Shivering, we had rambled through the misty green hills of the Shirui Hills of the Ukrhul District of Manipur on the cold, misty morning of Christmas 2018. We one aim in mind and that was to photograph the elusive spot-bellied parrotbill. This species has undergone severe poaching. Hunting of wildlife in the north east is […]
Can North-East India’s birds recover from extensive poaching? Read More »
In the midst of the exhaustive Desert National Park in Jaisalmer, Rajasthan, a flock of 8-10 large graceful birds scurried along. In that one sighting, slightly less than 10% of the entire wild population of the Great Indian Bustard was spotted. This is an extremely worrisome fact. The Great Indian Bustard with an estimated population
The Last Battle – Saving the Great Indian Bustard Read More »
Over 70,000 animals are lost annually to trophy hunting – the killing of wild animals as a recreation. Body parts of the animal, usually the skin, antlers or head of the animal, are kept as a trophy to showcase the success of the hunt. Trophy hunting has been legalized in numerous countries such as South
Is Trophy Hunting actually conservation? Read More »
Ladakh, the land of high passes, is a wildlife paradise. Home to some of the rarest mammals including the Eurasian Lynx and Snow Leopard, little is known about the regions exotic bird species. This blog post recounts our 10 day journey through the region exploring the wildlife of Ladakh. For years, it has mesmerized tourists
Exploring the wildlife of Ladakh Read More »
It is impossible to complete a world tour checklist without visiting two places. The first is the world’s largest democracy, India, and the second is the African Bush. Surprisingly, both places share a common attraction: The Big Five. The term was first coined in the recreational hunting grounds of Africa. It refers to the five
A poem by Charu Sharma The author Anthony Williams has rightly quoted, “some of the greatest minds on earth live in seas”. And we all are well aware of the cute and cuddly, genius creatures on this planet, the Dolphins!! And when it comes to our national aquatic animal, it is indeed the Gangetic River
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 »