Environment

Nestled in the southern part of Bengal is one of the world’s most enchanting and mysterious places - the Sundarbans. A

“Apnare loye bibroto rohite/ ashe nai keho obonee pore/ sokoler tore sokole amra/ protyeke amra porer tore…” We all grew up

Howrah is located in South Bengal's Gangetic delta, which is made up of low-lying alluvial plains. The word "howrah" comes

The Great Knot (Calidris tenuirostris), a rare and globally endangered migratory bird, was recently sighted on the sea beach of Digha,

If you ever find yourself on the other side of the Hooghly River, away from the incessant honks and commotion of

Once feared as a ruthless poacher who knew every hidden trail of the Sundarbans, Anil Mistry was the kind of man

At a busy tea stall in North Kolkata, a group of strays nap lazily in the shade. One of them, a caramel-coated dog

The Supreme Court first ordered all stray dogs to be sent to shelters, which upset many people. This showed how

When winter arrives, the look of Bengal’s fields, countryside, and forests changes. Many villages and rural areas turn into safe shelters for birds. Although

Badal-rate dakile ‘Piya Piya Papiya/ bedanay bhore oṭhe naki re kaharo hiya,‘Piya geche kabe pordesh Piu kaha ḍake Papiya"or, ‘Chokh

OWhen we’re young, we’re taught that planting trees is important because they give us oxygen. However, no one tells us

On World Tiger Day, 29th July 2025, an inspiring initiative was launched at Baghbon, located in the bird haven on

International Tiger Day As a child vacationing in Sariya (now in Jharkhand) in the 1960s, Biswajit Roy Chowdhury was captivated by

Water hyacinth (Eichhornia crassipes) is a major freshwater weed found in lakes, rivers, and other water bodies across the globe.

Afew days ago, we received the news of India becoming the most populous country in the world, beating China. India

Umashankar Mandal has transformed barren riverbanks into lush, storm-defying mangrove forests

If you love keeping track of the actively performing NGOs based out of Bengal, then it is most likely that you have

It still rises half a metre per century. In a joint statement last week, China and Nepal announced the highest

Ever since the use of plastic dawned, waste management has become a lot more tough because plastics do not decompose

Chitrak Pramanik and his team Industrialization and technology have changed our lives for the better. Everything is just a click away

The State Forest Department deployed seed bombs to restore vegetation in the Susunia Hills Bengal’s hills are filled with greenery and

Rabindra Sarovar or Dhakuria Lake is undoubtedly the lungs of south Kolkata. But more than just a haven for morning

With over 60,000 different types around the world, trees provide us with everything essential for survival, including clean air, access

‘Bhau Bhau', Bengal's first ‘dog magazine' The human-canine bonding can be traced back to at least 15,000 years ago to the

Over the last decade or so, the rural women of Bengal, especially those living in the tribal belt, have silently

After Cyclone Amphan, Kolkata lost a massive portion of its greenery, and over 15,000 big trees were uprooted, according to

As soon as the sun rises high in the sky, everything around feels like it’s burning. Summer holidays in schools

The Padmaja Naidu Himalayan Zoological Park (PNHZP), popularly known as the Darjeeling Zoo, stands as a sanctuary not just for

The Kolkata Municipal Corporation (KMC) has initiated a ₹700 crore project to revive the Adi Ganga, or Tolly's Nullah, in a significant

In a rare conservation success story, West Bengal has gained a 50% increase in the number of endangered Great One-Horned Rhinoceros.

We have all grown up listening to that powerful Rabindrasangeet — a song that speaks of rising above fear and self-doubt, of

The society and the world run in collaboration with people and their actions towards each one. Each individual has the

Things are not looking too good for the architectural treasures of Sundarbans. It is not just the people of the

Swachhata Pukare and Naturecraft collaborated to create water hyacinth sarees “Be a part of the solution, not part of the pollution.”  We

Every person, in their formative years, learns that "cleanliness is next to godliness." The students of Kala Bhavan, Santiniketan (Institute

Every person, in their formative years, learns that "cleanliness is next to godliness." The students of Kala Bhavan, Santiniketan (Institute of Fine

