Did you call? Misuse of bird call audio is disturbing bird behaviour
© N A Nazeer/Wikimedia Commons
The use of recorded audios of birdcalls by birders has become problematic in India. Its overuse may have an effect on the breeding habits and social behaviour of birds. Researchers explain that banning this completely is not an answer. Park officials are considering new ways to limit misuse.
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Forest dept finds over 50 hatchlings of critically endangered gharials in Corbett
Fifty hatchlings of the critically endangered gharial were sighted by the forest department in Corbett National Park. The administration is monitoring the nests to draft a special conservation plan to protect the newborn reptiles. Although a challenging task to protect gharial nestings, scientists say that this discovery is a sign of a robust habitat that can become a future conservation site for gharials.
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Habitat changes may be causing sarus cranes to form breeding trios
© K.S. Gopi Sundar
Scientists from the Nature Conservation Foundation have discovered that the typically monogamous sarus cranes are now forming trios to raise chicks. They may be doing this to increase the offspring’s survival chances as habitat loss in India accelerates. The third crane may help in defending territory and finding food.
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Jharkhand tribals to observe the annual hunting festival 'Bishnu Sendra Parva' without hunting
Bishnu Sendra Parva, an annual hunting festival observed by the tribals of Jharkhand, Odisha and West Bengal involves an age-old ritual of hunting birds and animals in the forests of Dalma hills. This is offered as a sacrifice to the local deity. This year, the tribe decided to celebrate a “bloodless” festival, without hunting or hurting any animals, in the larger interest of wildlife and the environment.
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Rediscovery of presumed extinct species 'Brachystelma attenuatum' after 188 years
Researchers from the Botanical Survey of India, Dehradun and Himachal Pradesh University rediscovered a plant species ‘Brachystelma attenuatum’ after 188 years! It was presumed extinct since its discovery in 1835. The findings indicate the necessity for species specific field surveys and habitat conservation. Researchers say that the species is endemic, and is highly threatened by anthropogenic activities.
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Big cats, big cities: how Los Angeles and Mumbai live cheek by jowl with feline locals
© Steve Winter and AP News
Los Angeles and Mumbai are the only two megacities where large carnivores thrive close to urban areas as natural habitats increasingly diminish. Long-term monitoring has shown how people can best live alongside them. Today, this is increasingly important, as similar situations may arise in other cities. Dr. Vidya Athreya, director of Wildlife Conservation Society in India has advocated negotiations that improve the conditions for both wildlife and people, promoting coexistence. Find out more about special cases of leopards in Mumbai and mountain lions in Los Angeles.
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