Walls come down to make way for elephants | Mongabay
Numaligarh Refinery Ltd. (NRL) is demolishing its boundary wall in Deopahar, Assam following a Gauhati High Court order to restore an elephant corridor. The wall's obstruction has sparked a decade-long legal battle, with environmental activists like Rohit Choudhury advocating for its removal. The victory is hailed as a significant win for wildlife conservation, allowing free movement for elephants and preserving the biodiversity of the area.
Critically endangered species of turtle hatchling sighted for first time on Chennai beach | The New Indian Express
A hatchling of the critically endangered hawksbill turtle, typically found in the Lakshadweep and Andaman Islands, was sighted for the first time on Chennai's Besant Nagar beach by local fishermen. The hatchling was identified by volunteers from the Students Sea Turtle Conservation Network. It was found struggling near the broken bridge coast, and was safely released into the sea, highlighting the challenges faced by this species due to habitat loss.
Communities in Chhattisgarh & Uttar Pradesh are using tech, on-ground monitoring to reduce human-elephant conflicts | Down to Earth
In Chhattisgarh, the "hathi mitra" initiative engages local communities to monitor elephant movements, reducing conflicts with villagers through tech like mobile apps. Similarly, in Uttar Pradesh's Katarniaghat forest sanctuary, volunteers known as "gaja mitras" track elephant movements, collaborating across borders with Nepal to mitigate human-elephant conflicts. These community-led efforts signify a promising approach to wildlife conservation amid rising incidents of human-elephant conflicts in India.
Nagaland tops India’s community reserves even as experts stress conceptual clarity | MorungExpress
Nagaland leads in India with 148 community reserves covering nearly a third of its area, aimed at wildlife conservation under the Wildlife Protection Act. These reserves, managed by local communities, receive support from the government but retain ownership. Experts stress the importance of proper sensitisation and effective implementation, emphasising on financial support, legal recognition, and ecological monitoring for long-term success in biodiversity conservation.
Faunal survey detects several species in Thiruvananthapuram Wildlife Division | The Hindu
A faunal survey in Thiruvananthapuram Wildlife Division revealed rich biodiversity in spite of a prolonged dry spell. Neyyar Sanctuary recorded 157 butterflies, 135 birds, and 37 odonates, while Peppara reported 168 butterflies, 90 birds, and 46 odonates. The survey showcased a variety of bird species, including endemics and migrants, along with significant butterfly diversity, indicating potential population growth and migration patterns.
Invasive shrubs being removed for better view of wildlife movement across rail track in Madukkarai in Coimbatore | The Hindu
The Forest Department in Madukkarai, Coimbatore, is removing invasive shrubs like Prosopis juliflora and Lantana camara near railway tracks to improve visibility for wildlife, particularly elephants crossing the tracks. This initiative, covering 90 hectares for Prosopis juliflora and 50 hectares for Lantana camara, aims to enhance the effectiveness of an AI-based early warning system to prevent collisions between trains and wildlife, particularly with around 1,000 elephant crossings annually on these tracks.