Steady increase in hot days in Northwest and Southeast India in recent years: claims study

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The 2019 Indo-Pakistani heat wave across north India and Pakistan( Credit: NASA Earth observatory/ Wikimedia Commons)

According to a study conducted by the researchers from Indian Meteorological Department (IMD) and the Indian Institute of Technology, Delhi (IITD), there was a steady increase in the occurrence and duration of hot days in the Northwestern and Southeastern regions in India in the recent years. Analyzing weather data from 1951 to 2015 to understand the incidence and duration of heatwave conditions in India, the study found that the average heat wave duration in the Northwestern and Southeastern regions of India has increased during this period. 

However, the average duration of hot days has decreased over most parts of India from 1951 to 2015, except in the northwest and southeast regions. According to the researchers, this may be due to the increase in average heatwave duration in the Northwestern and Southeastern regions during the same period as hot days could be upgraded to the heatwave category as temperature soars.

 

Rare orchid spotted from Kullu after 119 years

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Flowers of Calanthe davidii (Image Credit:Ashutosh Sharma/JOTT)

A rare orchid, Calanthe davidii, has been reported from Kullu district of Himachal Pradesh after a gap of 119 years. According to researchers, the last available record of the plant from India dates back to 1899, from Mussoorie in Uttarakhand. 

As per a report published in the latest issue of Journal of Threatened Taxa, Ashuthosh Sharma, a researcher associated with DR YS Parmar University of Horticulture and Forestry, happened to come across an unknown orchid in August 2018 while carrying out a survey in Kullu. A detailed study from the available specimens of the plant in the herbarium later helped in identifying it as Calanthe davidii.

Yellow-legged gull eggs wriggle to warn nest mates about danger, induces survival traits

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Yellow-legged gull chicks in their nest (image credit: Contando Estrelas)

Birds and animals emanating alarm calls to warn their offspring about possible predator presence is a common occurrence in the animal world. However, a new study published in nature Ecology and Evolution journal shows that Yellow-legged gull eggs which are exposed to such alarm calls can imbibe that information and pass it on to other nest mates through vibrations, inducing developmental changes at embryonic stage and also influencing anti-predator behavior in later life.

As part of the study, the researchers collected 90 eggs from a large colony of Yellow-legged gulls from Salvora Island in Spain and conducted an experiment to investigate whether alarm calls about predators ‘heard’ by the eggs induce anti-predator traits in the chicks when they hatch. They have created an experimental group – clutches of 3 eggs each, (totaling 45) which were exposed to alarm calls – and a control group –clutches of 3 eggs (totaling 45) which were not exposed to alarm calls. 

Population of Long-Billed Vultures in India still declining: Environment Ministry

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Indian Long-billed vultures in Orcha, Madhya Pradesh (Image Credit: Yann Forget / Wikimedia Commons)

Despite conservation efforts, the population of the critically endangered, Long-billed vultures is declining in India. According to Ministry of Environment, Forests and Climate Change, there are only 12000 Long-billed vultures left in India as per the latest survey figures.

Answering a query in the Lok Sabha, the Ministry informed that surveys in the past showed that the population of the vultures in the country was establishing after a sharp decline during the mid-90s till 2007. However, the latest surveys show that the Long-billed vulture population is still declining.

The national waterway project may put the turtles of Varanasi Ghats at stake, claims new study

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Boats at Varanasi Ghats in Banaras, Uttar Pradesh, India
(Image credit: Jorge Royan/Wikimedia commons)

By Melbin Thomas

Large vessel movement through the Ganga River as part of the proposed National Waterway-1 system under Jal Marg Vikas Project (JMVP) will pose a major threat to the geomorphology of the river and endanger the habitat of soft shell turtles in Varanasi Turtle Sanctuary (VTS), claim researchers from IIT Kanpur and Wildlife Institute of India.

