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(March 02, 2021) A new study reveals India’s first ever population estimates of the endangered dhole (or Asiatic wild dog) in Wayanad Wildlife Sanctuary, Kerala© Harsha Narasimhamuthy  India has the privilege of hosting a wide diversity of wildlife. The country supports 23 percent of the world’s carnivore species in around 2.3 percent of the global land area. Unfortunately, some of these species are threatened with extinction, even as their population numbers remain unknown. The Asiati...

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(July 31, 2020) A new study identifies priority actions and locations for conserving populations of the endangered Asiatic wild dog or dhole in India Country-level species conservation plans serve as a blueprint for identifying important areas, prioritizing management actions and channeling conservation funds. India is a biologically megadiverse country, yet many threatened and endangered species do not have science-based conservation plans. In a new study, scientists from Wildlife Conservation Society&nda...

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(March 30, 2020) A new study reveals that golden jackals in India are hunted for a pervasive illegal trade of their illusionary ‘jackal horns’.India’s efforts in countering wildlife crimes has generally focused on large, iconic species. But lesser-known, less-charismatic and relatively abundant species may form a large part of illegal wildlife trade. Another conservation concern is the use of wildlife in religious and superstitious practices that has given rise to national and international onl...

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(June 30, 2019) 30th July 2019: A lady Forest Range Officer (FRO), Anitha Chole from the Kaghaznagar Division of the Telangana Forest Department was assaulted by Konaru Krishna (Vice Chairman Zilla Parishad) and villagers from Sarsala village while carrying out her official duties.  The FRO was carrying out afforestation activities under the Kaleshwaram Project in 20 ha of degraded forest land.  It is believed that the assault was politically motivated as there were attempts to illegally encroach this...

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(June 25, 2019) A new study reveals how effective implementation of law to protect important marine species begins with awareness building among stakeholders.Bangalore, June 24, 2019: Awareness campaigns, involving local stakeholders in decision making and empowering the authorities, can go a long way in protecting marine species, as revealed by a new study. The Wildlife (Protection) Act, 1972, WLPA amended in 2002 and 2006 has brought several marine species under its ambit, but awareness about the WLPA for mar...

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(June 15, 2019) 1. Reliable estimation of elephant populations is a challenge2. Collaboration between WCS-India scientists and the Assam Forest Department paves the way to address this challenge3. Advanced population estimation techniques provide reliable elephant population numbersJune 16, 2019: Cutting-edge research carried out by scientists from Wildlife Conservation Society India (WCS-India), in collaboration with the Forest Department, Assam, is paving the way for reliable estimation of Asian elephant popu...

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(June 08, 2019) June 8, 2019: Wildlife Conservation Society - India welcomes the latest notification by Forest, Ecology & Environment department of Karnataka Government announcing the expansion of two protected areas and a new conservation reserve in the State.While commending the government over the notifications, Country Director of WCS-India, Ms. Prakriti Srivastava said, "This is a very big step towards the conservation of the Western Ghats and will go a long way in preserving critical habitat and wildl...

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(April 19, 2019) A new study reveals how large carnivores like leopards, wolves and hyenas share space with people in Western Maharashtra, making these ‘conservation-enabled’ landscapes.Bengaluru, 12th April 2019: India’s focus on large carnivore conservation and active management is mostly centered on forested National Parks and Wildlife Sanctuaries. However, there is increasing evidence that the country’s diverse non-protected habitats support a high diversity of wildlife that has ...

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(April 01, 2019) Mumbai, March 28: Camera trap images of leopards residing within the Sanjay Gandhi National Park, Mumbai indicate that the numbers have gone up to 47 in 2018, compared to 41 in 2017 and 35 in 2015. However, 16 of the leopards captured in images in 2017 were not observed in 2018, pointing to either a dispersal outside the park, or death. Twenty-five images match with those from earlier years.The exercise carried out across 140 sq kms also revealed the good health of a cub which lost its mother ea...

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(March 28, 2019) Bangalore, 28 March 2019: A recent study has thrown useful insight on the flowering and fruiting of the Tape seagrass (Enhalus acoroides), which has the longest leaves found in Indian waters and is a major carbon sink in the oceans. The seagrass ecosystem has been largely neglected despite its significant contribution in providing refuge and food for marine life and the present study provides a baseline for further detailed ones.The study by a team of researchers from WCS-India, D...

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