Articles by Sandhya Sekar

Tropical rainforests have that name for a reason, occurring in high rainfall areas close to the equator with swirling mists shrouding their lofty heights and moist soil that squelches underfoot.…

Coral reefs, teeming with life, are home to vibrant fish communities — which makes them extremely attractive places to go fishing. However, fishing in reefs may injure corals, which in…

ith demand for seafood increasing and numerous fish species declining due to overfishing and other threats, scientists are proposing a seemingly drastic solution: close the high seas to fishing and…

The recently completed Santo Antonio hydroelectric dam on the Madeira River attempts to control record floodwater in February, 2014. Photo: Greenpeace. Every year, giant catfish migrate from low-lying estuaries near…

Peatlands around the world are drying and burning as humans drain them and the climate changes; scientists urge protections. A peat forest burns in Riau, Sumatra. Photo by Rhett A.…

This article is the second in a two-part series about carbon stock assessment in Guyana. Read the first part here. Some countries that retain forest wealth have started monetizing their…

This article is the first in a two-part series about carbon stock assessment in Guyana. Read the second part here. With financial incentives encouraging maintenance of carbon stocks and the…

Researchers map out poorly understood dry tropical forests in Southeast Asia; technique may help protect wildlife living within Trees of the family Dipterocarpaceae dominate the forests of Southeast Asia. These…

This article is the second in a two-part series that examines deforestation trends and drivers in Assam, India. Read the first part here. Northeastern India boasts nearly 44 percent of…

This article is the first in a two-part series that examines deforestation trends and drivers in Assam, India. Read the second part here. Northeastern India is a distinct entity in…

This is the second part of series examining the impact of forest loss on Siberian tigers. Part I discussed overall forest loss in the region and its major drivers. The…

This is the first part of series examining the impact of forest loss on Siberian tigers. Part II discusses in more detail what their shrinking habitat and low numbers may…

The Western Ghats of southern India, one of the world’s top biodiversity hotspots, is a 1600-kilometer (1000-mile) mountain chain that runs parallel to the western coast of the Indian subcontinent.…

Overall, the brown bear is one of the most widespread bear species in the world, found in much of Eurasia and North America, in quite large numbers. A subspecies called…

An interview with urban ecologist Harini Nagendra Large swathes of wilderness alternating with pockets of urbanization may be a reality in some countries, but in India boundaries are soft. Where…

In a dramatic response to global warming, tropical forests in the high elevation areas of five continents have been "browning" since the 1990s. They have been steadily losing foliage, and…

A dolphin swimming through the world’s oceans after fish, and a bat flying through the air with its membranous wings to catch insects or eat fruit: at first glance, it…

Give it a few thousand years, and tusks could completely disappear from the Asian elephant (Elephas maximus). The beautifully smooth, elongated ivory incisors neatly bordering a long trunk are iconic…

The Nilgiris Biosphere Reserve in southern India acts as a conduit between the biodiversity-rich Western Ghats, a mountain range parallel to the western coast of India and its eastern counterpart,…

In the upcoming session of the Indian Parliament, MPs will debate whether researchers and poachers should be treated in the same manner for a breach of law. A new bill…

Fishing communities on Agatti Island in Lakshwadeep, India, blame their reduced fish catch on green turtles; according to them, green turtles chomp their way through the seagrass beds lining the…

Stunning images, snippets of video and a compelling narrative come together in a “showcase” app for the iPad. The Sahyadris app is an immersive experience, which taps the full potential…

Amphibians hop onto your Android phone in an app that focuses on ease of use. There are many among us who have gone out for a walk in the night,…

Designating protected areas in a country with 1.27 billion people comes with its own consequences: around each protected area in India lies a zone where wildlife strays out, and people…

Keeping track of the number of wild animals killed illegally has never been easy. From counting carcasses, to looking at official records and trade logs, managers have had to innovate.…

An edited version of this article first appeared on NatureIndia on July 8th, 2013. “Gone are the tiger-filled days when Corbett, as a small boy wandering the jungles of Nepal…

If you try and draw family trees for animals and plants in India, you will discover something that will take your breath away. Relatives do not occur in the same…

A small, boneless creature, that lives underground, with a "hundred" legs, and a rather powerful sting; some of these creatures are drab, but some are so beautiful and brightly colored…