Assam's Kaziranga National Park a global model for rhino conservation: India | Deccan Herald
Kaziranga National Park is home to 70% of the world’s one-horned rhinos and is known globally for its successful conservation efforts, focusing on forest management, anti-poaching, and habitat restoration. Despite a 170% growth in India’s rhino population since the 1980s, challenges like wildlife trafficking and climate change persist. Therefore efforts like expanding habitats and addressing human-wildlife conflicts are important for continued success.
Good luck charms, exotic pets: Why Indian star tortoises are smuggled across the India-Bangladesh border | The Indian Express
The Indian Star Tortoise, a vulnerable species, is heavily trafficked across the India-Bangladesh border due to high demand for pets and good luck charms. Smugglers exploit porous borders, and despite legal protections, the species continues to be trafficked domestically and internationally. Conservation efforts face challenges like organised trafficking networks, misidentification during seizures, and habitat loss, threatening the species' survival.
Lesser adjutants thrive in a Jharkhand district, finds study | Mongabay
A study in Jharkhand's Bokaro district revealed a thriving population of 385 lesser adjutant storks, with farmlands offering a favourable habitat. Before 2012, the storks were scarcely observed but are now protected by the locals due to their religious significance and their role in controlling snake populations. Conservation efforts and traditional beliefs have supported the species' recovery, improving its IUCN status from "Vulnerable" to "Near Threatened" in 2023.
Karnataka's first sanctuary for hyenas proposed in Belagavi | Deccan Herald
Karnataka's first striped hyena sanctuary is proposed in Belagavi, aiming to protect the species, which faces threats from habitat loss, human conflict, and a declining prey base. Currently, hyenas are only co-protected in a few sanctuaries alongside other species like wolves and blackbucks. Conservationists highlight the need to protect these declining predators, with the sanctuary seen as a crucial step towards focused conservation efforts and reducing human-wildlife conflict in the region.
Urban expansion drives forest loss in India's biodiversity hotspots | Mongabay
Urban expansion and land use changes in India’s biodiversity hotspots, particularly the Himalayas and the Western Ghats, are causing significant forest loss. Studies by the Indian Institute of Remote Sensing (IIRS) and other researchers highlight rapid urbanisation, deforestation, and environmental degradation in these regions. To counter this, experts recommend adaptive urban planning and conservation efforts to preserve ecosystems, biodiversity, and water resources.