian subcontinent

Birding with a ‘Superstar’ Uncle
In this delightful portrait of childhood, Zai Whitaker recounts her early birding woes and how she winged it

Into the Great Wide Open: Dolphins and Whales of the Bay of Bengal
A group of researchers traverses the Andhra Pradesh coastline to document the cetaceans, dolphins and whales, that live in these waters

Celebrating the Sacred Trees of India
Trees that villages are named after, trees that give birth to idioms, trees that inspire poetry - trees resonate in every aspect of our lives. In this handy reckoner, delve into the stories of 27 such trees.

Children of the Big River
The Brahmaputra River defines the stories of the origin, emergence, conflicts, and regeneration of the Dimasa community of Assam. Storytelling and mythmaking help them connect with the natural and spiritual worlds around them

Coexisting with Snakes in Goa – A Utopian Dream?
A concerted effort by individuals and NGOs over the last two decades has increased awareness about snakes in Goa, reducing the number of snakebites and human and snake mortality from encounters

Camera-trap Study of Five Small Wild Cats Planned in Dehing-Patkai
The forest department is initiating a camera-trap study to assess populations and occupancy of five species of small wild cats in the national park, the first such study since 2010

With A Little Help From Our Friends: Managing Invasive Plant Species
Can we leverage megaherbivores like elephants to control the spread of highly invasive species like Lantana?

Humpback Dolphins: Sharing Coastal Spaces with Humans in Vembanad
Confined to shallow, coastal waters, this highly intelligent dolphin species inhabits areas frequented by local fishers and interacts differently with the many vessels that pepper the estuary

On the wings of the Bugun Liocichla
Active local participation has helped the Singchung Bugun Village Community Reserve in Arunachal Pradesh become a conservation success. And it all started with the discovery of this critically endangered bird

Loss of Habitat Forces Indian Crested Porcupines to Enter Saffron Fields in Kashmir
Experts estimate that in recent years nearly 5,000 hectares of land growing saffron has been impacted by porcupines that are coming into fields in search of food due to loss of their natural habitats

Signs of Solace: Grieving in Nature
If you let it, nature has a way of reeling you in, of taking you out of pondering about the death and loss you have experienced

Birdman and boatman of Nal Sarovar
Gani Sama has his eye on migratory birds that stop at this large lake near his home near Viramgam, Gujarat

Standing Tall: African Baobabs in Mumbai
Scattered across Mumbai city, these African giants have been on the Indian subcontinent for centuries. How did they get here, and what’s so special about them?

High Altitude Passerines in Uttarakhand
Making memories with four species of passerines: red-billed leiothrix, bar-tailed treecreepers, chestnut-winged minlas, and Eurasian wrens

Press N(ature) to Play
Sensory play can open us up to experiencing nature in ways that help us recharge, create, feel wonder and connectedness

Winds of Change: Sharing Space with the Wild in Ramanagara
At first glance, the Ramanagara landscape seems like a picturesque habitat dotted by giant boulders. A closer look reveals new emerging signs of conflict with the wild

Ways of Seeing: Watching Wildlife From Near and Far
On the ground, in nearby bushes, or on faraway trees and mountain slopes, observing nature from different perspectives, you’ll find magic in every vantage point

Asian Giant Hornets: Beyond the Sting
In Nagaland, edible insects like the Asian giant hornet are an ethnic delicacy and are used as both food and medicine

Bryozoans: Moss Animals of the Tidepools
On rocky shores, bryozoans grow, like moss, as small, colourful mats of millions of tiny organisms called zooids, fused and living together as one

Munsiyari’s Omnipresent Alpine Accentors and Their Love Lives
These stout little birds migrate to lower altitudes in the non-breeding season and are visible everywhere. Their breeding rituals and accompanying songs take place in the summer in the quieter higher reaches of the Himalayas

Remarkable Rodents: The Fighting-Fit Super Mammals
Extremely resourceful and intelligent, several rodent species live close to humans, often outsmarting efforts to get rid of them

Roosters on the Run: Red and Grey Junglefowl
Their wariness of humans is understandable, given that it was their ancestors we domesticated and built a multi-billion dollar poultry industry around

Wayanad: A Summer Destination for Elephants
The Wayanad plateau witnesses high footfall of elephants in summer compared to the surrounding areas in the Nilgiri landscape, a new study finds

The Invasive Four
India is home to many introduced plant species that have arrived as guests from different parts of the world. Here are four examples of familiar invasive alien plants, their impacts and how to manage them.

Jewels from the Intertidal
Like the intertidal zone it describes – a space that is both land and sea – Yuvan Aves’s genre-bending book is both observation and contemplation, meditation and a call to action. It is a testament to the rewards of prolonged observation and nurturing a relationship with the natural world.

Look out, the Trash is Alive!
A fun, pacy read with author Shweta Taneja’s imaginative take on a world where the trash is in charge. There are piles of stinking garbage, no one bathes, and Trash Rajah has declared cleaning illegal. Can the children save their only playground from the garbage monsters?

Tenacious Triggerfish: The Territorial Reef Residents
Though they have a well-deserved reputation for being aggressive and protective of their territory, these colourful fish also play a key role in the marine ecosystem

Saving Olive Ridley turtles in Visakhapatnam
Fishermen and migrant workers are rescuing the endangered turtle – one egg at a time

India’s Young Naturalists and Their Inspiring Stories
Four bright young conservationists instil hope for the country and planet

Luck of the Draw: Spotting Asiatic Lions in Gir
To see lions on safari is good luck, but sometimes Gir lets you strike the jackpot

An Ode to Sponges
Ancient marine animals that are food on the sea floor, sponges thrive in a variety of environments. Depending on the species, sponges can be predators, competitors, symbionts, or prey

Snow Pigeons: A Dash of White
Though they appear somewhat similar in appearance to their city cousins, snow pigeons live in very different high-altitude, snowy alpine habitats

A Day in the Life of a Madras Hedgehog
Native to South India, this spiky, endearing creature forages quietly in the leaf litter in semi-arid grasslands — habitats that are under grave threat and need to be protected

Cormorants: Hung Out to Dry
Efficient fishers, these easy-to-spot birds dive and swim underwater to hunt for fish, after which they spread their waterlogged wings to dry

The Thar Desert: A Landscape of Loss
Writer, photographer and environmentalist Arati Kumar-Rao travels to India’s wild landscapes on the edge, to tell stories of loss and hope. Here’s an excerpt

Dwindling Bird Populations are an Indication of Biodiversity Loss
Around 60 percent of birds in India have experienced population decline over the long term of 30 years, says 2023 State of India’s Birds report

Looking for Eyeshine: A Tiny Wildcat and its Neighbours in Jawai
The search for the elusive rusty-spotted cat amidst the rocky hillocks of Jawai, Rajasthan, unveils numerous other secrets of this magical landscape

Threatened Pangolins in the Tea Plantations of the Darjeeling Hills
Can the Chinese pangolin, who lives among the tea estates of Darjeeling, survive the social, political and economic turbulences of the region?

Crackdown on Interstate Tiger Poaching Network, 18 Poachers Arrested
A major tiger poaching syndicate that extended from Gadchiroli in Maharashtra to Guwahati in Assam was busted recently

Sorting Hat Spider: Silky Mandalas and Disappearing acts
Spend time in nature and observe this tiny orb-weaving spider’s magical world of agility, camouflage, and venom

When a Tree Falls in the Forest, Fungi Hear It
As key players in the afterlife of trees, fungi are the most important decomposers of wood

Indian Swiftlet: The Best Kept Secret of Vengurla Rocks
Swiftlets have adapted quite stunningly to live inside dark underground habitats using echolocation. On Burnt Island, Indian swiftlets are an integral part of the cave ecosystem

Leopards in Udaipur: Struggle of a Predator
As large areas of ecologically sensitive forest are destroyed for highways, factories, and mining, the leopard comes into increased conflict with humans

The Inner Workings of Resilience in the Sundarbans
A journey through the circuitous paths of the Indian Sundarbans reveals the struggles of communities on the frontline of climate change and human-wildlife conflict

Watching Vultures Around Munsiyari
Encounters with the majestic Himalayan griffon and the bone-swallowing bearded vulture in a quaint, high-altitude town in Uttarakhand

Geoheritage of the Kutch District
Numerous sites, from the Lyari riverbed to fossils on Dhinodhar Hill, highlight the rich geological heritage of India, to be preserved and appreciated for posterity

Parrotfish: Rainbows in the Reef
Colourful, sex-changing, sand-pooping fish that feed on algae and keep coral reefs healthy

Plain Mountain Finches in Sleet and Snow
Flocking in the hundreds and flying in tightly packed formations, these tiny birds can be observed even in peak wintry weather in Uttarakhand

Night Vision of Rock Bees
Researchers find bee species Apis dorsata to have nocturnal colour vision, debunking the earlier belief that all honeybees are diurnal and that nocturnal pollination is largely led by olfactory senses

No Room for Bats
Bats in parts of Tamil Nadu are facing a decline in population due to urbanisation, the use of bright lights, temple renovations and tree removals

The Forgotten Tale of Black-Bellied Sandgrouse
An extraordinary number of sandgrouse would visit the princely state of Bikaner, Rajasthan for over half a century from the 1890s, offering the maharaja bragging rights and the British elite, thrilling shooting opportunities

Behavioural Shift: Tigers Attack Bike Riders Along Corbett
In a period of nine months, five such attacks on bikers were recorded around Corbett Tiger Reserve. Four people were killed, and one was seriously injured

Two Leaves and the Birds: Notes from Tea Gardens of the Dooars
Observations of unexpected behaviours in the tea gardens of North Bengal

Sacred Swamps: Where Culture Meets Conservation
On the protection of sacred swamps in the Western Ghats

India's Tiger Estimation Exercise Reveals State of its Forests
Out of approximately 5,83,278 square km of forests in the tiger states, only one-third are in relatively healthy condition, says NTCA report

Humidity and Weather Conditions Take its Toll on Cheetahs in Kuno
Experts attribute the death of three cheetahs, that took place in July and August this year, to infection in wounds on the animals’ skin as their winter fur retained water during the heavy monsoons and caused the occurrence of maggots.