According to their study published in the Current Science journal, the geomorphology within the VTS has remained stable for the past 50 years, except for some minor changes. National Waterway-1 system under JMVP which proposes to connect Allahabad in Uttar Pradesh and Haldia in West Bengal, enabling the movement of large cargo vessels through VTS, may disturb this stability, says the study.

Study confirms presence of near extinct Hangul population outside Dachigam NP in Kashmir Valley

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Image Credit: Lovenaimals.com

All may not be lost for the near extinct Kashmir red deer, Hangul, with just around 200 individuals surviving within the 141 square kilometers of Dachigam National Park in Jammu and Kashmir. A new study confirms the presence of Hangul population outside the National Park and also shows evidence of other suitable habitats for Hangul in Kashmir Valley. 

PAs in Western Ghats slow down deforestation except near highly populated areas, finds study

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A patch of  agricultural field bordering forest land in Southern Western Ghats in Kerala.
(Image Credit: Indian Biodiversity Talks)

A new study about forest cover loss shows that protected areas (PAs) in Western Ghats were able to slow down the rate of deforestation. However, in areas with high population density, deforestation rates are higher even in the PAs. 

Published in the Biological Conservation journal, the study shows that the forest loss inside protect areas was 32 percent less than that in other areas. However, the scenario is different in case of PAs near dense human populations where there is a higher possibility of losing the forest cover. “Where local human populations were higher in the Western Ghats, protected areas were 70% more likely to lose forest cover than non-protected areas”, says the study.

Indus river dolphin population survey confirms breeding population of the dolphin in River Beas

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An Indus Dolphin spotted near Dhunda in River Beas during the population survey (Image Credit: WWF-India)

The first ever organized population survey of the endangered Indus River Dolphin in the Beas River in parts of Punjab has confirmed the presence of a breeding population of the dolphin in the 185 km river stretch between Talwara and Harike. According to figures released by WWF-India, which organized the survey in collaboration with the Department of Forests and Wildlife Preservation, Punjab, the final estimated population of the dolphins in the river is 5 to 11 individuals.

Vernal Hanging Parrot - Birds of India - HD Video

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Vernal Hanging Parrot (Loriculus vernalis), also known as Indian Hanging Parrot  or the Green Hanging Parrot is the smallest of the resident parrots in India. Distributed across North East India, East India, Western Ghats and Bangladesh in the Indian sub continent, Vernal Hanging Parrot is usually found in broad leaved evergreen and moist deciduous forests fringes. Sri Lanka has a close cousin, but a separate resident species known as the Sri Lankan Hanging Parrot (Loriculus beryllinus).

Illegal traders of tiger body parts thrive along Indian border with Nepal and Bangladesh

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A tiger under captivity in a zoo in Mangalore, Karnataka

India’s borders with Nepal and Bangladesh have turned out to be the most active hot spots of illegal trade of tiger body parts, claims a new study report. Apart from the border areas, the report indicates that the Kerala-Tamil Nadu regions in South India as well as Madhya Pradesh in Central India are other potential hotspots of this illegal trade in the country.

India tops otter skin seizures in Asia during the last three decades, shows TRAFFIC study

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Eurasian Otter (Lutra lutra) (Image courtesy by Bernard Landgraf CC BY-SA 3.0) 

Among the South Asian countries, India recorded the most number of otter skin seizures in the last three decades pointing to the intensive illegal fur trade in the region, claims a report by TRAFFIC, a global wildlife trade monitoring network.

According to the TRAFFIC report, during the period of 35 years from 1980 to 2015, India recorded 52.7 percent of total otter seizures recorded across 16 Asian countries. According to the data compiled from different CITES management authorities in these countries, a total of 167 incidents of otter seizures were reported during the 35 year period which amounted to a total of 5979 otter specimens. Among this, 88 incidents amounting to 3276 individuals were from India. The demand in the Chinese market is the major reason for the rampant illegal trafficking of otter skins from India, claims the report.

