tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30429321065253718872024-03-05T00:26:58.004-08:00MelagiriThis blog is devoted to promote the wildlife conservation activities of the Kenneth Anderson Nature Society.Laxmeeshahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18259234126899970563noreply@blogger.comBlogger56125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3042932106525371887.post-36410873528539145042015-07-05T00:23:00.000-07:002015-07-05T00:23:04.014-07:00Relaunching camera trapping, call for volunteers<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
KANS is relaunching its camera trapping exercise after a long hiatus. This is the report of the first trip. We need volunteers to keep this going.<br />
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Camera Trapping Trip Report - Tholuvabetta<br />
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Date: 4th July 2015<br />
Location: Tholuvabetta, Kempereddy (?) Kere<br />
KANS Volunteers: A. Prem Kumar, Girish Gopalarao, Rahul Gaur, Abhi<br />
FD: Forester Munirajulu, Forester Kathiravan, FG Arumugam<br />
Spot: Bank of a water hole<br />
Signs found: Hoof marks of Gaur, deer and elephants, scrape marks by elephants on trees around the water hole<br />
Local hearsay reports: hyena, sloth bear<br />
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Narration:<br />
Rahul Gaur, in spite of having missed the fork to TVS factory and having proceeded towards Anekal before he realized he was on the wrong road, was the first to reach on his Duke at the agreed meeting point of the volunteers - the quintessential Koot road junction. Girish and Abhi came in their Maruti Swift and joined Rahul shortly and they had their breakfast.<br />
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Meantime Prem, filled up The Ratel's tank and joined the rest of the party a bit later.<br />
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After a light breakfast at Ramakrishna lunch home, all KANS members went to the field office to pick up the CT and park the extra vehicles.<br />
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The volunteers proceeded onwards to the FRO, Denkanikotta. They met Ranger Munisamy and after a brief discussion on various locations decided to setup the CT at Tholuvabetta. The Ranger showed some earlier pictures of the place which did indeed looked promising.<br />
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He assigned two Foresters, Munirajulu of Denkanikotta Town and Kathiravan of Tholuvabetta, to accompany the volunteers.<br />
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After a brief wait for Forester Kathiravan to get ready, the convoy consisting of an anti depredation vehicle of the FD and The Ratel proceeded towards Melur. The Foresters had a stopover for breakfast on the way, just outside the town. At Melur more FD staff, both uninformed and plainsclothes joined the Foresters on some FD business. There were some incomprehensible heated arguments but eventually the convoy proceeded into the forest only to stop a short distance from the gate at the fork of Gullatty road.<br />
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A large number of villagers were seen cleaning the grasses growing on the ditches by the side of the dirt road. There was a vehicle belonging to the state govt dept providing medical care to tribals parked on the Gullatty road. Forester Kathiravan asked the villagers to stop working and had a heated conversation over the phone with some other dept person about sending people into the RF without prior permission. Only after the villagers all made a move towards the gate did the convoy proceeded further.<br />
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The convoy crossed two villages and parked at the end of the second village. Here the Foresters recruited some villagers to accompany the group and everybody proceeded towards the water hole after a brief discussion on the best approach. The villagers took the group through their village and fields beyond which the forests began.<br />
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A senior villager lamented at the thick bushes of lantana that had grown in the last few decades. The thorny bushes were all along the jungle trail. He recounted with lament how during his father's time these were meadows where the villagers would graze they're cattle.<br />
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After a gentle trek of 1.7 KM the group reached the destination and started noting the signs of animal activities. Fresh elephant, gaur and deer hoof marks were found as well as elephant scrape marks on trees that seemed old and well worn, indicating that these trees were frequently used by the elephants for scraping mud off their backs.<br />
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KANS volunteers scouted around the water hole for a suitable perch for the CT with a promising vantage point. Finally a small tree was chosen on the bank which stood between two approach trails to the water.<br />
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A villager climbed the tree to secure the CT at a height and small stones were placed between the CT and the tree trunk to angle the CT downward such that the animals entering the water on either trail could be captured.<br />
