Author Archives: LakesOfIndia

Located in the Erode district of Tamil Nadu this hospitable sanctuary is home to about 150 migratory and nonmigratory species of birds. With tons of water and agricultural land nearby thousands of native and migratory birds visit this wetland every year. Though the total land area within the sanctuary is very little the flora presentContinue reading “Vellode Bird Sanctuary – A Safe Heaven for All Birds”

When most think of Pondicherry, they usually think of the picturesque French colonies and resorts, the clean-looking beaches, and the Auroville township. But known only to locals, it is a very interesting species of reptile. Described first by Edward Blyth in 1853, the reptile according to his lens, had “a long slender body, an elongatedContinue reading “Pondicherry’s Unique Reptile Story”

Often at times, when people hear of Kerala, they think of, naturally, bananas, coconuts, lush plantations, and of course, the infamous houseboats. When you look up pictures of Kerala and see the beautifully crafted houseboats floating through a clear body of water, it is likely that you are looking at the Vembanad Lake, the largestContinue reading “India’s Largest Lake is Struggling to Breathe – The Major Issues Plaguing Vembanad”

Renewable energy sources have been all the buzz over the past decade. They refer to those sources which are replenished at a faster rate than they are consumed. Solar energy, sourced from sun rays, hydro energy, sourced from moving water, and wind power, sourced from winds are the most common forms of renewable energy seenContinue reading “The Paradox of Renewable Energy in India”

The term “cradle of speciation” describes an area where several new species have evolved over the years. High levels of biodiversity and a wide variety of ecosystems, such as mountains, islands, and rainforests, are frequent characteristics of these areas. India is known for its remarkable biodiversity, making it a cradle of speciation. The country hasContinue reading “The Cradle of Speciation”

When we think of Indian deserts, we only think of the Thar. The Sindh and Punjab provinces of Pakistan and Rajasthan both contain portions of the Thar or Great Indian Desert. The majority of us might not be familiar with the small desert found in Tamil Nadu called Theri. It only exists in the  Tiruchendur,Continue reading “Theri Kaadu – The Red Desert in Tamil Nadu”

by Rajshri Ravichandran India is one of the world’s 12 major biodiversity countries. Ten biogeographic regions make up the nation. Diverse physical characteristics and climatic conditions have created biological habitats such as forests, grasslands, marshes, coastal and marine ecosystems, and desert ecosystems, which house and support enormous biodiversity. Additionally, this nation is one of theContinue reading “India, a Megadiverse Country”

by Rajshri Ravichandran Trees, from the massive redwoods to the delicate dogwoods, cannot exist without their microbial companions. A large, linked network of organisms called fungi and bacteria, numbering in the millions, exchange nourishment between soil and tree roots throughout the forest. Currently, using data of much more than 28,000 species of trees found inContinue reading “Wood Wide Web”

എന്നെ നിങ്ങൾക്ക് നന്നായി അറിയാമായിരിക്കും, ഞാൻ മീനച്ചിലാർ സഹ്യനിൽ നിന്നും ഒഴുകിയെത്തുന്ന പാലായുടെ സ്വന്തം മീനച്ചിലാർ. ഒഴുകിയെത്തുമ്പോൾ പല പേരുകൾ കേൾക്കുമെങ്കിലും മീനച്ചില്ലെന്ന് കേൾക്കാനാ എനിക്ക് ഇഷ്ടം. വരുന്ന വഴിയെല്ലാം ചാടിക്കളിച്ചും, ചെറിയ കുറുമ്പുകൾ കാട്ടിയും ഞാൻ ഇങ്ങനെ ഒഴുകികൊണ്ടേ ഇരിക്കുന്നു. ജനിച്ചപ്പോൾ എന്റെ ഏക ജോലി സഹ്യനിലേ മഴവെള്ളം അങ്ങ് വേമ്പനാട് കായലിൽ കൊണ്ടേൽപ്പിക്കുന്നതായിരുന്നു. പക്ഷേ ഞാനിന്ന് ഒരു വലിയ സമൂഹത്തിനെ ഭാഗമാണ്. Image Source: The Hindu ഇക്കണ്ട മനുഷ്യർക്കും സസ്യ ജന്തു ജീവജാലങ്ങൾക്കുമെല്ലാംContinue reading “മീനച്ചിലാർ മനസ് തുറന്നപ്പോൾ”

Luni River is the only saline river in India. The word “Luni” is taken from the Sanskrit word “lavanavari,” which signifies salt water. The high salinity of the river is the reason behind its name. For the initial hundred kilometres, the freshwater in Luni is fresh, but as it gets closer to Balotra in Barmer,Continue reading “Luni River”