How Do Tigers, Leopards and Dholes Share Resources?
A new study that examined intraguild interactions among tigers, leopards and dholes revealed a clear social hierarchy with tigers dominating, followed by dholes and then leopards

The Resonance of Restoration
Scientists are stringing recorders around trees in eastern Madhya Pradesh to listen to bird calls and monitor changes in health of restored dry, deciduous forests after the removal of invasive shrub Lantana camara

The Mystery Behind Ants Carrying Flowers
Uncovering an ant housing colony’s little secret while observing their organised silent army at a doorstep microhabitat

Exploring the Coral Reefs of Goa’s Grande Island
The most accessible of India’s coral reefs may not be colourful and glamourous, but they are resilient and able to thrive in turbid, low-light environments

Managing the Elephant in the Room
Understanding the species’ ecology and behaviour is critical to any success in implementing measures to deal with human-elephant interactions in South India

A Crocodile in the Matla River
'Writings from the Sundarbans’ is a new anthology that translates literary narratives composed in Bangla, in English. Here’s an excerpt from the short story ‘A Crocodile’
Marine Flatworms: Magic Carpets of the Seas
Cryptic in their habits and artistic in their movement, the most intriguing aspect of marine flatworms is their mode of reproduction

High as a Kite: Maestros of Indian Skies
Deft, daring, and dashing, the four kite species found in India are a delight to watch as they circle our skies and hunt and forage for their next meal

Poop, Prints and Paintings: Tracing the Tamiraparani’s Otters
Despite pollution and the significant changes Tamil Nadu’s Tamiraparani River has undergone over the years, there is evidence that it still hosts a bevy of these elusive social creatures

The Breathtaking Blues of the Raucous Indian Roller
Spot an Indian roller’s spectacular display as it executes a series of turns and twists, somersaulting, looping, and calling out loudly — a rock ‘n’ roll performance in every way

The Guide: Purna Wildlife Sanctuary, Gujarat
An obscure wildlife sanctuary in South Gujarat is a haven for birdwatchers and nature lovers

Barbets of India: Send in the Clowns
Nine species of this bird family are found in India, several with vibrant crimson, yellow, and black heads and large soulful eyes

Bangalore University Campus: The Unsung Carbon Sink
Accessible to the public, the 1,200-acre campus with over five lakh trees is Bangalore’s unnoticed green lung

Concerted Efforts Crucial to Safeguard Kerala's Mangroves
More than 75 percent of the mangrove patches in Kerala are privately owned, which makes conservation difficult. Multiple attempts by the forest department to acquire mangroves from private owners have hit roadblocks.

Wildlife Crime: Death by a Snare
A single snare can potentially kill more than one animal. Snares don’t discriminate or select their victims, and they can take the lives of tigers, deer, wild boars, leopards, and even elephants

Long-term Plans Key to Addressing Kerala's Human-elephant Conflict
Wildlife experts assert that mechanisms such as tracking elephant movement areas, installing alert lights for elephant sightings, creating awareness among residents and installing electric fences the right way, can be some long-term measures to prevent conflict

Reforesting Arunachala Hill in Tiruvannamalai
After a long tryst with fires burning up its vegetation and numerous community conservation efforts, Arunachala Hill is finally a rewilding success

Moods of the Forest in Raimona National Park
In western Assam, on the border of India and Bhutan, is a tropical jungle with giants like gaurs and elephants and endemics like the golden langur

The Other Side of Gir
We are all familiar with Gir National Park’s brown dry scrub landscape, but it also has open deciduous forests and rivers that flow through it

Chirp, Twitter, Tweet: The Wide Vocabulary of Jungle Babblers
These social birds, with a range of coordinated behaviours including group foraging, movement, and brood care, have a repertoire of calls to communicate with each other

Elephants and Fences: Intelligence and Ingenuity
The personal story of a middle-aged makhna (tuskless bull elephant) named Dushtu and his attempts to help himself to the paddy crops in Panijhora, a forest village in the Himalayan foothills of West Bengal

In the Nilgiris: Bokkapuram’s birdman
B. Siddan has his sights firmly fixed on avian life in this part of the Western Ghats

The Basket Weavers of Dang
The Kotwalias are one of the most marginalised communities in South Gujarat’s Dang district. They are skilled bamboo artisans who rely on the forest for their lives and livelihoods

Sea Urchins: Hedgehogs of the Ocean
Extremely resilient and adaptable creatures of the sea, sea urchins have been around for over 450 million years and continue to thrive in all the world’s oceans

Common Picturewing: The Flying Floral Carpet
Can this lovely black-and-yellow skimmer become a mascot for the conservation of insects and our planet?

Growing with Nature
From a barren landscape to a green abode, Gurukula Botanical Sanctuary in Wayanad, Kerala, shows us what conservation, protection, and love for nature can do

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

Camera Trap Image Reveals Possible Presence of Nepal’s 13th Wildcat Species
Camera trapping last year for a tiger census captured an image of what researchers believe is an Asiatic wildcat, a felid whose presence in the country has long been debated

Art Expedition: On the Trail of the Great Indian Bustard
Wildlife artist Sangeetha Kadur illustrates the critically endangered bustard, and its neighbours, in Rajasthan’s Desert National Park

The Guide: Desert National Park
Far from empty, this park in Rajasthan has a wealth of birds, reptiles, mammals, and even flowering plants

Mokarsagar Wetland Complex: Lifeline for Wintering Birds
Created by an inlet from the sea, the large, lush wetland of Mokarsagar, in the Porbandar district of Gujarat, is a collection of gently rippling marshes which harbour over 180 resident and migratory bird species

The Story of Harike: A Wetland that has Witnessed History
How colonial forces, the Partition, and ambitions of nation-building led to the making of a huge wetland, which is now a stopover for thousands of migratory birds

New Rescue Centres for Seized Wildlife in Northeast States
The rescue centres to be built with financial aid from the Central Zoo Authority will provide an alternative to zoos, which lack space and resources

Vetal Hill: A Natural Paradise in Peril
This hill in the heart of Pune city is a biodiversity spot and birders’ haven, but development plans threaten its existence

Shola-Grasslands in the Palani Hills
1,600 m above sea level, shola forests and the adjoining grasslands are an important ecosystem found in the rippling montane regions of South India’s hills. These shola-grasslands are prime habitats for various native and endemic species of plants, birds, and animals.

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

Little Grebe: Artwork of Evolution
Look for this pretty, petite, diving waterbird in open wetlands, where it swims and paddles among reeds and other vegetation and hunts for food underwater

Indian Desert Jird: Tiny Musketeer of Rajasthan’s Thar Desert
With numerous survival strategies and tricks up its furry sleeves, the Indian desert jird has adapted to live in one of the most hostile ecosystems on the planet

Where the Bank Myna Sings
Bank mynas roost, nest and live in noisy flocks. These gregarious birds quite like to chatter, and don’t shy away from the occasional skirmish or quarrel with their own and other 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

Mass Die-offs of Fish in Kerala Linked to Warming Water and Pollution
Warming water and pollution from industries, chemicals and pesticide run offs, lead to fish kill during summer months in Kerala. Some endangered and critically endangered species and active brooders become a part of this mass mortality

Forest Owlet: Resurrected but Endangered
With an interesting history of “extinction” and rediscovery, the endemic forest owlet perches on the brink of disappearing

White-winged Wood Duck: An Icon of Forest Pools
Unlike most ducks that inhabit open wetlands and marshes, the white-winged wood duck favours small shallow pools in thick tropical lowland forests. As their favoured habitat disappears around the world, these birds have become “Endangered”

Jeypore Ground Gecko: Hidden in the Mountains
Tracking a ground-dwelling, bent-toed endangered gecko species through its shrinking habitats in the flat-topped hills in the northern Eastern Ghats of Andhra Pradesh and Odisha

Orphaned Calves: Paying the Price of Human-elephant Conflict
Elephant calves are sometimes the casualties in the tussle for space between humans and elephants. While some orphaned calves are accepted back into their herds, many young ones find it difficult to survive in the wild without their mothers who died from electrocution or other accidents.

The Kair: Lifeline of the Desert
With its dishevelled appearance and sparse leaves, the kair (khair or ker) may appear unremarkable, but it is a resilient shrub that plays a critical role in sustaining the ecosystem and supporting the lives of the creatures living around it

Marine National Park: A Walk in the Intertidal Zone at Narara
Explore a landscape that is usually underwater when the tide recedes several kilometres and exposes Narara’s rich intertidal zone

Khaliya Top: A Bird’s-eye View of Birds
Birding at an altitude of ~3,700 m in Uttarakhand’s Munsiyari region presents a top-down perspective and a chance to consider the incredible biodiversity of the alpine zone

Protecting Land and Life: Dibang Valley’s First Community Conserved Area
Idu Mishmi efforts in biodiversity conservation and camera trapping in Dibang Valley, Arunachal Pradesh

The Guide: Vansda National Park, Gujarat
Trees and birds hold sway in this little-known protected area in south Gujarat, tucked into the northernmost end of the Western Ghats

Dang: Wild and Wonderful
Dang district in south-eastern Gujarat is green dreamland. Much of it is forested with teak and bamboo, amidst which live an astonishing variety of birds

Shieldtails: Hidden Beauties of the Underground
Various species of this unique family of ancient, nonvenomous snakes are found only in narrow pockets of peninsular India (and Sri Lanka) where they are endemic

Roadkill Instances on the Rise in Jammu and Kashmir
Felids and canids are noted to be the most common victims of roadkill, among other nocturnal vertebrates on roads constructed in northwestern Himalayas.

Is the Dancing Frog’s Jig Over?
Malformations such as a missing eye or deformed limb have been noted in the Kottigehar dancing frog, possibly due to anthropogenic stressors.

