WWF-India's News Room
Welcome to WWF-India's newsroom
The News Room brings you periodical updates on the environmentally relevant issues concerning India and the world at large. The primary focus is on highlighting the activities of WWF India and its global partners through press releases, articles, features and periodicals. We publish a quarterly Newsletter, the Panda, elucidating the activities of WWF India and its initiatives in the field of Environmental conservation and education, along with updates from the Library and Documentation Centre.Latest Press Releases
01 May 2008
Government must react quickly to increased threat of Rhino poaching: WWF
Rhino Emergency in Assam India
WWF-India is extremely concerned with the recent incidents of the Rhino poaching in Assam and Nepal. Since last week five Rhinos have been poached in Assam and one in Nepal. Three of the Rhinos poached in India are from the Rajiv Gandhi Orang National Park while two were poached from Kaziranga. » Read more
15 Apr 2008
First-ever rhino translocation in Assam a success
Manas/Guwahati/New Delhi: In one of the biggest conservation successes in India, two male adult Indian rhinos (Rhinoceros unicornis) were successfully translocated to Manas National Park on Saturday. This is the first time that the translocation of wild rhinos has been conducted in the state of Assam, where nearly all of India’s rhinos are found.
Pobitora Wildlife Sanctuary, where the two rhinos were moved from, has the highest density of rhinos in the world, with more than 80 rhinos in less than 18 square kilometers of rhino habitat. For the next several years, the healthy rhino populations in Pobitora and Kaziranga National Park will supply individuals to start new populations in Assam’s other protected areas under Indian Rhino Vision 2020. » Read more
03 Apr 2008
Too much dependence on Coal could mar India’s growth story: WWF
New Delhi: India faces a potential energy crisis and the blame rests largely with its overdependence on coal. India’s coal reserves — which have shaped its energy policies — have been grossly overestimated. This compromises India’s argument for depending on indigenous coal for energy security reasons. But worse than the imminent shortage of domestic coal, are the severe social and environmental impacts inherent to India’s coal sector — not least of which is the mounting problem of climate change. » Read more
03 Apr 2008
Cars should plug-in to a new future: WWF
Gland, Switzerland / Brussels, Belgium: Dramatically expanded use of plug-in electric and hybrid vehicles would be a way to a transport future that doesn't risk climate catastrophe, a major new WWF analysis has found. » Read more
05 Mar 2008
Gharial Crisis - An Update
After extensive research and numerous deliberations on the unprecedented mass mortality of gharials in the National Chambal Sanctuary, it seems that toxins in Yamuna river system are the most likely cause behind these mortalities.
Since December 8, 2007, when the first mortality was reported, 110 gharials have succumbed to gout possibly caused due to toxins in Yamuna. It is believed that Tilapia – an introduced fish species – could have been carrying the toxins and excessive consumption of the same by gharials caused these mortalities. However, the exact composition and nature of the toxin and how it entered the river system is still being studied.
» Read more
Gharial Crisis - An Update
After extensive research and numerous deliberations on the unprecedented mass mortality of gharials in the National Chambal Sanctuary, it seems that toxins in Yamuna river system are the most likely cause behind these mortalities.
Since December 8, 2007, when the first mortality was reported, 110 gharials have succumbed to gout possibly caused due to toxins in Yamuna. It is believed that Tilapia – an introduced fish species – could have been carrying the toxins and excessive consumption of the same by gharials caused these mortalities. However, the exact composition and nature of the toxin and how it entered the river system is still being studied.
» Read more
28 Feb 2008
‘Don’t Buy Trouble’ – Traffic India Warns
New Delhi – TRAFFIC India has advised tourists to be careful of what they buy as souvenirs during their travels. The message comes in the form of four eye-catching posters depicting models handcuffed next to confiscated wildlife goods, under the heading “Don’t Buy Trouble”. » Read more
23 Feb 2008
Acoustic survey of Dolphins yields promising results
A multi-organization team under the aegis of the MoU of WWF-India with University of Tokyo has conducted a series of unique experiments to aid in the detection and survey of Ganges dolphins in Narora region. This is the second visit after last year’s experiments in February 2007.
