Nature is often known to spring surprises to an audience capable of appreciating it. This was proved true for 14 members of Nature Watch (an Eco-Club from Bangalore) during their 1-day stint at Srirangam Tropical Butterfly Conservatory in Tiruchchirappalli (popularly also known as Trichy). With an area of 10 hectares, as the largest butterfly conservative […]
Look out of your window. What do you see? Power lines against the backdrop of buildings, overflowing drains and garbage bins, busy roads with traffic, some trees in between abandoned infrastructures, people hustling, stray animals scrounging… The first impression of a city. Still coexistence is possible! Look closer…You may spot a black drongo swinging on
How does citizen science foster coexistence of humans and urban wildlife? Read More »
Wildlife at the fringes of the protected areas and other remote areas are threatened by the various daily requirements of local communities. People residing in remote areas are dependent on products for food and money. However, this causes a severe loss to the ecological diversity of that habitat. One of the major challenges at the
Why is it so important to protect livelihoods for Wildlife Conservation? Read More »
Humans and elephants have been co-existing for thousands of years. The respect that humans bestowed towards the elephants can be seen through the rock paintings at Bhimbetka, seals and inscriptions of Harappa , rock carvings and sculptures at various ancient Indian temples and importantly on the Lion Capital at Sarnath- which is now the emblem
How can we solve human elephant conflict? Read More »
Can nature be preserved and respected without anthropogenic disturbances, an interpretation promoted by the passionate environmentalist John Muir; or should it be used as “the better benefit for the biggest number of people, for a long time” as the radical environmentalist Gifford Pinchot places it in the nineteenth century? Conservation and preservation are linked closely
The world famous Red sandalwood (Pterocarpous santalinus) is endemic to India. It can only be found in southern parts of Eastern ghats. It is small tropical tree and source of sandalwood oil found in Sheshachalam forest of Andhra Pradesh. India contributes around 90%of the total red sandalwood production in the world. It is considered as
Pushpa exposes the true plight of Red Sandalwood Timber Read More »
One hundred and thirteen years after the last genuine record, the Forest Owlet, Athene blewitti, has been rediscovered in low foothills dry-deciduous forest north of Shahada in Maharashtra, India. This augurs well for the conservation of the species. The town of Shahada is in the Tapi (Tapti) River Valley at about 150 m elevation. This
Saving the Endangered Forest Owlet Read More »
That was a rainy morning on a day in August 2008, my father was busy plucking a flower from our garden in front of my home which is in the remote village of Honnavara taluk of Uttara Kannada, in the mysterious Western Ghats. Suddenly he spotted green vine snake not one, not two but it
Where is my Green Vine Snake? Read More »
Amongst one of the widely worshipped deities in India, Lord Ganesha is an epitome of the link humans share with elephants. Elephants were and still are connected to divinity -enhancing a sense of deep respect towards them from amongst the masses. These huge pachyderms symbolize strength, unity and care. However, even though cared for and
What are the causes of human elephant conflict in India? Read More »
A teenage boy caught me by surprise while I was humming away at a traffic light. He had a bamboo basket in one hand, hiding a snake, and the other hand outstretched towards me for alms. Laying out his palms for money, he pulled out a bamboo basket with his other hand. Evidently, he had
Death away from home – The Ugly Side of Snake Charming Read More »