Wildlife Tourism in India has always been a controversial matter. In 2010, a Public Interest Litigation was filed by tiger activist Ajay Dubey, claiming that the industry was becoming unsustainable and exploitative. As per the 2006 Amendment of the Wildlife (Protection) Act of 1972, “critical tiger and wildlife habitats” must be inviolate for the vital […]
Should wildlife tourism be banned in India? Read More »
Author: Sachin Bhardwaj Lock The figures are truly shocking. The probability of dying from snakebites before reaching the age of 70 is an astonishing 1 in 250. Snakebites have claimed an estimated 1.2 million over the last 20 years in India. A quarter of those have been children, over the last two decades. These are
Snakebites: A Million Preventable Deaths? Read More »
Worth almost $200 billion according to the UN, the illegal wildlife trade is the fourth largest illicit trafficking market in the world, after drugs, guns and humans. Traditional Chinese Medicine, Bush Meat and Trophy Hunting are the major drivers of the industry. The trade has catalysed the destruction of habitats and the extinction of species.
Why is the illegal wildlife trade a global threat? (It’s more than COVID19) Read More »
From being the symbolic Hindu God Ganesha to being used in ancient Indian warfare, elephants continue to be highly revered in Indian society. In fact, even elephant dung has proven to be a sustainable alternative for numerous products, such as paper and fertilizer. Unfortunately, these gentle giants have suffered from human greed and outdated practices.
The Horrific Plight of India’s Temple Elephants Read More »
Madhya Pradesh has lost 77,000 square kilometres of fires to 28,000 incidences of forest fires in March. Uttharakhand has recorded over 1,000 cases of forest fires in the last 6 months. Similipal Tiger Reserve (Odisha), Kullu Valley (Himachal) and Dzukou Valley (Nagaland) have also witnessed their forests being scorched in 2021. Certainly, forests fires are threatening
Why are India’s forest fires so destructive? Read More »
In the first two decades of the twenty-first century, 1.2 million people have lost their lives to snakebites. This is despite only 15% of the country’s 270 species of snake being venomous. Surprisingly, the majority of snakebites can be attributed to only four species of snakes. Known famously as the Big Four, the group consists
Is it possible to identify non venomous snakes? Read More »
Coffee is not only amongst the most beloved global beverages, but also amongst the most diverse. One of the types of coffee that stands out in particular is Kopi Luwak, the world’s most expensive coffee. Also known as civet coffee, it is produced by coffee cherries collected from civet poop. While the final beverage has
The Dark Side of Bali’s Civet Coffee Read More »
The African Elephants are officially a step closer to extinction, according to the International Union for Conservation of Nature’s updated “Red List” for threatened species. Until recently, the African Elephant was classified as “Vulnerable”. This means recent findings suggest that the species now face an even higher risk of extinction in the wild. Now the
Africa’s elephants racing towards extinction! Read More »
In 2019, India had celebrated a stupendous growth in tiger populations. The population has almost doubled since the turn of the century. The species miraculous revival in the 1970s, with the launch of Project Tiger by Indira Gandhi. While the successful revival of the Bengal Tiger is an apt representation of India’s conservational aptitude, challenges
5 most popular tigers in India Read More »
India has amongst the most diverse flora and fauna in the world. With over 1,200 species of avifauna, it is no surprise that birdwatching is a popular hobby. In fact, in 2020, the first ever State of Indian Birds Report, was published based on birdwatching observations from 15,000 participants! This is a fine example of
Which are the best places for birdwatching in India? Read More »