The web of an orb-weaver spider is a giant sensory organ, a deadly trap, an architectural wonder, and a spectacle of elegance. Members of this group build large, intricate, concentric webs using a toolkit of different special-purpose threads produced from … Read More
The first time I visited Sanjay Gandhi National Park (SGNP) in Mumbai was during the monsoon of 2018. Light showers made it look as inviting as ever. It was quite an experience to be walking on trails which, in certain … Read More
As man-animal conflicts get increasingly common, Dr. Anish Andheria stresses the need for action and why there’s still hope for both sides. Recently, I was part of a team investigating the death of a 21-year old tribal youth, presumably trampled … Read More
Early June 2010. Nagarahole Tiger Reserve, Karnataka. The forest is monsoon green. With me in the legendary ‘Main Watchtower’ is Chikanna, caretaker of the Kalhalla Forest Resthouse. From my vantage point, I am gifted with clear visibility thanks to three … Read More
Satish Shendre heard gunshots in the middle of the night. It was one of his first nights at the camp. A forest guard with Maharashtra’s Special Tiger Protection Force posted at the Pench Tiger Reserve, he was recently assigned additional … Read More
Soil. Have you ever, even for a brief moment, stopped to wonder about this fundamental resource? How easy it is to overlook the omnipresent soil, because, hey, it is always there, inert and infinite. I will have you know that … Read More
In August 2016, we finally decided to fulfill our longstanding dream of spending quality time observing the herpetofauna of the Kalakkad Mundanthurai Tiger Reserve (KMTR) of Tamil Nadu. It took us seconds to convince Vishnupriya Sankararaman (Shashank’s wife), who is … Read More
Meet Dr. Anish Andheria, President, Wildlife Conservation Trust, who speaks to Bittu Sahgal about how nature took over his life, his inspirations and the conservation challenges ahead of us all at a point in time when climate change is rapidly … Read More
Rizwan Mithawala breaks down a cutting-edge forest protection mechanism being implemented in central Indian tiger forests. Webs made by spiders trap unwary insects, bringing an end to their life. Such predation is essential for the functioning of the food web … Read More
On a night walk in the Doyang Valley, Dr. Anish Andheria stumbles upon a rarely recorded phenomenon – a four-party association between three insects belonging to three different orders (Lepidoptera, Hymenoptera and Hemiptera)… and a plant! Photo: Dr. Anish Andheria … Read More
The new photographic evidence of Eurasian otters from the Satpura Tiger Reserve and Balaghat Forest Division extends the species’ known geographical range to the central Indian landscape (CIL). Photo: Wildlife Conservation Trust The business of biogeography is to inquire and … Read More
Dr. Chetan (Chet) Trivedy and Rizwan Mithawala write about the Wildlife Conservation Trust’s efforts to mitigate traumatic accidents and emergencies that frontline forest staff must contend with while defending our wilds. “Main bilkul nahi hila… Bhalu ko laga ki main … Read More
Could art be cruel? Could it kill? The purpose of art, among others, is also the portrayal and appreciation of beauty. How can it then be self-defeating and exterminate the very forms of life that are its muse? Some of … Read More
With crime at an all-time high, and conviction at an all-time low, WCT’s training on law and forensics for forest guards aims to turn the tide, writes Rizwan Mithawala. Photo: Samyukta/WCT “Nowhere but in India can the big-game hunter get … Read More
National Wildlife Week 2019 Special: Intricate and complex interconnectedness of natural living systems is perhaps beyond man’s comprehension. As much as we claim to know about species, habitats and their ecology, we are left humbled and stumped at every juncture. It … Read More