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(September 09, 2024) The following content is collected from public information and does not represent the views of WCS-India.  We collected and collated 57 illegal wildlife trade related data-points from various regions across India using open-source information. The highest number of wildlife seizure incidents were reported from Tamil Nadu (13), Odisha (8), and Assam (5). Some of the reported wildlife species included Tortoises and Freshwater Turtles (Indian Roofed Turtle, Tricarinate Hill Turtle, Indian T...

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(September 06, 2024) Kerala fishermen on a mission to save whale sharks along state coastline | Deccan Herald Fishermen in Kerala are actively rescuing whale sharks, with 23 saved over the last five years. The Wildlife Trust of India (WTI) and the Kerala Forest Department ran a campaign to raise awareness and offer financial aid for damaged nets. The fishermen are now playing a key role in reporting and rescuing the protected species. As in India, tigers in Nepal may seek refuge in sugarcane fields | Mongaba...

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(September 03, 2024) On 29th and 30th August 2024, our Counter Wildlife Trafficking (CWT) programme jointly organised a training programme with the Department of Environment, Forest and Climate Change, Arunachal Pradesh in Itanagar. Inaugurated by Shri. P Subramanyam, IFS, PCCF & HOFF and Shri. N. Tam, IFS, PCCF & CWLW, the training saw participation from 39 frontline officers from the Forest Department including two officials from the Donyi Polo Airport. The training on ‘Combating Wildlif...

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(August 30, 2024) Manipur villages unite to protect endangered Pangolins along Indo-Myanmar border | The New Indian Express In a significant conservation initiative, 230 villages in Manipur along the Indo-Myanmar border, guided by the Tangkhul Naga Awunga Long (TNAL), have collectively banned the hunting of critically endangered Chinese Pangolins. This community-led effort seeks to curb illegal wildlife trade and conserve the species, which is heavily targeted for its scales and meat. Long-term monitoring...

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(August 23, 2024) Endemic Malabar Tree Toad populations may decline 68.7% due to climate change: Study | Down to Earth According to a study, the Malabar tree toad, endemic to India's Western Ghats, may see its distribution decline by 68.7% due to climate change. The research highlights the vulnerability of amphibians to climate change and stresses the importance of conservation efforts in the central Western Ghats, where suitable habitats are projected to decrease significantly. Tech-savvy Uttarakhand...

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(August 21, 2024) Wildlife Institute of India, with support from National River Conservation Directorate, Ministry of Jal Shakti, Government of India, organised a workshop on “Involving stakeholders for conservation planning of Cauvery River, Karnataka state" on 16 August 2024.   The workshop, attended by Ms. Navya R, Dr. Vishnupriya Sankararaman, and Dr. Anant Pande from WCS-India, focused on planning for the preparation of the National River Conservation Plan for the Cauvery River an...

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(August 20, 2024) Dr. Aaron Savio Lobo, head of the marine program at the Wildlife Conservation Society - India, organised a symposium titled “Advances in Global Research and Conservation of Sea Snakes” at the 10th World Congress of Herpetology, held from August 5-9. The symposium was co-organised by Dr. Vinay Udyawer of Sharks Pacific, Cook Islands, and Dr. Kate Sanders, Associate Professor at the University of Adelaide, both recognized as global authorities on sea snakes. Aaron serves as the ...

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(August 19, 2024) The following content is collected from public information and does not represent the views of WCS-India.   Fifty-six illegal wildlife trade incidents from various regions across the country have been collected using open-source intelligence (OSINT). The highest number of wildlife seizure incidents were reported from the states of Odisha (12), Maharashtra (8), and Tamil Nadu (8). Some of the commonly reported wildlife species in seizures were Asian Elephant, Leopard, Tiger, Parakeets, Mu...

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(August 16, 2024) Chhattisgarh to get new tiger reserve amid declining tiger population After a drastic drop in Chhattisgarh’s tiger population from 46 in 2014 to 17 in 2022, the state has officially approved the creation of a new tiger reserve, marking a significant step in tiger conservation efforts. Announced recently, the Guru Ghasidas-Tamor Pingla Tiger Reserve will be the third largest in India, spanning 2,829 sq km across four northern districts of the state. Almost the entire population of I...

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(August 09, 2024) Indian bioacoustics researchers boost wildlife conservation with exciting animal insights | Mongabay The podcast series ‘Wild Frequencies’ by Mongabay-India explores bioacoustics research through conversations with Indian scientists. In a recent episode, editor Shreya Dasgupta shares surprising insights, including the high-frequency sounds of urban bats and the nuanced calls of sarus cranes and Asian elephants. She emphasises that understanding animal sounds is crucial for effecti...

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