“Lagta hai voh aa gayi, camere chal rahe hain,” exclaimed our guide as our gypsy approached a waterbody where a tigress had been frequently observed with her three cubs. The next moment, he muttered in disappointment, “Nahi, abhi to chidiya … Read More
The ‘World Day to Combat Desertification and Drought’ is observed to remind everyone that land degradation neutrality is achievable through problem-solving, strong community involvement and co-operation at all levels. Photo: Creative Commons (CC BY-NC-ND 2.0) Desertification is defined as the … Read More
Like a mythical pale-and-smooth-skinned danseuse, with many arms outstretched, frozen in a mudra, is a tree that stands out against the scaly, warty and fissured barks of the brown-skinned denizens of India’s deciduous forests. It is stark, and striking, and … Read More
A freshly washed-ashore specimen of Porpita porpita is a thing to behold, before it is smothered by tar balls, plastic and other trash (see second picture) on city beaches. Porpita porpita is surely among the prettiest of marine creatures you … Read More
The tiny, 6mm long flowers of Water Willow Justicia procumbens sport markings that serve as nectar guides to pollinators. “Thy centuries follow each other perfecting a small wild flower,” wrote the Nobel laureate Rabindranath Tagore in his poem Endless Time. … Read More
The rain was coming down hard last September in Mudumalai Tiger Reserve. I was on my way back to Gudalur, after a workshop on Integrated Learning for our local NGO team members. The driver had to maintain a slow speed … Read More
A tigress in Tadoba smells the air around her, likely trying to analyse the scent left behind by a male. This behaviour – when an animal curls back its upper lip, exposes its front teeth and inhales with its nostrils … Read More
It was 11 a.m. in the morning and I had just returned from a 10 km. survey walk in the Umred Karhandla Wildlife Sanctuary in Maharashtra. I was exhausted and was looking forward to a short rest before we set … Read More
“Look! Sloth bear hair!” called out my teammate, pointing to a large clump of what appeared to be tangled hair hanging from the trunk of a fallen tree. The rest of us quickened our pace to take a closer look … Read More
For several years, I had hoped to see a sloth bear in the wild and every time I visited the forest on WCT work, I would keep my eyes peeled for signs of its presence. In March 2014, I had … Read More