This week’s environment and conservation news stories rolled into one.
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Government report highlights groundwater contamination across India
The report links contamination to problems such as excessive water use, urban growth and unsustainable farming.
Social sciences shape effective conservation strategies
Using social sciences in conservation strategies is an evolving trend that is important to address conservation challenge.
Even amid conflict, nuanced narratives of reverence and empathy for the elephant prevail
A recent study argues that historical conditions shape the relationship between elephants and Assam’s tea tribes.
Women-led initiatives aim to bridge the gender gap in climate action
Women-led initiatives that focus on climate awareness, gender equality and skill-building, are emerging in India.
New tarantulas described from the Western Ghats
Four new species of tarantulas, including one new genus, have been described from India’s Western Ghats mountains.
A concerning trend shows that 25% of newly described tarantula species since 2000 have appeared in the pet trade, with some appearing for sale within months of being scientifically described.
[Interview] Climate scientist M.N. Rajeevan’s dream book explains rainstorms, longer monsoon seasons, highlights forecast challenges
Data, essentially a form of knowledge, should be shared widely to maximise its benefits for society, says climate scientist M.N. Rajeevan in this interview with Mongabay India.
Behind the discovery of four kings
Mongabay India interviewed wildlife biologist Gowri Shankar on his groundbreaking research on the king cobra, which led to the discovery of four distinct species.
Relocating villages in core tiger areas based on science
A new study proposes a framework for prioritising villages in and around tiger reserves that need to be relocated.
Government eyes recognising non-protected conservation areas to meet biodiversity goals
Other Effective Area-based Conservation Measures could play an important role in meeting the country’s biodiversity targets.
[Commentary] Can CAMPA compensate for the loss of forest land?
The effectiveness of compensatory afforestation in restoring degraded forests is being questioned frequently.
[Book review] A reality check on efforts to decentralise natural resource governance
After centuries of centralised governance, India has seen a shift in recent decades with policies aimed at empowering local communities in managing natural resources.
The book Environmental Politics at the Locals: Natural Resource Governance in India examines whether these constitutional amendments and schemes have made a tangible difference.
