Olive ridley turtles are well known for the phenomenon of mass nesting where thousands of sea turtles come ashore simultaneously to nest. Orissa is one of few globally known rookeries where these spectacular ‘arribadas’ occur. Research shows that a high mortality of these turtles on the Orissa coast with an average of more than 100,000 [...]
As one of the most densely populated biodiversity hotspots on earth, there is limited scope for expansion of the formal protected area network in the Western Ghats. This necessitates the development of innovative mechanisms for maximising and maintaining biological diversity in human-dominated landscapes in the region. Deriving from the concepts and principles of reconciliation ecology, [...]
The December 2004 Indian Ocean tsunami and the rehabilitation efforts thereafter led to several questions related to the influence of laws on coastal communities and coastal environments. There was and continues to be repeated reference to and confusion about coastal laws related to post-tsunami reconstruction, the location or relocation of coastal communities and coastal resource [...]
The effectiveness of legal measures for conservation in having positive ecological and social impacts is dependent on the appropriateness of its design. Marine conservation and fisheries management approaches in the country have followed largely terrestrial systems of management, which are often not appropriate from an ecological point of view and may ignore socio-economic complexities. Dakshin [...]
All socio-ecological interactions are collectively influenced by environmental, legal, political, cultural, psychological and societal forces. In this context, it is crucial that we understand community perceptions and perspectives of resources, state policies, law and development. The project aims to understand, document and engage with the social, economic and cultural relations of the fishing communities and [...]
With increasing mechanisation and technological development, unregulated and unsustainable fishing operations are increasing, exerting tremendous pressure on natural resources. Management decisions and policy frameworks need to be based on information derived from strong scientific research. Unfortunately such information is very poor in India. Our research on marine fisheries involves undertaking long-term monitoring of trends in [...]
Coastal ecosystems, especially intertidal ecosystems, face the brunt of natural and human disturbance. Due to their differential tolerance and restricted movement, intertidal benthic fauna are among the most common organisms used to assess anthropogenic impacts and are excellent indicators of environmental stress. With comparatively longer life spans and as key elements in the food web [...]
High biological diversity and extreme phenotypic variations within groups make species identification of marine fish a daunting task. Dakshin has produced a field guide that will aid in the identification of fishes of one of the most biologically diverse and productive coastal waters of mainland India, the Gulf of Mannar. The field guide is intended to [...]
Conservation Biology: A Primer for South Asia provides a comprehensive introduction to the concepts of conservation biology as well as various perspectives on the effective conservation of biodiversity. With a balanced set of examples dealing with different themes and geographical areas in the region, this book is aimed to stimulate the interest of a wide audience ranging from students of [...]
While there is some information on coastal and marine resources and ecosystems, only a very small percentage of this is translated into effective inputs for conservation and management. We have attempted to translate our research findings into appropriate management tools and as sources for information that will help formulate appropriate policies. We have also produced a children’s activity book for coastal ecosystems.
The site of the proposed Dhamra port project is located on the eastern Indian coast of Orissa. The development of the port has been in the pipeline for over a decade. The main point of contention is that this port will have several negative impacts on the ecosystems of the region, particularly on the mass [...]
The proposed Sethusamudram Shipping Canal Project (SSCP) canal between India and Sri Lanka across the Adam’s Bridge connecting the Arabian Sea with the Bay of Bengal has the potential to have very significant consequences on this globally significant marine biodiversity area. The construction and maintenance of the canal will involve a range of coastal and [...]
The state of Orissa on the east coast of India is a globally significant breeding area for olive ridley turtles. There are three mass nesting beaches at Gahirmatha, Devi River Mouth and Rushikulya. This population is also subject to high fishery related adult turtle mortality, with over 10,000 dead turtles washed ashore each year, totaling [...]
There are several regionally important populations of marine turtles in south Asia, which face a variety of anthropogenic threats. Different agencies are involved in the conservation and management of sea turtles in the India, from students to fishing communities to government departments. Several factors need to coalesce for effective conservation of marine turtles, foremost amongst [...]
Marine and coastal ecosystems are both ecologically and socio-economically complex, involving several stakeholders. A wide variety of research and action is required to remodel and reconcile conservation and development, to be undertaken by networks. Dakshin Foundation aims to achieve an integration of coastal conservation and development themes and disciplines not just within the organisation but [...]
Registrations open till 15th May 2012! August 7-10, 2012, JN Tata Auditorium, IISc Campus, Bengaluru (Bangalore), India This international conference is being organized in India to highlight the urgency of biodiversity conservation in Asia ahead of the 11th Conference of the Parties (CoP) of the UN Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD) to be held in India in [...]
Registrations open till April 30th 2012 The Student Conference on Conservation Science (SCCS) – Bangalore aims to facilitate interaction, exchange of research ideas and methods, building contacts and building capacity of young researchers in all aspects of conversation science. As a sister conference to SCCS-Cambridge, SCCS-Bangalore focuses on attracting student participants, primarily from countries in [...]
Dakshin has been a partner of YETI (Young Ecologists Talk and Interact) since 2009. As a conference for students and researchers working in the discipline of ecology in India, YETI is unique in being organized entirely by student volunteers from across the country. YETI 2011 was held at Guwahati (December 13 – 15, 2011). To learn more about this [...]
Jatin Das, one of India’s best known artists has produced a unique serigraph entitled ‘Kachua’ or ‘Turtle’. The proceeds from the sales of this limited edition of serigraphs (silk screen prints) will support the ISTS Travel Grant Fund. The serigraph was commissioned by the ISTS and Dakshin Foundation to celebrate the coming of the symposium [...]
Common Voices is a newsletter produced by the Foundation for Ecological Security (FES) in partnership with Dakshin Foundation members. It covers the latest in academic research and field experiments and experiences related to the commons.
Current Conservation carries the latest in research news from the natural- and social-science facets of conservation, such as conservation biology, environmental history, anthropology and sociology, ecological economics, landscape ecology, etc. Current Conservation also periodically translates the content of other conservation journals.
This is an online resource that contains basic information about sea turtles of the Indian subcontinent including distribution (by state), status, bibliographies, a directory of organisations working on sea turtles, research, and other resources such as newsletters, manuals, maps and other publications. The website will also serve as a portal for TAG (Turtle Action Group), the network for the conservation and monitoring of sea turtles in India.
The Indian Ocean Turtle Newsletter was initiated to provide a forum for exchange of information on sea turtle biology and conservation, management and education and awareness activities in the Indian subcontinent, Indian Ocean region, and south/southeast Asia. The newsletter also intends to cover related aspects such as coastal zone management fisheries and marine biology.
The knowledge of environmental laws is integral to making conservation efforts effective and meaningful. The Environmental Law Omnibus is an open and collective resource on environmental laws in India, supported by Dakshin Foundation in collaboration with other civil society organisations. You will find here, carefully compiled commentaries on the major environmental laws in the country, [...]
