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(October 20, 2023) Mhadei wildlife sanctuary in Goa to be notified as 55th tiger reserve of India | Times of India  Mhadei Wildlife Sanctuary in Goa is set to be declared a new tiger reserve, making it India's 55th. Despite previous efforts by the Goa government to nullify the order, the Supreme Court has recently refused to stay the High Court's order. This move was initially proposed by the UPA government in 2011, and now the state government has been directed to notify the Tiger Reserve by Octob...

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(October 15, 2023) WCS-India showcased the website on India’s marine life, BlueMAP-India, at the Student Conference on Conservation Science (SCCS), Bangalore, organized from October 9th to 12th, 2023.  The visuals are a major highlight of the website and were a crowd favorite. We showcased the interactive habitat poster front and center using a large screen and provided two additional touch-screen devices for people to interact with the website and the user interface. We also printed postcards de...

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(October 13, 2023) Tamenglong Gears Up To Welcome Amur Falcons | Times of India Amur falcons are set to arrive in Tamenglong, Manipur, on the way to their breeding grounds in South-eastern Siberia and Northern China. To protect these birds, the district administration has imposed a ban on hunting, catching, and selling the birds during their roosting period. An "Amur falcon dance festival" is also planned for November, and there are efforts to tag two healthy birds with satellite transmitter...

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(October 06, 2023) World Tourism Day is commemorated by the United Nations World Tourism Organization (UNWTO) annually on 27th September, with the theme for 2023 being Tourism and Green Investments. This day was observed in Goa with a focus on non-traditional investments for Goa’s tourism sector and deliberation on fundamental issues in light of the necessity of increasing economic and environmental sustainability in the state.  WCS-India was invited to speak at the World Tourism Day event held a...

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(September 22, 2023) It is with great sorrow that we inform you of the untimely demise of Jayachandran S, a cherished member of our WCS-India family. Jayachandran made significant contributions to our Livelihood Support Programme and wholeheartedly devoted himself to conservation initiatives in the Sathyamangalam Tiger Reserve and the Nilgiris landscape in Tamil Nadu. In this difficult time, we extend our deepest condolences and sympathies to Jayachandran's family. Our thoughts and prayers are with them. ...

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(September 22, 2023) Centre identifies 62 new elephant corridors; total now 150 | Down To Earth The central government's latest elephant corridor report reveals a 40% increase in elephant corridors, with a total of 150 corridors identified across 15 elephant range states in India. The increase in corridors reflects expanding ranges, but habitat modifications have led to decreased use in some corridors, calling for restoration efforts. Read more here. Studies on India's marine biodiversity by CMFRI...

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(September 08, 2023) India needs a single, comprehensive policy to tackle invasive species: Ankila Hiremath | Down to Earth Invasive alien species are a significant driver of biodiversity loss globally. Ankila Hiremath, a plant ecologist, discusses the history and impact of invasive species. She emphasizes the need for mitigation rather than restoration to a pre-invasion state. In the context of India, Hiremath notes that efforts to address invasive species have been more reactive than proactive and calls for com...

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(September 01, 2023) 172 incidents of seizures of red sand boa recorded from 2016 to 2021: WCS-India report | The Hindu A report by WCS-India reveals 172 incidents of illegal red sand boa trade in India from 2016 to 2021. The red sand boa is now acknowledged as one of the most traded reptile species due to its demand in the pet trade, as well as for use in black magic. Most incidents of trade were documented in Maharashtra and Uttar Pradesh. Social media, especially YouTube, plays a role in facilitating the illeg...

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(September 01, 2023) Dr. Aaron Savio Lobo, Senior Technical Advisor of our Marine Programme, recently participated in a Policy Lab on "Integrating Equity and Reframing Urban Nature-based Solutions (NbS) in South Asian Cities.” held in Colombo on the 21-23 Aug. Participants came from major South Asian cities and included a diverse set of backgrounds including academics and practitioners from urban planners, architects, ecologists, govt. and NGO´s.  Dr. Lobo facilitated a group discussion ...

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(August 31, 2023) The report, compiled by the Counter Wildlife Trafficking team at Wildlife Conservation Society-India, attempts to document and understand the illegal trade in red sand boas (Eryx johnii) in India using information collected from media articles on seizures. The report uses 172 red sand boa seizure incidents between 2016- 2021, which were reported in online media articles, to map and understand the trade. The report also has a partial ‘Crime Script’ that examines the different stages o...

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