Until now, were you living under the impression that the first zoo in Asia was in Kolkata? Well, all of

About 7-8km from Chinsurah, off Delhi Road lies a small hamlet called Rajhat. This is where one gets to find

Bengal's skies long for the flutter of migratory wings The misty mornings no more bear the cacophony of different winged species

Established on 14 August 1958 in the Birch Hill neighbourhood of Darjeeling, the Padmaja Naidu Himalayan Zoological Park has quietly

World Animal Day is an international day of action for animal rights and welfare celebrated annually on October 4, the

Mangoes are a refreshing treat during the harsh summers. Indians love relishing a juicy mango and are always in high

Concerns have been raised by the recent spate of cyclones that have repeatedly struck the Bengal coast. This exposes us

“Trees are the best monuments that a man can erect to his own memory. They speak his praises without flattery,

World Environment Day, started by the UN on June 5, highlights the importance of nature and how it is imperative

Come summer and the 'king of fruits' is at its seasonal peak, lakhs of mangoes are eaten and their kernels

Remember getting lost in the world of adventure of Shankar, while flipping through the pages Bibhutibhushan Bandopadhya’s Chander Pahar? Shankar,

Animals are either deified in our culture or reduced to disdain. There is no in-between. Awareness about animal care is

And here is a lush green hamlet tucked amidst the barren topography of red laterite. Who could have ever thought

Gharial, also known as gavial or fish-eating crocodile Just imagine a green corridor being made for Gharials! We have heard of

Biker duo Madhuritu and Arunav The sight of an injured stray dog's pleading eyes or the cruelty of boys kicking barn-born

Gangasagar Mela, Gangasagar, West Bengal The depth of the sunrise could not be fathomed across the vast horizon of the river

Thanks to Alipore Zoological Park, you can now easily become a guardian for any animal or bird of your choice.

The Zoological Survey of India (ZSI) scientists have been researching the Sericini species of beetle since 2019. Sericini, incidentally, is

Come winter and all roads seem to lead to the Alipore Zoological Garden, also known as the Calcutta Zoo, the

Lapland Longspur In the early hours of a wintry morning a few weeks ago, Sourav Haldar and his companion Shubhro Pakhira

The Sundarbans, one of the largest mangrove forests in the world Way back in 2016, the world-renowned ‘Nature Journal raised the

East Kolkata Wetlands, widely known as the "Kidney of Kolkata How about spending a serene ‘me’ time for a few hours

At the end of every autumn and the onset of the long-awaited winters, many migratory birds flock to different districts

Sea-robin species found in Digha Digha has hit the headlines again, not just for the new additions to this tourism hub,

Trees are the oldest friends of humans; human civilization itself thrived upon the fruits, flowers, shade, and other offerings that

The Union government launched the MISHTI scheme to protect mangrove ecosystems. When Cyclone Yaas slammed into the coastal areas of West

The Jalangi River, formerly known as Kharia, is an arm or distributary of the Ganges river that originates from Ganges

August 12, World Elephant Day Elephant corridor. This is a phrase that has increasingly become part of our general lexicon. Which

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0fnKB0V4lDU The West Bengal Forest Department received the "Star of Governance SKOCH Award in Forest" for its effective management of the

Salim Mian, aka Chand Mia of Kuthibari in Murshidabad, protecting parrots from poachers We humans are destroying and consuming nature at

Pinaki Babu along with one of his disciples, Raju, aka Debendra Mondal They were walking by the road, stopping here and

Banabitan, popularly known as Saltlake Central Park The second largest open space of Kolkata and its satellite towns just after Maidan

State government to set up pocket gardens of sandalwood trees across Kolkata Santalum album aka chandana in Sanskrit, is a valuable

The tourism department of the Gorkhaland Territorial Administration has declared Tiger Hill a plastic-free zone Perched in the heart of Sinchel

Plastic bottle craft contest arranged by the kolkata Municipal corporation Plastics contribute to the climate crisis due to their fossil-fuel-based supply

Children's park by Panchet Forest Division in the midst of sal forest in Bishnupur A five-hour drive from Kolkata leads to

Day after day we are getting bad news about nature and its creatures. Due to man made disasters and wastes

