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If you thought <keyword id="6359858" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="Alcohol" source="Orion">alcohol</keyword> was just a human vice, think again! Animals might be indulging in nature’s own happy hour more often than we ever imagined. Ecologists are starting to turn this idea on its head, revealing that boozy snacks are far more common in the wild than previously thought. <h2>How animals stumble upon alcohol</h2>When fruits are left to ripen a little too long, especially when drenched in warm sunlight, they naturally ferment into a natural brew. Stories of “drunk” animals like elephants, monkeys, and birds toppling around after munching on <keyword id="23742494" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="fermented-fruits" source="keywords">fermented fruits</keyword> have been around for ages, but scientists used to think these incidents were rare flukes. But now, they’re rethinking it. "We’re moving away from this anthropocentric view that ethanol is just something that humans use," says study author Kimberley Hockings. "It's much more abundant in the natural world than we previously thought, and most animals that eat sugary fruits are going to be exposed to some level of ethanol." <div type="Article" hostid="261" msid="114540943" title="Karnataka to go Goa way and allow alcohol sales in coastal cities to lure tourists" mstype="2" mssubtype="0"></div>In fact, ethanol — yep, the stuff in booze — has been around for over 100 million years. When flowering plants first started making nectar and fruits, natural yeast joined the party, creating alcohol in the process. Today, it’s pretty much everywhere, especially in humid, tropical regions, where fermentation-friendly conditions are available year-round. <h2>Built for the booze</h2>For most wild critters, alcohol isn’t about the buzz; it’s about the calories. According to molecular ecologist Matthew Carrigan, animals prioritise the energy found in these boozy treats rather than the “fun” side effects. “From an ecological perspective, it is not advantageous to be inebriated as you're climbing around in the trees or surrounded by predators at night — that's a recipe for not having your genes passed on,” Carrigan points out. Unlike us humans, animals want the energy but prefer to skip the hangover. Interestingly, animals seem to be pretty well-equipped to handle alcohol. They’ve harboured genes that can degrade ethanol for millions of years, long before natural yeast even got into the game. Primates, birds, and tree shrews that enjoy fruit and nectar have evolved a strong tolerance for it, allowing them to take advantage of ethanol’s calories without too much of a head-spin. <h2>Why do animals bother?</h2>It might seem counterintuitive, but ethanol could have a few perks for wild animals. It’s calorie-dense, helping to fuel their bodies when food is scarce, and some of the odorous byproducts of fermentation can act as a food signal. So, while animals likely aren’t sniffing around for alcohol itself, they could be drawn to the scent of rotting fruits. <div type="Article" hostid="261" msid="114453591" title="The Liver Doc shares brain scan of 40-year-old on alcohol; highlights link between brain strokes and drinking" mstype="2" mssubtype="0"></div>Insects like fruit flies have even shown a medicinal benefit to ethanol. Fruit fly larvae consume more ethanol when they're fighting off parasites like wasps. The ethanol seems to make their internal environment less hospitable to invaders, which is an intriguing example of self-medicating in the wild. “On the cognitive side, ideas have been put forward that ethanol can trigger the endorphin and dopamine system, which leads to feelings of relaxation that could have benefits in terms of sociality.” as behavioral ecologist Anna Bowland points out. You can imagine animals bonding over a boozy snack – kind of how humans sharing a beer! There’s still a lot we don’t know about how alcohol impacts animals in the wild. Do certain species seek it out more than others? Does ethanol consumption affect their social lives, family dynamics, or evolutionary adaptations? Hockings and her team plan to dig deeper, studying how alcohol impacts behavior and metabolism in animals, particularly primates. The findings of this research have been published in Trends in Ecology &amp; Evolution and can be accessed <a href="https://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.tree.2024.09.005">here</a>.

A lot more animals are alcoholics than we thought! Here’s how they get their booze

Back in the 1800s, during the Industrial Revolution, pollution darkened tree barks and peppered moths developed darker colours that allowed them to blend in and evade predators. While this controversial case has been debated among scientists at length, new research has provided an intriguing parallel to this classic example of the effect human activity can have on other species. New research from the University of Otago has uncovered a striking example of <keyword id="23684492" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="rapid-evolution" source="keywords">rapid evolution</keyword> in New Zealand's native stoneflies, which have changed colour in response to <keyword id="20657663" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="deforestation" source="keywords">deforestation</keyword> caused by human activity. Published in Science, the study is one of the most definitive cases yet of <keyword id="23684494" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="animal-evolution" source="keywords">animal evolution</keyword> driven by <keyword id="23684493" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="human-driven-environmental-changes" source="keywords">human-driven environmental changes</keyword>, the researchers believe. Professor Jon Waters, a zoology expert and co-author of the study, explains how deforestation altered the stoneflies' colouring. “In natural, forested regions, one stonefly species has evolved ‘warning’ colours, mimicking the appearance of a poisonous species to deter predators. But with forest removal, the poisonous species disappeared, eliminating the need for mimicry. As a result, the stonefly in deforested areas evolved into a different colour altogether.” Dr Graham McCulloch, another co-author of the study, highlights the adaptability of some native species in the face of these rapid environmental changes. “Our study shows that some species have the resilience to adapt to human-caused changes, even when the shift is abrupt,” says Dr. McCulloch. What was particularly fascinating was that stonefly populations in separate deforested areas independently evolved similar colour changes, suggesting that evolution can be a somewhat predictable process. While this discovery is a hopeful example of adaptation, the research also underscores the intricate and delicate balance in <keyword id="23684495" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="ecological-interactions" source="keywords">ecological interactions</keyword> that can be disrupted by deforestation.

