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New Indian Express
a day ago
- Science
- New Indian Express
Grave of the fireflies: India's iconic insects face extinction amid 76% drop in numbers
DEHRADUN: The twinkling fireflies, once a staple of 80s Bollywood films and children's bedtime stories, are now facing an existential crisis. A recent nationwide census of fireflies, conducted by two scientists in collaboration with the Wildlife Institute of India (WII), has revealed a drastic and concerning 76 percent decline in their numbers across the country within just one year, pushing these enchanting insects to the brink of extinction. The grim reality came to light following a pioneering nationwide firefly census initiated by Senior Professor Dr Virendra Prasad Uniyal and Dr Nidhi Rana of Graphic Era University in Dehradun. "The relentless march of materialism and the resultant light pollution have been identified as the primary culprits behind this alarming disappearance," Dr Uniyal told The New Indian Express. He emphasized that the artificial glow emanating from expanding urban centres is proving fatal for these nocturnal creatures. Utilizing special QR codes and links, the researchers engaged 232 participants from 22 states, including Uttarakhand, Kerala, Rajasthan, Uttar Pradesh, Karnataka, Gujarat, Punjab, Jharkhand, Bihar and Himachal Pradesh, in this citizen science initiative. According to Dr Uniyal, the findings are stark. "This time, only 6,139 fireflies were recorded," Dr Uniyal stated, highlighting a significant drop from previous observations. He further explained, "This is a very low number compared to last year, when approximately 26,000 fireflies were found across 20 states." This constant artificial illumination, he explained, fundamentally disrupts their natural cycles and, critically, their ability to find mates. For fireflies, which rely on their distinctive bioluminescent signals for reproduction, this environmental interference is proving to be a fatally disruptive force.


News18
a day ago
- Politics
- News18
Great Nicobar project bulldozed through by govt: Congs Jairam Ramesh
New Delhi, Jul 22 (PTI) Congress leader Jairam Ramesh on Tuesday alleged that the Great Nicobar mega infrastructure project has been bulldozed through by the Modi government through 'deception, intimidation, and manipulation". The former environment minister shared a media report on X which claimed that scientists assessing the project in the Great Nicobar Island worked under a 'shadow of institutional coercion" for assessments of the environmental impact of the project. There was no immediate response from the government on Ramesh's allegations, but in the past it has maintained that environmental and forest clearances granted by the environment ministry adhered to all rules and regulations. In his post on X, Ramesh said it is increasingly clear that the Great Nicobar project has been 'bulldozed" through by this government through 'deception, intimidation, and manipulation". Unusually, the scientists and researchers across the three institutions that conducted the environmental and biodiversity assessments for the project (Salim Ali Center for Ornithology and Natural History, Zoological Survey of India, and Wildlife Institute of India) were made to sign non-disclosure agreements, he alleged. The Wildlife Institute of India's (WII) rapid assessment report for the impact of the project on sea turtles barely found any nests of the giant leatherback – except that the assessment did not cover the peak nesting season of December to January, the Congress leader said. The site of the mega port is in fact the single largest nesting site of the giant leatherback turtle on the island, he said. The WII used drones to study seagrass beds for the presence of dugongs — notwithstanding that these drones had limited capacity to assess only shallow areas, he claimed. 'At least one faculty member has left the WII because of the pressure to clear the Great Nicobar Project and several former faculty members have spoken out against it," Ramesh claimed. 'I've previously raised several key concerns relating to the project in a series of letters exchanged with the Union Environment Minister," he said. Ramesh has been insisting that the present design of the Great Nicobar project 'endangers ecology" in a 'needlessly unacceptable manner". PTI ASK ASK KVK KVK view comments First Published: Disclaimer: Comments reflect users' views, not News18's. Please keep discussions respectful and constructive. Abusive, defamatory, or illegal comments will be removed. News18 may disable any comment at its discretion. By posting, you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy.


