India Lost More than Half of Its Suitable Elephant Habitat in Last 300 Years, Shows Report | News18
India has lost over 50% of its historic elephant habitat range in the past 300 years, according to an international team of researchers. The study examined the habitat range of Asian elephants across 13 Asian countries between 1700 and 2015, and found that almost two-thirds of the region's once-suitable land had been lost, with China and India experiencing the greatest declines. This loss is likely to lead to increased human-wildlife conflicts. The study calls for sustainable land use and conservation strategies, alongside habitat restoration guided by considerations of social and environmental justice.
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Combatting wildlife crime with technology | Mongabay
In Kerala, the Hostile Activity Watch Kernel (HAWK) is now a requirement for recording animal offences. The authorities of the forest department did not have access to the nearby division's crime statistics under the previous manual procedure. According to experts, HAWK can assist identify locations vulnerable to wildlife crime, keep an eye out for questionable characters, and pinpoint places that require additional patrols.
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ZSI team discovers 2 new spider species in Karnataka, Tamil Nadu | The Hindu
Researchers of the Zoological Survey of India have discovered two new species of jumping spiders from southern India. The two discoveries include Phintella dhritiae from Mookambika Wildlife Sanctuary in Karnataka and Phintella platnicki from the Salem district of Tamil Nadu. Phintella dhritiae has been named in honour of Dr Dhriti Banerjee, the first woman director of the ZSI. Phintella platnicki has been named in honour of the late Dr Norman Platnick. The newly described species are small-to-medium-sized, colourful spiders, usually covered with metallic iridescent scales.
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International Leopard Day 2023: Website dedicated to rosette cats launched | Down To Earth
A new website, internationalleopardday.org, has been launched by the Cape Leopard Trust (CLT) to raise awareness and promote the conservation of leopards (Panthera pardus) worldwide. The website was launched on International Leopard Day, which was officially established by the Global Leopard Conference held in March 2023. The website's launch aims to enable higher awareness, promotion and celebration of leopards worldwide. Dr. Vidya Athreya welcomed the formation of a portal to help reduce human-leopard conflict and preserve natural landscapes.
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