New Zealand’s native stoneflies have changed colour in response to human-driven environmental shifts

Dehradun/Pithoragarh, <keyword id="20396265" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="Wildlife-experts" source="keywords">Wildlife experts</keyword> have interpreted the sighting of a lowland bird like the peacock at a height of 6,500 feet in <keyword id="19918812" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="Uttarakhand" source="keywords">Uttarakhand</keyword> as an unusual development caused by <keyword id="23460848" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="ecological-changes" source="keywords">ecological changes</keyword> in the <keyword id="20128077" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="Himalayan-region" source="keywords">Himalayan region</keyword> due to increased <keyword id="20823384" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="human-activity" source="keywords">human activity</keyword>. The bird was spotted twice in the forests of <keyword id="20604235" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="Bageshwar-district" source="keywords">Bageshwar district</keyword> in the state. It was first seen in the Kafligair forest range in April and then in Kathayatbara forests on October 5, a senior official said. "It is surprising that the peacock which is usually found at an elevation of 1,600 feet has been sighted at an altitude of 6,500 feet. It is due to ecological changes that have started affecting wildlife migration," Dhyan Singh Karayat, a forest official in Bageshwar forest division said on Monday. Senior scientist of Dehradun-based <keyword id="20392082" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="Wildlife-Institute-of-India" source="keywords" meta.keywordsubtype="org" meta.entityname="Wildlife Institute of India" meta.hostid="261" meta.entityid="Wildlife Institute of India">Wildlife Institute of India</keyword> (WII) Dr Suresh Kumar said though such sightings are not common they should not baffle wildlife experts. The peacock falls into the generalist species of bird that is not so selective or choosy about its habitat. Though, traditionally a lowland bird, it has been found at higher than normal elevations in neighbouring Himachal Pradesh also, Kumar said. One reason may be that even the hill regions are no longer as cold as they used to be and the peacock finds the climate in higher altitudes conducive enough for habitation, he said. "Increased human activity like farming and expanding human settlements in the higher reaches of the mountains have led to warmer conditions at higher altitudes which may have led to this <keyword id="23460850" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="altitudinal-migration" source="keywords">altitudinal migration</keyword> of the peacock. But it may be a seasonal shift too, " Kumar told PTI. "With the onset of winter, it will get colder in the hills and the lowland bird may retreat to its original habitat conditions," he said. When asked whether it reflects a habitat-shifting tendency among peacocks in general, Kumar said it would be premature to draw a conclusion like that with just two sightings. However, if such sightings become more frequent, it would definitely reflect a general tendency among peacocks to shift habitat, he said.

Peacock sighting at 6,500 feet in Uttarakhand unusual, say experts

At face value, <keyword id="22033093" type="General" weightage="100" keywordseo="instant-noodles" source="keywords">instant noodles</keyword> and mountains may not seem like they have a ton in common. But if you’re a park staff member in charge of the tallest mountain in <keyword id="19916007" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="South-Korea" source="keywords">South Korea</keyword>, the unlikely conjunction of these things has probably proven as the latest hair-ripping ordeal. <keyword id="22257508" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="Mount-Halla" source="keywords">Mount Halla</keyword>, the highest mountain in South Korea, stands tall and proud on the volcanic paradise of <keyword id="21069831" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="Jeju-Island" source="keywords">Jeju Island</keyword>. At 6,388 feet, this towering peak is a magnet for hikers, who bring along their favourite hiking snack — <keyword id="22033002" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="ramen-noodles" source="keywords">ramen noodles</keyword>. However, a peculiar ritual has emerged: after slurping their noodles, hikers discard the leftover broth on the ground. This has resulted in a surprising ecological conundrum, reports the Smithsonian Magazine. According to the Korea Times’ Jung Da-hyun, visitors are dumping between 26 and 31 gallons of ramen broth daily. The salty liquid is threatening to seep into streams, jeopardising aquatic <keyword id="20112352" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="wildlife" source="keywords">wildlife</keyword>. and the mountain’s endangered plant species. To top it off, the unmistakable scent of ramen is attracting crows and weasels, turning Mount Halla into a veritable buffet for wildlife. In response to this noodle nuisance, the National Park Office of Mount Halla decided that the best course of action was to put their hikers on a diet. Signs posted around the park have advised tourists to cut their noodle and water portions in half. In addition, the park staff have also installed five giant containers where hikers can pour out their leftover broth. These "broth banks" aim to prevent the salty deluge from disrupting the mountain’s delicate ecosystem. Jeju Island, which houses Mount Halla, is a <keyword id="21859378" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="tourist-hotspot" source="keywords">tourist hotspot</keyword> known for its dramatic lava tube caves, stunning waterfalls, rocky formations, and towering cliffs. The island and its geological marvels were designated a <keyword id="19985185" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="UNESCO-World-Heritage-Site" source="keywords">UNESCO World Heritage Site</keyword> in 2007. In 2023, Mount Halla saw an influx of over nine lakh visitors, as per CNN.

