(August 28, 2020) An aerial view of Agatti Island, one of the inhabited islands of the Lakshadweep archipelago. Photo courtesy: Nupur KaleWhite sands and blue waters- these two features instantly evoke an image of gorgeous isles, fringed with tall palm trees that overlook a surf line formed as the blue water sweeps over the sand before continuing into the calm, endless expanse of the ocean.This description instantly fits that of the beautiful, yet lesser-known island groups in India- the Lakshadweep Islands. Thes...

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(August 26, 2020) An environmentalist with a plastics manufacturing business and a sustainability podcast, Samarth Sheth is no stranger to the knee-jerk criticism that inevitably follows these descriptors. Sheth’s understanding of plastics, and his efforts towards creating zero-waste neighbourhoods however tell the story of someone deeply committed to achieving a sustainable future, one society at a time.  Photo courtesy: Samarth Sheth“Whether we like it or not, plastic is here to stay. It s...

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(August 24, 2020) Spotify:spoti.fi/2EnhXXr Google Podcast:bit.ly/3j79gPH Apple:https://apple.co/3gwyCEV Anchor:https://bit.ly/31p7XWk Transcript:Hello listeners, welcome to the Sustainability weekly Podcast. I’m Samarth, your host, and today I’m in conversation with Prakriti Srivastava. Prakriti is the Country Director of Wildlife Conservation Society [or WCS]-India since 2018. She has been with the Indian Forest Service for the past 27 years while serving on the Kerala cadre as we...

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(August 18, 2020) Dhole! Dhole! Dhole!’ was the despairing cry from a bloodied Won-tolla as he fled towards Mowgli in Rudyard Kipling’s ‘The Jungle Book’, echoing the fear and animosity that many have felt towards the ‘Red Dog’ throughout history.Kipling’s story about the Dhole brings to mind a haunting image of vicious packs, numbering more than a hundred salivating beasts, that hound their kill unto the ends of the earth, running amok through the jun...

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(August 14, 2020) Starting out as the first Muslim woman Range Forest Officer in India, Shajna Karim, Wildlife Warden, Aralam Wildlife Division has since seen an illustrious career in the forest service. Her expertise comes from spearheading innovative social forestry initiatives for years, and deftly handling human-animal conflict in Aralam, all while placing the interests of wildlife and local communities firmly at the center of her work.Photo courtesy: Shajna KarimWe spoke to her about the early experiences th...

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(August 11, 2020) By Zoya TyabjiThis is the second in a series of commentaries by researchers with WCS (Wildlife Conservation Society) during Shark Week documenting challenges and successes in shark and ray conservation today.A requim shark caught as bycatch in a gillnet fishery. A pelagic longline fishing vessel has just returned from a 15-day fishing trip from the high seas, and is offloading at Junglighat, the major fishing harbor in the Andaman Islands. The shark caught — most probably an oceanic w...

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(August 10, 2020) We know that rangers are the frontline heroes in forestry, protecting our natural resources despite the danger the job may bring. However, behind this diligence on the ground are people with extremely interesting backgrounds and stories to share, which we hope to bring out through our series, “Heroes of Our Frontline Staff".This series is dedicated to the thousands of rangers relentlessly going about their everyday tasks, without expectation of recognition for their hard work.Today, we spo...

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(August 06, 2020) By Aashika Ravi  At 72, he considers himself “a card-carrying member of the budda party”, but Bittu Sahgal’s love for nature remains evergreen. With a prolific career as an activist, a writer, and most prominently the founder and editor of Sanctuary Asia, one of India’s pioneering wildlife and ecology magazines, Sahgal has contributed immensely to wildlife conservation in India. His initiatives to promote grassroots conservationists, engage the youth in conserva...

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