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(November 04, 2022) The planet has lost 83% of its freshwater aquatic life in 50 years, finds report World Wildlife Fund reports an 83% decline in freshwater species populations in the last 50 years. The report uses data from almost 32,000 populations of 5,230 species compiled by the Zoological Survey of London. Asian countries, including India, have seen a 55% decline in wildlife populations. The most significant decline (94%) has been observed in Latin America and the Caribbean region. The results highligh...

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(October 27, 2022) Counter Wildlife Trafficking Newsletter September 2022 In Focus Three seizure incidents involving illegal trade of exotic wildlife species were reported from India in September, last month. Notably, the recovered species include primates such as orangutans, spider monkeys, lemurs among others. Other recovered species include, wallabies, and several other exotic species of tortoises, turtles and birds. Access the media reports here: Two baby orangutans, suspected to be smugg...

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(October 13, 2022) WCS-India Marine Program participated in a multi-stakeholder Dugong Conservation Workshop organized jointly with the Thanjavur Forest Department, OMCAR (Organization for Marine Conservation, Awareness and Research) Foundation, and Wildlife Institute of India on the 15th of September 2022. The workshop focused on discussing the next steps in the management of the recently notified Dugong Conservation Reserve in Palk Bay, Tamil Nadu. About 70 participants from the Tamil Nadu State Forest De...

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(October 13, 2022) First in India, a sanctuary for slender loris in TN | Times Travel Following the first Dugong Conservation Reserve, Tamil Nadu is now gearing up to set up Slender Loris Sanctuary in India, in Kadavur. The sanctuary has been notified under Section 26 (A)(1)(b) of the Wild Life (Protection) Act, 1972. The Kadavur Slender Loris Sanctuary includes Vedasandur, Dindigul East and Natham taluks in Dindigul and Kadavur in Karur district and spreads across 11,800 hectares. Read more here. Y...

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(October 12, 2022) On the evening of the 7th of October 2022, the Wildlife Conservation Society - India, with support from Rohini Nilekani Philanthropies and Rural India Supporting Trust (RIST), hosted 'Nature Without Borders' at the Bangalore International Centre. This event brought together conservation experts from diverse geographies, members of community-conserved areas, scholars, and folk artists to bring about dialogue on inclusive approaches to conservation. The theme was centred on exploring the i...

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(October 08, 2022) ‘Surviving the Odds – Combatting India’s Illegal Wildlife Trade is a short documentary film created as a ready-to-use explainer about India's illegal wildlife trade (IWT) and lists measures to tackle this issue. While we developed the documentary as a resource for enforcement agencies across India, it is an eye-opener for the larger audience highlighting the dire consequences of illegal trade in India and the alarming rate at which we are losing our biodiversity.  W...

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(October 06, 2022) Kerala: Herpetofaunal survey finds capital wildlife division as a biodiversity hotspot | The Hindu Thiruvananthapuram's first-ever herpetofaunal survey has recorded 67 amphibian and 80 reptile species, including many vulnerable, endangered and near-threatened ones. Organised jointly by the Forest Department and Aranyakam Nature Foundation, the survey was conducted by volunteers from various institutions. The survey also recorded many species that were endemic to the Western Ghats. ...

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(September 30, 2022) Counter Wildlife Trafficking Newsletter August 2022 In Focus Multiple seizures involving illegal trade of exotic wildlife species were reported in August. The cases were reported from Meghalaya, Mizoram, Tamil Nadu, and Tripura. Seized wildlife includes exotic species of primates, hornbills, and reptiles, among others. Read full media reports on these seizures here: Passenger from Bangkok caught with live animals, including monkey & snakes at Chennai Airport; arrested...

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(September 22, 2022) India gets its first Dugong Conservation Reserve in Tamil Nadu | The Hindu 448 sq km of coastal waters in Palk Bay have been notified as India's first dugong conservation reserve, covering Thanjavur and Pudukotta. There are only about 240 dugongs in Indian waters, so protecting them and their vulnerable habitats is imperative. Officials explain that the new reserve will not restrict or regulate fishing communities in any way but will focus on collaborating with them in conservation ef...

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(September 15, 2022) New atlas of bird migration shows extraordinary journeys | The Hindu  A recently published online bird migration atlas draws data from a vast amount of scientific and community sources to illustrate the routes of about 450 bird species in the Americas, including warblers. This first-of-its-kind site will host hundreds of GPS and bird-banding data and community science observations. The site enables a user to enter a species and watch its movement's course over time. Read more ...

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