Excelsior Correspondent SRINAGAR, Mar 28: The CSIR-Indian Institute of Integrative Medicine (CSIR IIIM), Srinagar Branch, concluded a three day hands on training programme on Downstream Processing of Medicinal & Aromatic Plants (MAPs), with intensive modules on extraction technologies, Gas Chromatography (GC) and High Performance Liquid Chromatography (HPLC). Presiding over the valedictory function as chief guest, Dr Zabeer Ahmed, Director, CSIR IIIM, distributed certificates to the participants and underscored the strategic importance of downstream processing in converting biodiversity into validated, market […]

A newly identified butterfly species discovered in Arunachal Pradesh has been named after Assamese music icon Zubeen Garg, highlighting both the region's rich biodiversity and the enduring cultural legacy of the celebrated singer.

A new butterfly species discovered in Arunachal Pradesh is named after Assamese music legend Zubeen Garg. The species, Euthalia (Limbusa) zubeengargi, was found in the Basar region and honors Garg's cultural impact. It highlights the region's biodiversity with its rare olive-brown, white-patterned wings.

The Valley of Flowers is an Indian National Park located in the Chamoli district of Uttarakhand, and it was established in 1982. It is a UNESCO World Heritage site renowned for its vibrant meadows and rich biodiversity. Nestled in the Himalayas at an altitude of 3,200–3,600 meters, the valley blooms with thousands of species of endemic flowers during the monsoon season.

Gourav Sabharwal sabharwal308@gmail.com Aeroponics is considered one of the most resource-efficient agricultural technologies developed in modern controlled environment agriculture. Unlike traditional soil-based farming and even hydroponics, aeroponics suspends plant roots in air and delivers nutrients through a fine mist. This seemingly simple innovation produces profound ecological and physiological advantages. 1. Soil Conservation and Land Restoration One of the most significant advantages of aeroponics is that it eliminates the need for soil entirely. Globally, nearly 33 percent of soils are moderately […]

Municipal Commissioner Kshitij Singhal has directed immediate removal of water hyacinth from Sirpur Lake to protect its ecological health. During an inspection, he raised concerns over the invasive plant affecting water quality and biodiversity. He also ordered strict monitoring to prevent untreated wastewater inflow and reviewed the STP’s functioning.

Refer to ‘India isn’t an oil outlier. Coping will be tough’; energy production, conservation and the creation of new resources will have to operate simultaneously. Austerity measures to check the misuse of energy, building up stock reserves according to global norms and changing our working ethos at homes and offices will go a long way in addressing the energy crisis. Besides saving for our posterity, we are duty-bound to conserve our biodiversity. The scars of the Covid-19 paralysis must spur us to enrich our energy resources rather than deplete them recklessly. Cosmic alarms are needed to awaken our political leadership from following an ostrich policy.

Museum collections have underpinned scientific research for centuries. But physical specimens in boxes and drawers don't easily lend themselves to the research techniques of the new millennium. "How can we apply these techniques to natural history collections, especially when much of the intrinsic information a specimen has to offer is difficult to quantify?" asks Katja Seltmann, director of UC Santa Barbara's Cheadle Center for Biodiversity & Ecological Restoration. Enter the Big Bee Project: a pioneering initiative to bring natural history collections into the century of AI, big data and networked databases.

‘Biodiversity in Schools’ recently visited Melview NS, Longford Town to check in on the progress of the trees planted by pupils

The dense forests of Mizoram and Arunachal Pradesh form part of a larger biodiversity hotspot that extends into Myanmar, allowing species to move across borders unnoticed.

Arunachal Pradesh Governor KT Parnaik urges citizens to join Earth Hour on March 28 by turning off non-essential lights for one hour. This global initiative by WWF aims to raise awareness about climate change and biodiversity loss while promoting environmental sustainability and community action.

National Trust says one year after reintroduction they are enriching habitats and may be having kits this summer

Beavers should be embraced as key allies in the fight against biodiversity loss according to scientists at the University of Stirling, after new research revealed the significant ecological benefits the animals bring to wetland habitats. Beaver populations across Europe and North America are recovering from historically low levels after being hunted to near extinction.

A biological process long thought to protect biodiversity and help species coexist may actually threaten diversity when species are separated by natural landscapes, infrastructure, or other barriers, according to new research from Carnegie Mellon University's School of Computer Science. The finding, published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, could help scientists better protect biodiversity—and may even offer new insights into how diseases like cancer evolve.

Achumbemo Kikon, a legislator in Nagaland, emphasizes urgent action against climate change's impacts on the region, citing threats to jhum cultivation, water sources, and biodiversity. He calls for coordinated measures, including afforestation and better waste management, to safeguard Nagaland's ecology and its people's livelihoods.

In addition to the short-term initiative, the NBA continues to run its flagship Biodiversity Samrakshan Internship Programme (BSIP), a year-long engagement that can be extended for up to two additional years.

Twin mountain gorillas were recently born in the Virunga National Park, renowned for its biodiversity but threatened by conflict.

Mangrove are characterised by salt-tolerant trees that thrive in oxygen-poor, waterlogged soil. To preserve mangrove forests and to raise awareness about mangrove ecosystems and their biodiversity, the Maharashtra Government has taken a very crucial step and built Mumbai

The findings increase the total number of known odonate species in Sikkim from 82 to 93

Nestlé (Thai) Ltd and Nestlé Pure Life have announced a major achievement for the “Nestlé Waters Cares for Water” project at Khanom Jeen Canal in Ayutthaya province, adding to two prestigious international sustainability awards. The accolades include an edie Award in the Water, Waste, and Resource Efficiency category, widely regarded as the United Kingdom’s biggest sustainability awards, and a Highly Commends distinction in the SDG Pioneer Award category at the Reuters Global Sustainability Awards 2025. The recognitions underscore the project’s decade-long commitment to water stewardship, biodiversity restoration and community empowerment. In addition, Khanom Jeen Canal, under the “Nestlé Waters Cares for Water” project, has been officially certified by the Office of Natural Resources and Environmental Policy and Planning (ONEP) under the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment as an Other Effective Area-based Conservation Measures (OECMs) site in Thailand.