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The group returned after surveying a nearby well that serves an old Maramma temple and promises by Forester Munirajulu to take care of a day's worth of food for all the villagers who volunteer to clean the well. The villagers also requested cementing the floor in front of the stones representing the goddesses but the Forester denied permission staying that this was beyond his grade and that the villagers would have to request the DFO.<br />
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KANS volunteers split at the village and proceeded back by themselves. A hearty lunch of was had at Hotel Padmavathi at Koot road junction post which the volunteers went to KANS field office to get their vehicles. The volunteers split from there towards their homes.<br />
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The Ratel again had a filling drink on the way back.</div>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com1Toluva Betta, Tamil Nadu 635113, India12.371862023591754 77.79006958007812512.364106523591754 77.779984580078121 12.379617523591754 77.800154580078129tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3042932106525371887.post-81372193139838482432015-01-15T23:16:00.000-08:002015-01-15T23:16:49.065-08:00Web of Life<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Panoramic view of Belakere village</td></tr>
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Belakere, a small habitat inside the Cauvery North Wildlife Sanctuary with no metaled roads leading to / from it, is surrounded by ineffective Elephant Proof Trenches and houses a small Government Primary School where around 20-25 children go to study and get their free mid day meals. Barely 30-35 KM from Electronics City in Bangalore you would expect to be able to reach there by following Google Maps directions. But you can't even find this place on Google Maps unless you know <a href="https://goo.gl/maps/WDMLH" target="_blank">where</a> to look for.
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Elephant Proof Trench between Zero Point and Deverabetta</td></tr>
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I first got to know about the existence of such a village earlier this year when I joined as a volunteer of <a href="http://kans.org.in/" target="_blank">Kenneth Anderson Nature Society</a> (an NGO committed to the conservation of the forests in Melagiris) in a survey of the Elephant Proof Trenches (EPT) dug up by the Tamil Nadu Forest Department to prevent the elephants from venturing out of the forests and into farm lands. These are deep and wide trenches that an elephant cannot cross. But the trenches tend to get silted up, or their walls can slide in, or some shepherd or cattle grazer can place logs across the EPT to gain access into the forests for their cattle, sheep and goats. Free fodder you see. That it is at the cost of taking away the food of the elephants and other herbivores of the jungle is not their issue. They don't own farms which might get raided by the elephants after all. Thus these EPTs are made ineffective due to the breaches through which the pachyderms can come into human habitats and thus the survey was conducted to help the Tamil Nadu Forest Department find these breaches.
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The road over the hills to Belakere (from Gummalapuram)</td></tr>
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Reaching Belakere is a tricky business. You can either walk, take a motorbike or take a four wheeler with a high ground clearance. Provided it has not rained. The terrain is hilly and the track is strewn with stones and soil. Lots of soil that can quickly turn in mush and stones that will be all wet and slippery in rains. And then there is the perennial danger of crossing paths with the elephants. Interestingly though, electricity reaches Belakere!
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Our rides into the jungles to reach Belakere</td></tr>
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So we, a bunch of volunteers from KANS, some children from TVS Academy, Hosur and their teacher, went to Belakere in two Tata Safaris, a Chevrolet Tavera and a Mahindra Scorpio after parking the hatchbacks in the Gummalapuram high school from where we were joined by the headmasters and the circle head for the National Green Corps. We drove very slowly and carefully since there was lot of loose soil and stones on the paths, with deep narrow gullies formed by the water from the rains in last two months since we went there for a recce.
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Children of Belakere Panchayat Primary School</td></tr>
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The children all welcomed us with their loud sing song chorus of "Good morning Sir" and there was a brief intro. There were less than 25 mixed age group children in total, with a few under aged children too, probably since there was no anganwadi (govt. preschool cum creche) in the village. It is a common practice nevertheless in the hinterlands to send the young child along with their older sibling(s).
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Forming teams for the nature walk</td></tr>
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We started the day's program with a nature walk wherein groups of children were formed, each with 4-5 children, led by a student each of TVS Academy, Hosur. The children from both the schools introduced themselves to each other and they were explained what was to be done. Unsurprisingly, the children all mingled within minutes and were eager to head out.
