The crisis is not only ecological but cultural, symbolizing the collapse of protection strategies and the fragility of coexistence in a land where these pachyderms once roamed freely.
on this World Ranger Day, while the world scrolls through headlines, the forest remembers – not in words, but in silence. In every rustling leaf, in every tiger that crosses a camera trap, in every rhino calf curled beside its mother – it remembers those who guard it, so others may live.
In recent years, a series of proposed mineral extraction projects along this fragile stretch, particularly near Alampil Beach in Mullaitivu district, has triggered alarm among environmentalists, local residents, and civil society.
From green energy projects imposed without consent to policy decisions made in rooms where Indigenous voices are absent, these communities are too often excluded from climate solutions, displaced by them, and denied the resources to lead the way.
Meena’s work has not only built a thriving local economy but has also contributed to a 70 percent reduction in forest fires over the past year. What began as survival has become stewardship, and a local economy built leaf by leaf.
The poaching crisis extends to elephants, India's National Heritage Animal. In the Malayattoor forest division of Kerala, between 2013 and 2015, at least 18 elephants were slaughtered for ivory.
Conservationists, activists, and newspaper editorials in India have long been expressing concerns about the “decline” and “neglect” of wetland ecosystems across India.
The centre has sounded an alarm over the likely impact of El Niño on India's 2026 southwest monsoon, warning that 315 districts across 12 states could face significant rainfall deficits during the crucial kharif cropping season.
As South Asia grapples with climate vulnerabilities, economic disparities, and historical animosities, initiatives like COVA’s video competition offer a beacon of hope.
The centre has sounded an alarm over the likely impact of El Niño on India's 2026 southwest monsoon, warning that 315 districts across 12 states could face significant rainfall deficits during the crucial kharif cropping season.
As South Asia grapples with climate vulnerabilities, economic disparities, and historical animosities, initiatives like COVA’s video competition offer a beacon of hope.