How is instant noodles disrupting the ecology of South Korea’s tallest mountain?

Guwahati (Assam) [India], November 28 (ANI): To attain a better understanding of <keyword id="2966017" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="forest-ecology" source="Orion">forest ecology</keyword> in the urban landscape, Aaranyak organised an event titled Nature's Wonderland - A journey of curiosity, supported by Wipro Foundation and LEA Associates South Asia Pvt. Ltd. (LASA), focusing on forest biodiversity at the RReserve Forest, Kamrup District. Ten students of Rani High School participated in the journey accompanied by their faculty, Prarthana Mudoi and Kakali Buragohain organised on Sunday. "Deforestation, the urban heat island (UHI) effect, freshwater scarcity, pollution, flash floods and climate change are the pertinent issues clouding the metropolis," Aaranyak stated in a press statement. With cities becoming the locus of economy, trade, and logistics, landscapes around the world are changing due to rapid urbanisation. Cities are swelling with population influx in search of education, employment, lifestyle, and health care at the cost of natural resources like land, air, forests, rivers, streams, wetlands, croplands, etc. Aaranyaks Biologist, Jigyas Boruah briefed the participants about the art and science of birdwatching, and the use and adjustment of binoculars to take pleasure in birdwatching. Baruah described the ecology and habitat characteristics of the birds, Scarlet Minivet (Pericrocotus speciosus), Bronzed Drongo (Dicrurus aeneus), Black-hooded Oriole (Oriolus xanthornus), White-throated Kingfisher (Halcyon smyrnensis), Black-crested Bulbul (Rubigula flaviventris), spotted by the students while trailing in the Reserve Forest. Amid the environmental challenges, Guwahati, the bowl-shaped city dotted by green-covered hills, is thriving due to the presence of forest in the city as well as in the periphery of the city. "These forests provide multiple environmental services like heat mitigation, air and noise pollution reduction, groundwater recharge as well as other nature-based solutions, and socio-economic and psychological benefits," Aaranyak further said. Aaranyaks environmentalist Tanvi Hussain gave the participants an insight into the satellite-based navigation device, GPS and the process of trilateration for determining the geo-location of a place widely used in all modern gadgets. The nature enthusiasts relieved their uphill climb tiredness meditating to the trickling music of the Kopili stream. While Aaranyaks Wasima Begum carried out a biodiversity understanding and story-telling session Leaves Museum by the fallen leaves collected by the students on the trail. A group of students arranged the collected leaves as a flower to outline the variety and variability of flora and fauna. Another group arranged the leaves to depict Lord Ganesha to outline the shrinking of wild habitats emphasizing Human-Elephant coexistence. The activity threw light on the enthusiasm and awareness of the <keyword id="4550079" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="GenZ" source="Orion">GenZ</keyword> on environmental issues and biodiversity conservation. The coordination and conduction of the journey were shouldered by Aaranyaks Pranab Goswami and Wasima Begum facilitated by Bijay Kalita and Bikash Goyari. (ANI)

GenZ expresses their concern over shrinking wildlife habitat

Rare metals found on seabeds could be key to green technology, but mining them could wreak ecological havoc on the ocean floor

A lakeside California town lay desolate after ecological disaster killed its fish and drove away residents. But through art, life found a way back.