This year on June 5, during a programme organized by the West Bengal Pollution Control Board to celebrate World Environment

Floods and erosion pose a serious problem in the lower Ganga region, particularly in West Bengal. According to official reports,

Are you aware of the flora and fauna of the State? In our busy lives, we often tend to forget

In 2021, the dissension between firecracker manufacturers and environmentalists in West Bengal led them to knock at the door of

“Great artists make the roads; good teachers and good companions can point them out.” ― Ursula K. Le Guin (science fiction

From the food we intake to the essentials we purchase to the homes we build or the energy we consume

We might be losing out on the last and largest tiger stronghold of the world because of the change in

Ask any junior school kid to name the highest peak in the world and the answer will come instantly, “Mount

To the honey collectors of Sundarbans, Spring means more than it does to us. In this season, collectors enter into

The Sundarbans is the largest mangrove forest in the world, intersected by a complex network of tidal waterways, mud flats

There is no denying that pens have been a very important part of our history. From signing important historical documents

Even a couple of decades ago, the eastern side of Kolkata, especially New Town, had an abundance of undisturbed landscape,

One of the biggest challenges that modern civilization is facing every day is preventing environmental pollution, and by saving rainwater,

Song of trees, sprouting of new leaves, swaying of branches --- fragile ecosystems affected only by human greed. That’s why

Imagine yourself standing by a dense plantation in the middle of the day. A thud! And looking up at the

They are ‘Friends of Elephants’ or Gaja Mitras who will protect, love and guide the mammoth animals to safety and

Some arrivals come as a harbinger of Spring, spreading joy and happiness, with a plethora of new experiences to savour

If the devastation of the recent earthquake of Turkey is sending ripples of shockwaves through the nation, so did the

It seems that the recent Union Budget presented by Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman had the ‘Go Green’ tag in

Another World Wetlands Day is at our doorstep. But most of us are completely unaware of the importance of a

The season is changing in Kolkata. We are at a pre-winter phase. Winter-exclusive things such as nolengur (date palm jaggery),

“If you invest your time, talent, and resources, orphans around the world can have much happier and healthier lives. (Beau

The first solar dome in India is now open for public viewing in Bengal’s Silicon Valley, Eco Park, New Town,

“In this image-driven age, wildlife filmmakers carry a heavy responsibility. They can influence how we think and behave when we’re

Sarail is a subdivision of Brahmanbaria district in modern day Bangladesh. Historically, it was the domain of Isa Khan, a

With cyclone season still upon us, we should perhaps be thankful that neither West Bengal nor Bangladesh seem to have

According to archived Project Tiger data, between 1989 and 1997, the Royal Bengal Tiger count at Buxa Tiger Reserve (BTR)

“He was like a child. He seemed to understand everything.” Those were the words of a forest official bidding a

No other metropolitan city in India can claim of having a biodiversity register. But our very own Kolkata can now

Myriad birds created a live musical rhapsody every time someone knocked at Ajoy Home’s house. His house was an aviary

How does one join the dots between heritage cycling and wetlands? The Heritage Committee of The Bengal Chamber of Commerce

Protecting plants specially roses and hibiscus from rains using temporary shade ‘Gone with the Wind!’ … literally many of our plants

Painted Stork Rabindra Sarobar or Dhakuria Lakes is south Kolkata’s signature address, surrounded by the Southern Avenue to the north, Russa

Somendra Mohan Ghosh is a well-known environmentalist and green technologist  Citizens of Kolkata seem to be indifferent to the city’s critical

Howrah is often considered to be one of the most polluted cities of India, so much so that residents of

Have you heard the name of Prashanta Chandra? Perhaps not. But this middle-aged man is a familiar face in Mohanpur

“What happens if you take a rich magistrate’s son and make him learn in a village school sitting beside sons

He’ aaoa Iswar Jagat tangam noung Jagat rajya hasanichang Toa nangmoun jaonyanlaoa Uyon pelem ninga Pap kamang soun Taliyan agyenni soun Ta sayan jambo boko soun These words

Recovering Key Species for Ecosystem Restoration. This slightly ponderous phrase sums up the theme for the 2022 edition of World

