African countries square up for battle over future of ivory trade ban

Southern African nations are seeking permission to trade inivory, in direct opposition to the wishes of their northern neighbours

Half of Africa’s savanna elephants may disappear in less than a decade

Around 144,000 animals were lost over a seven-year period in 18 African countries

Will IUCN ban on domestic ivory trade spark a global battle on conservation?

Two blocs of countries seem headed for a confrontation over the issue of ban on ivory trade

Should ivory trade be legalised?

International ban on ivory trade has neither reduced elephant poaching nor the volume of the illegal trade. Is it time the trade is legalised? …

Africa losing $25-million tourism revenue each year due to elephant poaching

Poachers kill between 20,000-30,000 African elephants each year for illegal ivory trade

Elephant dies after falling in a pit at Patanjali project site in Assam

A total of three elephants fell in the pit, prompting questions on allocation of land in a possible elephant corridor to the company

For forest elephants in Central Africa, no place is safe from poaching

A recent study shows a 78-81 per cent decline in elephant population from the most protected area in Central Africa over a period of ten years

The pain of truncated lives

The Supreme Court's much-awaited judgement on ownership rules for captive elephants could bring clarity on regulation

Sliding towards extinction: scientists find 60 per cent of mammals are imperiled

Treating large mammals as ‘umbrella species’ for conservation facilitates protection of the larger ecosystems and overall biodiversity

What's causing elephants in Karnataka, Tamil Nadu to die? Hunger and thirst

In last one week, two elephants died in Cauvery Wildlife Sanctuary in Karnataka due to dehydration and heat stroke

What elephants teach us about cancer prevention

Elephants naturally avoid cancer after 55 million years of evolution. Scientists are studying if they can extract lessons that could help people

3,500 captive elephants are used to entertain tourists in India: Study

Report focuses on situation of captive elephants across Asia, including India

Wildlife homicide

The book lays bare wildlife mismanagement and chronicles the demise of nature in the world's most biodiverse country

Can changing crop pattern foil elephant raids to farmlands?

Farmers in eastern Indian states are replacing paddy with alternative crops to prevent elephant attacks. The question is can this experiment be …

"Pre-Independence India did better conservation"

M K Ranjitsinh has been involved in conservation for more than 40 years. Rajat Ghai speaks to him about his latest book, A Life with Wildlife: …

Unchecked mining spells doom for Saranda forest in Jharkhand

Unregulated large-scale mining activities have decimated plant and wildlife populations in the once-rich Saranda forest in Jharkhand

Development: Am I blocking your way?

Wild Emergency: From sensational to sensible

The National Board of Wildlife’s recommendation that state governments use Section 144 of the Criminal Procedure Code while dealing with …

Seal them within 48 hours: SC to TN govt on illegal private resorts in the Nilgiris

The resorts have been built in the major elephant corridor in the area, something that the court was especially displeased about

Jumbo without a jungle

Experts from the fields of history and conservation tell Down To Earth about why, despite featuring so frequently in Indian history and culture, …

Preserving India's pachyderms

The recently-concluded 'Gaj Mahotsav’ in Delhi celebrated the Indian Elephant, an animal that is fast losing its habitat in India

Northeast losing canopy cover at alarming rate: study

The degree of deforestation was greater in Assam compared to Arunachal Pradesh, say researchers from the Indian Institute of Remote Sensing, Dehradun

The Tiger in Tamilakam

The striped big cat of Asia occupied a unique place in the psyche and ethical consciousness of the ancient Tamils, something which continues to …

Tribals voice protest against power project in West Bengal’s Ayodhya Hills

Villagers claim that the power project will destroy their forests and elephant habitats

Odisha elephant deaths: Protect wildlife corridors, say experts

The unavailability of healthy corridors to pass through is increasing human-animal conflict, say experts