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjIND4Ld0RrYkIxAEp2qJxgofuzW-1-AYPlWcmQXg5FWUaloozOi-G-l3-8dHnScah2wG2GLVCJ84U3hNAOFlijiY2a3wdMoAvg_wCSZFvaWYJ1lAn6vldajhWrtDPXB78wJKtlX23mmpE/s1600/IMG_1104.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjIND4Ld0RrYkIxAEp2qJxgofuzW-1-AYPlWcmQXg5FWUaloozOi-G-l3-8dHnScah2wG2GLVCJ84U3hNAOFlijiY2a3wdMoAvg_wCSZFvaWYJ1lAn6vldajhWrtDPXB78wJKtlX23mmpE/s1600/IMG_1104.JPG" height="426" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A stroll through the woods</td></tr>
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The objective was to take a nice leisurely stroll through the village, their farms and thereon to the edges of the forest to collect leaves, twigs, fruits, flowers, interesting stones, etc. that the children find along the paths they walk through.
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjU4uqOQ5Ue8Zi5NS0FV2MaFXRzBgGg92o0mL0UNnW9j6OfV36qvLqQkZy-bDjIRszC9Q1DzkbXp-1tukcXpvfYipxZUzmd3tkVAly9fBD4pyVoY0PC9mQgUxj246C39XrrOoGuynIQoIQ/s1600/IMG_1109.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjU4uqOQ5Ue8Zi5NS0FV2MaFXRzBgGg92o0mL0UNnW9j6OfV36qvLqQkZy-bDjIRszC9Q1DzkbXp-1tukcXpvfYipxZUzmd3tkVAly9fBD4pyVoY0PC9mQgUxj246C39XrrOoGuynIQoIQ/s1600/IMG_1109.JPG" height="426" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The children with their collection.</td></tr>
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The children led us all through their village and I asked them to identify a few birds which were either flying nearby or calling from afar. And they collected quite a good lot of stuff only children have the innocent curiosity to find interesting. :)
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After coming back to the school the teams started making things out of the stuff they picked up. A tree out of twigs and leaves, a camp site, etc. And by this time the children had broken ice with the all of us and were quite enjoying all the attention and novelty. And then it was time for all the adults to admire their creations. :)
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Pictures of Flora & Fauna on a lanyard being distributed to the participants.</td></tr>
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This was the perfect time to rope in all the adults present for the next activity, Web of Life. Everybody, including the adults, were asked to stand in a big circle and each one of them was given a chart with the picture of a tree/plant/grass or animal/insect/fish/bird on it, with a lanyard to wear round the neck.
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It was so beautiful to see the elder children helping the younger ones put the lanyards round their necks. There was a lot of laughing when even the teachers, headmasters, forest department staff and KANS volunteers started wearing the charts.
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The oldest and the youngest members of the Web of Life!</td></tr>
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The highlight was the octogenarian joining the game and standing right next to the youngest of them all, who incidentally got an Elephant. There was quite some cheering and laughing at that. :)
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Children were then asked to identify the flora & fauna they had all got. And then beginning with plants, the children were asked what/who ate (preyed on) them. At this point a spool of twine was passed around to connect the food to its consumer. From the flora we moved onto the eaters of the herbivores, and so on until we connected every living thing to the other as a web.
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiMNBVBtm-UuU2HrEr5jbMDVJOu4bzRPCiYf16l-viLKLzsJY7eGYqLvZs9VFB9g_fEvw2jd-1EKYqeeUbMet64YSbx-bjlx9ZVCP8MukZUp3erGCb_E8c5ZYHPN05lOnnAEEkz4nH8N8Q/s1600/PANO_20141219_122655.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiMNBVBtm-UuU2HrEr5jbMDVJOu4bzRPCiYf16l-viLKLzsJY7eGYqLvZs9VFB9g_fEvw2jd-1EKYqeeUbMet64YSbx-bjlx9ZVCP8MukZUp3erGCb_E8c5ZYHPN05lOnnAEEkz4nH8N8Q/s1600/PANO_20141219_122655.jpg" height="182" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The big Web of Life.</td></tr>
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Soon we had a huge web of crisscrossing twine and everybody could see how we were all interconnected. Fabulously too! And now came the final act. To show the grim consequences of the dastardly acts of man to rip out the forests in the name of progress.
