Kerala forests home to new spider species

Aathira Perinchery, Kochi The Hindu, Arpil 6 2019 A group of jumping spiders that mostly occur in Eurasia and Africa, has been spotted for the first time in Ernakulam’s Illithodu forests by arachnologists from Kochi’s Sacred Heart College, Thevara. The team also found that the spider belonging to the genus (a taxonomic classification...

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Greens come to rescue of Olive ridley turtles

Sam Paul A, Alappuzha The Hindu, April 6, 2019 Overcoming the challenges posed by the August deluge, heatwave and other impediments, environmentalists and local people have incubated and released 226 hatchlings of endangered Olive ridley turtle to sea at Thottappally coast. The last of the hatchlings of the current nesting season...

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Fire ravages Kurinji sanctuary, Pampadum Shola

Giji K Raman, Idukki The Hindu, April 2 2019 The wildfires that started at Anchunadu and Vattavada four days ago reached the proposed Kurinji sanctuary and Pampadum Shola National Park on Tuesday, causing large-scale destruction. Sources in the Forest Department said large plantations of grantis and eucalyptus were destroyed in...

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Kerala is home to two new plant species

Aathira Perinchery, Kochi The Hindu, April 3, 2019 A small ironwood tree that bears clumps of white flowers on its stalks, and a new species of wild fern are the latest additions to Kerala’s flora. Researchers at the University of Calicut’s Department of Botany discovered the new species of ironwood, Memecylon idukkianum, from the...

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