Nature News, Vol. 6, Issue No 6 (June 2017)

BIRDS

The Pioneer 7 June 2017  
115 endangered vultures sighted on a tree in Dudhwa national park :  In a rare sighting, 115 vultures were spotted atop a tree in the Dudhwa National Park recently by sub-divisional officer Narendra Upadhyaya and field director Suneel Choudhary during a routine patrolling at the Kakraha block in south Sonaripur range of the park. Most of the birds   Read more

CLIMATE CHANGE

The Hindustan Times 6 June 2017
Why climate change impacts human health so much: The impact of climate change on human health is a clear and present threat. Climate variables affect the quality of air we breathe, the water we drink, the food we eat and even dictate where we can live or work. Increased frequency of severe weather events searing heat waves, heavy downpours, floods and droughts Read more

The Pioneer 29 June 2017 
Time to swim across sea of problems: Rising sea levels have now become a global problem. To this point, India must set the global pace in cutting down on emissions in order to reduce the happen in. It can do so by initiating control on the production of four pollutants: Black carbon, methane, ozone and hydro fluorocarbons Read more

The Pioneer 15 June 2017 
Climate Change Resilience Needed: Climate change and the resultant increase of mean temperature in different parts India is a grave situation which needs immediate action to check deaths and the health hazards caused by harmful and fatal heat waves India is earnestly looking forward to a much-needed normal monsoon this year. Read more

ENVIRONMENT

The Pioneer 1 Jun 2017 
Saving our Environment is imperative: It is too dangerous to leave the fate of the whole world on one world leader, that is Donald Trump. India, under the Modi regime, can take the initiative in the matter by rallying the support of the nations under the Paris agreement. The world is surely going through some very intensive changes as agreements and arrangements. Read more

The Pioneer 8 June 2017 
Let’s Plant more solar trees around: A solar tree has leaf-like adjustable solar panels connected through metal branches using sunlight to make energy. The solar tree panels charge batteries during the day; at dusk, the tree automatically switches on LED lights Read more

The Indian Express 28 June 2017 
A city laid waste: A new rapid bioremediation process that can remove garbage hills and end their ill effects, promises a low-cost solution to waste management and disposal. It is very important that alternative technologies are carefully evaluated on their merit. Most Indian cities are surrounded by hills of garbage, which are a testimony to our neglect over a long period of Read more

The Pioneer 29 July 2017 
Environment min to set up databank of acts to fight pollution: Ministry of Environment and Forest is setting up a databank of Acts for better conservation of flora, fauna and rivers. This databank will also help the agencies in dealing with air pollution, especially in cities like Delhi, said Dr Harsh Vardhan, the Union Minister for Environment and Forest, Science and Technology. Read more

FOREST & BIODIVERSITY 

The Indian Express 1 June 2017 
When 2 rivers are legally living persons: some rights, some questions: On March 20 this year, Uttarakhand High Court declared that the rivers Ganga and Yamuna would be legally treated as living people, and as such, would enjoy “all corresponding rights, duties and liabilities of a living person. Five days earlier, for the first time in the world, a river in New Zealand. Read more

The Hindu 5 Jun 2017 
Mind the diversity: it’s inherent to our nation’s character and defiling it will be counterproductive. Multiculturalism is part of the Indian society and any attempt to monochrome it will be self-defeating. It was on display recently in Kerala through two opposing developments  Read more

The Hindustan Times 5 June 2017 
Despite increasing green cover, India is losing its forests: Between 1880 and 2013 India lost about 40% of its forest cover. Today, 24% of its area is under forests or 7 lakh sq km, according to government data. The area under forest and tree cover has grown by 5,081 sq km between 2013 and 2015. Do not erect a memorial when I die  Read more

The Hindustan Times 5 June 2017 
Five trees that can be Delhi’s best bet against pollution: A team of researchers from the Delhi University have zeroed in on five trees, which they claim are the biggest contributors to clean the national capital’s air. Plants have always been known to clean our air not just by sucking up and trapping harmful gases, such as carbon dioxide, but also by trapping  Read more

The Hindu 13 June 2017 
Three new sites recognised as biodiversity hotspots in Goa: BirdLife International, a conservation organisation, has recognised three new sites in Goa as hotspots for protection. The sites have been added to their list of “Important Bird and Biodiversity Areas”. The inclusion of these ecological hotspots in a new book come after systematic data collection by the Goa Bird Conservation Network (GBCN). Read more

HUMAN-ANIMAL CONFLICT 

The Hindustan Times 6 June 2017 
As wildlife habitats shrink in India, animals are in a losing battle: The leopard’s last victim was a man enjoying a late night smoke by a road that runs through Uttarakhand’s Rajaji National Park. The cat pounced on him from behind, dragging the body a few hundred feet before clawing him apart. The mangled remains, discovered when dawn broke on May 3, were never identified. Read more

WILDLIFE & ENDANGERED SPECIES 

The Hindu 5 June 2017 
Tiny Orang roars on tiger density:  Orang, the tiger reserve in Assam with the smallest core among 50 nationally protected areas, has presented wildlife scientists doing a census with a surprise: a high density of 28 big cats. The count was revealed during phase IV of the all-India tiger estimation programme of the National Tiger Conservation Authority (NTCA). Read more

The Hindu 6 June 2017 
Survey puts Nilgiri tahr population at 1,420: The first ever statewide population estimation of Nilgiri tahrs conducted by the Kerala Forests and Wildlife Department, using the bounded count method, has put the total population of the endangered species at 1,420, which include 664 at the Eravikulam National Park in Munnar. Read more

The Hindu 15 June 2017 
Wetland norms: No clarity on conservationWetland norms: No clarity on conservation Ray of hope for Thar’s endangered wildlife: In an attempt to reduce mortality of endangered wildlife in Thar Desert, new rescue wards have come up in the far-flung rural areas of Jodhpur, Rajasthan. These will provide quick treatment to animals injured in road accidents, dog bites and fights.  Read more