Ruth DeFries: Buoyed by a ‘Geographer’s Heart’
Environmental geographer Ruth DeFries says understanding of local drivers and context of deforestation is crucial to contributing to reducing deforestation

Artisanal Fishers of Rameswaram Stand Against Polluting Shrimp Farms on the Island
They allege that shrimp farms behind their village have polluted their groundwater, encroached their commons and that some farms don’t abide by government rules

Where the Mind is Without Fear: Stories of Coexistence in Shared Landscapes
Across the country, indigenous communities often have unique sets of cultural and religious beliefs connected to sharing living spaces with wild animals. Modern practices, too, need to integrate traditional ecological knowledge into the study of conservation and coexistence

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

In Search of the Elusive Indian Desert Cat
The desert cat, which appears like a small domestic cat, is a wild feline that stands out for its ability to thrive in one of the most challenging habitats in India — the Thar Desert

The Song of the Iora
Aasheesh Pittie, one of India’s premier birders, reveals why the common iora creates upheavals of emotion within him

Elephants Crossing: Danger and Death on a Railway Track in Palakkad
Around the country, train accidents continue to kill scores of elephants. Numerous elephants in the Palakkad division have met the same disastrous fate. Urgent conservation measures are required to stop this recurring tragedy

Rajasthan Toad-headed Agama: Master of the Shifting Sands
Of evolutionary significance for conservation, this small agama is found occupying sand dunes that have almost no vegetation, only in a few localities of Jaisalmer District

The Indian Grey Mongoose: The Cobra’s Nemesis
Even the venomous cobra is no match for the mongoose, a testy mammal with an appetite for a variety of small and medium-sized creatures

Termites: Architects, Farmers, Ecosystem Engineers (and Pests)
Termites are both a boon and bane to our environment — and there’s a lot about the lives of these tiny creatures that are a complete mystery

Tigers, Leopards Venture Into Snow Leopard Territory in the Himalayas
A warming climate threatens to push Nepal’s three big cat species — tigers, leopards and snow leopards — into closer proximity to each other, with unknown consequences for the survival of each

‘Wonder Bird of the Himalayas’ Faces Several Threats
Several anthropogenic pressures continue to impact the ibisbill, with sand and boulder mining being its biggest threat.

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

Evidence of Manul’s Presence Found on Mount Everest
Cold-adapted wild cat’s existence confirmed on the slopes of the world’s highest mountain, thanks to scat samples retrieved from there in 2019

Living With Elephants: Can Mobile Technology Help Mitigate Human-wildlife Conflict?
Human casualties are the dominant cost of human-wildlife conflict in India. A community-based initiative in Valparai attempts to mitigate this and help people and elephants coexist

A Tale of One City and Two Trees
Learning to live in and love Delhi with the help of two botanical companions — the devil tree and the African sausage tree

Storks: Birds with Broadsword Bills
Eight species of these large, long-legged wading birds are familiar sights in different parts of India

Between the Global and Local: Making Sense of Climate Change in the Lakshadweep Archipelago
Understanding the larger phenomenon of climate change through a local lens, against the backdrop of big environmental catastrophes

Hope and Biodiversity on the Andaman Islands
Exciting biological discoveries from the Andaman Islands reveal new species, new behaviours, and new threats to be wary of. In all likelihood, many more secrets wait to be uncovered

Bejewelled: On the Trail of the Himalayan Monal in Uttarakhand
Iridescent males are striking and unmissable, while females come dressed in browns and patterns that blend seamlessly with the landscape, allowing them to evade predators by remaining inconspicuous

On Saving Whale Sharks
Two decades of persistent conservation efforts have helped save these gentle giants in Gujarat, and protection programmes are now being replicated in other parts of the country

Cranes: Trumpeters of the Skies
Catch sight of these tall, long-necked birds dancing in paddy fields or declaring their everlasting love for one another

An Insider’s Perspective: The Short Life of an Asian Elephant in West Bengal
Indian elephants live for 50 years, they say. Except when they are forced to share spaces with humans who are squeezing their limited habitats

Gul Toor Flowering Early in Kashmir Due to Climate Change
The Kashmir Valley is experiencing warmer winters and as a result the flowering period for the Sternbergia vernalis flower has shifted from mid-March to mid-February

Crop Raids by Wildlife on the Rise in Kaziranga
Crop raids by wild boars and elephants coupled with land erosion near the sixth addition of Kaziranga National Park are altering cultivation patterns among farmers

Invasive Plants Spreading in Higher Elevations
A global study notes consistent increases in the number of alien plant species in mountainscapes and their swift spread into higher elevations between 2007 and 2017.

Forest Clearance Denied for Etalin Hydroelectric Project
Forest Advisory Committee of the Ministry of Environment, Forests and Climate Change pointed out that a ‘large number of representations were received voicing concerns’ while refusing the Stage-II or final forest clearance

Oriental Garden Lizards: Quick Learners or Bloodsuckers?
Enhanced vision and the ability to recognise colours and make associations allows these reptiles to benefit us as bioregulators of crop pests

Amazing Grace: The Regal Chinars of Kashmir
Come late autumn, the stately chinars of Kashmir are radiant as their leaves flare out in various shades of red, orange, crimson, and yellow

Sky Skaters: Sally Forth with Vibrant Bee-eaters
Multi-coloured bee-eaters are a delight to watch as they skate and pirouette in the skies on triangular pointed wings, snapping up a bee or wasp in-flight before returning to their perch to devour it

Woken Up by the Whistling Schoolboy
Dehradun-based naturalist Sanjay Sondhi writes about his first encounter with the blue whistling thrush

Chitons: Primitive Inhabitants of Today’s Seashores
Chitons predate the first dinosaurs by more than 150 million years and have survived multiple mass extinction events

The True Tree World of Golden Langurs
Living in the canopy their whole lives and rarely coming down to the ground, this species of Old-World monkey find pockets of peace in the arboreal world of their small geographical range in Assam

Pretty Cochoas: Sparking Joy in the Himalayas
They may camouflage in the canopy, but their simple, single-note call is magical and tells the astute birder that these lovely birds are in the vicinity

The Ghost Tree: Courting the Frozen Dancer in the Forest
The enigmatic ghost tree with its smooth grey-white bark strikes a graceful pose as it stands in solitude on rocky, eroded forest slopes

Aurobindo Samal: Protecting Species with Community Participation
In Odisha’s coastal region, a young man’s holistic approach to conservation which includes the community participation, makes a difference to humans, otters, hyenas and a range of other wildlife

Shared Spaces: On the IISER Campus in Kerala
Discovering the art of chasing wildlife on a lush 200-acre educational campus a few hours from Thiruvananthapuram

Nagaland's Biodiversity Documentation Receives Boost Through First Bird Count
The Tokhü Emong Bird Count (TEBC) is a flagship event that is taking steps to promote conservation in the state by creating awareness through birding.
Day or Night, the Wilderness Areas of the Western Ghats Never Sleep
All the different wild habitats of Goa, whether deciduous forests, open laterite plateaus or swamps, are thriving havens of magical biodiversity

Choughs: Gurus of the Mountain Skies
Clever and social, choughs live in a wide altitudinal range in the Indian Himalayas and beyond. These birds are adaptable and occupy different habitats, and have a varied diet

Why Do Some Plants Bloom and Die Together?
During mass flowering events, certain species of plants allocate resources towards producing vast amounts of seeds to ensure the pollination and survival of the next generation, before dying.

Decoding the Wheatears of India
Protected areas like the Desert National Park in Rajasthan host seven of the nine species of these birds found in India

Elephants are Choosy When it Comes to Food
A study in northern West Bengal found that elephants are selective with their diet, feeding on approximately 130 species of plants among the 286 that were recorded.

Sattal is a Paradise for Birders, But What About the Birds?
A morning walk on the lovely trails near Sattal is a wonderful way to spend time in the company of different birds. Let’s keep the experience as natural and ethical as possible

By the Flock: Decline of the Yellow-breasted Bunting
Pushed to the brink of extinction in China, these visitors to eastern India once came by in large flocks. Worldwide conservation measures are needed to help the species survive

What Lies Beneath: Rough-scaled Sand Boa
Also called the common sand boa, these non-venomous burrowing snakes are built for life underground, from where they can easily ambush small-sized prey

Jackdaw: Menacing-Looking Affable Crows
These small corvids, with conspicuous white eyes, are social creatures that live and forage in flocks

Butterflyfish in a Coral Garden
In warm, tropical seas, these brightly coloured and intricately patterned fish are well adapted to eat coral and to defend themselves against predators

Boxfish: An Evolutionary Guide to Self-preservation
Boxfishes have a fully loaded arsenal of defences against predators, including an armour and lethal poisons

Biodiversity Hotspot: Walking Through Kalakad-Mundanthurai Tiger Reserve
Though tigers roam Tamil Nadu’s river sanctuary and its many habitats, it’s the tiny buds and creepy crawlies that reign supreme when it comes to diversity and abundance

Identifying Mugger Crocodiles Using Drones
Researchers in Gujarat believe the model could be useful in rescue and relocation efforts to minimise human-crocodile conflicts and in analysing mugger biology.

The Story of the Translocated African Lions of Kuno
Few know that in 1906, long before the cheetah went extinct in India, another big cat translocation took place in the Central Indian forests of Gwalior state

Bulbuls: Play on Merry Minstrels
With expressive faces and a song in their heart, various species of these cheerful entertainers are found in different parts of the country

The Guide: Netravali Wildlife Sanctuary
In Goa’s Western Ghats, the Netravali Wildlife Sanctuary supports a wealth of reptile and amphibian life

Most Valuable Players of the Monsoon in the Western Ghats
When the rains arrive in the Western Ghats, one of the world’s most biodiverse habitats, a range of herpetofauna come out to play, creating an orchestra of sounds

Forest Protection Key to Saving the Indian Giant Squirrel
Habitat conservation, identification and protection of specific trees, prevention of habitat fragmentation and reduction of human interference critical to reverse the squirrel’s declining numbers

Everything, Everywhere in Mizoram’s Dampa Tiger Reserve
Whether under leaf litter or high up in the canopy, the sights, sounds, colours, and scents of this sprawling habitat in Mizoram reveal a rich and intriguing diversity of life forms

Gajoldoba: Bird Haven for All Seasons
Avian residents and migrant stragglers delight birdwatchers at this small hamlet in northern West Bengal even after the winter visitors have left

Two Endangered Freshwater Turtles Receive International Conservation Support
India’s proposal for higher protection for the red-crowned roofed and Leith softshell turtles was accepted at the CITES conference.

