Nature News Vol. 4, Issue No 6 (June 2015)

BIRDS

The Hindu 14 June 2015 
Robin soars as Britain’s choice of national bird: The red-chested avian was initially part of a group of 10 common British birds selected from a list of 60 in a preliminary vote.
Chosen we know not how and why, but most countries have an avian representative that becomes a cultural symbol. Britain woke up to the idea rather late, and all thanks to Read more

The Deccan Herald 22 June 2015 
Western Ghats helped evolution of two birds: The physical barriers posed by deep and wide valleys in the Western Ghats have helped evolution of two different species of song-birds on either side of the gap from a common ancestor over millions of years, Indian scientists have found.  Read more

CLIMATE CHANGE

The Hindu 12 June 2015
Getting the climate story right: In the next round of climate talks, India’s stand must be to reinforce its development needs while pledging to bend the emissions curve downwards.
In what has been a marathon year for climate talks, negotiators have been meeting for the last two weeks to prepare a 2015  Read more <<<

ENVIRONMENT

The Hindu 23 Jun 2015 
Old debate on lead rekindled: Despite its known toxicity, lead continues to bring in profits for manufacturers. And it continues to be used, to the great detriment of human and environmental health. Noodles laced with lead have made the news. But humans have been imbibing lead with their food and drink for over 2,000 years. Read more

FOREST & BIODIVERSITY

The Pioneer 5 Jun 2015 
Over 2,500 ha forest land diverted across country: The Forest Advisory Committee (FAC) in its recent meeting discussed the diversion of more than 2,500 hectares of forest land in the country. While the maximum diversion of above 1,300 hectares is from Andhra Pradesh and Uttarakhand for reservoirs, submersible canals and dams, other projects discussed include solar power, roads, mining and others. Read more

The Hindu 11 June 2015 
India richer by 349 new species: At a time when plants and animals are under threat across the world, nature lovers and conservationists in India have 349 reasons to feel happy. Scientists and taxonomists of the country have discovered 349 new species of flora and fauna in the past one year 173 species and genera of plants and 176 species of animals. Read more

WETLANDS, RIVERS & WATER

The Hindu 10 June 2015 
River-linking will be disastrous: Water man: For the Water man of India Rajendra Singh, who turned around life in the arid regions of Rajasthan with his inventive water conservation techniques involving the local communities, the steps taken by the Modi government in this sector have been disheartening.  Read more

WILDLIFE & ENDANGERED SPECIES

The Deccan Herald 3 June 2015 
Will the tiger stake its claim? : Prudence Activists are fighting tooth and nail for upgrading the Mhadei Wildlife Sanctuary in Goa to a tiger reserve. But will they win over antagonis. The Status of Tigers in India report released in January 2015 by the Ministry of Environment and Forests has brought both elation and disquiet to Goa’s Western Ghats region, where it estimated the presence of five tigers.  Read more

The Hindu 5 June 2015 
Half of mammals face habitat loss: ZSI: Book documents scheduled or protected species of these animals. In a unique initiative, the Zoological Survey of India (ZSI) has published a book containing a consolidated documentation and listing of all the scheduled or protected species of mammals found in India. Read more

The Hindustan Times 7 June 2015 
Pride is in numbers: We saved Gir's Asiatic lions, but is it enough? : In December 2014, journalist Nick Kirkpatrick reported on a change in a certain tribal tradition in Africa in the Washington Post. The third annual Maasai Olympics which gave the young men of the tribe an opportunity to exhibit their prowess in running, throwing a spear and a club, and high jump  Read more

The Hindu 11 June 2015 
Sanctioning cruelty in the name of faith? : The Environment Ministry’s proposal to allow the hunting of some animals on cultural grounds will set a dangerous precedent that encourages poaching. In the land of the cobra and the snake-charmer, the cobra finds itself in the middle of an unlikely controversy. Read more

The Hindu 15 Jun 2015 
Stress takes a toll on tigers in Sariska: Study says human disturbance affecting breeding in Reserve. High stress levels in tigers, caused by human activity, have affected their breeding in the Sariska Tiger Reserve in Rajasthan, a study says. Tigers were reintroduced in the Sariska and Panna tiger reserves after poaching, habitat loss and prey Read more

The Pioneer 21 Jun 2015 
Wild Encounters: Managing tigers and looking after forests is a State subject, and we need to depend on innovative ideas empowered by CMs if we have to save tigers. It depends on political will; it depends on innovative, administrative and bureaucratic ideas that are implemented, it will not happen if we go on the way we are right now Read more