The Environmental Science Major Mallika Khanna

At the age of twelve, I wasn't much of an ornithologist, but even I could tell that there was something wrong with the Okhla Bird Sanctuary. The park itself was beautiful, with artistically carved bushes, an overflowing lake, and rolling grasses as far as the eye could see. The question that arose, though, was where were the birds?

Maybe these magnificent creatures turned up their noses at the artificial beautification of their natural home. Maybe they just craved the city life. Either way, their quest for something better should have led them to the Delhi ridge, just 10 miles away, renowned for its surprisingly thick thorn forest -- an ideal place for birds to nest. Why, then, were there no birds here either? Just last year, 4000 km away, the mighty Beirut River transformed itself into a 'river of blood.' At the same time, Jaws sprang to life with the sighting of a bloody shark in a bustling New York subway. Farther away, the Galápagos Islands mourned the loss of 'lonesome George,' a symbol of the need for conservation and the last tortoise of his kind. What in the world is happening? From the exotic species of Madagascar to the birds of Delhi, animals are changing their migration patterns, altering their eating habits, or --...