EQ: Tiger Count Rises, Escaping Octopi, Kolkata Wetlands

EQ: Read About All Things Green, Build Your Environment Quotient

An octopus escaped from an aquarium in New Zealand. Image for representational purposes only (Photo: iStockphoto)

E-India

Tiger count rises to 2,500:
India’s environment minister has claimed that the country’s tiger count has increased to 2500 from 2014’s 2226. While this is good news, questions have been raised about the manner in which tigers numbers have been assessed.

Looks like there are now more tigers in the world. (Photo: iStock)

Namami Gange pact inked:
India and Germany have signed an agreement for the rejuvenation of the Ganga river. The collaboration will draw upon knowledge exchange and practical experiences of both the countries.

Pilgrims bathe in the Ganga on Maha Shivaratri in Varanasi. (Photo: iStock)

Ban on toxic PCBs:
The government has announced a halt to the manufacture and import of PCBs which are a highly polluting category of chemicals with a very negative impact on human health. The government is aiming at completely phasing out their use by 2025.

Old fluorescent light fixtures used to contain PCBs. (Photo: iStock)

E-Renewables

China supports India’s stance in the WTO solar dispute: China has expressed its support for India’s position in the ongoing WTO dispute between India and USA over solar panels.

Workers walk in between rows of solar photovoltaics, inside a solar power plant at Raisan village near Gandhinagar. (Photo: Reuters)

E-Law

Rohtang vehicle restrictions upheld:
The Supreme Court has upheld an earlier NGT order directing that only 500 petrol vehicles would be allowed entry into the environmentally fragile Rohtang area.

An offroad track of Rohtang La mountain pass. (Photo: iStockPhotos)

E-Incredible

Escape Artist Octopus:
Proving that fact can be stranger than fiction, a wily octopus named Inky has managed to escape from its aquarium into the ocean via a drainpipe. Houdini would be proud!

Inky the Octopus escaped from his tank. (Image: Screenshot)

E-Stat

3,890: Global population of tigers

In 2014 there were only 2226 tigers. (Photo: iStockphoto)

E-International

Climate change could wipe $2.5 trillion from global economy:
If you thought the business as usual model in the face of climate change was viable, think again. A new study at the London School of Economics has estimated that unchecked climate change could wipe out around 1.7% of the world’s economy and in a worst case scenario, the losses could be up to 17%.

Global warming is going to be costly for the planet. (Image: iStockphoto)

E-Nature

Saving Kolkata’s wetlands:
Wetlands are one of the most vital ecosystems on the planet. A new article tracks one environmentalist’s efforts to save Kolkata’s amazing wetlands from destruction.

A Common Moorhen looks for food in West Bengal. (Photo: iStockphoto)

E-Video

What could you do about climate change? Watch this video to find out:

E-Quiz

Where in India would you find the Indravati Tiger Reserve?
(a) Telengana
(b) Chattisgarh
(c) Odisha
(d) Goa

(Shalini Iyengar is a lawyer and Research Associate at the International University College of Turin.)