Great Nicobar: Exploring a Biodiverse Island in Peril
This remote island’s diversity of habitats and micro-environments are a wonderland of rare and endemic species of plants, animals, insects, crustaceans, and marine life

Dilemma of Protecting the Slender Loris
With the recent notification of a slender loris sanctuary near Panchanthangi in Dindigul district, Tamil Nadu, there are questions over what the restrictions of this now-declared Protected Area mean for local livelihoods

The Wild Yak: Treasure of the High Plateaus
Wild yaks are hardy creatures that live at high altitudes and are comfortable in freezing weather. They are rarely seen, as less than 15,000 remain in the world

Garden Wonders and Roadside Marvels
Anisha Jayadevan and Ishika Ramakrishna write about life forms found around us in the city

Communities and the Heronries, Can They Save Each Other?
The relationship between the birds and humans in the coastal communities in Andhra Pradesh differs greatly from one village to the next

Finding a Tranquilised Wild Tiger
Wildlife biologist K Ullas Karanth shares an adventurous real-life story from the emerald jungle of Nagarahole

Under Fire: Smooth-coated Otters on the Cauvery
The habitat of smooth-coated otters is severely threatened by numerous activities. As they adapt to changes, they come into increased conflict with humans

Dying River: Declining Water Quality and Fish Stocks on the Cauvery
From pollution to global warming, many factors adversely impact the Cauvery’s water quality. As a result, native fish populations are impacted, affecting on the entire ecosystem that depends on this river

Fishers’ Quandary: Strain and Survival on the Cauvery
With the Cauvery’s depleting fish stocks, the lives of fishers who depend on this river for their livelihoods have become increasingly uncertain, forcing them to adapt to different methods of fishing

Endangered White-winged Wood Duck's Habitat Threatened by Climate Change
Study on the impacts of climate change on Assam’s state bird revealed that 436.61 sq. km. of highly potential habitat would be lost by 2070

Climate Change Adding to the Spread of Invasive Species
Invasive plants such as Lantana camara and Chromolaena odorata are emerging as a serious threat, especially to natural and agricultural landscapes

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

Nature and Rhyme: Poems for Wild Things
In her recent book Barefoot in the Wild, poet Tara Sandhu writes about endangered animals, their homeland, and her yearning for a life close to nature. Here is a selection of a few poems

Rajasthan’s Desert Ecology Impacted by Unusually Heavy Rains
Local flora and fauna is being affected by changes in water availability and vegetation

Playing Hide and Seek with the Saw-Scaled Viper in Goa
In the laterite plateaus of the Western Ghats, one of India’s most venomous snakes, the saw-scaled viper, finds a safe habitat

Swimming Amongst Fossils: What Sponges Tell Us About the World
These ancient animals have been an essential part of healthy reef ecosystems for millions of years

Pallas’s Cat: Silent Predator of the Trans-Himalayas
The cold and windy marshes of Hanle in Ladakh, with an abundance of pika and voles, is an ideal home for the Pallas’s cat. However, increasing construction activity in the area threatens this rich ecosystem

Two Baby Bears Up a Tree
What do a team of forest guards do when they find two bear cubs on a tree?

Amir Kumar Chettri: Panijhora’s Multifaceted Conservationist
Extensive knowledge about Gorumara National Park and exceptional wildlife spotting skills are just a few talents of this ethnobotanist from northern West Bengal. He also acts as a tourist guide, assists researchers, is a community leader and spearheads conservation projects

The Arduous Ambition of Bringing the Cheetah Home
Since the arrival of African cheetahs to India, there have been questions and debates around their relocation. Dean of Wildlife Institute of India and author of the Cheetah Action Project 2022, Yadvendradev Jhala, addresses the criticism and talks about the challenges of undertaking an ambitious project like this

Human-Wildlife Clashes in a Changing Kashmir Valley
Rapid urbanisation and a changing forest landscape set wild animals and locals against each other in Kashmir. The latest victims of this conflict are children

Peafowl Tales: Flamboyant Trains and Screeching Calls
The raucous bird with its magnificent iridescent cloak is an efficient watchdog, letting out a high-pitched screech to warn other jungle creatures of impending danger

Trinket Snakes and Their Treasured Personal Space
Though these nocturnal beauties are non-venomous, when threatened, they may rise menacingly and strike

The Rhino’s Future in India
Understanding the genetic status of current rhino populations in India and Nepal will be crucial for the long-term survival of the species

Bridge to the Past: The Rocky Landscape of Daroji
The boulder-strewn landscape of Daroji has a long and volatile history. The rocky scrub jungles here harbour an incredible diversity of life, from small invertebrates to megafauna like sloth bears and leopards

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

Flirting with the Rain in Mizoram’s Murlen National Park
A mere 30 km from the Myanmar border, the mid-altitude forests of Murlen National Park teems with biodiversity

Traditional Fishers Livelihood in Odisha Threatened by Illegal Fish Poisoning
Fishers in the riverine villages of Kendrapara district claim that poisoning of fishes to catch them easily has been a rampant illegal activity for over a decade

Colourful Company: Where the Wildflowers Bloom
Flowers may bloom in untended spaces and are ignored or considered weeds and removed. Perhaps we can let them be and encourage them as we do manicured gardens

Longwood Shola, the Only Urban Shola Forest in the Nilgiris
Home to the threatened Nilgiri marten and other rare fauna and flora, the forest patch is rich in biodiversity

My Space: When Lynx Spiders Find Their Niche
How do different lynx spiders share and negotiate living in the same microhabitat?

Dwindling Dugongs: Meandering Trails in Seagrass Meadows
Exploring the world and habits of the tiny population of dugongs remaining in the Andaman and Nicobar Islands

Sea Cucumbers: Illegal trade and the Blame Game
How a blanket ban on sea cucumber fishing in India has created an illicit trade and impacted the livelihoods of artisanal communities who have historically harvested them

Cosy Colonies of Wondrous, Wily Weavers
When you see their lovely woven straw-coloured nests hanging from trees, look out for these sparrow-sized weaverbirds that live and breed in them

Gooseneck Barnacles: Rare Delicacy or Dinosaur Feet?
Clusters of this small, strange-looking crustacean anchor to hard surfaces in the intertidal zone and are difficult to harvest. In some European countries, they are considered an expensive gourmet treat

Beauty or Beast? The Lionfish Conundrum
Lionfish leave some spellbound while others loathe them. A brief story of these expert ambush predators that have spread from their native homes in the Indo-Pacific to the Atlantic Ocean and Mediterranean Sea, creating a lionfish invasion crisis

Mizoram: An Emerging Hotspot for Wildlife Trafficking
468 species of exotic wildlife, including tortoises, snakes, beavers and a wild cat, were recently seized from Champhai in the Northeastern state

Urban Design Planning and the Birds of Kolkata
A study on the impact of urban development on the birds in Kolkata hopes to contribute towards protecting the diversity and numbers of birds through design strategies

Safeguarding Mangrove Plantations in the Sundarbans
According to local residents and scientists, growing salt-tolerant grasses prior to planting propagules, having a layer of protection from the waves, and maintenance of fences are key to better survival rate of mangroves planted in erosion-prone areas

Threatened Endemic Birds of Andaman & Nicobar
On these biodiversity-rich islands, you’ll find numerous birds that exist nowhere else on Earth. Their uniqueness is fascinating to biologists and conservationists who want to ensure their populations stay stable

Imaginary Borders and Their Very Real Effects
International borders impact every species. What happens upstream to a river can affect river dolphins and other creatures even hundreds of kilometres downstream. Convincing reasons to think of conservation of our shared biological heritage beyond political boundaries

Jaldapara National Park: Megaherbivore Refuge in Northern West Bengal
With the most extensive tracts of savannah grassland in the state, this park affords protection to some of the largest mammals we have — rhinos, elephants, and gaur

Decoding Dugong Days in Indian Waters
Though the dugong has become locally extinct in many areas, there is hope. It is considered a priority species for conservation, and efforts to save it are on across international borders.

Into the Wilds of Namdapha National Park
Conservationist Aparajita Datta writes about the years she spent researching and camping in Namdapha, and why the forest still remains close to her heart

Sikkim Grass Lizard Spotted in Nepal
Researchers have confirmed the presence of the elusive lizard in eastern Nepal, nearly 100 kilometers from its known range in Sikkim

Lianas: The Woody Climbers of the Forest
Ignored for long, these climbers are slowly beginning to be noticed

The Guide: Walking Trails in Pawalgarh Conservation Reserve
Pawalgarh Conservation Reserve offers visitors a rare opportunity to take long, meandering walks through an enchanting sal forest

Up in the Clouds: Mizoram’s Phawngpui National Park
Birding in Mizoram’s Blue Mountains and the quest for the rare Mount Victoria babax

Big Cat of the Estate: Leopards in Shared Spaces
Learning to coexist with leopards in the tea plantations of northern West Bengal

Sultanpur National Park: Let’s Safeguard This Refuge for Waterbirds
Though declared a Ramsar site in 2022, Sultanpur, on the outskirts of Delhi, faces numerous threats. How will the seemingly benign plan to build a university, hospital, and housing complexes affect this wetland and the wild populations that depend on it?

Untreated Legacy Waste is Harming Deepor Beel Wetland
Research shows substantial contamination of the lake in Assam due to unscientific dumping of municipal solid waste next to it

Communities and Authorities Clash at Namdapha as Deforestation Escalates
Park authorities consider the Yobin community to be main drivers of deforestation and poaching in the national park

Gangetic River Dolphin Numbers Decline in Assam
The mammals are threatened by construction of dams and mechanised sand mining along rivers

Woolly-necked Storks Thriving in Haryana
Despite a fragile relationship with farmlands, the birds are breeding in densely populated villages and towns that are heavily dependent on agriculture

Fantastic Falcons: Streamlined, Superfast Raptors in Many Avatars
Around 15 species of resident and migratory falcons are found in India. Among them, the powerful peregrine (which can clock 390 kmph) holds the world speed record as the fastest-moving living creature

Helping a Sister Out of a Pit
A herd of elephants demonstrate their love and dedication towards a family member at SAI Sanctuary

Hawk Assault: Agile Hunters on a Wing
Shikras and goshawks are small woodland hawks (no larger than crows), but don’t let that fool you into underestimating their hunting prowess as they grab birds, reptiles, insects, and small mammals with lightning speed

A History of Conservation: 50 Years of the Wildlife Protection Act 1972
This collection of essays by conservationists, academicians, and policymakers on India’s 50-year journey in wildlife conservation is a deep dive into what we have achieved, what more we can do, and what the future holds

Hide and Seek: On the Scent of a Leopard in Tiger Country
When spots, not stripes, steal the show on a safari through Bandipur Tiger Reserve

Loud and Clear: Bullfrogs of India
India’s largest frogs are two species of bullfrogs: the Indian bullfrog and Jerdon’s bullfrog. They live in freshwater habitats, including waterlogged paddy fields, all over the country.

