This week’s environment and conservation news stories rolled into one.
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India’s polluted rivers are becoming a global pollution problem
Municipal solid waste from India is estimated to have contributed 10% of waste leakage into the world’s rivers in 2020.
A Ladakhi podcast spurs conversations about wildlife and conservation
An initiative in Ladakh promotes wildlife conservation awareness through a local language podcast.
An automatic ice stupa offers hope for farming in rural Ladakh
The ice reservoir uses sensor-equipped pipelines and a control board to make decisions based on local weather conditions.
[Interview] Neeraj Mahar on the rarely seen and poorly researched Pallas’s cat
Pallas’s cat, also known as manul, is a wildcat found in India. Predominantly existing in the Himalayan region of the country, this species is very shy, and its population is scant. As it is found in high, hilly areas, there is a lack of information and awareness about this species.
In such a situation, there are many challenges regarding the conservation of this cat. To understand more about these challenges, Mongabay-India spoke to Neeraj Mahar, a researcher at the Wildlife Institute of India, Dehradun, who is also part of the Manul Working Group.
[Explainer] How does habitat fragmentation impact India’s biodiversity hotspots?
Fragmentation of biodiversity hotspots leads to reduced habitat areas, increased isolation, and adverse ecological impacts, including declines in species that require large, undisturbed habitats.
[Commentary] Green Credit Rules: Death by trees?
Misclassification of ecosystems and the Green Credit Rules can endanger ecosystems such as grasslands and savannahs, writes the author.
[Video] Nomadic Changpas who depend on Pashmina wool, struggle amid a changing climate
[Commentary] Living territory of Lachung
The Lachungpas in northern Sikkim and their model of governance is an example of tribal self-rule that is inclusive in nature.
Just transition policy should focus on social infrastructure, apart from alternative jobs: report
A transition away from coal will have differing impacts on formal and informal coal workers, with the latter group facing a bigger challenge.
[Podcast] Wild Frequencies: Find Them
Most wild animals are not easy to spot. They are often hidden, camouflaged, or just not around when you are. But instead of trying to ‘see’ them, what if we try and ‘listen’ to them? After all, animals communicate.
For some researchers, all this talking and chattering is gold. They use sounds to find animals that are difficult to observe and also to count them!
Wild Frequencies is a three-part podcast mini-series by Mongabay-India, where wildlife researchers from India share their stories of sounds from the animal world. They decode those wild frequencies for us, one song, one howl, and one chirp at a time.
Listen to the full episode on: Spotify | Apple
A fowl that travelled from forests to farms
Kadaknath, a native breed of chicken originally found in certain jungles of Madhya Pradesh, is visually distinctive for its black feathers, skin and blood. Popular for its market value, the GI-tagged fowl is rich in protein and iron and is believed to be climate resilient.