<ul class="summary-list"><li>There's a 900-foot deep hole, now called The Taam ja' Blue Hole, off the Eastern coast of Mexico.</li><li>It's the second deepest blue hole known. The deepest is the Sansha Yongle Blue Hole near China.</li></ul>There's a 900-foot hole in the ocean off the Eastern coast of Mexico. The top of it is a near exact circle and covers an area of nearly 150,000 square feet.Just that area alone is three times the size of <a href="https://www.insider.com/michael-jordan-chicago-mansion-mj-2022-8">the mansion Michael Jordan has been trying (and failing) to sell for 10 years</a>.The hole is new to us, but not exactly new.Two years ago a local fisherman named Jesus Artemio Poot Villa helped scientists from a research center in Mexico discover the spot. Now those scientists have published a <a href="https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fmars.2023.1141160/full" target="_blank" rel="noopener">study about it in the journal Frontiers in Marine Science</a>.<div type="image" title="a collection of photos of the Taam ja’ Blue Hole show it full of marine life" height="3083" width="4020" msid="99738592" hostid="261"></div>They're calling it Taam ja', which means "deep water" in Mayan. The hole is in Chetumal Bay, most of which is about 6 to 16 feet deep.Taam ja' is the second-deepest blue hole we know about. The deepest is the Sansha Yongle Blue Hole near China. The Caribbean actually has a bunch of these, but none so deep.And 900 feet is really deep!<div type="image" title="a graph shows how deep the Taam ja’ Blue Hole is: 274.4 meters" height="3248" width="1843" msid="99738595" hostid="261"></div>The 60-story Bank of America Corporate Center in Charlotte, North Carolina, is the tallest skyscraper in the American South, <a href="https://www.skyscrapercenter.com/building/bank-of-america-corporate-center/711" target="_blank" rel="noopener">and it's only 871 feet</a>. So you could probably fit it in there. You wouldn't actually want to stick a skyscraper in the hole, because scientists are very excited to explore it, which <a href="https://conacyt.mx/identifican-segundo-agujero-azul-mas-profundo-del-mundo-en-la-bahia-de-chetumal-mexico/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">they say</a> could help them better understand Earth's climate a thousand years ago. (Studying climate history <a href="https://www.amnh.org/exhibitions/permanent/planet-earth/what-causes-climate-and-climate-change/why-study-past-climate#:~:text=The%20study%20of%20ancient%20climate,orbit%2C%20can%20steer%20dramatic%20changes." target="_blank" rel="noopener">can help us better predict</a> how the climate crisis could affect us and the planet.)<div type="image" title="Great Blue Hole, Coast of Belize" height="515" width="662" msid="99738596" hostid="261"></div>There's also a lot of life in these things. When it announced plans to explore another blue hole near Florida, <a href="https://oceanexplorer.noaa.gov/explorations/20blue-holes/welcome.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener">NOAA wrote</a>: "Blue holes are diverse biological communities full of marine life, including corals, sponges, mollusks, sea turtles, sharks, and more."So, yes, to scuba trips to Taam Ja'; no to stuffing skyscrapers down there.

They found a hole in the ocean near Mexico, and you could fit all of Bank of America's skyscraper HQ into it &mdash; but don't do that because it's an ecological marvel