Asian Glass Lizard: Jewel-toned Enigma from the Northeast
The incredibly biodiverse forests of Arunachal Pradesh harbour unique and colourful creatures like this legless anguid (which is often mistaken for a snake)

Fall of the House of Vultures (And How We Can Stop It)
Vultures provide priceless ecosystem services by cleaning the environment. Only real changes in the use of vulture-toxic veterinary drugs can help them and the captive-breeding programmes trying to revive their decimated populations

The Arrival of the Citizen Scientist
Based on research conducted over a year and a half, this book documents, maps and analyses the rapidly growing field of citizen science in ecology in India

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

Olive Ridley Turtles Threatened by Upcoming Port in Karnataka
An upcoming port and the corresponding road and railway network could destroy a turtle nesting region in Honnavar in Uttara Kannada district

Whale Shark Strandings Increase Along Andhra Pradesh Coast
Pressure from infrastructure development, transport and fishing are pushing the sharks to venture into territories where they have not been documented before

Resident Predators: Living With Spiders
Step into the world of five spider families found in urban Indian homes, and learn a little about their complex tactics for catching a wide diversity of prey

Enchanted Forest: Ode to the Old Sal Community
A sal tree never lives alone. It grows with many of its kind to create contiguous forests across hundreds of kilometres, nurturing everything that falls within its care

Ornate Flying Snake: Nature’s Gliding Jewel
These pretty creatures have adapted to live high up in the canopy of forests. With a sharp ridge that helps them grip tree trunks to the ability to glide fluidly in the air and land on the ground, these are true marvels of nature

Turbines Taking the Wind Out of Wildlife’s Sails
According to a study from central Karnataka, birds and mammals fare well in areas without wind turbines over wind turbine sites

The Guide: Kanger Valley National Park, Bastar
Visit this beautiful landscape in Chhatisgarh for its dense forests, the mighty Tirathgarh waterfall, and mysterious limestone caves

Back From the Brink: The Rhinos of Jaldapara
Thanks to a slew of conservation measures taken over the years, rhino numbers have increased dramatically since the 1980s, and the “gondar” takes centerstage at this national park in West Bengal

Supercyclones and Extreme Floods: A Not So Bright Future
According to a recent study, supercyclones such as Amphan are likely to expose a higher population in South Asia to extreme flooding in the future

Mynas and Starlings: Birds With Attitude
Mynas and starlings are gregarious, chatty birds with big personalities. They are agricultural pest control agents in some areas and considered “invasive” species in others

Getting to Know You: Diving Into the Amazing World of Sharks
Though sharks have adapted to suit the challenges of diverse habitats, many populations of this apex predator are now face severe decline globally

The King’s Treasure, its Sinister Protector, and a Bottle of Milk
A fast-paced adventure for young readers that weaves together history, ecology, and a joy in the diversity of India

Through the Magic Portal, to a World of Marine Superheroes
This book about a parallel universe that hides in plain sight, right at the shore, has a secret message: Everybody can be a scientist or an explorer

Goodnight, Sleep Tight: Slumber in the Big City
Whether in a metro or the countryside, lizards, like humans, seek out comfortable and safe places to ensure a good night’s sleep

Three’s No Longer a Crowd for Sarus Cranes
According to a new study, these formerly monogamous birds are now forming trios to raise their chicks

Golden Jackal: Resourceful Canids in Tezu Botanical Garden
Occupying a wide range of habitats in India, these wild omnivores are good hunters, but also live near large human settlements where they scavenge at dumpsites

Loving Birds in a Time of War
An American ornithologist’s research becomes the cover for forays into restricted border regions and the secrets their jungles hold, both winged and armed

A Lemon a Day Keeps the Elephant Away
Lemon tree fences help farmers in Assam safeguard their crops and homes from elephants

Fading Glow of Maharashtra’s Firefly Festivals
Environmentalists oppose such festivals, citing harm to fireflies during the mating season and disruption of the habitat

Anaimalai Roadblock: On the Trail of a Tusker
A majestic elephant that has been migrating through forest patches in the foothills of Anaimalai hills for many years suddenly faces an obstacle

Arachnophobia: Untangling the Web of Dislike
Is our fear of spiders a phobia or an unfamiliarity with nature? Is getting creeped out or feeling disgust with them shaped by experience and social learning?

The Guide: Sultanpur National Park
A tiny park, a little lake, and the unexpected promise of over 320 species of birds, make this wetland area close to Gurgaon a birder’s haven

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

Pigeons and Doves: Lovey-Dovey and Very Savvy
Known historically for their superior navigational abilities, and more recently as urban pests, this family of birds is actually highly intelligent, fast, and adaptable. And, despite their simplistic house-building skills, they make great parents

Bright and Bristly: Christmas Tree Worms and Their Festive Whorls
These fascinating marine creatures with spiralling plumes gently waving with the ocean’s currents live exclusively within the protection of calcareous tubes they build in corals

How to Conserve Biodiversity as Wind Farms Expand in Tamil Nadu
Migratory raptors, such as harriers, are avoiding areas dominated by wind farms in Tamil Nadu, indicate initial observations

Monitoring Vultures in Madhya Pradesh’s Panna Tiger Reserve
Around 25 vultures in Panna Tiger Reserve, including the critically endangered Indian vulture, have been geotagged for monitoring the species’ behaviour

Caracal in Crisis: From a Life among Royals, to Fighting for Survival
Till 2001, the caracal was seen in 13 Indian states but now it is reported in only three states in India with two viable populations in Rajasthan and Gujarat

Kutch: From Bird Paradise to Death Trap?
Thousands of birds are estimated to be dying in Kutch due to collisions with power lines. The lines also threaten the critically endangered Great Indian Bustard

Playful Parakeets: Green Chilli-shaped Missiles of Entertainment
It’s fun to watch flocks of parakeets streaking across the sky, screaming, showing off myriad shades of green — but best of all it’s a joy to spot them canoodling or caring for their young

Back from the Brink: Saltwater Crocodiles in Bhitarkanika
In the 1970s, the saltwater crocodiles of Bhitarkanika were on the edge of extinction, until a focused conservation effort revived their population in the mangroves

The Thirty-Year Long Battle to Save a Wetland in Calcutta
A new book ‘Once Upon a City’ tells stories of how citizen action in Kolkata inspired change, including a fight for a wetland that stretched for almost three decades

Beyond Borders: Tiger Movement Between India and Nepal Increasingly Restricted
Big cats don’t recognise political boundaries, and have always roamed across borders. Yet, this behaviour is under threat as key corridors are restricted by infrastructure projects

In Assam, Pesticide Poisoning Targeting Stray Dogs Kills Over 100 Vultures
On March 17, carcasses of 100 Himalayan griffon vultures and one steppe eagle were found in Chaygaon, Assam

Resettlement Stories: Losing a Home to a Tiger Reserve
About a decade ago, people from six villages in Chhattisgarh were resettled from the area where the Achanakmar Tiger Reserve now lies. The people reminisce about their lost home

Hermit Crabs: Mobile Home in a Snail Shell
To stay safe, these asymmetrical crabs spend their lives looking for a shell that is roomy enough to house their entire body. Finding such a home is a complex process and involves both negotiation and competition

The Babblers Five: Soul Sisters and Charming Angry Birds
They may look dull but don’t underestimate the cooperative flock strength and fiery personalities of these noisy gangs of birds

Bird’s the Word in Mangalajodi
Chilika Lake is prime wintering ground for migratory birds, and the Mangalajodi wetland is among the best places to see them

Sensory Trails on a Campus in Gujarat
The sheltered green spaces in educational campuses are hotspots of biodiversity and wilderness. Step off manicured lawns onto dirt tracks and learn to look at unpruned canopies — to let a world of wonder open up

Love and Let Live: Saving Puttenahalli Lake
A neighbourhood environmental group comes together to preserve a dying lake, providing a variety of birds and insects a place to thrive, and glimmer of hope for Bangalore city

Lessons from the Super Tiger Mom, Collarwali
The celebrity tigress who passed away last year fiercely protected her cubs and taught us why we must fight to safeguard tiger habitats and denning sites

The Dzüleke Way of Life: Time Machine to a Green Future
A small village in Nagaland provides hope for the well-being of the planet — one that is more humane, inclusive, and sustainable

The Blessed Bears of Daroji Sloth Bear Sanctuary
Near the famous rock temples of Hampi, the boulder-strewn landscape is a protected haven that helps preserve these magnificent animals

Culture Shapes Community Conservation in Nagaland
In this traditional Naga community, knowledge about forests, flora, and fauna acquired through centuries of living amidst nature creates a strong sense of responsibility towards protecting it for its own sake

Powai Lake: A Wild Wetland at the Heart of a Mumbai Suburb
Surrounded by rapidly developing residential complexes, industrial areas and educational campuses, few know that Mumbai’s Powai Lake hosts rich and diverse wildlife – including a small population of the marsh crocodile

The Woody Wonders of Arunachal Pradesh and How to Identify Them
‘Trees of Arunachal Pradesh’, a new field guide by NCF, chronicles over two hundred tree species found in the state with easy-to-follow keys on how to identify them. Here’s an excerpt

Stories in Saltwater: Life and Tides in Bhitarkanika’s Mangroves
The ebb and flow of the tide reveals a thriving world where both minuscule and mammoth creatures dwell

Rich Birdlife Call Attention to Delhi’s Disappearing Wetlands
Around 170 bird species recorded in the capital’s ponds amidst housing colonies, inside parks, next to industry, and other urban sites

More Studies Needed on India's Sharks and Rays
Experts recommend future studies on regional species stock assessments, critical habitats and socioeconomic drivers of fisheries

Sippighat Wetland: A Bird Haven Created by the Tsunami
A number of wetlands emerged after the 2004 Indian Ocean tsunami battered the coasts of the Andamans. They are now home to resident and migratory waterbirds — including the vulnerable and endemic Andaman teal

Protecting Deepor Beel’s Elephants from Train Collisons
In Assam’s Deepor Beel Wildlife Sanctuary, a joint effort between local volunteers and forest officials is protecting elephants from train hits