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjbip3Vp4HnkkD1pPMNoQGWn3KDC1EgvYjef3xWqSilkc8dJMxWLxgXrERhRnlUgGN_td3gxL6bW_XNT1X9Dztuctoih34_w6jc-09qjDQeJpflSGG7_UoX1lkcXE6e-JiFKOjquDlRrUM/s1600/IMG_1165.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjbip3Vp4HnkkD1pPMNoQGWn3KDC1EgvYjef3xWqSilkc8dJMxWLxgXrERhRnlUgGN_td3gxL6bW_XNT1X9Dztuctoih34_w6jc-09qjDQeJpflSGG7_UoX1lkcXE6e-JiFKOjquDlRrUM/s1600/IMG_1165.JPG" height="426" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">When man destroys the forests, the Web of Life begins to shrink.</td></tr>
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First the children representing the trees and plants were asked to leave their end of the twine and sit down. Next children were asked to identify which are the animals that could no longer survive due to unavailability of their food. Now these children had to leave their end of the twine and sit down. And after that the animals dependent on these felled animals. Soon nothing much was left except the tiger and man. Top predators of the food chain. And without food, they too perish. A serious concept very beautifully explained to the children. And when asked what they learnt from this activity, pat came the response - forests are our life. Mission accomplished!
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg46XACzf8udOGK0H2vQubxIdLas3888SCyNNi7zfzy3ctjbDVfXWfoTCpypL81VwL1lBndZol2OoGMTZhlx5UWmPw52VkE48Ulkn_YnAf7yRW_SeE4OILkasuWZZdHfS1CC8t8NCgYJHQ/s1600/IMG_1168.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg46XACzf8udOGK0H2vQubxIdLas3888SCyNNi7zfzy3ctjbDVfXWfoTCpypL81VwL1lBndZol2OoGMTZhlx5UWmPw52VkE48Ulkn_YnAf7yRW_SeE4OILkasuWZZdHfS1CC8t8NCgYJHQ/s1600/IMG_1168.JPG" height="426" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Quiz in progress</td></tr>
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There was a lunch break where free mid day meals, cooked in the school premises, was served to the children. Post this Girish, our project lead, conducted a short quiz where the children identified different animals, birds, reptiles shown on the laptop screen. A correct answer was rewarded with a Cadbury's Dairy Milk chocolate. And soon everybody had a chocolate in hand. ;-)
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjC2T1yJMWspwM1zx7E2AGnmEuqCCwSNlvbbVH7Ob3OMBWJBJVdeSh1aEuJYdET-o1UZCGMzGXCURN5NZ7p5Brpx-moL9KtrH87VQDEdhK2qN9BXdZRNoIauMxYQCe7PL8bIpXbBixUJW4/s1600/IMG_1177.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjC2T1yJMWspwM1zx7E2AGnmEuqCCwSNlvbbVH7Ob3OMBWJBJVdeSh1aEuJYdET-o1UZCGMzGXCURN5NZ7p5Brpx-moL9KtrH87VQDEdhK2qN9BXdZRNoIauMxYQCe7PL8bIpXbBixUJW4/s1600/IMG_1177.JPG" height="426" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The returning TVS Academy, Hosur team.</td></tr>
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This was immediately followed by a movie show on Nagarhole National Park that ran for an hour. And then it was time for the team from TVS Academy, Hosur, to leave after enriching the lives of us all. Thank yous were exchanged and byes were told.
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhxlmQoxPGG4P1crO9vplsRvP0Zgt_jqAoosUzfW4ePuKg-aWP0O4xrl2jtvgugIEXfZtWzoGvLcTJrhBRhEXaQEvPNkIIbNTbL45yN9PR63srTEjHVv0KkGSyfh5kwaosN2fb3lz-LeZE/s1600/IMG_1181.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhxlmQoxPGG4P1crO9vplsRvP0Zgt_jqAoosUzfW4ePuKg-aWP0O4xrl2jtvgugIEXfZtWzoGvLcTJrhBRhEXaQEvPNkIIbNTbL45yN9PR63srTEjHVv0KkGSyfh5kwaosN2fb3lz-LeZE/s1600/IMG_1181.JPG" height="426" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">KANS President Sanjeev distributing the books to the children.</td></tr>
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Finally Sanjeev, president of KANS, distributed a book on animals in Kannada to all the children. A few were given to the headmaster of Gummalapuram school to be kept in their library.
