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(September 25, 2020) Forest fragmentation is the breaking of large, contiguous forested areas into smaller forest patches, separated by roads, agriculture, utility corridors or other anthropological developments. It is a gradual process which starts with smaller, discontinuous patches in an otherwise unbroken forest or grassland. When the forests are highly fragmented, the size, integrity and connectivity of the remnants deteriorate beyond, making the area no longer an adequate home for the native plants and wi...

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(September 16, 2020) © Uday Kiran‘‘Go back to the Dekkan and eat lizards!’’ taunted Mowgli at the snarling Red Dogs from atop a tree, in a scene that successfully placed the dhole in the same villainous league as the infamous Shere Khan.Although large carnivores have long been feared, they have also evoked respect, desire and love, even inspiring stories, books and movies in their celebration. Unfortunately, the same cannot be said about the dauntless dhole. Abhorred and scorned thr...

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(September 10, 2020) It was the month of July; the heavens of Kabini opened up, pouring unceasingly for two hours. On the branch of a tree covered with thick green moss was Saaya - a black panther, his luscious black coat covered in little beads of rain. For Mithun H, a 31-year-old wildlife photographer from Bengaluru who captured this black panther named Saaya and his mate, a leopardess named Cleopatra on his Nikon D5 camera, this sight was nothing less than “magical.”Mithun H“Saaya was injur...

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(September 09, 2020) Click here to read Prerna's full study report submitted as part of her M.Phil in Conservation Leadership at the University of Cambridge.  This article was first published in Mongabay Article by Prerna Singh BindraWhile the dominant narrative of conservation-related resettlement is that of forced and induced displacement leading to further destitution and cultural alienation, there are also reports from reserves across India where resettlement has been voluntary and led t...

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(September 03, 2020) An IRS officer with two published travelogues, one on Buddhism in East Asia and the other on wild places in Uttarakhand, Deepankar Aron, Additional Director General, Directorate of Revenue Intelligence (DRI) Eastern Region, Kolkata has dipped his toes in diverse waters. Perhaps it was his longstanding career in the IRS that urged him to explore the deep ties between East Asia and India, wildlife in mythology and the experience of writing a travelogue. Photo courtesy: Deepankar AronWe spoke ...

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(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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