A tiny Yemeni island, Socotra’s strange dragon’s blood trees harvest moisture from fog to survive extreme aridity; 90% of its reptiles and 95% of its land snails are found nowhere else, creating an ecosystem unlike any otherSocotra island boasts unique plants and animals that evolved in isolation. Its dragon's blood trees and cucumber trees store water and have...
25 Aug, 2026, 04.49 PM IST
In the 1990s, a predatory flatworm was released in Samoa to control giant African snails; it later drove native island snails toward extinctionBiological control efforts introduced the New Guinea flatworm to Pacific islands. This predator began hunting native land snails, pushing t...
19 Aug, 2026, 06.58 PM IST
In 1955, Hawaiʻi released a predatory snail to control giant African snails; it climbed into native forests and helped wipe out rare tree snailsIn Hawaii, the introduction of the rosy wolfsnail was intended to combat a pest, but it drastically backfired. Instead of targeting its int...
14 Aug, 2026, 03.10 PM IST
In 1837, New Zealand fur promoters released Australian possums to build a new industry; the first attempt failed, so settlers kept trying until the animals invaded the countryNew Zealand settlers introduced Australian possums in 1837 for a fur trade venture. This initial plan failed, but subsequent attempts event...
30 Jul, 2026, 05.12 PM IST
4 Newly Described Species That Sound Fake But Aren’tScientists are accelerating the discovery and formal naming of thousands of new species annually, from predatory sponges to snails with har...
05 Feb, 2026, 09.10 PM IST
Most money for endangered species goes to a small number of creatures, leaving others in limboSince the passage of the Endangered Species Act, over 1,700 species in the US have been listed as threatened or endangered. However, there ...
30 Dec, 2023, 04.11 PM IST
Burning Man Festival 2022: Attendees stuck in 8-hour-long traffic congestion on Black Rock Desert road, pics go viralThe Burning Man Festival, held three years post the Covid lockdown period, brought in colossal traffic queues as people traveled from all o...
07 Sep, 2022, 12.51 PM IST
Researchers discover new species of snail-eating snake in Arunachal Pradesh25 Dec, 2020, 10.22 PM IST
Why do investors pick wrong mutual fund schemes? Answer might surprise youBlame it on the volatile market. There is deluge of messages on etmutualfunds.com official Facebook page these days.
01 Mar, 2019, 11.16 AM IST
- Land snails in bright hues need study for protection
The brightly coloured land snail Indrella ampulla is found exclusively in the Western Ghats, but what it looks like would depend largely on...
31 Aug, 2015, 06.00 AM IST
- ZSI monitoring climate change impact on Sundarban animals
To measure the effect of climate change on the flora and fauna of Sundarbans, the Zoological Survey of India has set up monitoring bases in...
02 Jul, 2015, 12.08 PM IST
'Vampire' plants can have positive impact on food chainParasitic 'vampire' plants that attach onto and derive nutrients from another living plant could benefit the abundance and diversity of sur...
06 Jun, 2015, 11.48 AM IST
Ministry for blanket green policy on border roadsSources said the proposal is being mooted after environment and forest minister Prakash Javadekar, announced that a policy framework was be...
14 Jun, 2014, 12.02 PM IST
32 nesting sites for crocodiles foundWildlife personnel in Bhitarkanika National Park in Odisha's Kendrapara district have spotted 32 nesting sites of estuarine crocodiles as t...
25 Jun, 2013, 10.08 PM IST
- Green cover loss spells doom for animals
Kolkata is home to three highly endangered and an endangered species of animals. But the rate at which the city is losing its green cover a...
04 Nov, 2012, 04.55 AM IST
Giant African land snail invading Madhya Pradesh threatens to consume plants and infectYou might have seen some insects invading earth in numerous Hollywood movies, now its time to get real. A giant dangerous snail is graduall...
19 Oct, 2012, 01.40 PM IST
- From butterflies to giant Squids, world's spineless creatures being pushed to extinction
In a first ever evaluation of how invertebrates, that is, spineless creatures, are surviving in the face of human intervention, a study has...
05 Sep, 2012, 06.51 PM IST