Located in Kerala's Kollam district, Shendurney Wildlife Sanctuary is part of the Western Ghats' Agasthyamala Biosphere Reserve. Spanning 172 km², it hosts tropical evergreen and moist deciduous forests. Home to diverse fauna like elephants, Nilgiri langurs, and over 200 bird species, it plays a vital role in conserving endemic biodiversity.
Hortus Malabaricus, a 17th-century Latin botanical treatise, documents over 740 plant species of the Malabar Coast. Pioneered by Hendrik van Rheede and later translated by Dr. K.S. Manilal, it provides insights into traditional plant-based knowledge, showcasing the biodiversity of modern-day Kerala, Karnataka, and Tamil Nadu.
2024 is set to be the hottest year on record, with global temperatures 1.54°C above pre-industrial levels. Rising emissions, melting glaciers, and sea-level rise pose unprecedented challenges. Key UN environmental summits failed to achieve consensus on biodiversity, climate finance, land degradation, and plastic pollution, delaying critical global actions.
The India Meteorological Department (IMD), established in 1875, is the nation's primary meteorological agency under the Department of Earth Sciences. Headquartered in New Delhi, it provides weather forecasts, conducts meteorological research, and issues warnings for severe weather events, supporting sectors like agriculture, aviation, and disaster management.