<ul class="summary-list"><li>Seed bombing is when people throw capsules containing <keyword id="6356392" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="60" keywordseo="seeds">seeds</keyword> and fertilizers at vacant lots in urban areas.</li><li>Videos showing seed bombing have millions of views on TikTok. </li><li>It might seem uncontroversial, but it's technically illegal and, according to TikTok creators, is fundamentally political.</li></ul>"Illicit," "radical," and "revolutionary" are just some of the words TikTok's guerrilla gardeners used to describe the work that they do.By throwing seed bombs (capsules consisting of seeds and fertilizer) at vacant lots, the green-thumbed <keyword id="6354632" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="60" keywordseo="social-media">social media</keyword> stars often break the law and flout local regulations.Several of these creators told Insider that they are engaging in a righteous act of civil disobedience by launching the horticultural grenades. And that's why they're proud to publish them on TikTok, often to hundreds of thousands of viewers."It's political," said Ellen Miles, an environmental activist with over 50,000 TikTok followers, who goes by <a href="https://www.tiktok.com/@octaviachill?lang=en">@OctaviaChill</a> on the video-sharing platform. "And it's direct action that changes things for the better," she added.Read more: <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/landscape-designer-buys-trophy-trees-ultra-rich-clients-2021-6">I buy and move trophy trees for movie moguls and the ultra-rich, including $40,000 beech trees and 30-foot oaks</a> <h2>Seed bombing's rebellious roots</h2>Creating a seed bomb is simple, and TikTok is rife with tutorials on how to make them."You can wet some red clay powder, mix it with compost, mix the seeds in, which should be native to the region and noninvasive, and roll it into little balls and let them dry out," Miles told Insider. "Then you just literally <a href="https://www.insider.com/24-slang-words-teens-are-using-2020-what-they-mean-2020-12">yeet</a> them at the soil." Seed bombs are believed to have originated in Ancient Japan. They were known as <a href="https://www.rewildstudio.com/post/the-story-of-the-seed-bomb">Tsuchi Dango</a>, or "earth dumplings." They were also used by some <a href="https://heavypetal.ca/archives/2007/03/a-brief-history-of-the-seed-ball/">Indigenous North American tribes</a>.But the practice of throwing these capsules as a form of rebellion has its roots in 1970s New York.In 1973, a group of urbanites living in New York City's Lower East Side was desperate to transform the decaying urban jungle around them. Unable to convince local authorities to act, the group designed prototypal seed bombs to toss over fences and into vacant lots.Initially, the <a href="https://bcuassets.blob.core.windows.net/docs/CESR_Working_Paper_1_2011_Hardman.pdf">Green Guerillas used condoms filled with tomato seeds.</a> They did this to <a href="https://www.greenguerillas.org/history">reclaim urban land</a>, and make community gardens accessible to as many people as possible.Alaina Wood, also known as <a href="https://www.tiktok.com/@thegarbagequeen?lang=en">@thegarbagequeen</a>, is a sustainability communicator with almost 200,000 TikTok followers. She told Insider that the motivation for seed bombing is the wish to bring nature to disadvantaged communities."Many urban areas don't have green spaces, particularly for communities of color," Wood explained. "So, the premise is that they are going to turn these vacant spaces into something that will be useful and helpful for the community." <a href="https://www.tiktok.com/@prophet.jeremiah?lang=en">Jeremiah Jones</a>, an environmental activist with 13,000 followers on TikTok, said this is partly what inspired him to get involved with guerrilla <keyword id="6374745" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="60" keywordseo="gardening">gardening</keyword>."When we spend time in green space, you'll see that our health, emotionally, and our physical health depends on natural green space. So it's about amplifying that and making sure that everybody has access to that," Jones told Insider. <h2>'I wanted to do something tangible and immediate'</h2>Miles, 28, who runs an organization called <a href="https://www.natureisahumanright.earth/about">Nature is a Human Right</a> alongside her TikTok account, was so eager to remedy the problem of unequal access to nature that she left her job as a creative strategist to focus on it full-time.She told Insider that her mission feels particularly urgent because the pandemic has exacerbated the negative effects of nature deprivation. "Most of the things that are lethal comorbidities for COVID-19 are things that are fueled by being nature-deprived," Miles explained. "So heart and lung problems, diabetes, things like that, are all significantly worse if you live in a nature-deprived area. Then also, obviously, lockdowns have impacted people's mental health if they didn't have a park or a garden to escape to."Miles had tried to improve access to these spaces by using "top-down" approaches, like speaking to local authorities and petitioning the United Nations, but found that using social media was more efficient. "I got quite frustrated with the lack of pace at which things were going to change and I wanted to do something tangible and immediate," she said. "That's why I started guerilla gardening, and seed bombing, and started obviously posting about it on TikTok where the response was mad."Miles' videos have found a large and dedicated audience; her posts have more than one million likes on TikTok. Her success is part of a wider trend; seed bombing and guerrilla gardening videos perform particularly well on TikTok.The hashtags #seedbombs, #seedbomb, and #seedbombing collectively have over 5.4 million views on the social media platform. #guerrillagardening and #guerillagardening have over 10 million views in total.<h2>Gen Z loves the 'illicit' nature of seed bombing</h2>According to Kim Karlsrud, the co-founder of the <a href="http://www.thecommonstudio.com/greenaid">COMMONstudio</a>, a creative agency that distributes seed bomb vending machines around the US, Gen Zers on TikTok are attracted to seed bombing videos because its transgressive."There's something kind of sexy and compelling about illicitly planting seeds," she told Insider.Seedbombing is technically illegal in most parts of the US, according to <a href="https://www.conservationjobs.co.uk/articles/is-guerrilla-gardening-a-form-of-vandalism-or-conservation/#:~:text=and%20Conservation%2C%20%40FloraHaynes-,Guerrilla%20gardening%20is%20defined%20as%20gardening%20done%20without%20permission%20on,such%20as%20gardening%20at%20night).">Conservation Jobs</a>, but few people have ever been prosecuted for it.Some creators avoid the slim possibility of being caught by wearing balaclavas and doing it in the dead of night, whereas others wear high-visibility jackets to look inconspicuous.Jones, who goes by <a href="https://www.tiktok.com/@prophet.jeremiah?lang=en">@prophet.jeremiah</a> on TikTok, does neither of these things. He said he is at peace with the fact that he could one day be arrested."I understand that might be the consequences of the actions that I'm taking, and that's okay because those actions are advancing values that not only I believe in but I think benefit everybody," he said.Jones said that guerrilla gardening is "revolutionary," and he would urge those thinking of partaking not to be put off by the legal risks. "I'd thank you for getting in the trenches," he said.Flower power is rising, and the revolution will not be televised - it will be posted on Tiktok.

TikTok creators are sharing videos of themselves illegally launching seed bombs at vacant lots, and they say it's part of a 'radical' war on urban eyesores and racial inequality