West Bengal and Kolkata have a long association with nature. Poet Nazrul Islam had once written, “Ami hobo shokalbelar pakhi/

TIf trees are about grace and beauty then a Tree Walk down Dhakuria Lake displays a rare show. One such

A critically endangered resident of the Sundarbans is all set to get a new home, beginning a slow journey to recovery

An extravagant three-storied dome shaped museum-cum-hall and auditorium, which has been under construction since February 2017, is likely to be

IAs the state gears up for the Gangasagar Mela following all COVID protocols, one man is relentlessly trying his best

On July 29, 2019, India released the much-awaited and fairly delayed Tiger Census report 2018, which disclosed that the country

Representative Image Siachen Glacier, located near the Indo-Pak Line of Control, is known to be the highest battlefield in the world.

The first ‘Sundarban Dibas’ (Sundarban Day) was conceptualised in 2002 and scheduled for August, but the date was later shifted

Elusive for more than 170 years, the Darjeeling Wildlife Division finally rediscovered the Satyr Tragopan Bird at the Senchel Wildlife

CCyclone Yaas which originated in the Bay of Bengal in the middle of May this year left behind a trail

Amandinea efflorescens The Zoological Survey of India (ZSI) has enlisted 30 new animal species, mainly fish and insects from Bengal discovered

World Rivers Day is celebrated on the fourth Sunday of September every year to increase public awareness about rivers and

Rhinos — with their awe-inducing presence and unique appearance — are some of the most fascinating animals on the planet.

Red Pandas are possibly the cutest animals in existence. We humans find them particularly irresistible and that’s because our brains

“There is nothing like the thrill of walking through the jungle looking for a tiger and knowing they could be

West Bengal’s very own Padmaja Naidu Himalayan Zoological Park (also called the Darjeeling Zoo), is the largest high altitude zoo

“A bicycle ride around the world begins with a single pedal stroke.” (Scott Stoll) What happens when one is bitten by

For two consecutive years, tropical super cyclones Amphan (May 20, 2020) and Yaas (May 26, 2021) ravaged coastal Bengal, Orissa

Trees are the stabilizers of the planet's ecosystem. They contribute to the environment by providing oxygen, improving air quality, climate

Last year on May 20, super cyclone Amphan struck West Bengal’s shores and left a trail of destruction in several

Saheli Mitra is a passionate gardener and runs her own tree group called To Trees With Love. She is also

Diptarka Ghosh is a research scholar in Zoology and a passionate environmentalist West Bengal might be a small state in size,

It was a rainy August evening in the village of Panchal in Bankura. Farmer Bhairab Saini, famous for his rare

The West Bengal Government has drawn up a Rs 120-crore East Kolkata Wetland Management Plan to save the “lungs and

‘Go Green’ is a catchy slogan in itself, and we have perhaps become used to mouthing it without really meaning

“Where have the 50 million mangroves gone? Last year, there was big talk that they would be planted. How many

Cyclone Yaas may have changed course slightly to take in more of Odisha and less of West Bengal, but it

You couldn’t make this script up. As we approach the first anniversary of the utter devastation caused by Amphan, which

A massive rise in energy demand as well as rapid depletion of the fossil fuels has forced the entire world

The state Assembly elections are knocking at the door and all political party heads are busy finalizing their manifestos before

We do a lot of ‘ooh and aah,’ hurling praises when European heads of states ride a bicycle to the

On February 18, Eco Park played host to a somewhat unusual two-hour workshop -- on the local floral species and

Rabindra Sarobar World Soil Day is not something most ordinary people would know about. However, it has been internationally observed on

Those were the colonial days when British settlers were obsessed with transforming native Calcutta into swanky London. The year was

Kolkata’s love for its trees appears to be growing. Unfortunately, thus far, not a single political party has incorporated a

When the North Indian states of Haryana, Delhi and Punjab are grappling with severe air pollution this winter, like every

About two years ago, the state government formally announced Fishing Cat as the State Animal of West Bengal. However, the

“Rivers are the arteries of our planet; they are lifelines in the truest sense.” The Indian subcontinent was the scene of