Forest Fugue: The Seasonal Sounds of Avalahalli
Always alive with natural melodies, Avalahalli State Forest is an ever-changing landscape marked by avian choruses and a tapestry of varied acoustics

The Mysterious Migration of Crimson Rose Butterflies
A recently observed migration of a large swarm of crimson rose butterflies from India to Sri Lanka has highlighted how little is still known about this natural phenomenon

The Living Root Bridges of Meghalaya
These environment-friendly and possibly carbon-negative bridges are part of the local heritage of Meghalaya, and a fascinating example of a long-term sustainable solution to a geographical problem

Escape From the City: How I Found a Home in the Wilderness
While living in Bangalore, this nature lover longed for the wilderness. He wanted to live somewhere in the shadow of a mountain or close to a river, someplace he could soak in birdsong and monsoon rain. And he finally moved

Shillong Bush Frog: Ticking its Way Through the Monsoon
This endemic frog with a narrow distribution range shares space with humans in the city it is named after

Is the Jerdon’s Courser Extinct?
Lost, found, and lost again — the long story of an elusive nocturnal bird that has only been seen in a few restricted areas of scrub jungle near Cuddappah (Kadapa), Andhra Pradesh

Dhruv Prajapati: India’s Very Own Spiderman
When spider taxonomist Dhruv Prajapati discovers new spider species and names them after famous Indians

All That is Green is Not Forest
Experts dispute claim of an increase in India’s forest cover, noting that latest report counts plantations as forests

Hoot and Screech: From Giant Owls to Little Elves
These mysterious raptors come in all sizes. Observing them may display not just their clever hunting skills but also a soft, romantic side

Hawkfish Hues: Of Underwater Hunts and Hairy Spines
Hawkfishes are ambush reef predators and, like their bird counterparts, perch on an elevated surface like coral or rock to observe prey before diving in for the kill

Edible-nest Swiftlet: Little Bird with an Expensive Nest
In deep caves on Interview Island in the Andamans, a tiny bird survives the long arm of poachers and others hungry for its nest

Counting Wolves Through Their Calls
Identifying individual wolves by their howls is being studied as a potential technique for counting wolf population

Ominous Owls: Sharp-eyed Hunters of the Night
Owls possess high-tech killing equipment, from sharp, down-curving beaks to grappling iron talons. Camouflaged feathers, superb eyesight, silent flight, and the ability to swivel their heads 270 degrees only adds to the heady mix

Leopard Gecko: Trapped in Trade and Labs
Little is known about these geckos from the Eublepharidae family that are popular in pet trade and as model organisms in laboratories

When an Elephant Joins a Livestock Herd
Akshu and his companion are stumped as a makhna decides to accompany their cattle herd in Buxa Reserve

190 Dolphins Recorded in Mahananda Face Survival Challenges
Fishing, unregulated sand mining, pollution, solid waste dumping and construction of embankments for flood control have negatively impacted Mahananda ecology and the survival of dolphins and other riverine species

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.

Struggle for the Land: Nicobar Long-tailed Macaques in a Bind
The habitat of this fruit-loving primate has changed on Great Nicobar. How can they carve out a life of coexistence with humans on this isolated island?

Ankasamudra Bird Conservation Reserve: A Sweet Symphony of Waterbirds
Only an hour from arid Hampi, is a lake dotted with half-submerged acacia trees —a wetland ecosystem with over 150 bird species like ducks, herons, and pelicans

The Spider Next Door: Non-conformists in Camouflage
Spiders can remain inconspicuous, blending seamlessly with the tree they occupy. Their cryptic posture and incredible stillness made their camouflage impeccable

Sparrows: Fall of the Little Birds
An avid birder describes some close encounters with the once abundant but now dwindling species

Kalandar Community Left in the Lurch after Surrendering Animals
The community known for its public performances with live animals are struggling to earn a steady income after their age-old profession came to an end

Boxed In: The Urban Snakes of Bengaluru
Human and snake interactions increase in the city as natural habitats shrink

To the Point: Wild Things and their Beaks, Teeth, Claws
Wild creatures have a bewildering variety of pointy appendages. Ever wonder why?

From Poachers to Protectors in Birding Hotspot Mangalajodi
In Odisha’s Mangalajodi, a community of former poachers is now committed to protecting the wetland ecosystem and its winged inhabitants

A Purple Frog on her Heart
Coping with loss, a teenager finds the language to express her grief and the ability to process it in the natural world

New Conservation Reserve Offers Glimmer of Hope for Dugongs
The biodiversity-rich waters of the reserve in the Gulf of Mannar and Palk Bay is the most significant surviving natural habitat for dugongs globally

Himalayan Monal: Monarch of the High Mountains
Dressed in royal plumage this iridescent male pheasant sports colours of the rainbow. The species lives in several protected areas of the Himalayas in India and among its neighbours

Barn Owl: The Farmer’s Friendly Neighbourhood Pest Controller
Agricultural scientists are helping farmers in Assam to conserve barn owls with the help of artificial nest boxes

Fluttering to the Flame: Moths in Art, Literature, and Poetry
From hunter-gatherer rock art to post-impressionist painters, moths have captured the human imagination down the ages, and countless references to them can be found in different cultures

Skylords: View from the Eagles’ Eyrie
Eagles are known for their speed, power, and ruthlessness. They will target their victims from afar with the help of highly developed vision and then ambush them from the sky

Poornasmrithi Rumdali Rai: Saving the Chinese Pangolin
From launching the ‘Save the Pangolin’ campaign to sensitising the local community and penning a book on the critically endangered species, this former school principal, relentlessly works for the conservation of the animal in the Darjeeling Hills

A Fine Balance: Irrawaddy Dolphins in Chilika Lake
Elusive and endangered, the Irrawaddy dolphin inhabits a delicate ecosystem in coastal Odisha

Frightened by A Fish
A marine biologist and diver recounts the times she’s been scared out of the ocean by unnerving encounters with different fish

Nalabana Bird Sanctuary: Magnificent Reed Forest
Over 140+ species of migratory birds, including rare and threatened species, arrive at Nalabana Island within Odisha’s Chilika Lake post-monsoon each year

Smugglers Using Government Scheme as a Tool for Exotic Wildlife Trade
Exotic animals are not listed under the Wildlife Protection Act, 1972, which makes it difficult to convict the smugglers

The Guide: Singalila National Park
Located in West Bengal along India’s international border with Nepal, this national park holds many charms even if you’re not an intrepid trekker

The Fog Clears: Unwinding Under a Fig Tree
When time spent with family and friends in nature helped relieve some of the lingering symptoms of Covid-19

Meet Naturalist Ruddy: Adventurer, Sleuth, Mongoose
Cartoonist Rohan Chakravarty’s graphic novel stars a detective mongoose on a quest. Here’s an episode from his adventures

Butterfly Records Lead Arunachal Pradesh’s Biodiversity Sightings
Interest in butterfly documentation has grown over the years in the state thanks partly to an increasing number of butterfly meets held annually

Three Lions Take on a Lone Turtle. Will it Survive?
Every visit to Gir Wildlife Sanctuary throws up surprises. This time it was a chance sighting of three subadult Asiatic Lions, trying to feast on a seemingly helpless but extremely hardy Indian Flapshell Turtle

Raising Spiderlings: The Best of Jumping Spider Brood Care
Though they don’t build nests, jumping spiders are doting parents that carefully wrap their eggs in silk and stand guard to ward off predators

Common Emigrant: Tracking the Wheel of Life
When fieldwork was interrupted by a pandemic lockdown, a wildlife biologist took to observing the life cycle and progress of a new generation of common emigrant butterflies

Unchecked Tree Planting in Grasslands Threatens Native Biodiversity, Warns Ecologist
Tree planting efforts in savannah grasslands can harm biodiversity and affect soil carbon storage, says field ecologist Mahesh Sankaran

In Arunachal, Locals and Officials Join Hands to Conserve Orchids
The Sessa Orchid Sanctuary was the first, and until recently the only, protected area in the country dedicated to the preservation of naturally growing orchids

So Long, and Thanks for All the Plastic
Why are sea creatures from tiny zooplankton to the great whales devouring plastics at such alarmingly high rates?

Walking with Mudskippers: A Fish That’s Happy Out of Water
Large googly eyes and a pair of pectoral fins that work like front legs are only two of the multi-faceted adaptations these finger-sized fish have made to survive in two completely different realms

Eurasian Spoonbills: The Moody Minesweepers
These tall waterbirds alternate long periods of standing around doing nothing with brisk fishing expeditions. They are elegant, snow-white marsh birds with long, soup-ladle bills, but when they get annoyed, they’re a riot

Trouble in Paradise: The Changing World of the Nicobar Megapode
Endemic to the Nicobar group of islands, this ground-dwelling bird that barely survived a devastating tsunami now faces multiple threats to its existence

Aravallis: Love and Fresh Air
Enter the Ridge in Delhi, and the sound of the city drops. Gurgling streams, bird call, even a possible hyena — all testament to Nature’s ability to surprise us

Wandering Glider: World Traveller and Weather Vane
Globe skimmers or wandering gliders migrate vast distances across oceans and continents, riding the extremities of weather systems as they hitch from one place to another

Undertaking the World’s Longest Insect Migration
Scientists are beginning to unravel the details of the migratory circuit of the globe skimmer dragonfly

An Incident at Dundubhi
The wolves of Mahovann are up to mischief and the emperor must act

The Guide: Mangalajodi Wetland in Odisha
A birding hotspot any time of year, the marshes, reedbeds, and shallow waters of this wetland are particularly promising in winter

The Grandala: Flying Blue Gem of the Himalayas
Large restless flocks of these dazzling blue birds, with their jovial habits, are a sight to behold in Sikkim and other parts of the north in winter

What Butterflies Taught Me about Life on a Hot, Difficult Day
Hungry caterpillars can seem like a menace in a well-tended garden, but they and their winged avatars have much to teach us about the natural world and life itself

Instagram Leads to Discovery of a New Himalayan Snake Species
Herpetologist intrigued by a photo uploaded to the social media site investigated further to find a species new to science

Sharing Spaces with Wild Life on a University Campus
Plenty of wild creatures live in harmony alongside students and faculty in and around the IIT Kanpur campus

