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(July 09, 2019) Written by Gajendra Singh S“For as the eyes of bats are to the blaze of day, so is the reason in our soul to the things which are by nature most evident of all”- Aristotle Naked-rumped tomb bat (Taphozous nudiventris) roostingThar Desert is one of the most arid environments on earth. This region of rolling sand hills and home of the Great Indian Bustard’s, experiences seasons of sweltering heat, with the temperature rising up to 50oC in the summer months and biting cold wi...

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(July 03, 2019) MEET OUR STAFF: Dr. Vidya AthreyaHer work on leopard ecology has helped bring a new dimension to understanding human-wildlife conflict.Setting up a camera trapA woman in a male-dominated field of large cat biology, Dr Vidya Athreya, is the only one of her kind to be featured in a popular Indian film on wildlife ecology. The Marathi film ‘Ajoba’ is the only one made in the country where a real wild leopard is the protagonist. Vidya pays the leopard “the most adaptable of all cat...

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(June 25, 2019) The life of Yamuna and her son has been positively impacted thanks to the Karnataka BankWritten by Anisha IyerThe life Yamuna has lived has been nothing short of challenging. Her family has been residing for 15 years in theKerekatte Range of the Kudremukh National Park.Yamuna first moved into the national park after getting married to her husband, Sona. They had four children, two from Sona’s previous marriage and two of their own. Together they worked as unskilled labourers ( farm labor )...

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(June 11, 2019) From freeing a snake caught in a snare, to witnessing a sparring match between a leopard and pack of dholes, to startling a pair of tiger cubs, Satish Nagathan regales with real tales from the Andhra-Telangana landscape.ಪಶ್ಚಿಮ ಘಟ್ಟಗಳ ಮಾಯಾಲೋಕದಿಂದ ಪೂರ್ವ ಘಟ್ಟಗಳ ಬಂಡೆಗಾಡುಗಳವರೆಗೆ ನನ್ನ ಪಯಣ..ಗತಿಸಿಹೋದ ಘಟನೆಗಳನ್ನು ಮೆಲಕು ಹಾಕುತ್ತ..ಸತೀಶ ಗಣೇಶ ನಾಗಠಾಣ.ಮುಂದುವರೆದ ಭಾಗ...ಬೆಟ್ಟ ಹತ್ತಿ ಬಂದಿದ್ದರಿಂದ ಸಿಕ್ಕಾಪಟ್ಟೆ ದಣಿವು ಆಗಿತ್ತು. ನನಗಂತು ವಿಪರೀತ ನೋವು ಕಾಲುಗಳನ್ನ ಅತ್ತಂದಿತ್ತ ಎತ್ತಿ ಇಡಲು ಹರಸಾಹಸ ಪಡುತಿದ್ದೆ. ಒಂದು ದಿನ ವಿಶ್ರಾಂತಿ ಪಡೆಯಬೇಕೆ...

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(June 05, 2019) Between weeds, untreated sewage and commercial prawn culture, Chilika lake has had its bit of a struggle for survival. On World Environment Day, we take a look at its journey.Written by Vishal RasalChilika Lake © Ashwinee PatiLong ago, long before the history we know, mountains were believed to have wings. They could fly at the speed of the mighty eagle. Filled with pride they started harassing birds. The birds then went to Indra, the king of the Gods, and complained against the mountains. ...

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(May 28, 2019) A unique island of biodiversity within the bustling Mumbai city, the SGNP is a study in so many contrasts.IUCN estimates that there are 1,300 species of plants, more than 150 species of butterflies, around 40 varieties of snakes and mammals and more than 250 species of birds here at the Sanjay Gandhi National Park in Mumbai.A national park or an urban city park? A tough answer to give after a brief visit to the Sanjay Gandhi National Park, Borivali in Mumbai. The place looks much like Bangalore&...

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(May 21, 2019) Pulled in for an emergency, a field biologist finds a scalpel thrust into her hands and told to extract pieces of the intestine and lung tissues from the carcass of a dead tigress for the pathology tests.Written by Priya RanganathanFive-thirty in the morning is far too early for a telephone call.I cracked open an eyelid and picked up the buzzing mobile from the bedside table. “Hello?”“Madam, get up, you have duty,” replied the voice of the office driver, Javed Bhai.I...

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(May 17, 2019) By Divya Krishnan©PBSPangolins are the introverts of the animal kingdom. They are nocturnal, solitary and shy creatures and for this very reason, remain elusive to the scientific community at large. Amongst the 8 species surviving across Asia and Africa, they range from a weight of 1.6kgs to a maximum of 33 kgs and are coloured in the pale yellows and browns of spring, to the olive tones of autumn. Imagine an artichoke that walks, you now have a pretty good idea of what these beautiful scal...

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(May 11, 2019) Written by Anisha IyerSurendra Kumar IFSA young boy living on the outskirts of a forest area used to help his father keep wildlife away from their crops. These were farmlands prone to wild boars, deers, sambars and sloth bears. Little did this young man know that he would grow up to be the Principal Chief Conservator of Forests (Wildlife) and Chief Wildlife Warden of Kerala, Mr. Surendra Kumar. Born and brought up in Bihar, Surendra Kumar has always been close to nature, which has struck a fasci...

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(May 07, 2019) Written by Ashni DhawaleIn the remote rainforests of the Western Ghats lives one of the most rare and unique of primates – the lion-tailed macaque. With a furless black face, expressive eyes, and a thick, shiny coat of black fur, this macaque gets its name from the mane of silver and grey that surrounds its face and tail that ends in a tuft like that of a lion’s.© Prakash RamakrishnanConsidered by scientists as the only truly arboreal macaque on Earth, these elusive creatur...

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