At This Farm, Kids Promote Wildlife Conservation And Protect Dying Art Forms
© Outlook
In Maharashtra’s Kolhapur, Insight Walk is using sustainable and local community-led initiatives to change the face of rural education in four villages.
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Dolphins sighted 27 times along Mumbai coast in pilot study
© Shutterstock / Ricardo Canino
A recent pilot study conducted in south Mumbai’s Backbay region has confirmed 27 sightings of Indian Ocean humpback dolphins, a development that has prompted the Maharashtra government to launch a detailed population study of marine mammals along the Mumbai coastline.
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Wild You Were Sleeping - Docuseries by The Habitats Trust
© The Habitats Trust
‘Wild You Were Sleeping’ is a call to witness some of India’s most fascinating wild species that live among us but are rarely in the spotlight. This six-episode docuseries offers an unprecedented portrait of these animals and how they survive in diverse habitats across the country.
Wild You Were Sleeping is presented by The Habitats Trust and was co-produced by The Habitats Trust and Trippintoe Media.
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Researchers identify hotspots for marine mammal strandings
© Wikipedia
Researchers from the Wildlife Institute of India (WII), Wildlife Conservation Society-India and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (USA) conducted a study using information on strandings over an impressive 270 years from publications, open access databases, and reports. This study will help better understand stranding events on the Indian coast and identify places where these occur more frequently. Their research discovered trends for hotspots in particular coastal areas and found that stranding events have increased over recent years, particularly between 2015–2017. A sharp increase in the stranding reports was also aided by the faster spread of information through social media platforms.
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Poachers saw off horn, but leave rhino alive in a unique case in Assam
© Diganta Talukdar/Wikimedia Commons
A sub-adult male rhino was dehorned by poachers at Orang National Park, a protected area in Assam, last month. The forest department suspects that the rhino was tranquilised before its horn was cut off. It was the first poaching incident in Orang in five years. As per official data, 190 rhinos have been poached in Assam since the year 2000. Even as the debate on the mode of immobilising the rhino continues, a section of conservation experts flags concerns about poachers getting innovative and the need for people’s participation in conservation.
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[Explainer] Why is India a major hub for wildlife trafficking?
© N A Nazeer/Wikimedia Commons
India is not only a major source, but also a transit and a destination country for trafficked wildlife and wildlife products. International wildlife trafficking into and out of India mainly occurs through either the long international border along the Northeast or through airports. Chennai and Mumbai airports are major hubs for this illegal activity. Wildlife trafficking in India is driven by the demand for raw material like red sandalwood and ivory, and animal parts – particularly rhinoceros horn and tiger parts – for traditional medicine, demand for meat, and the attraction towards exotic pets. When exotic live animals that have been smuggled into India are seized, they are sent to rescue centres or sanctuaries. Several international and national governmental organisations are teaming up to develop tools and networks that counter wildlife trafficking.
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