You can now see Babu, the Chimpanzee playing pranks alone or even the elephants having their morning shower, sitting at

He lives in the shallow lakes of faraway North America but has landed up in a Bengal village almost 13,000

On World Elephant Day, what disturbs any naturalist of India is the Human-Pachyderm conflict. Something that over past many decades

Here is some good news for cycle enthusiasts who never got a chance to learn wheeling down city roads. As

Groups of women across several remote villages in the Sundarbans have added one more task to their long list of

This is a success story of replantation for sure. The 100-year-old iconic Baobab Tree that stood like a giant at

‘I am a tiger… Don’t come near me or I might BITE!’ It is a common adage that in forests where

It’s always said, whatever comes, nature always goes on. So even amid the pandemic COVID-19 that is wreaking havoc across

Three young college students from Halishahar have dreams to make it big in life. Prashanta Mandal and Sagar Das are

A couple of decades ago snake charmers used to be a fixture at Indian markets and festivals, enchanting crowds with

When a species experiences catastrophic population decline, any bit of good news is cause for celebration. Six Himalayan Griffons which

Jackson woke me up even before the alarm bell rang. He had a bowl of hot semolina porridge (Suji halwa)

There are two bifurcating footways from the wall that lead to Kibo Hut. Two porters who were walking in front

The way ahead of us was visible from the spot we stood. It was ragged and barren for miles ex-cept

India will witness the ‘deepest’ annular solar eclipse of the century today, and the sun may appear as a necklace

January 25, 2019. “Dream is not that which you see while sleeping. It is something that does not let you

The Electric buses or E-buses that was launched in Kolkata in 2019 to reduce the air pollution of the city

We were surrounded by a large crowd of porters, cooks and guides who were accompanying different climbers. Some were on

I suddenly woke up with a start. There was a strange uneasiness in my body and I was sweating profusely.

Cyclone Amphan did not only affect humans, and fell trees, it also caused a major damage to the birds of

My journey on my bicycle, ‘Chetak’ continued with my local guide Bruno. I started my ascend atop the ‘Mountain of

Last week it was Cyclone Nisarga, couple of weeks before that it was Cyclone Amphan. And despite both being cyclones,

The fine yellow rounded Bele fish eggs deep fried with warm rice on a rainy afternoon just after school, well,

It was January 23, 2019. As I woke up at dawn, I recalled the date -- January 23, the birth

Cyclone Amphan had not just brought misery to the residents of Bengal, but it ravaged the green cover of the

The portrait of the Mother Elephant standing in a Kerala pond in pain with its unborn child within and dying

They are known as the Jungle Crows, but do not confuse them with any birds hovering on the Maidan, the

I had often wondered how the jackfruit tree of our garden had grown in a narrow alley just in the

If you thought the time has finally arrived to save nature, in the backdrop of COVID 19 and Cyclone Amphan,

"আজ মঙ্গলবার। পাড়ার জঙ্গল সাফ করবার দিন। সব ছেলেরা দঙ্গল বেঁধে যাবে। রঙ্গলালবাবুও এখনি আসবেন। আর আসবেন তাঁর দাদা বঙ্গবাবু।

Kolkata’s oldest citizen, the 270-year-old Great Banyan Tree of Indian Botanical Gardens at Shibpur has been ravaged by Cyclone Amfaan.

Bengal is not new to cyclones. Just like Orissa, due to the geographical position and topographical curves, severe cyclones have

Can you imagine endangered Dolphins playing along Baboo Ghat! Well, this is not a story of fiction, but a true

Dear Humans, I am breathing at last, yes my wounds are healing too, my sky looks crystal clear, not a tinge

It was only a couple of weeks ago when Bronx Zoo came up with a scary data that one of

Many in the city probably wake up these days to the chirping of sparrows and bulbuls or even the sweet

It is often said Buxa Tiger Reserve was once upon a time one of the largest tiger reserves of Bengal

Do animals have a mind? Do they have consciousness? Can they feel empathy, agony or ecstasy? Are they capable of

The cleaning up at Santragachhi Jheel by the authority has come as a big surprise for Bengal’s ornithologists. Citrine wagtail This year