The Dream Team
Despite the inept stewardship of our planet by leaders who should know better, a dedicated band of people works against the odds to protect the irreplaceable natural heritage that is the foundation of the people of the Indian subcontinent. These are the ones that the Sanctuary-ABN AMRO Wildlife Service Awards 2007 sought out, so we could shine a spotlight on these resolute Earth Heroes.

Mountain Princes
The Kalakad Mundanthurai Tiger Reserve with its wide array of habitats offers both lowland and upland frogs the perfect habitat in which to thrive and multiply. Rohit Naniwadekar spent six months in the Chinnapul mountain ranges in the reserve, researching the dynamics of frog distribution as part of his post-graduate dissertation and urges that more targeted conservation initiatives be implemented for India’s threatened amphibians.

The Black-breasted Parrotbill of Dibru-Saikhowa
Though its range once extended from Eastern Nepal to Bangladesh, the Black-breasted Parrotbill is now endemic to Northeast India. Ranjan Kumar Das, who made frequent visits to the Dibru-Saikhowa Wildlife Sanctuary in search of this elusive bird, writes of his first sighting of the species. Ultimately, the survival of this relatively obscure little bird depends on the health of its grassland habitat, suggests the author, who asks for science-based habitat management and research to come to the rescue of the species.

Andaman & Nicobar
Dr. Tilak Ranjan Bera’s book on the mysterious bay islands of India highlights some of the irreparable changes caused by the tsunami, as he makes a plea for their protection. An excerpt.

In Champion’s Pugmarks
James Champion writes about his 2006 trip to India, when he travelled to some of the former haunts of his late grandfather, the illustrious photographer-wildlifer-writer, F.W. Champion.

Is Economic Value the Same as Ecological Value?
Can the benefits of wilderness areas be calculated purely on tangible economic benefits, analyses Jan Van Der Straaten? An extract from the pathbreaking concept: Naturenomics.