Butterflies of India - Veined Labyrinth (Neope pulaha)

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Veined Labyrinth is a Satyrine butterfly found in Asia. In India, it is recorded from the Himalayas – both from Western Himalayas and Eastern Himalayas.  We have recorded this butterfly from the Western Himalays, from Kangra district of Himachal Pradesh. So probably it is the West Himalayan subspecies Neope pulaha pandyia. 

Scaly Bellied Woodpecker - Birds of India

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Scaly bellied woodpecker (Picus squamatus) is a beautiful woodpecker you will encounter in the foothills of Western Himalayas. The male of this species is noticeable with its red forehead and crown. Usually found in coniferous forest areas, it is also common in villages with forest patches. The bird mainly feeds on termites, ants and wood boring insects. During winter, they also eat berries.

New cycad species discovered from Odisha gets named after Nayagarh district

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Cycas nayagarhensis is a new cycad species discovered from Nayagarh district of Odisha
(Image courtesy: R. Singh/P. Radha/J.S. Khuraijam/AJCB)

Nayagarh district in Odisha has now one more reason to be special. It is the only known home for a newly discovered rare cycad species which is now named after the district as Cycas nayagarhensis. Due to its rare nature, the researchers have recommended it to be classified under Critically Endangered plants in the world.

Blackbuck herds in Blackbuck Sanctuary, Ranebennur - HD video

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Blackbuck (Antilope cervicapra) is the fastest running antelope in India. Here you may watch a herd of female and young blackbucks at Ranebennur Blackbuck Sanctuary in Haveri district of the Indian state of Karnataka.

Netravali Leaping Frog, a new frog species endemic to Western Ghats discovered from Goa

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Netravali Leaping Frog (Indirana salelkari) [Image Courtesy: Vivek Kale]

Goa may be known for its beautiful beaches, but now it is home to a rare frog species yet unknown to the scientific world. A group of researchers have described a new species of leaping frog - now called Netravali Leaping Frog (Indirana salelkari) from Netravali (Neturlim) in Sanguem Taluk of South Goa district. The new discovery adds one more member to the Ranixalidae family of frogs which are endemic to Western Ghats.

Banded Tit: A Butterfly new to science from Namdapha National Park in Arunachal Pradesh

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Banded Tit (Hypolycaena narada) specimens at the Research Collections Facility, National Centre for Biological Sciences (NCBS), Bangalore [Image Courtesy: Krushnamegh Kunte/LRF/JRL]

In a very significant discovery for butterfly lovers, a researcher has described a Lycaenidae butterfly yet unknown to science from Namdapha National Park in eastern Arunachal Pradesh in North-East India. Now known as Banded Tit (Hypolycaena narada), this winged beauty is usually found along the stream sides in the mixed evergreen forests of Namdapha National Park.

Hump-Nosed Pit Viper [ Hypnale hypnale] - Indian Snakes

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Restricted to the Western Ghats of India and parts of Central Sri Lanka, Hump Nosed Pit Viper loves spending day in the leaf litter on the forest floor. This snake is a perfect example for camouflage, since spotting it in the leaf litter on the forest floor is a difficult task. 

Poaching major reason for elephant deaths in the Nilgiris in the last three decades: New Study

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A wild Asian Elephant in Western Ghats, South India

Veerappan may be long gone, but poaching still tops the list as the major reason for elephant mortality during the last three decades in the Nilgiris. Trying to untangle the hidden patterns of elephant mortality in the Nilgiris reported during the 33 year period between 1979 to 2011, a new study reveals that 40 percent of the total elephant deaths from the region during the period were due to poaching. 

Butterflies of India - Himalayan Red Admiral

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Himalayan Red Admiral (Vanessa indica indica) is a sub species of the Indian Red Admiral butterfly found mainly in the Himalayan region of India. In southern parts of India,  its close cousin Sahyadri Red Admiral (Vanessa indica pholoe) reigns the peaks of Western Ghats.