The Mantle Matrix

Bamboos in India From traditional uses like making furniture and construction works, bamboo is now being replaced as a more sustainable option. From bamboo water bottles, toothbrushes, bags, clothes, cutlery items, to being used as food items and more, the growth of bamboo is inevitable. These fast-growing plants can be harvested in about three years and have carbon-absorbing properties. It is also known for conserving water and reducing evaporation of water from the land surface, which is an important feature in arid and drought-prone regions. India thus has an advantage. India is the world’s second-largest cultivator of Bamboo after China, with 136 species and 23 genera spread over 13.96 million hectares. India has abundant resources and species diversity of Bamboo. More than 50% of the bamboo species occur in Eastern India – Arunachal Pradesh, Assam, Manipur, Meghalaya, Mizoram, Nagaland, Sikkim, Tripura, and West Bengal. Andamans, the Bastar region of Madhya Pradesh, and the Wester...

Haploptychius sahyadriensis – New Snail species discovered in Maharashtra The Western Ghats is full of surprises. The northern Western Ghats of Maharashtra has a new species of snail – Haploptychius sahyadriensis, a third in the genus Haploptychius. The species is endemic to Vishalgad Conservation Reserve in Kolhapur. Earlier in 1860s, the species H. andamanicus and H. pfeifferi were recorded in the Andaman and Nicobar Islands. About the Species Haploptychius sahyadriensis is different from the other Indian and South-East Asian Haploptychius sp. It has a suboblique-heliciform shell, a low spire, and a strong parietal lamella. The researchers placed the new species in the genus Haploptychius based on the shell morphology and genital characters. The new species has unique genital anatomy in having a long penis with a penial sheath, the presence of penial appendix, penial hooks, atrium and vagina with longitudinal ridges and irregular transverse ridges respectively, but without any hook...

Celebrating Jumbos🐘 – The Natural Heritage Animal of India! Elephants are symbolic to the culture of not only India but many other countries. These magnificent creatures have an excellent memory and are keystone species as they promote healthy ecosystems and encourage biodiversity. August 12 marks World Elephant Day aiming at the protection and conservation of the animal. Launched in 2012, the Day brings attention to the urgent plight of elephants who face the threat of Poaching, habitat loss, human-elephant conflict, and mistreatment in captivity.   

Rhinos population rises by 200 in four years, reveals Kaziranga’s census Kaziranga National Park, Assam on March 30, 2022, announced that the National Park has registered an increase in rhinos. The National Park completed 14th Rhino Census conducted from March 25 to 28, 2022. According to the Census, there has been an increase of 200 rhinos from 2018 despite 400 dying mainly due to natural causes. In 2018 Census the rhino population was estimated to be 2,413. The increase in the animal population can be attributed to the increased anti-poaching initiatives of the forest department, police inspections, coordinated efforts of the locals and the forest authorities, and the Government’s vigilance. Findings of the Census According to the 14th Rhino Census, Kaziranga National Park has a total of 2,613 rhinos. Of this, in the adult category (above 6 years) there are 750 males, 903 females, and 170 others whose gender could not be determined. Similarly, in the sub-adult population (3 to 6 year...

  Rise in temperature forcing aquatic life to flee away from the equator According to a new study, global warming has caused temperatures to rise in water bodies. Consequently, it has led to tens of thousands of marine species to fleet the ocean away from the equator to ones with cooler water temperature.   According to a study conducted by researchers of the University of Auckland, nearly 50,000 species of aquatic life including fish, mollusks, birds, and corals reefs have moved towards the pole since 1955. WHY IS MARINE LIFE FLEETING AWAY FROM THE EQUATOR? The equator water is known to be the home to the richest diversity of aquatic life on earth. On the contrary, the population decreases as one moves towards the poles.  However, global warming and climate change is the biggest reason causing such migration.  According to the research, the tropical water along the equator has already become too hot for many species. This rise in water temperature is posing survival...