<ul><li><keyword id="277759" type="PERSON" weightage="20" keywordseo="Gowri-Shankar">Gowri Shankar</keyword> and his wife Sharmila have set up and run two organisations - Kalinga Centre for Rainforest Ecology (KCRE) and a non-profit organisation called <keyword id="2010968" type="PERSON" weightage="20" keywordseo="Kalinga-Foundation">Kalinga Foundation</keyword> in <keyword id="839580" type="PERSON" weightage="20" keywordseo="Agumbe">Agumbe</keyword>, <keyword id="6354780" type="ENTERTAINMENT" weightage="20" keywordseo="Karnataka">Karnataka</keyword>.</li><li>Shankar has rescued close to 400 king cobras and trained around 800 civilians across the country on how to ethically rescue snakes under his brainchild STORM programme.</li><li>While tracking a female cobra, Shankar inadvertently ended up tracking the male who ate the female that had the transmitter in her stomach.</li></ul> The idea of coming face-to-face with a tiny garden snake is enough to make most tremble, but for Gowri Shankar, a wildlife biologist with a passionate love for the <keyword id="396734" type="PERSON" weightage="20" keywordseo="King-Cobra">king cobra</keyword>, it was an incentive to quit his job at IFB, a washing machine company and make a beeline for the rainforests of Agumbe in Karnataka. Shankar’s career trajectory is quite remarkable, mainly because, at that time, very little was known about wildlife conservation 20-25 years back. He quit his cushy job and joined Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (SPCA), now called Karuna, as an animal inspector to rescue snakes. He moved on to Madras Crocodile Bank as an education officer under the mentorship of the famous Indian herpetologist and wildlife conservationist <keyword id="350280" type="PERSON" weightage="20" keywordseo="Romulus-Whitaker">Romulus Whitaker</keyword>. The calling from Agumbe came when Whitaker wanted to set up a field station there and needed Shankar to help him set up the field station and work with wild king cobras. He is now pursuing a PhD on king cobras from North Orissa University. Gowri Shankar and his wife Sharmila have now set up and run two organisations - Kalinga Centre for Rainforest Ecology (KCRE) and a non-profit organisation called Kalinga Foundation. Anyone from a software engineer to a photographer or even an organic farmer can join the workshops held at KCRE and learn about and get up close and personal with the wildlife marvels of the rainforest. And the Kalinga Foundation has been set up as a research station primarily for science students where they can learn on-field techniques to make them better scientists. <div type="image" title="A STORM Chennai workshop" msid="81480037" hostid="261" caption="&amp;lt;p&amp;gt;A STORM Chennai workshop&amp;lt;/p&amp;gt;"></div> Edited excerpts of Business Insider’s conversation with Shankar follow: What is it that fascinates you about the king cobra? When I was young, I used to drop my sister at her college and go straight to <keyword id="130929" type="PERSON" weightage="20" keywordseo="Bannerghatta-Biological-Park">Bannerghatta Biological Park</keyword>, Bengaluru, just to see the snakes. And that’s where I saw the king cobra for the first time in the enclosure. I think they’re beautiful, really massive snakes. I was so surprised to see such an enormous snake because earlier, I had caught cobras, rat snakes, and checkered keelback, and they all looked so tiny in front of a king cobra. I just fell in love with the animal. Tell us about your first experience with rescuing cobras and your interaction with the villagers in Agumbe? When we started working in Agumbe, the villagers were understandably surprised to see a stranger from the city with a ponytail riding a Royal Enfield Bullet in the village. But I started interacting with them. I asked them to let me know when they spotted a king cobra around and to call me if they needed any help. That’s how it started, and to date, I have rescued close to 400 king cobras. Villagers, particularly in and around Agumbe, are very, very patient towards king cobras. King cobras and common cobras, in general, are considered a god and are worshipped. They’ll never kill or try to disturb the snake. That is the most significant advantage we had. What have you learned from the villagers about snakes? People in the Malenadu region of Karnataka, where Agumbe is situated, have a lot of knowledge, particularly on king cobras. So, when I started working there and started interacting with the people, they told me many interesting facts like king cobras feed on other snakes and are even cannibalistic and feed on other king cobras, which was quite surprising. We already knew that this happened in captivity, but it was the villagers who gave us first-hand information that cannibalism exists among king cobras in the wild too. Also, the king cobra is the only species that builds a nest out of over 3000 species of snakes across the world. The villagers told us how they build the nest. In 2005 or so, it was thanks to a villager that we spotted our first king cobra nest. <div type="Youtube" id="WbfLC0C23gM" title="STORM (Scientific Training on Reptile Management) Chennai Edition" thumbUrl="https://i.ytimg.com/vi/WbfLC0C23gM/mqdefault.jpg"></div> Why don’t you tell us a little more about STORM? In the past decade or so, people have been following snake rescuers on television or YouTube. And without any training or practice, they started attempting to capture snakes, inevitably getting bitten and sometimes also dying. So that’s when I conceived Scientific Training on Reptile Management (STORM) - a comprehensive training program to teach people the right way to capture and rescue snakes. Now close to 800 people across the country are trained under STORM, apart from the Forest Department, Coast Guard, Fire Department, and Police Department. How many times has a snake bitten you? I've been bitten by numerous non-venomous snakes that don’t count; otherwise, I've been bitten by three venomous snakes - a pit viper, a cobra, but my worst bite was from a king cobra. I’m one of the few guys in the world who has been bitten by a king cobra and survived. Did you have the anti-venom? No, that’s the thing. We don’t have anti-venom for the king cobra, so the chances of dying from a bite are relatively high. But I think I survived because king cobras are one of the best snakes, and they don’t intend to bite you. They give you enough warnings. They tell you, ‘look, I don’t want to bite you. I can kill you in 20 minutes, but that’s not my plan’, but they don’t know what I’m doing, right? I’m trying to rescue it, but it doesn’t understand that. So this was an accident. Luckily I didn’t give him a chance to inject or pump enough venom into my hand, and I reacted fast. There was swelling in 20 minutes. I was hospitalised for three days. I almost died, but luckily I survived thanks to that king cobra who didn’t mean to bite me and didn’t inject its entire venom — that’s like 5ml or 6ml of venom — into me. He was kind enough just to give me a little dose. <div type="image" title="Rescue operation underway" msid="81480056" hostid="261" caption="&amp;lt;p&amp;gt;Rescue operation underway&amp;lt;/p&amp;gt;"></div> Tell us a little bit about this radio telemetry study that you have conducted on king cobras. Radio telemetry was initiated in 2008 by Mr.Whitaker and the team. This was the first time ever radio telemetry (a tool to track the movement and behaviour of animals) was done on a king cobra right here in the Western Ghats in Karnataka. So we were all very excited, but we didn’t know what to expect. Unfortunately, within 30 days, our female king cobra was eaten by a male king cobra, which is quite rare, and the locals helped me gather that information — we knew king cobras fed on other snakes, but this was a male feeding on the female after mating with her. Fascinatingly enough, though we were tracking the female, we ended up tracking the male instead, who had the female in his stomach because the transmitter was in her stomach. Another interesting thing about this male king cobra was that it was a translocated one that had moved 15 or 20 kilometres to see what happens if they are moved from their home. So this guy wanted to go back to his home. He travelled a lot, and we think we figured out for the first time that a king cobra can travel up to eight kilometres in one day. Are they territorial? We are yet to figure that out, but we think they’re not territorial unless it’s a breeding season. If there’s a female, the male will guard her because he wants to mate with her. When you were facing off with the king cobra, have you quietly wished you were sitting safely in that washing machine company? Not for a single second. You won’t believe it, I was in the hospital for three days after having survived that bite, and my hand was still swollen, and I said I want to go home. And while I was heading back to my field station, I received a rescue call. With my swollen hand, I went straight to rescue king cobra before. Till today, I will sit in front of a king cobra the whole day without getting bored. SEE ALSO: <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/business/startups/news/tata-tryst-with-e-grocery-starts-with-a-billion-dollar-acquisition-of-bigbasket-heres-why-it-could-be-a-sweet-deal-for-both/articleshow/81478849.cms" data-type="tilCustomLink" target="_blank">Tata’s tryst with e-grocery starts with a billion dollar acquisition of BigBasket – here’s why it could be a sweet deal for both</a> <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/business/corporates/news/kalyan-jewellers-will-be-going-up-against-titan-but-remains-sceptical-jewellery-business-can-ever-fully-go-online/articleshow/81478749.cms" data-type="tilCustomLink" target="_blank">Kalyan Jewellers will be going up against Titan but remains sceptical jewellery business can ever fully go online</a>

