News stories by Malini Shankar, page 4

A rare species of bats is in danger in western India because it has been denied Protected Area status.

One year after India released a scientifically prepared census report of tigers in this country, it is being criticised by some as inadequate and acclaimed by others as a significant step towards stemming the rapid depletion of the big cat through poaching and habitat loss.

Food security experts say India must wean itself away from dependence on wheat and rice and look to the sub-continent’s rich agro-diversity in order to address the kind of food crisis that hit the country last year - as well as longer-standing nutrition deficiency issues.