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

Disturbed by Mining, Chattisgarh’s Elephants Move to Gadchiroli
Herd migrates to forests of the neighbouring state of Maharashtra attracted by good quality food and adequate water

White-throated Brown Hornbills: Cackling in Assam’s Lowland Rainforests
The most threatened of all hornbills in India that stays in flocks and have a unique cooperative breeding system

Smaller Herons and Egrets: Hunchbacks and Those Lovely in Lace
With razor-sharp bills and long legs, these pretty wading birds are usually stationed at the edge of waterbodies, ready to catch fish, frogs, and other aquatic animals

The Guide: Where to Find the Aravallis in and around Delhi-NCR
The Aravallis were once a contiguous mountain range that ran through Delhi-NCR. Though fragmented, you can still find pockets of wilderness that provide a much-needed green respite from the concrete capital

Great Barracuda: Shiny and Scary but Surprisingly Shy
The great barracuda evokes both fear and fascination. It is lightning fast when catching prey but otherwise lives a life of quiet composure within the deep blue

Seeking the Satyr Tragopan Along a Mountain Road
Sighting this threatened, elusive pheasant of the Himalayas requires persistence; but it’s patience well rewarded

The Corvid Mafiosi: Intelligentsia of the Bird World
This family of birds has a reputation for high intelligence, thievery, murder, cunning — and having a good time

Huntsman Spider: Apex Predator in a Microhabitat
Fast, gravity-defying, and adaptable, these impressive spiders are super stalkers that take camouflage to surreal levels

Playing Hide and Seek with the Nicobar Megapode
It took three weeks, thirteen attempts, eight hides, and trips to three different coasts of the Nicobar Islands to catch a fleeting glimpse of the elusive Nicobar megapode

Worlds Apart: The Dual Life of Marine Animals
In every drop of ocean water, there is an unseen, vibrant, and dynamic world. It’s a universe of minuscule creatures ranging in size from a few centimetres to near-invisible microns

Krem Umladaw: Journey to the Centre of the Earth
Descent into India’s deepest vertical cave in search of the world’s largest blind fish

Coal Mining Hazard Looms Over Hasdeo Arand
Allowing mining in part of these pristine forests will open entire area for excavation, warn activists

Urban Cacophony of the Heartening Kind
A safari of birds and animals can be seen and heard without stepping out of this apartment home set at the edge of the Avalahalli forest in a north Bangalore suburb

Addressing the Human-wildlife Conflict Challenge
Can proactive measures and a multipronged approach avert or reduce conflict between human beings and animals?

Midnight Miracle: Waiting for Mother Turtles by the Beach
Samrat and his mother, a sea turtle researcher, are headed to Tarmugli Island to spot nesting turtles. Will the turtles come? Read an excerpt from the book 'Waiting for Turtles’

Rhythm and Melody: Birds of the NCR’s Aravallis
The pulse of the forest around the vast urban sprawl of the capital is reflected in the dynamic bird communities visible during each season

An Owlsome Night Amidst the Dense Mangroves of Bhitarkanika
Screech, hoot, shriek — the diverse calls and sounds of owls are everywhere in the mangroves of Bhitarkanika National Park in Odisha

Singalila National Park: A Mountain Forest in the Clouds
At this charming high-altitude national park in West Bengal, the weather gods play a big role in creating an astounding diversity of flora and fauna

How to Behave While Birdwatching
A set of guidelines for respectful, thoughtful, and yet enjoyable birding

Canopy Bridge Comes to Gibbons’ Rescue
Tree-planting efforts initiated in 2006 to reunite the apes separated by a railway line in Hoollongapar bear fruit

Over-exploitation of Groundwater Threatens Gondwana Fishes
Groundwater management and aquifer protection key to conserving subterranean fish found in the Western Ghats

Big Herons: Those Grouchy old Fishermen
Armed with a S-shaped neck and dagger-like bill, these herons are accomplished fishers

Hangul Numbers Increase in Kashmir
Population of critically endangered deer increases to 261 from 237 in 2019

Ramki Sreenivasan: Not Every Hero Wears a Cape
Wildlife photographer turned conservation campaigner and fundraiser for children suffering from cancer, Ramki Sreenivasan firmly believed in giving back

Friends in Low Places: Connecting with the Ocean
If we can build a healthy curiosity and sense of wonder about the ocean, we’ve taken the critical first step to further its conservation

Bird Housing: Rumblings in the Old Poplar Apartment Block
An unlikely tree on the edge of a sanctuary is a residential complex for numerous birds, and the scene for how survival in the wild is a mix of cooperation, conflict, and competition

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

Nicobar Treeshrew: Squeaking Spy and Forest Alarmist
The Nicobar treeshrew is almost everywhere on Great Nicobar island. It settles in the canopy and, every so often, sounds a shrieking alarm call

Moth Inventory: Expanding Our Faunal Database
Seventeen newly discovered species add to the hundreds of species of moths recorded in Arunachal Pradesh’s Talle Wildlife Sanctuary, one of the most biodiverse regions of India

Fishy Quandary: A Nexus of Livelihoods and Native Fish
Without healthy freshwater ecosystems, there is neither hope for indigenous fish species nor humankind

Future in Jeopardy: The Wild Water Buffalo in Assam
According to conservationists, it is habitat loss and not the practice of interbreeding with domestic buffaloes that has affected the population of the Asiatic buffalo

Troubled Waters: Alien Plants and Water Stress in the Nilgiris
The unseen impact of exotic invasive plants on the ecology and water security of the Upper Bhavani region of the Nilgiris

Red Panda: Under the Radar in Singalila
This cute, furry animal is an endangered species and a conservation icon in waiting

Securing the Fishing Cat's Future in the Chilika Lagoon
Appointing the fishing cat as the ambassador of Chilika has drawn critical attention to this important wetland ecosystem that plays a major role in the survival of this wild feline

Backyard Beasts in the Northern Aravallis
Forest remnants of the northern Aravallis, sandwiched between the ever-expanding cities of Delhi, Gurugram, and Faridabad reveal an astonishing array of wildlife, highlighting their conservation value

More Extreme Weather Events Likely in India, Says IPCC Report
Over the next 20 years, global temperature is expected to exceed 1.5 degrees Celsius of warming, leading to extreme events

Can Feeding Wild Elephants Paddy Reduce Human-Wildlife Conflict?
The Chhattisgarh state government is trying to feed its surplus paddy to elephants in the hope that it will prevent them from coming into villages in search of food. Experts weigh in on the wisdom of this strategy

Clear and Present Danger: Managing Free-ranging Dogs
The current rules and laws governing the control of free-ranging dogs don’t go far enough to mitigate wildlife deaths and injuries they cause

Wild and Free: Where the Rock Bees Roam
These wild honeybees, called Apis dorsata, have cleverly adapted to the rapid changes in their habitat and make their hives with as much ease on urban high-rise buildings as they do in forests, cliffs, and tall trees

Chirgaon Leads the Way in Vulture Conservation
Vulture population in village in Maharashtra rises from 22 in 1999-2000 to 249 in 2021

Community Efforts Guide Mahseer Protection in Meghalaya
Locals manage 79 fish sanctuaries in the state that support a wide variety of fish

Delhi’s Secret Winter Guests: Small and Chirpy Forest Birds
We often equate migration with cranes, geese and waders in wetlands. But every year, Delhi welcomes smaller birds that fly long distances to visit the city’s woods

Common Kingfisher: The Bolt of Blue
Its vivid electric blue and orange colouring has led to a timeless fascination with its beauty, but this little bird is also an excellent hunter

Little File Snake: The Silent Predator
Harmless to humans but often mistaken for a venomous sea snake, the little file snake lives mostly in brackish mangrove swamps though it sometimes wanders out to open sea as well

Removal of Invasive Prosopis May Affect Livelihoods in Banni Grasslands, Says Study
Scientists suggest that the landscape can be temporarily maintained as a mosaic of native grassland and invasive trees

Another Veterinary Drug Endangers India's Vultures
Study urges for ban on widely-used painkiller nimesulide, which exerts toxic effects on vultures

Tigress Travels Record Distance in Central India
P213-22 walked 99 km from her home in Panna Tiger Reserve to a non-protected area, where she is rearing two cubs

Accidental Capture by Fishers Claims Millions of Seahorses
An estimated 13 million seahorses were caught annually as bycatch in India between 2015 and 2017

Invasive Red-eared Slider Poses Threat to Native Freshwater Turtles
Unaware pet owners and weak laws enable multiplication of the exotic turtle that harms local biodiversity

The Guide: Bor Tiger Reserve
In Maharshatra’s Wardha district, a little-known tiger reserve harbours big surprises

Serial Drillers: Great Slaty Woodpeckers as Community Cavity Creators
Woodpeckers regularly construct tree cavities of all sizes. These become potential dwellings for a diverse set of creatures from bees to birds, mammals, and reptiles

Protecting the Sacred Fish of the Cauvery
Religious lore, temples, and the impact of inadvertent conservation in the Cauvery basin

Red Panda: Vanishing Flame of the Himalayas
With barely 300 left in the forests of Sikkim in India and just 10,000 worldwide, conservation of the red panda through research, education, and communication is critical

Twilight Zone: A Tale Between Two Tides
When the tide heads out, the shallow watery plains come alive with many surprises from fuzzy little hairy crabs to the nervous blennies, and algal patches host various creatures from gastropods to a league of hunters like octopuses and eels

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

Sudarshan Shaw: Finding Divinity in Nature
This artist from Odisha takes a unique angle on conservation. He would like us to look at nature with all our senses and see the divinity in all creatures, large and small

Sand Scavengers: Ghost Crabs in the Intertidal Zone of Chennai’s Elliot’s Beach
Living on the foggy cusp of land, sea, sand, and sky, ghost crabs are the beach clean-up crew, the vultures of sandy coastal ecosystems.

