The author speaks about his accidental encounter with the Barn owl and how he was mesmerised by its resplendent beauty. The light of the sun was diffused by thin layer of clouds. Fresh leaves wore a more saturated look. A mixture of crumbled leaves, dried grass and newly sprouted twigs were lying on the path, on which I was out for an evening walk. The Air all around was crisp and carried an intense perfume of flowers. The calls of commoners like sparrows, mynas and crows added a musical touch to the evening. However, the fighting of Egrets and Night Herons made the w ..read more

Life’s many mysteries could be unravelled by simply observing nature. A forest fire though alarming and scary, dies down eventually; the tree of life being reborn from its ashes. Our author talks of one such forest fire at Nagla and how her subsequent visits to the place have only left her more in awe of nature. Fierce flames, billowing smoke and clouds of ash kept devouring vegetation and burning everything in its path. The forest floor was ablaze with hot flames, which were resolutely spreading inwards. The alive were being burnt with the dead. Being mid-March, the scorching temperatures si ..read more

A little time and curiosity towards nature and its animals helps us to connect with their lifestyle and behavioural patterns, here the author speaks about the discovery of traits of the most common bird -the sparrow   Tweet tweet who’s there? Sparrows at my window!   The most common bird that we usually see from our windows without doing any hard work is a house sparrow. The tiny little bird that loves human habitation more than woodlands, grasslands or deserts. The bird that got first place on my all-time bird watching list. House Sparrows may or may not be the most loved birds, bu ..read more

Snakes have fascinated and intrigued us from centuries, here the author helps us understand myths and facts about these reptiles. India is home to over 300 species of snakes found in diverse landscapes – from the high Himalayas and dense canopies to open grasslands and wetlands, depending on their unique characteristics which are suitable to their habitat. Snakes are ectotherms which means they regulate their body temperature through external factors, and have a vast range in size. The smallest in India being the Brahminy Blind Snake which is about 15 cm to the colossal Reticulated Pytho ..read more

Mothers are a peculiar breed, always thinking for her children rather than self, even if it is to the detriment of self. This goes true, whether it is a human or a tigress. The author recounts his various encounters with a specific tigress through the years, and her progress into motherhood. Sitabani reserve forest comes under Ramnagar Forest Division in Uttarakhand and has a reputation for the Highest Number of tigers outside a protected area in the country. Being on the outskirts of Corbett National Park, its also called Corbett landscape. This area is famed for its amazing biodiversity and ..read more

On the occasion of World Elephant Day, 12th August, 2021, we hope that common sense, goodwill and compassion will prevail and the captive elephants of Amer fort in Jaipur and everywhere else can be regarded with the respect they deserve to make them the last generation of captive elephants in human private human custody.   Elephants have been revered in Indian history and culture for centuries. Ironically, this same culture has seen the capture and taming of these gentle and noble creatures for millennia. As per the records of MoEF&CC there are 2,675 captive elephants in India ..read more

The black francolin (Francolinus francolinus) is a gamebird in the pheasant family, it normally flies only when disturbed. The Gallinaceous birds, as they are called, are important as seed dispersers and predators in the ecosystems they inhabit. Discovery: It’s a cloudy Sunday morning of May, 2021 and we, the three vagabonds were biking beside the grasslands of Damodar river in Asansol in search of birds. Asansol, the third largest city of West Bengal is known for its coal mines, steel industry and other colonial hazards. But this area is also popular for its avi ..read more

They say a tiger’s hunt is an amazing thing to behold – an adrenalin rushed experience where you can feel the emotions of both the predator and the prey. Hemant Krishnani recalls the day when he saw the scene unfold in front of him for the first time. I have been visiting jungles in India for over 20 years now and have been fortunate enough to have had some wonderful experiences in the wild. However, there are a few experiences that are etched in my memory so clearly, as though they have happened just yesterday. One such thrilling experience I had, was in Ranthambore National Park, on a regul ..read more

A mother’s dilemma as witnessed by Sudipta Chakraborty while visiting Pench. Pench – the name evocates the memories of childhood stories from Kipling’s Jungle Book. Home to SherKhan, Mowgli, Bageera and Bhaloo, Pench is steeped in our psyche with feelings of romanticism and curiosity of the equally famed tigers that ruled it’s domain. One such is the tigress T20, often called Langdi. Born with a twisted right font paw, Langdi is one of the most successful breeding females from Pench. She is the Queen of Pench national park in MP and holds a vast territory with 2 watering holes. Langdi had four ..read more

The painfully sweet and not so sweet memories that Sherni, the movie, evokes. Kunal Sharma writes a heartfelt and evocative review. Jaded – prominently declares the film’s tagline to describe Vidya Vincent, a forest officer who finds herself trapped in the big bad world of patriarchy intermeshed with bureaucratic helplessness afflicting scores of forest staff throughout an often-jaded career in the wild. Yet, for many who have been associated with Indian forests, whether from within the government or while interacting with it, Sherni reawakens a pandora’s box worth of memories – as if a sooth ..read more