Articles by Shreya Dasgupta

On the streets of Morocco, several species of lizards, tortoise and snakes are being sold openly for use in traditional medicine, a new study has found. Many of these species are…

In a remote mountainous rainforest in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), scientists have discovered a new species of wild ginger. The newly described plant -- discovered on the…

The first-ever surveys of forests in Karen state in southeast Myanmar — a region that was previously out-of-bounds for scientists due to security and political reasons — has yielded surprising results. Researchers have recorded…

The deadly yellow fever -- an infectious disease caused by a mosquito-borne virus -- has spread rapidly throughout Brazil, wiping out populations of the brown howler monkey (Alouatta guariba). Thousands of…

Earlier this month, poachers broke into a zoo near Paris, shot a 4-year-old male white rhino thrice in his head, and hacked off one of his horns. This is believed…

Countries across the world created some of the largest marine protected areas (MPAs) last year, some spanning hundreds of thousands of square miles. The recently created Papahānaumokuākea Marine National Monument…

In the rugged limestone hills of northern Vietnam, scientists have discovered a new species of frog that looks like a small piece of rock. Researchers have named it the stone leaf-litter…

BORJURI, India — A baby rhino is easy to dismiss as cute. With a barely visible stub of a horn and thick, folded skin that resembles armor, a young rhino…

Scientists have discovered the first-ever fluorescent frog. Under normal light, the South American polka dot tree frog (Hypsiboas punctatus) -- widespread in South America -- appears a dull brownish-green with…

A type of transmissible cancer has decimated Tasmanian devil populations. First detected in 1996, the devil facial tumor disease (DFTD) has spread across most of the Tasmanian devil's range and has…

On March 3, a Tanzanian court sentenced one of the country's most wanted elephant poachers to 12 years in prison. Boniface Matthew Mariango, nicknamed "The Devil" by law enforcement officials…

On Monday night, poachers shot and killed a rhinoceros at a zoo in France. Vince, a four-year-old male southern white rhino, was a resident of the Thoiry Zoo and Wildlife…

True's beaked whales are notoriously elusive. Like other beaked whales, they dive deep into oceans for prolonged periods of time, and surface only for short breathing intervals, making them very…

Nitrogen pollution can alter the way temperate forests function, a new study has found. Excess nitrogen from air pollution slows down decomposition of plant matter by soil fungi, which in turn…

In the state of Orissa in India, a herd of elephant faces a grim situation. A video shot by the NGO Sanctuary Nature Foundation shows hundreds of men descending upon the elephants…

Koalas, the eucalyptus-loving cuddly marsupials found only in Australia, are declining rapidly. In some areas, their numbers have plummeted by more than 80 percent, with koala populations in the state of…

Indian scientists have discovered seven new species of frogs in the Western Ghats, a biodiversity-rich mountain range in India. All the newly described species belong to the genus Nyctibatrachus, commonly known as…

In the forests of north-western Angola, scientists have discovered a new species of primate -- a greyish-brown dwarf galago or bushbaby, larger than all previously known dwarf galagos. The newly…

Singapore has historically been a major hub for bird trade. But the trade, largely poorly managed, threatens exotic species, according to a new study. A new survey by the wildlife…

It's time to celebrate World Pangolin Day -- again. Today, February 18, is dedicated to the armor-clad mammals that resemble giant pine cones. Some might know them as scaly anteaters that eat, well…

On February 10, Malaysian authorities arrested seven of the country's "most wanted" elephant poachers in Kelantan, Malaysia. The men, believed to have killed at least 15 Asian elephants over a period…

Expanding tree cover might sound like good news for wildlife. But for the hirola — the world’s most endangered antelope -- trees may have spelled doom, according to a new…

Last month, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS) declared that it was placing the rusty patched bumblebee on the U.S. endangered species list. The listing would have taken effect…

An Amazonian catfish -- the dorado catfish -- makes the world's longest known freshwater migration, a new study has confirmed. Clocking more than 7,200 miles (~11,600 kilometers), the dorado catfish (Brachyplatystoma rousseauxii)…

In the forests of northern Madagascar, scientists have discovered a new species of dwarf lemur. The newly described Ankarana or Sheth’s dwarf lemur is tiny, weighing just over 100 grams.…

Using remote cameras attached high up in trees and in the understory, researchers have captured the first ever video footage of a new population of the rare Dryas monkeys (Cercopithecus…

In November last year, the Philippines declared its largest critical habitat yet. Located in the long, narrow Philippine island of Palawan, the new Cleopatra’s Needle Critical Habitat (CNCH) is spread…

Last November, BBC returned with a sequel to its hit nature documentary series -- Planet Earth. The new six-part series Planet Earth II, presented by Sir David Attenborough, showcased some…

Fourteen members of a poaching gang were recently arrested in southern India for shooting protected wildlife. They had shot and killed two Sambar deer (Rusa unicolor) around Bhadra Tiger Reserve in…

Widespread deforestation is causing severe population decline in the little-known Livingstone’s fruit bat (Pteropus livingstonii), a new study has found. The rare bat is found only on two small islands…