Understanding our planet, one data point at a time
India BioWatch is a real-time environmental data platform that brings together multiple streams of ecological and climate data into a single, unified dashboard. Our mission is to make complex environmental data accessible, understandable, and actionable for researchers, policy-makers, journalists, students, and concerned citizens.
India is one of the most ecologically diverse countries on the planet — home to 12% of the world's species on just 2.4% of its land area — yet environmental data is frequently scattered across dozens of government portals, international databases, and academic repositories. India BioWatch bridges this gap by aggregating data from authoritative global and national sources, presenting it through a clean, consistent interface.
The platform covers six major domains: climate and atmosphere (CO₂ levels, temperature trends), air quality (real-time AQI from Indian cities), forests and deforestation (satellite-based alerts, forest cover trends), biodiversity and species occurrence (GBIF, eBird, IUCN), policy explainers, and environmental law guides. Each domain draws on the most recent data available from the source, with clearly documented refresh frequencies and attribution.
India BioWatch is an open-source project. We believe environmental data should be free, transparent, and easily shareable. The source code is available on GitHub, and all data sources used are publicly accessible (with links provided throughout the site). We do not store, cache, or claim ownership of any data — we simply present it in a more accessible form.
Atmospheric CO₂ concentrations measured at the Mauna Loa Observatory and other global monitoring stations. Data sourced from the NOAA Global Monitoring Laboratory (GML).
Global and India-specific temperature anomaly data. Historical records from NASA GISS (Goddard Institute for Space Studies) merged with real-time observations from Open-Meteo.
Real-time AQI, PM2.5, PM10, NO₂, and O₃ levels for major Indian cities. Data from CPCB monitoring stations aggregated via Open-Meteo's air quality API.
Near real-time fire detections from MODIS and VIIRS satellites. Data provided by NASA FIRMS (Fire Information for Resource Management System).
Tree cover loss alerts and forest change data derived from satellite imagery. Data from Global Forest Watch / World Resources Institute, powered by Hansen Global Forest Change v2.0.
Species occurrence records across India, including research-grade observations collected from natural history collections, citizen science, and field surveys. Data from the Global Biodiversity Information Facility (GBIF).
Bird occurrence data from eBird, the world's largest biodiversity-related citizen science project, managed by the Cornell Lab of Ornithology. Includes checklists, hotspot maps, and species counts for India.
Conservation status assessments for India's threatened species — including flagship species like the Bengal Tiger, Asian Elephant, and Great Indian Bustard. Data from the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species.
Each data product on India BioWatch is sourced from its original authoritative provider and presented with minimal transformation. Our general approach is:
We do not interpolate, model, or forecast missing data. All data shown is actual observed data from the source. Where limitations exist (e.g., satellite coverage gaps, sensor downtime), we indicate this in the respective section.
Different data sources update at different cadences. Below is a summary of how frequently each dataset is refreshed on the platform:
| Data Product | Refresh Frequency | Source Lag |
|---|---|---|
| CO₂ Levels | Weekly | 1–2 weeks (NOAA quality control) |
| Temperature Anomalies | Daily (Open-Meteo) / Monthly (NASA GISS) | ~1 day (Open-Meteo) / ~2 months (GISS) |
| Air Quality (AQI) | Every 15 minutes | ~1 hour (CPCB reporting delay) |
| Fire Alerts | Every 3–6 hours (VIIRS) / Daily (MODIS) | ~3 hours from satellite overpass |
| Deforestation Alerts | Monthly (GLAD alerts) | ~2–4 weeks from satellite pass |
| Biodiversity (GBIF) | Daily | ~1 day (GBIF index) |
| Bird Sightings (eBird) | Weekly | ~1 week (eBird dataset release) |
| IUCN Red List | Monthly | ~2–4 weeks (IUCN API refresh) |
Refresh frequencies are subject to change based on upstream API availability and platform maintenance. The “Source Lag” column reflects the typical delay between an event occurring in the real world and it appearing in the source database.
India BioWatch is an open-source environmental data platform. All data remains the property of its respective sources. This project is not affiliated with or endorsed by any of the data providers listed above.