The pygmy hog: to the brink of extinction and back
The pygmy hog, the smallest member of the pig family, was almost wiped out, but a careful breeding programme, as well as taking care of the …
Meet the villagers who protect biodiversity on the top of the world
On the Tibetan plateau, the village of Yunta shows that animals and humans can live peacefully and care for each other
Should genetically modified organisms be part of our conservation efforts?
Genome editing and synthetic biology are giving rise to new forms of life. But do these organisms have conservation value as part of earth's …
Caught in captivity
While about 50 per cent of conservation breeding programmes remain only on paper, the ongoing projects are riddled with unscientific protocols …
400-year-old Greenland shark is the longest living vertebrate
It beats the record of a bowhead whale that was thought to be the oldest at 211 years old
Coexistence & conflict, sides of the same coin: Assam villagers’ kindness towards injured elephant heartening
When an injured tusker was found in an Assam village, locals rushed to his aid with food, medical assistance
Two United States cities declare support for orcas’ legal rights
Only 73 Southern Resident Orcas left in the wild; Current legislations ineffective, say city residents
Africa Protected Areas Congress: Continent gets $200 billion conservation fund
Rwanda first country to commit to trust; Global donations needed, says conservationist
DNA from air may help identify, track animals in the wild: Studies
The findings could help understand the composition of animal communities and detect the spread of non-native species
Contrived extinction
The colour bar in African conservation has come to occupy the centre of public perception, driven mostly by the social media
Hunting, fishing and farming remain the biggest threats to wildlife
A new study shows that by far the largest current hazards to biodiversity are overexploitation and agriculture
Lion protection fee paid by tourists could help stop trophy hunting – South African study
Popular public opinion is against trophy hunting, but how could the financial revenue that it generates be replaced?
Endangered Species Day 2023: Elephants to buffaloes, creatures around us that are in danger
Animal conservation in India brings creatures like tigers to mind. But many commonly talked about creatures are in need of public attention as …
11 lions killed in a week in Kenya as climate-linked human-wildlife conflicts escalate
Climate change, changing land use and human, livestock and wildlife population increase are major drivers
How some poachers became protectors of birds in villages around Chilika
Sensitisation activities by wildlife officers helped former hunters to turn a new leaf and become guardians of migratory birds visiting …
Bucking extinction
Even as the number of species nearing extinction increases each year, here's a look at the conservation strategies that have helped revive four …
Two Gangetic dolphins found dead in Bihar in the last 3 days
Both Gangetic dolphins were killed due to the ongoing mechanised dredging to deepen the riverbed, say residents
Whale shark caught in fishing net in Odisha dies
It is the first case in recent times of a beached or trapped whale shark dying before it could be released
State animals and birds: Do they make a difference to conservation?
As the Indus Dolphin is declared Punjab’s State Aquatic Animal, Down To Earth pops the question to conservationists
Zimbabwe's cheetah population declines by 85%
Historically, Zimbabwe and other regions in Africa have inhabited large cheetah populations
Sun bears appear so human-like they are mistaken for people in suits – experts explain
A video clip of a sun bear waving to visitors at a Chinese zoo was widely circulated on social media websites recently
Insects may feel pain, says growing evidence — here’s what this means for animal welfare laws
Animal welfare debates ignore insects as they are often viewed as too simple with too short a lifespan
‘Treasure map’ of ants may help experts discover new species in India
New map created with machine learning predicts Western Ghats, Himalayas, North East India as hotspots for undiscovered ant species
Moving African rhinos: What it takes to translocate an endangered species
Addressing security issues remains paramount as it can undermine all the best introductions
Drought-hit Zimbabwe plans to trade in wildlife
The country is reeling under a severe drought and over four million people need food-aid