Tamil Nadu Government Sets up Nilgiri Tahr Conservation Project
The Tamil Nadu government operationalised the 'Nilgiri Tahr project' touted as the first-of-its-kind in the country which aims at restoring the original habitat of the State animal and stabilising its population.
With a budgetary outlay of Rs. 25.14 crore, the five-year initiative will set up a dedicated team headed by a project director to deal with the conservation of the species. It will explore the possibility of undertaking captive breeding of the animal for reintroduction in forest patches where it has become locally extinct.
Dec 28, 2022
Antarctica's Emperor Penguins could be Extinct by 2100
Antarctica's Biodiversity: New research indicated that more has to be done to safeguard Antarctic ecosystems, and if we don't make a change, up to 97% of Antarctic species with land-based populations might go extinct by the year 2100. The study also discovered that ten crucial techniques to lessen threats to Antarctica's biodiversity may be implemented with just USD 23 million annually.
It is expected that Antarctica's ice-free areas would grow as global warming becomes worse, drastically altering the wildlife habitat. The vegetation and fauna of Antarctica are anticipated to suffer as extreme weather events like heat waves increase in frequency.
The emperor penguin is the most endangered species in Antarctica because it breeds on ice.
The emperor penguin is the only species in the analysis that, in the worst-case scenario, faces extinction by 2100.
Dec 27, 2022
'Bomb Cyclone' Winter Storm Hits US with Life Threatening Extremely Cold Climate
Bomb Cyclone thrashed US and Canada with extreme climate and has trapped the residents inside their houses with snow and power outages. During the Christmas season, the Bomb Cyclone occurred due to a low temperature of -40 degrees Fahrenheit. Thousands of flights were cancelled and several highways were blocked. People were advised not to step outside their homes as was be life-threatening.
Due to Artic Blast, the US experienced an extremely cold climate, heavy snow, and intense wind. The authorities ordered to put a halt on travelling during the Christmas season because of the Bomb Cyclone.
Bomb Cyclone is created when the air of different masses whether cold or dry comes together. The warm air rises and makes a cloud system which lowers the air pressure. These cloud system forms storms and circulates counter clockwise in the low-pressure area. A Bomb Cyclone is a mid-latitude storm in which the central pressure drops fast at one millibar per hour for 24 hours.
Dec 22, 2022
Infosys Recognised with 'A' Score for Transparency on Climate Change
Infosys was recognised for leadership in corporate transparency and performance on climate change by global environmental non-profit CDP, securing a place on its annual 'A List'.
Based on data reported through CDP's 2022 Climate Change questionnaire, Infosys is one of a small number of companies that achieved an 'A' out of nearly 15,000 companies scored.
CDP's annual environmental disclosure and scoring process is widely recognized as the gold standard of corporate environmental transparency.
Infosys featured in the leadership category under the CDP Climate Change disclosure for the seventh year in a row.
Dec 21, 2022
Scientists Freeze Great Barrier Reef Coral in World-first Trial
Scientists working on Australia's Great Barrier Reef have successfully trialled a new method for freezing and storing coral larvae they say could eventually help rewild reefs threatened by climate change.
Scientists are scrambling to protect coral reefs as rising ocean temperatures destabilise delicate ecosystems. The Great Barrier Reef has suffered four bleaching events in the last seven years including the first ever bleach during a La Nina phenomenon, which typically brings cooler temperatures.
Cryogenically frozen coral can be stored and later reintroduced to the wild but the current process requires sophisticated equipment including lasers. As per scientists a new lightweight "cryomesh" can be manufactured cheaply and better preserves coral.
Gujarat's Barda Wildlife Sanctuary New Translocation Site for Asiatic Lions
Gujarat's Barda Wildlife Sanctuary, located near the coastal city of Porbandar and 100 kilometres from the Gir National Park, was identified as a potential second home for Asiatic lions.
Efforts were being made since the 1990s to find a relocation site for the Asiatic lions within Gujarat and outside the state, considering that the species is vulnerable to extinction threats from epidemics because of low genetic diversity.
In 2013, the Supreme Court ordered the government to translocate Asiatic lions from Gujarat to the Kuno National Park in Madhya Pradesh within six months. It had also rejected a proposal to introduce the African cheetah in Kuno.
After the apex court allowed the introduction of African cheetah in India on an experimental basis in January 2020, eight cheetahs from Namibia were reintroduced in Kuno, but the translocation of lions is still pending.