The State of Nature Update #28

In this episode, we cover five stories from around the world of wildlife and conservation. India's tiger population is booming—but can conservation keep pace with development? We discuss the growing need to protect tiger reserves and connecting habitat corridors that tigers rely on to survive, including through wildlife crossings that guide animals over or under major highways. We also uncover new discoveries about one of the planet's most elusive big cats, the Sunda clouded leopard, that roams the rainforests of Borneo and Sumatra, examine surprising research into how female chickadees choose the most intelligent males as mates (even if that means straying outside their long-term pair bond), learn that migratory birds continue to decline despite decades of conservation work, though technological advances in monitoring and coordinated international actions by governments, conservation organizations and individuals could reverse the trend. Finally, we look at a new study that found that individual climate-friendly actions do not reduce support for collective action or broader environmental policies.

Key points:

0:57 - India's tigers are increasing, but protecting and connecting their habitats is the next struggle.

3:39 - Elusive Sunda clouded leopards, ‘ghosts of the forests,’ caught on camera, providing new insights.

5:42 - Female chickadees cheat on their mates with smarter males.

7:52 - Half of migratory bird species are declining, but comprehensive conservation actions could reverse the trend.

9:55 - Personal pro-environmental actions don’t hurt larger climate engagement or policy support after all.

Links to articles and resources:

·       Mongabay, 7/28/2026, by Nirmal Ghosh: India's tiger numbers are rising. Protecting their pathways is next.

·       Wildlife Institute of India

·       International Union for Conservation of Nature Red List: Tiger (Panthera tigris)

·       Science, 6/26/2015, by Kai Kupferschmidt: Controversial study claims there are only two types of tiger.