Time of India
5 days ago
- Time of India
Forest dept seeks help to curb wildlife menace
Mapusa: The forest department has written to the Wildlife Institute of India (WII), Dehradun, to conduct a study to help mitigate rising human-animal conflicts in the state. 'This is a one-of-a-kind study ever done in India to assess the wildlife outside a protected area. Given Goa's dense green cover, the possibility of wildlife sightings is high, which means that chances of human-animal conflict are also likely. Therefore, we have written to the institute at Dehradun to understand the existing migratory corridors, villages near wildlife-prone areas and mitigation measures,' said Navin Kumar, conservator of forests (wildlife and ecotourism). The department has requested a proposal from WII to conduct a study mapping conflict zones, identifying vulnerable species, delineating existing animal corridors, and suggesting mitigation measures for long-term solutions. Over the past few days, multiple leopard sightings and attacks on domestic animals have been reported in Pernem. A local said three sightings occurred this week alone, including one near a local bank and another crossing the main road in Agarwada around 5 am on Thursday. On Wednesday midnight, a leopard was spotted at Tulaskarwadi, Pernem, attempting to catch a dog near the govt high school. Residents managed to click a photo before it vanished. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Compare Spreads: Bitcoin vs Ethereum CFDs IC Markets Learn More Another leopard was caught on CCTV attacking a pet dog in Amere-Poraskade, Pernem, sparking panic among residents. A 24-year-old hotel management student sustained minor injuries in a leopard attack while riding his scooter in Agarwada. Over a dozen other leopard sightings have been reported in Pernem recently, with two caught in cages at Arambol and Tuem.


Time of India
11-07-2025
- Science
- Time of India
Wildlife study unveils hidden grasshopper haven in state
1 2 Jaisalmer: A scientific survey conducted in the heart of Rajasthan's Desert National Park (DNP) has unveiled a rich diversity of Orthoptera, the insect order that includes grasshoppers, locusts and crickets. Spanning an area of 3,162 sq km across the Jaisalmer and Barmer districts, this study highlights the ecological significance of these often-overlooked insects in the arid landscape. The research team identified 24 distinct species of Orthoptera, including notable species such as Acrida turrita and Schistocerca gregaria, spanning 20 genera and 11 subfamilies across five families. The Acrididae family, comprising true grasshoppers, emerged as the most diverse group in the region's grasslands and scrublands. The comprehensive survey, carried out between June 2021 and Dec 2024, was led by researchers Anshuman Pati, Indranil Paul and Sutirtha Dutta from the Wildlife Institute of India (WII) and the IUCN Grasshopper Specialist Group. "This expansive grassland ecosystem is not only the last stronghold of the critically endangered Great Indian Bustard (GIB) but also a haven for an astonishing variety of insect life," said Anshuman Pati, lead researcher from WII. Interestingly, the study revealed that species richness peaked during summer months, coinciding with the emergence of seasonal vegetation like Cenchrus biflorus and Lasiurus sindicus. Conversely, the monsoon and winter seasons yielded fewer species, likely due to habitat saturation and limited visibility during collection efforts. The research, published in the Journal of Threatened Taxa, employed standard sweep netting methods and careful documentation techniques. "The study significantly enhances our understanding of Orthopteran diversity in the Thar Desert, a region that has often been overshadowed by research focused on its bird and mammal populations," Pati said. The findings emphasise the crucial role insects play as ecological indicators of grassland health, particularly in arid environments.

The Hindu
11-07-2025
- The Hindu
Genetic analysis of Assam rhino horn samples initiated
GUWAHATI: A specialised team has initiated the genetic analysis of samples collected from 2,573 rhino horns, most of which were destroyed by the Assam Forest Division four years ago. The team, notified by the State's Chief Wildlife Warden, verified and segregated the stored samples at Kaziranga from July 3 to 8 and repackaged them in small vials to be transported to the genetic laboratory in Dehradun's Wildlife Institute of India (WII) for DNA analysis. A total of 2,623 rhino horns stored in various treasuries in Assam were verified and reconciled for mass destruction. Barring those with some form of uniqueness and those implicated in court cases, 2,479 horns were consigned to the flames on September 22, 2021. During the process of reconciliation according to a set protocol, tiny samples were retained from the horns to undertake genetic and chemical studies expected to aid better management of the current rhino population. Excluding 50 horns involved in legal battles, samples were collected from 2,573 horns. 'The entire technical process of repackaging was recorded and observed by independent experts,' a forest official said. The WII's genetics laboratory is central to the RhoDIS (Rhino DNA Index System) India programme under the supervision of Samrat Mondol. This analysis aims to document the individual DNA profiles of the rhino horn and add them to the RhoDIS India DNA data library. 'Further analysis will help identify if any changes have taken place to the short tandem repeat (a specific type of DNA sequence) allele frequency over the years since the stocking of the horns from different parts of Assam,' the official said. The protocol standardised for the RhoDIS India analysis, approved by the Ministry of Environment, Forest, and Climate Change, will be followed for creating the DNA profiles from these samples. The RhoDIS India programme was started in 2016 as a collaboration among the Environment Ministry, the rhino-bearing States of India, the WII, and the World Wide Fund for Nature-India. The programme seeks to improve the crime investigations scientifically and provide technical support for the scientific management of India's rhino population.