In the previous experiments, the group had checked the feasibility of conducting acoustic surveys of the river dolphins and also to understand the river environment on the basis of the technology developed earlier for the Irrawaddy dolphins in Chilika lagoon. The motivation of the experiments is to directly contribute towards the conservation of Ganges dolphins by using advanced day-night observation systems.
08 Feb 2008
South Asia commits to regional co-operation in controlling wildlife trade
New Delhi - The eight member countries of the South Asia Co-operative Environment Programme (SACEP), an inter-government organisation established in 1982 for promoting regional co-operation in South Asia in the field of environment, have agreed on a courageous initiative to work together to address the region's wildlife trade problems. Senior wildlife officials from these countries agreed to a series of joint actions as part of a South Asia Wildlife Trade Initiative (SAWTI), including the establishment of a South Asia Experts Group on Wildlife Trade and the development of a South Asia Regional Strategic Plan on Wildlife Trade (2008-2013). They also called upon the international community to support action in South Asia by providing financial and technical assistance in the implementation of the regional plan. » Read more
South Asia commits to regional co-operation in controlling wildlife trade
New Delhi - The eight member countries of the South Asia Co-operative Environment Programme (SACEP), an inter-government organisation established in 1982 for promoting regional co-operation in South Asia in the field of environment, have agreed on a courageous initiative to work together to address the region's wildlife trade problems. Senior wildlife officials from these countries agreed to a series of joint actions as part of a South Asia Wildlife Trade Initiative (SAWTI), including the establishment of a South Asia Experts Group on Wildlife Trade and the development of a South Asia Regional Strategic Plan on Wildlife Trade (2008-2013). They also called upon the international community to support action in South Asia by providing financial and technical assistance in the implementation of the regional plan. » Read more
06 Feb 2008
Carbon Disclosure Project, the World’s Largest Investor Coalition, Seeks Further Disclosure on Climate Change and Shareholder Value
Carbon Disclosure Project requests information from 3,000 global companies on behalf of investors with assets of over $57 trillion.
London/New Delhi: The Carbon Disclosure Project (CDP) a collaboration of 385 institutional investors, with assets under management of $57 trillion, has issued its 2008 information request to the world’s largest corporations. This asks companies to measure and disclose their greenhouse gas emissions and report on their strategy for dealing with risks and opportunities associated with climate change.
The resulting information will be held on the CDP website, the largest database in the world on corporate climate change information.
» Read more
Carbon Disclosure Project, the World’s Largest Investor Coalition, Seeks Further Disclosure on Climate Change and Shareholder Value
Carbon Disclosure Project requests information from 3,000 global companies on behalf of investors with assets of over $57 trillion.
London/New Delhi: The Carbon Disclosure Project (CDP) a collaboration of 385 institutional investors, with assets under management of $57 trillion, has issued its 2008 information request to the world’s largest corporations. This asks companies to measure and disclose their greenhouse gas emissions and report on their strategy for dealing with risks and opportunities associated with climate change.
The resulting information will be held on the CDP website, the largest database in the world on corporate climate change information.
» Read more
09 Jan 2008
Rare Indus Dolphins Spotted in Harike
Chandigarh, January 8, 2008: Sh. Tikshan Sud, Minister for Forests and Wildlife Preservation, Punjab, has expressed immense satisfaction on confirmation by WWF-India, the rediscovery and sighting of the highly endangered Indus dolphin, Platanista minor, at Harike Wildlife Sanctuary. Addressing a press conference in his office chambers, Sh Sud thanked the team of Sh. Moses Pereira, Dr. Sandeep Behera and Dr. Asghar Nawab, experts from the WWF-India, who gave a presentation before the minister regarding their finding and recommendations with respect to the dolphins, for the work done so far and also extended all possible help to the experts in their future endeavours to conserve the dolphins.
» Read more