Development Plans Threaten Ecology of Lakshadweep
Proposed large-scale beachside tourism and infrastructure development may aggravate climate change-related disasters

The Striped Sibling of the Idu Mishmi
The people of the Mishmi Hills in Arunachal Pradesh share a sacred kinship with the tiger

Lightning and I: Encounters with a Tigress from Ranthambore
Tracking the many twists and turns in the life of a tigress from Rajasthan’s Ranthambore National Park

Life After Dark: The Night Shift on a Coral Reef
Diving once the sun has set reveals a star-studded canvas of nocturnal life that rivals what you might imagine lives in outer space

Pastoral Communities Affected by Livestock Grazing Ban in Sikkim
Study finds that the ban combined with rising tourism resulted in the loss of livelihoods and culture

Wild Buffalo Faces Race Against Extinction in Chhattisgarh
According to government estimates, only 25 to 35 wild buffaloes left in the state

Indian Rock Python: Of Legends and Leather Bags
Though the law gives it the highest level of protection, stigma and fear continue to threaten the survival of this species

Two Lakh Trees Face Axe for Diamond Mine in Buxwaha
Proposed project will impact wildlife and villagers dependent on the forest

Leatherback Sea Turtles: Giants of Andaman and Nicobar Islands
Recent monitoring and scientific data from the Andaman and Nicobar Islands on these remarkable reptiles give us hope and must deepen our resolve to continue to protect this very critical habitat

The Conservation Paradox: Missing the Meadows for the Green Turtles
Seagrass ecosystems support marine organisms which use the meadows as foraging and breeding habitats. Green sea turtles have depleted some of these habitats, creating a conservation dilemma

Peculiar Pelicans: Gawky, Grand and Graceful Waterbirds
These social birds may sometimes appear clownish and clumsy but they’re majestic and dignified when they fish and fly

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

Elusive White-bellied Herons Make a Rare Appearance
In a first for India, two birds were spotted at an elevation of 1,200 metres above sea level in Arunachal Pradesh

An Encounter with the Grey Ghost of Ladakh
What do an eight-year-old and 14-year-old do when a snow leopard takes one of the goats they were herding?

Gharials Lose Nesting Sites at Katerniaghat
Growth of vegetation along the banks of the Girwa River has adversely affected the nesting of gharials

Parambikulam Tiger Reserve: A Sight and Story at Every Bend
The lush forest is best experienced through the eyes of the local tribals-turned-guides who know the landscape intimately

Blue-necked Reedtail: The Mysterious Damselfly
In a forest in Kerala, a surprise encounter with a rare odonate that is an indicator of healthy, primary forests and guardian of freshwater

Alien Fish Proliferate as Extreme Climate Events Rise
According to a study, floods trigger escape of exotic and invasive species that harm local ecosystems

Life Without Light: Creatures of Meghalaya’s Caves
In a fragile, subterranean world of absolute darkness, fascinating life forms emerge

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

Fishing Friends: Irrawaddy Dolphins and the Fishers of Chilika Lagoon
In Odisha’s Chilika Lagoon, researchers have confirmed that dolphins do assist fishers in getting a good catch

The Rousing Call of the Common Hawk-Cuckoo
You know its peak summer and the breeding season when you hear the incessant calls of the brainfever bird

Poaching Threatens Asiatic Black Bear in Arunachal Pradesh
Bears outside protected areas in the state targeted to meet the demands of the transnational wildlife trade

Economy or Ecology? Eucalyptus Plantations in Coastal Andhra Raises Concern
Farmers in Vizianagaram district turn to ‘controversial’ water guzzling crop as they struggle with water scarcity and groundwater salinity

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

Huddle Together: Social Spiders and Their Myriad Guests
While most spiders are solitary and cannibalistic, this group of spiders is social, cooperative, and “tolerates” foreigners

Skittering Frogs: Look Closely, They’re Floating on Water Everywhere
Of the eight species of skittering frogs found worldwide, seven exist in India, and one new species was discovered only in 2016

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

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

Studying Snakes through Radio Telemetry
Emerging as an easier and more precise way to track and study snakes than traditional observation methods

The Vanishing Grasslands and Wetlands of India
Grasslands and wetlands are neglected and underappreciated habitats though they support many lives and livelihoods. Both community- and administration-led efforts are required to stop their loss

Galathea: A Threatened Paradise at the Edge of the World
Far away from all civilisation, at the southernmost tip of Indian territory, leatherback turtles have a huge nesting site. Will plans for a new port transform this pristine landscape forever?

The Guide: D’Ering Memorial Wildlife Sanctuary
In the exquisite riverine grasslands of this wildlife sanctuary in Arunachal Pradesh a diverse range of birds and animals find refuge

Surviving the Pandemic, One Tree at a Time
When the Covid 19 pandemic shut the world down, the author turned to the trees around her for hope

Vanishing Act: The Slow Decline of Cantor’s Giant Softshell Turtle
The turtle has been shrouded in mystery for too long — it is rarely spotted, we know little about its ecology, except that its numbers are declining across its range

The Nitty-gritty of Releasing a Leopard
When a leopard is captured near Chalamasandra village, a team assembles to release it in the Cauvery Wildlife Sanctuary

A Hidden Life: The Impressed Tortoise in Central Arunachal Pradesh
When a rare, land-dwelling tortoise materialises out of nowhere in a small area of the Northeast, there is cause for celebration and conservation

Forest Fires Raise Questions Over Management of Similipal National Park
Forest department and local communities remain divided over cause of fires and ownership of the biosphere

Spectacled Cobra: An Unwilling Icon
Though worshipped, venerated, vilified, adored, and feared, this snake isn’t quite understood

Aaliya Mir: The Woman Who Rescues Wildlife in Kashmir
The role of wildlife conservationists and rescuers, such as Aaliya Mir, is increasingly becoming important in the wake of frequent human-wildlife conflicts in Kashmir

Keoladeo Ghana National Park: Floating Laboratory of Bharatpur
India’s most famous bird sanctuary has a long history of conservation challenges that have persisted for decades

Bharatpur: Memories of an Inveterate Birder
The writer reminiscences the many charms of Keoladeo Ghana and the last swansong of the Siberian crane

N Badusha: Crusader for Wayanad’s Wilds
For more than four decades, this committed environmental activist has forged a path to protect the fragile communities and ecosystems of Kerala

Indian Paradise Flycatcher: Flash Dance of the Glam King
Dressed to the nines, with blue eye rings, dapper suits, and fancy trailing ribbons, the adult male of this species is a showstopper

Delhi and Haryana’s Aravallis Home to Rare Wildlife
Survey finds species such as honey-badger, Indian fox, jungle cat, and ruddy mongoose in Gurugram, Faridabad, and Delhi

Tiger Story: Lost Stripes of Gujarat
This is a tale of two big cats. One was abundant in numerous districts of Gujarat up to the early 1960s, the other was almost gone. In a twist of fate, it was the creature that was plentiful that became locally extinct in the state

Andaman Day Gecko: Fleet-footed Flecks of Green
Endemic to the Andaman Islands this gecko has learnt to adapt and thrive on banana plantations

How Goa is Emerging as the New Shark-Eating Destination
As Goa gears up for tourists post-pandemic, restaurants are promoting their food on social media, and shark meat preparations are the most popular among them

Last Stand: The Kolar Leaf-nosed Bat and its Forgotten Cave
A citizen scientist strives to protect the only known habitat of a rare, critically endangered species of bat in Karnataka

Finding a ‘Star’ Among Frogs
When a team of ecologists discovered a frog with constellation-like markings on its back, they knew just what to name it!

Humpback Mahseer: Big Fish in a Small World
The once abundant “tiger of the Cauvery” has now shrunk to a few small pockets in the Cauvery basin. Protecting this fish is not just about the mahseer, it’s linked to the conservation of the larger riverine ecosystem

Delhi’s Unlikely Stopover: Finding Everything in the Middle of Nothing
Agricultural farms on the edge of Delhi may not look like picture perfect sanctuaries, but during winters they turn into essential stopovers for long-distance fliers

Lake Life: Pulicat, the Bird Haven
This brackish water lagoon just north of Chennai is rich in marine life that has made it an important bird habitat and crucial source of livelihood for hundreds of fisherfolk

The Spin on the Spider’s Silk Route
The protein fibre produced by spiders has multiple intriguing uses beyond the building of webs

Brahmaputra’s River Islands Threatened by Burning and Clearing of Grasslands
Experts suggest these grassland habitats for many endangered birds need legal protection

Cherish the Grove: A Foray into the Forests of the Coromandel Coast
Tropical dry evergreen forests, distinct to the coastlines of Tamil Nadu and Andhra Pradesh, now exist only in fragmented patches. We need to conserve their biodiversity and engage with communities to preserve and protect the native forests of this eco-region

Going to the Dogs? Turning the Page for India’s Endangered Dhole
As efficient carnivores built to thrive at the top of the food chain, the Asiatic wild dog is a pack hunter that can bring down prey many times its size. Unfortunately, it also has a long history of targeted persecution in India

Choosing Between Elephants and Humans in the Nilgiris
The implementation of the Sigur Elephant Corridor connecting the Eastern and Western Ghats faces opposition from human rights activists

Bare Truth: Why We Need to Save Our Sloth Bears
This nocturnal bear, with powerful claws, is one of the most feared animals of the Indian jungle and yet its survival is threatened

Kole’s waterman: Protecting a wetland through paddy cultivation
Agriculturist Kochu Muhammed who coordinates over 130 clusters of farmers is a living encyclopaedia on these wetlands

Sticking Point: Bewitched by the Brown Shrike
Why does this sweet, unassuming bird have the ominous nickname “butcherbird”?

Ruby-tailed Hawklet: Black Dragon in Red Shorts
Endemic to the marshes and pools of the Western Ghats, this pretty dragonfly is also a good indicator of ecosystem health

Life on the Vertical: Exploring Nature on City Walls
The ecology of urban walls includes a variety of life, from ferns and figs, to paper wasps, stingless bees, and two-tailed spiders

Sunbirds: Zippy Popstars Dressed to the Nines
Tiny tots with sharp curved bills, these dazzling extroverts frequent urban gardens to feed on nectar

Indian Rat Snake: Nature’s Own Pest Control
An active, adaptable predator that keeps a check on many of the pests that thrive around us, this common snake also becomes prey for cobras, mongooses and raptors

When the King Doesn’t Strike
Capable of immense restraint, the world's longest venomous snake is way more intelligent than we think

Finding Philautus: Bush Frogs in the Western Ghats
A researcher’s journey through the mosaic of sholas and grasslands in the Upper Nilgiris of the Western Ghats to study its herpetofauna

Sea Cucumbers: Silent Superheroes of the Seas
These sea creatures are mini ecosystems unto themselves and play a crucial role in keeping oceans alive and healthy
