CONTENTS
April 2018
On the cover
The Horsfi eld’s spiny lizard or the
Nilgiri salea is an agamid endemic
to the high altitudes of the Western
Ghats inluding the Nilgiri and Palini
Hills. The photographer used a wide
angle macro lens to get this unusual
perspective of the lizard as it held
still on to the trunk of a tree. Like
millions of other organisms on this
wonderful planet of ours, this lizard,
unaware as it may be, plays a crucial
role in the larger scheme of things.
NEWS
8 World Scan Greater mouse-eared
bat’s secret to longevity, Only 50 Asiatic
cheetahs are left in the wild, Leading illegal
wildlife trade investigator killed, Early Arctic
spring, Borneo’s orangutans in trouble.
9 India Scan 22 lakh trees to be cut in
Telangana, Securing tribal rights, Crime
study in Uttarakhand, PAs at risk of
losing tigers.
10 Climate Watch Himalaya warms
up, King penguins in jeopardy? Plastic
continues to ail India, Solar and wind
power can meet 80 per cent of U.S.A.’s
energy needs.
Photographer: Varun H. B.
PHOTO FEATURE
12 The Long and Short of Beaks
Evolution has bestowed upon birds a
remarkable tool, which they use for a
variety of purposes ranging from eating,
preening, manipulating objects, killing
prey, probing for food, courtship and
feeding their young. On these pages,
Sanctuary presents a visual insight into
the fascinating feeding strategies and
behaviour of waders and shore birds.
70 WCT’s Camera Trapping Outside
Protected Areas President of the
Wildlife Conservation Trust Anish Andheria
provides a fi rst-hand account of the
remarkable work being done by the
organisation to monitor forests outside the
protected area network of central India.PEOPLE
30 Wildlife Hero Kishor Rithe remembers
his guide and friend - former forest offi cer
and birder extraordinaire Parashuram Lad,
who passed away earlier this year.
32 Meet Sunil Mehta Bittu Sahgal
speaks to eco-entrepreneur Sunil Mehta
to understand how his tourism initiatives
are benefi tting local communities and
what he believes is the way forward for
the sector.78 Obituary – Prof. Ratan Lal
Brahmachary Dr. Silanjan Bhattacharyya
writes about pioneering scientist
and beloved teacher Prof. Ratan Lal
Brahmachary, who was his constant guide
on the path of nature and excellence.
88 NGO Profi le Anirudh Nair speaks
to wildlife conservationist Hans Dalal to
learn about the organisation Preservation
of Wild Landscapes (PROWL) that he
co-founded in 2013.NATURAL HISTORY
38 Not So Invincible In Maharashtra’s Pench
Tiger Reserve, a humble pangolin meets the
utimate predator of the Indian jungle.
81 What’s That? Marvel at the
magnifi cence of an unearthly vision
encountered in the marine depths of
the ocean.
84 Sanctuary Papers Oddments of
natural history, with a few scientifi c
discoveries thrown in for good measure.Report
40 How Do You Dream of Going To Sea
Neha Sinha encounters wild species dealing
with the menace of human waste on a
pelagic birding trip. She pens an introspective
piece forcing readers to rethink their
relationship with the ocean.24 Earth Day – The Quiet Changemakers
Ordinary people can and will make a diff erence. In our cover story, we
acknowledge the power of people’s movements across the globe... and we
bring to you in their own words, the initiatives taken by ordinary citizens to
make this planet a better place to live. As a great soul once rightly said, “Be
the change that you wish to see in the world.”12