This king cobra researcher is happy to endure a lethal bite or two for the sake of his passion

<ul><li>The incident happened last Friday (May 29) after a fuel tank at the power plant — which is owned by the renowned nickel and <keyword id="9343535" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="20" keywordseo="palladium-producer-norilsk-nickel">palladium producer Norilsk Nickel</keyword> — collapsed in the industrial area of Norilsk. </li><li>On June 3, Russian President <keyword id="43440" type="PERSON" weightage="20" keywordseo="Vladimir-Putin">Vladimir Putin</keyword> declared a state of emergency. </li><li>The officials at the Federal Agency for Fishery under the Russian government are calling it a “ecological catastrophe.”</li></ul>Over 5 million gallons of diesel fuel spilled into <keyword id="9337149" type="LOCATION" weightage="20" keywordseo="the-ambarnaya-river">the Ambarnaya River</keyword>, within <keyword id="8773424" type="LOCATION" weightage="20" keywordseo="the-arctic-circle">the Arctic Circle</keyword>. That is equivalent to 20 metric tons of oil. The incident happened last Friday (May 29) after a fuel tank at the power plant — which is owned by the renowned <a href="https://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-52915807">nickel and palladium producer Norilsk Nickel</a> — collapsed in the industrial area of Norilsk. The city is situated approximately 300 kilometers inside the <keyword id="536903" type="ORGANIZATION" weightage="20" keywordseo="Arctic-Circle">Arctic Circle</keyword> — and even requires permission if foreigners plan to visit. However, the news surfaced two days later when the authorities discovered the oil leak. Come Wednesday (June 3), Russian President Vladimir Putin declared a state of emergency and criticised the company officials over untimely response. He has directed officials to investigate the matter and the power plant has been detained. The officials at the Federal Agency for Fishery under the Russian government are calling it a “ecological catastrophe.” It is now believed that the Arctic Circle will take decades to recover from this. The pillars that supported the tank started to sink and the fuel tank lost pressure and the oil and lubricants seeped out of the tank causing fire across a wide area of 350 square metres. The oil spilled over 12 kilometer, turning the river red. However, this has not happened for the first time. Four years ago, Norilsk Nickel reported an accident that also turned a river red. "...It can already be said now that it will take decades for the restoration of the ecological balance of the affected Norilo-Pyasinsky water system," Klokov, the official at the Federal Agency <a href="https://energy.economictimes.indiatimes.com/news/oil-and-gas/arctic-river-will-take-decades-to-recover-from-fuel-spill-russian-official/76166505">reportedly said</a>. On the other hand, the company official said that it is going every possible extent to clear the <keyword id="6395931" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="20" keywordseo="oil-spill">oil spill</keyword>. It said that specialists from Moscow have been called to contain further spread of the oil into the region. But, it will take at least 10-14 days by the time these specialists pump out the oil. The experts say that it is ‘too early’ to assess the damage caused. See also: <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/science/space/news/the-first-lunar-eclipse-of-the-season-will-occur-on-june-5-with-two-more-to-follow-on-june-21-and-july-5/slidelist/76188674.cms">The first lunar eclipse of the season will occur on June 5 — with two more to follow on June 21 and July 5</a> <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/business/startups/news/zomato-swiggy-dunzo-can-start-testing-drone-deliveries-as-india-starts-doling-out-permits/articleshow/76188887.cms">Zomato, Swiggy, Dunzo can start testing drone deliveries as India starts doling out permits</a>

