In 2019, the illegal wildlife trade reached staggering levels. Pangolin scales and ivory were being trafficked in massive quantities from Africa to Asia, exposing a network of crime syndicates operating at an industrial scale. The sheer volume of these shipments marked a disturbing milestone, one that revealed the global reach …
The Sariska Tiger Reserve, one of the important tiger habitats of Central India, came into limelight because of the disappearance of tigers from the area. It exemplifies another
This article is an analysis of the India Eco-Development Project (IEP) implemented in Sasan Gir National Park and Sanctuary. Statistical data describing the consumption patterns and financial status of the Maldharis was collected from 13 nesses. This information demonstrates the impact of the Maldharis on Gir, a lack of willingness …
The conservation of wildlife species in the Indian sub-continent has often been influenced by their aesthetic, socio-cultural and religious importance, prior to their ecological role. This system over the years has certainly been biased towards the terrestrial ecosystems affecting the aquatic species more severely. One such aquatic species towards which …
The saltwater crocodile (SWC), Crocodylus porosus is perhaps the largest living reptile in the world. captive breeding of SWCs was initiated by the Forest Department of Orissa in 1975 at Dangmal, the Bhitarkanika Wildlife Sanctuary (BWLS). With increase in the SWC population, conflicts with humans and livestock also have been …
Bustards are magnificent, tall, long-necked and long-legged birds belonging to the avian family Otididae. There are about 23 species of bustards in the world, and the Great Indian Bustard (GIB; Ardeotis nigriceps) is the most endangered among these. (Correspondence)
Call it the great ape escape. UN peacekeepers have flown four young gorillas from a conflict zone where they were at risk of being poached. The gorillas were taken to a rehabilitation centre 200 kilometres north of Goma, Democratic Republic of the Congo, and will eventually be released into a …
A population assessment survey of the endangered Ganges river dolphin was made between February and Apil 2005 in the Brahmaputra River starting from Assam-Arunachal border to the India-Bangladesh border. One hundred and ninety seven dolphins were recorded in the entire 856 km river stretch with an encounter rate of 0.23 …
Hangul (Cervus elaphus hanglu) is an endangered cervid restricted to the Kashmir valley. At present, a demographically viable population of Hangul occurs only in Dachigam National Park. Between March 04 and 06, 2004, the Hangul population estimation exercise was carried out at a landscape level in central and southern divisions …
The politics and the underlying reasons behind the recovery of the Scandinavian wolf population are increasingly contested. According to official policy, wolves should be guaranteed a place in the Swedish natural world. However, the conflict over whether Sweden should host a wolf population sets views on biodiversity and sustainable development …
Background of the study is the multi-State India Eco-development Project sponsored by IDA/GEF at the Periyar Tiger Reserve in Kerala, one of the seven Protected Areas (PAs) with the central objective of conserving biodiversity in and around PAs over 5 years (1996-97 to 2000-2001). The Village Eco Development Component (VEC) …
The Dhamra Port Company Limited (DPCL) in Orissa, India, has requested the advice of the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) to mitigate the impact of the port's development on the Olive Ridley Turtles. In fulfilling that role, IUCN has been receiving enquiries and questions about its overall involvement …
An assessment of various threats to the olive ridley turtles at Rushikulya rookery of Orissa in India was investigated during 2003-04 and 2004-05 seasons. Data on adult mortality, predation of eggs and juveniles, beach erosion and Casuarina plantation along the beach were collected. Turtle mortality was low at Rushikulya compared …
In the present study, we surveyed the primate species in the Highwavy Mountains of Tamil Nadu, India. Five primate species, including Nilgiri langur, Hanuman langur, bonnet macaque, lion-tailed macaque and slender loris were recorded in the region. Coffee and cardamom plantations in the hill system still hold the population of …
This communication elaborates a case study in Kerala, where 61 surveys have been conducted from 1990 to 2008 in 21 protected areas and reserve forests in the southern Western Ghats for monitoring bird fauna using the amateur bird-watcher network. Four different methodologies have been used in these surveys, with encounter-based …
Free-ranging horses (Equus caballus) in North America are considered to be feral animals since they are descendents of non-native domestic horses introduced to the continent. We conducted a study in a southern California desert to understand how feral horse movements and horse feces impacted this arid ecosystem. We evaluated five …
The Japanese people face a cultural and ecological challenge in seeking a new relationship between themselves and the Japanese monkeys (Macaca fuscata). Monkeys are a major agricultural pest. Monkey habitat often lies within a short distance from fields and villages, and vice versa, especially in mountainous areas. The idealized solution …
India’s gharials are in serious trouble. There are fewer than 200 of these river predators left in the wild. And their deplorable state has remained ignored even by the media, while the tiger hogs the headline -- but the truth is that gharials are 20 times more endangered than tigers.
Forests play a vital role in sustaining water resources and aquatic ecosystems. Forest disturbance, both natural (e.g., wildfire, insects, disease, windstorms, drought) and human (e.g., timber harvesting, land conversion) caused, can have a profound effect on hydrologic, geomorphic and ecologic processes. With climate change, natural disturbances are becoming more frequent …
Most protected areas in the world are inhabited by people. Mexico is at the forefront of countries where local communities have direct ownership rights of their forests, with an estimated 56-80% of national forests directly owned by communities, within which extraction activities are regulated by Mexican environmental law. However, not …
