Documenting India’s civilisational and natural heritage.
The White-hooded Babbler (Gampsorhynchus rufulus) was recently photographed near Rongtong in the Darjeeling foothills, marking the first documented record of the species from North Bengal since 1931. The sighting was made by birder and eBird reviewer Sandeep Biswas, who was exploring bamboo-rich habitat in the area along with fellow birders when the bird unexpectedly appeared.
The species, the Spoon-tailed Duskhawker (Gynacantha basiguttata), has now been identified from photographs taken along the Miao–Vijaynagar Road inside Namdapha. The finding represents the first verifiable photographic record of the species from Arunachal Pradesh and provides evidence strong enough for researchers to recommend its inclusion in India’s contemporary Odonata checklist.
The finding has particular importance for India because the newly revalidated species occurs across the southern Himalayan region, including northeastern India, with confirmed genetic records from Assam, as well as Nepal, South Tibet and adjoining Himalayan areas.
Forest Ranger Shailendra Solanki described the presence of the pair as an indication that the landscape is developing favourable conditions for large raptors. Bonelli’s Eagles are powerful predators capable of taking birds, reptiles and small mammals, and their presence near the top of the local food chain can reflect the availability of prey and functioning habitat at lower ecological levels.
Researchers from the Gujarat Ecological Education and Research Foundation (GEER Foundation) documented four active Black-necked Stork nests during surveys conducted between July 2024 and March 2025. Each breeding pair successfully raised two fledglings, producing eight juveniles from four nests and a 100% fledging success rate during the monitoring period.
The animal has been recorded repeatedly through surveillance cameras deployed by the Karnataka Forest Department after villagers reported pugmarks, livestock losses and possible tiger movement in the Gangavathi region. Forest officials have since intensified monitoring across the landscape and deployed personnel around villages where the tiger has been moving.
Since the National Animal Disease Control Programme was launched in 2019, more than 147.16 crore doses of FMD vaccine have been administered across the country, benefiting around 8.04 crore farmers. Reported FMD outbreaks have fallen from 132 in 2019 to 40 in 2025, while Brucellosis outbreaks declined from 22 to 15 during the same period.
The Nagal pig is a familiar part of rural life in many parts of the state, where pig rearing remains closely linked with household livelihoods, food traditions and local agriculture. Until now, however, the breed existed largely as a locally maintained population without a separate national identity.
The new guide documents the diversity and ecological importance of India’s grasslands, savannas, scrublands, deserts and other open landscapes. It also examines their links with rural livelihoods, pastoral communities, biodiversity conservation, land restoration and climate resilience.
Despite carrying the name of Manipur, the species has historically been associated with a wider belt extending through parts of Manipur, Assam and the adjoining northeastern grassland landscape. Its extremely secretive habits, combined with massive losses of its original grassland habitat, have made it one of the most difficult Indian birds to study.
