News– Kerala has carried out India’s first science-based, community-led eradication of Senna spectabilis in Wayanad. About Senna spectabilis It is an invasive tree species that forms dense, sterile thickets. These thickets suppress native vegetation, alter soil chemistry, and reduce food availability for herbivores. The tree has a broad, spreading crown and can grow to a… Continue reading Senna Invasion
Category: species in news
Blue Dragons
News: Several beaches in Spain and Famara beaches in Lanzarote were closed earlier this month after blue dragons began to wash ashore. About Blue Dragons Blue dragons are mollusks and belong to the nudibranch family, which means they are related to snails. Scientific name: Glaucus atlanticus. It is also called the sea swallow, blue angel,… Continue reading Blue Dragons
Orcinus Orca (Killer Whale)
News: A new study in the Journal of Comparative Psychology investigates why orcas are provisioning humans. About Orcinus Orca (Killer Whale) It is a dolphin in the family Delphinidae, not a true whale, and it is the most widely distributed of all cetaceans. It is commonly called as the killer whale. It is an extremely… Continue reading Orcinus Orca (Killer Whale)
Crocothemis Erythraea
News: Odonatologists have reconfirmed the elusive dragonfly Crocothemis erythraea in the high-elevation southern Western Ghats. About Crocothemis Erythraea The scarlet dragonfly (Crocothemis erythraea) is a species of dragonfly in the family Libellulidae. Its common names include broad scarlet, common scarlet-darter, and scarlet darter. Distribution: High-elevation Southern Western Ghats; also Himalayas, parts of Europe and Asia.… Continue reading Crocothemis Erythraea
Vaquita Porpoise
News: A recent report by the North American Environmental Commission (CEC), a body under the United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement (USMCA), has blamed Mexico for imperiling the critically endangered vaquita porpoise. About Vaquita Porpoise It is the world’s smallest cetacean and the most endangered marine mammal. Scientific name: Phocoena sinus. Its name means “little cow” in Spanish.… Continue reading Vaquita Porpoise
Konkan Shadowdamsel and Crimson Shadowdamsel
News: Two new species of damselflies have been discovered in the Western Ghats by researchers from Maharashtra and Kerala. About Konkan Shadowdamsel and Crimson Shadowdamsel Both the species belong to the group commonly called ‘Shadowdamsels’ because of their affinity for well-shaded forest habitats. Habitat These species are endemic to Maharashtra and are restricted to small… Continue reading Konkan Shadowdamsel and Crimson Shadowdamsel
Blue Pinkgill Mushrooms (Entoloma hochstetteri)
News: A burst of rare and colourful Blue Pinkgill Mushrooms has been documented in the Kagaznagar forest division of the Komaram Bheem Asifabad district in Telangana. About Blue Pinkgill Mushrooms (Entoloma hochstetteri) It is also known as the sky-blue mushroom, or werewere-kokako in Maori folklore. It is a blue coloured mushroom, whoose colour is derived… Continue reading Blue Pinkgill Mushrooms (Entoloma hochstetteri)
Starfish
News: Scientists have discovered that a bacterium caused the 2013 starfish die-off, which killed about 5 billion sea stars by causing sea star wasting disease, where their limbs fall off and bodies break down. About Starfish Starfish are marine animals belonging to the echinoderm group, commonly called “sea stars” due to their distinctive star-shaped body.… Continue reading Starfish
Krill
News: The krill fishing season near Antarctica ended earlier than planned after trawlers reached the catch limit for these tiny crustaceans. About Krill Krill are tiny, shrimp-like crustaceans that are semi-transparent and typically measure about 1 inch in length, weighing only a fraction of an ounce. Behavior– They live in massive swarms. Habitat: Found across… Continue reading Krill
Asian Giant Tortoise
News: The critically endangered Asian Giant Tortoise has been successfully reintroduced into the Zeliang Community Reserve located in Nagaland’s Peren district. About Asian Giant Tortoise It is the largest tortoise species in mainland Asia and is considered one of the oldest tortoise species in the world. It is now only found in a few regions… Continue reading Asian Giant Tortoise
