Journalism of Courage
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Ranjit Lal
Lal is an author, environmentalist and bird watcher.
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More From Ranjit Lal
Why Goa’s Mapusa never stops givingSubscriber Only
March 04,2026 10:00:48 AM
Much of the produce has been locally sourced – from farms, fields, orchards and villages scattered around the state and you wonder at the logistics of it all.
Tue, Mar 03, 2026
Masters of camouflage: How tigers, chameleons, octopus and other wildlife vanish in plain sightSubscriber Only
February 27,2026 06:00:11 AM
From exploding flocks of green pigeons to ghostly crabs in tide pools, discover how nature’s finest illusionists—on land, in trees, and beneath the sea—perfect the art of disappearing to hunt, hide and survive
Thu, Feb 26, 2026
Exploring Morjim’s Tide Pools: A Quiet Wildlife Escape on Goa’s Northern BeachesSubscriber Only
February 21,2026 11:49:54 AM
The finest fissures in the rocks were jam-packed with minuscule shells, like commuters hanging on in a Mumbai local
Sat, Feb 21, 2026
The disappearing insects of Goa: A poolside reflection on ants, butterflies and a sterile futureSubscriber Only
February 11,2026 16:42:52 PM
This year, I noticed that the tree stumps that had given refuge to both the ants and termites had gone.
Wed, Feb 11, 2026
How warblers can outdo rockstars and nightingales with their energy, passion and showmanshipSubscriber Only
February 05,2026 18:09:26 PM
Old-World warblers, some 350 of them, seem to like wearing the same uniform – dusky olive brown, beige and grey -- which makes them a pain to identify
Thu, Feb 05, 2026
Raptors, silence and wide blue skies: A day on the Socorro plateauSubscriber Only
January 31,2026 14:58:05 PM
Birds here have been few and far between, but fewer the number, the better you see them.
Sat, Jan 31, 2026
Meet the bee-eaters: India’s dazzling aerial hunters with a taste for beesSubscriber Only
January 22,2026 18:06:56 PM
With bills like a pair of pincers, bee eaters have amazing insect-catching skills. They can anticipate where an insect would be or can change direction when dodged
Thu, Jan 22, 2026
Waiting for raptors: A morning of birdwatching on the golden grasslandsSubscriber Only
January 17,2026 13:04:13 PM
Brahminy kites are common yet distinct with their russet wings and white heads
Sat, Jan 17, 2026
Why animals fight: Territory, survival and the nature of conflict in the wildSubscriber Only
January 10,2026 06:00:44 AM
Big cats and birds, even insects, guard their territories rather ferociously, sometimes at the risk of their own lives
Fri, Jan 09, 2026
Why birdwatching at Karmali Lake in the morning is a misty wildlife spectacleSubscriber Only
January 05,2026 15:11:11 PM
Lake Karmali in Goa is a paradise for birdwatchers but do keep an eye out for the King Croc
Mon, Jan 05, 2026
Why the coconut palm is nature’s most useful treeSubscriber Only
December 24,2025 10:00:42 AM
The tree, whose USP is its nut, is a marvel of natural engineering that can survive gale-force winds and hurricanes
Tue, Dec 23, 2025
Why millions of birds migrate each winter—and how India becomes their refugeSubscriber Only
December 19,2025 12:57:02 PM
While many birds will splash down near Delhi's wetlands, so,e will fly further south, to places such as Pulicat lake and Point Calimere.
Fri, Dec 19, 2025
Birding on the Sirocco Plateau: North Goa’s ancient laterite wilderness and migratory raptorsSubscriber Only
December 12,2025 18:34:54 PM
One can spot harriers, Brahminy kites and even if you are lucky enough Amur falcons
Fri, Dec 12, 2025
Jacanas on a vanishing lake: A morning in PilerneSubscriber Only
December 04,2025 17:00:28 PM
In the Jacana clan, it is daddy dear who brings up the brood but it’s his wife who wears the pants
Thu, Dec 04, 2025
The hidden life of India’s shores and why it rivals the mountainsSubscriber Only
November 26,2025 17:08:33 PM
A kaleidoscopic and astonishing number of life forms exist on every shoreline – from property-obsessed hermit crabs and chrysanthemum-like anemones to shape-shifting octopuses
Wed, Nov 26, 2025
What’s not to like in the magnificent views of the Himalayas, the crystal air, the vivid birds and bloomsSubscriber Only
November 26,2025 07:00:09 AM
The mountains will always be a draw, though these days with wide smooth roads running up and tunnels boring through them, getting up there is no longer an adventure
Tue, Nov 25, 2025
When friends come calling – be it the purple rumped sunbirds or the mellifluous magpie robinSubscriber Only
November 12,2025 09:39:16 AM
Some squeal, some shriek, some are quiet, either ways, there is always a rousing welcome when one is in Goa
Wed, Nov 12, 2025
200,000 killed by cars, a few by tigers: Double standards in man-animal conflictsSubscriber Only
November 05,2025 07:00:51 AM
In most cases, the reportage of the man-animal conflict often glosses over the fact that the root cause is humans themselves
Tue, Nov 04, 2025
The lost seasons of India: From Delhi’s crisp winter to monsoon magicSubscriber Only
October 29,2025 15:59:43 PM
A look at how human recklessness has cost India the joy of its characteristic seasons
Wed, Oct 29, 2025
Why humans are masters of the planet but fools of the futureSubscriber Only
October 22,2025 13:33:53 PM
Human intellect is accelerating environmental collapse. This is what we can learn from animals.
Wed, Oct 22, 2025
Ruffled, ready and unrivalled: The dandy gents of the bird worldSubscriber Only
October 15,2025 15:47:52 PM
No two ruffs wear the same outfit. It may be because the birds don’t call and this individual fancy dressing is one way the reeves can identify them.
Wed, Oct 15, 2025
I’ve been living with a pacemaker since I was 19. Here’s what I’ve learned about life, technology, and heartbeatsSubscriber Only
October 15,2025 11:24:53 AM
'A small box inside your chest,' they said. I wondered how small. Fifty years and several replacements later, I have answers
Wed, Oct 15, 2025
The secret life of dragonflies: Underwater predators with jet-powered butts and catapult jawsSubscriber Only
October 13,2025 12:30:31 PM
Dragonflies spend 90 per cent of their lives as ‘nymphs’, living at the bottom of murky ponds and looking like ghouls that terrify small fish and tadpoles
Mon, Oct 13, 2025
Jane Goodall’s legacy is one of deep conviction and unshakeable hopeSubscriber Only
October 07,2025 07:32:24 AM
She showed us what patience, quiet observation and the ability to last the distance could achieve
Tue, Oct 07, 2025
When water meets gravity: entire mountainsides come crashing downSubscriber Only
October 01,2025 12:52:07 PM
There is nothing as terrifying as watching a rabid river ruthlessly undercut its bank, on which houses and hotels begin to teeter, crack, lean over and then in slow motion, fall into the turbulent water
Wed, Oct 01, 2025Journalism of Courage
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