Over 5 million gallons of oil seeped into a river in the Arctic Circle — turning it red

<div class="KonaFilter image-container display-table float_right"><div><div class="image on-image">Andrew Harnik/APYou can use an iPhone to take a selfie with a baby elephant, or you can use an iPhone to think about what Earth would be like without baby elephants.</div></div></div>An iPhone is good for many things: staying connected with friends, finding your way around town, having the <a href="http://www.techinsider.io/best-iphone-only-apps-not-on-android-2016-6">coolest apps</a>.But it's also a perfect metaphor for one of the biggest environmental problems we're facing.Think about how much you'd pay for an iPhone. A couple hundred bucks, right?Now imagine it's missing one part. You'd probably take it if it were free, but you wouldn't want to pay for it. And if two parts are missing you'd be looking for a way to <a href="http://www.apple.com/recycling/ipod-cell-phone/">get it off your hands</a> as quickly as possible.That's how we should be thinking about species extinction, Columbia University ecologist <a href="http://www.earth.columbia.edu/articles/view/2580">Shahid Naeem</a> said during at a World <keyword id="41551" type="ENTERTAINMENT" weightage="60" keywordseo="science">Science</keyword> Festival panel on June 3. The rate of extinction has accelerated so much in recent years that <a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/afp-sixth-mass-extinction-is-here-us-study-2015-6">some experts have predicted</a> that as many as half of all living species could be gone by the end of the century - largely due to human activity.It's hard to care about the loss of a bird or snake you'll never see living on the other side of the world.But the animals, plants, and microbes we share the planet with are like <a href="http://www.nytimes.com/2011/08/30/science/30species.html?_r=0">8.7 million or so</a> iPhone parts, said Naeem. They're each a critical part of the Earth's web of interconnected ecosystems. If we lose too many of these species, the planet will stop working the way we want it to - and unlike our iPhone, we can't upgrade Earth to the newest model. <div class="margin-top"> <h3>NOW WATCH: <a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/new-species-deep-sea-jellyfish-2016-5">This newly-discovered jellyfish looks like something from outer space</a></h3> <div> <div> <div class="ooyala-video-player" data-video-autoplay="false" data-video-id="NyMnVhMzE6Ww-0P7oIRWjP2L55VgK3cc" data-player-variable="ooyalapopvideo" id="ooyalaplayer_popvideo" style="width:1280px;height:720px"></div> </div> </div> </div>

You Searched For "ecology" and got 12 results

A lot more animals are alcoholics than we thought! Here’s how they get their booze

Ankush Banerjee

New Zealand’s native stoneflies have changed colour in response to human-driven environmental shifts

Ashmita Gupta

Peacock sighting at 6,500 feet in Uttarakhand unusual, say experts

PTI

How is instant noodles disrupting the ecology of South Korea’s tallest mountain?

Ankush Banerjee

GenZ expresses their concern over shrinking wildlife habitat

ANI

Rare metals found on seabeds could be key to green technology, but mining them could wreak ecological havoc on the ocean floor

Elias Chavez

A lakeside California town lay desolate after ecological disaster killed its fish and drove away residents. But through art, life found a way back.

Maria Noyen

They found a hole in the ocean near Mexico, and you could fit all of Bank of America's skyscraper HQ into it but don't do that because it's an ecological marvel

Nicholas Carlson

TikTok creators are sharing videos of themselves illegally launching seed bombs at vacant lots, and they say it's part of a 'radical' war on urban eyesores and racial inequality

Joshua Zitser

This king cobra researcher is happy to endure a lethal bite or two for the sake of his passion

Kavita Majumdar

Over 5 million gallons of oil seeped into a river in the Arctic Circle — turning it red

Prerna Sindwani

The iPhone is the perfect metaphor for this ongoing ecological disaster

Meghan Bartels

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