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg3GLYsWzjak9p3f0UVOR8xvcdOCzY-04CJ4-PWGuY2m7EvVARBKt2yth3scm12hz3OGORu3GwRzWKFQ7Zq410pgKoDhHK7sYPFbbYb5Xl22RChyVCGDber65toSW9cDIoivcbIIt4iVeQ/s1600/IMG_20141219_141309.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg3GLYsWzjak9p3f0UVOR8xvcdOCzY-04CJ4-PWGuY2m7EvVARBKt2yth3scm12hz3OGORu3GwRzWKFQ7Zq410pgKoDhHK7sYPFbbYb5Xl22RChyVCGDber65toSW9cDIoivcbIIt4iVeQ/s1600/IMG_20141219_141309.jpg" height="640" width="472" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Ragi mudde, saaru - our lunch</td></tr>
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But that was not all, we were invited by a village resident for a sumptuous lunch of Ragi Mudde (huge balls made of boiled flour of millets) and saaru (spiced up stock of boiled leaves) along with avarekai palya (fried beans and leaves tempered with seasonings). And then it was time to disperse.
We KANS members stopped for a while in the jungle for our committee meeting, on a lookout for elephants which were apparently being driven over to Tamil Nadu side by the Karnataka Forest Department, we did hear loud crackers being burst. Then we went to the Gummalapuram school to pick up our vehicles and dispersed from there with promises to take this model to other schools in the Melagiris.<br />
<br />
<i><span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace; font-size: x-small;">Originally published at <a href="http://sfh.naasat.in/2014/12/web-of-life.html">http://sfh.naasat.in/2014/12/web-of-life.html</a></span></i></div>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3042932106525371887.post-1400689105971148792014-06-24T20:13:00.001-07:002014-06-24T20:40:43.815-07:00EPT Survey at Javalagiri - 14/06/2014<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
Kenneth Anderson nature Society once again rose to the occasion with the help of enthusiastic volunteers to conduct a survey of the EPT (Elephant Proof Trench) at Javalagiri Range of CNWLS, along with the officers and staff of the Tamil Nadu Forest Dept. The survey was carried out in response to the request KANS got from the District Forest Officer of Hosur Forest Division.<br />
<br />
The purpose of the survey was to examine the EPT and document the health (capacity to keep elephants away) of the EPT. This has been necessitated due to the alarming number of elephants venturing out of the forest into patta lands, townships, roads etc. in recent times.<br />
<br />
<u>Some facts:</u><br />
<ul style="text-align: left;">
<li>Nineteen volunteers from KANS participated in the survey.</li>
<li>Eight teams were formed to cover approximately 50+ kms. of EPT.</li>
<li>Each team was accompanied by a Forest Guard or a Watcher.</li>
<li>Each team covered on an avarage 6-9 kms along the EPT.</li>
</ul>
<u>What is an EPT?</u><br />
<div>
<ul style="text-align: left;">
<li>Typically an EPT sits between the forest and Patta Land (agricultural land).</li>
<li>EPT is about 4 to 5 Ft. wide by about 6 to 7 ft deep.</li>
<li>Meant to prevent Elephants crossing across to the agricultural land from the forest.</li>
<li>At places where the trench cannot be dug (due to granite surface), a stone wall is erected. </li>
</ul>
<u>Modus operandi of EPT survey</u><br />
<br />
<ul style="text-align: left;">
<li>Team walks along the EPT.</li>
<li>Members examine the EPT for its effectiveness in keeping the elephants on the intended side and not allow it to cross over.</li>
<li>If the EPT is found to have been compromised (reasons below), then the team does the following:</li>
<ul>
<li>Take GPS coordinates of the place.</li>
<li>Take photos.</li>
<li>Write description to indicate what has gone wrong and what could be done.</li>
</ul>
</ul>
<br />
<u>Reasons for EPT losing its effectiveness</u></div>
<div>
<ul style="text-align: left;">
<li>EPT losing its steep sides due to erosion.</li>
<li>Elephants kicking mud into it deliberately in order to get across.</li>
<li>Villagers filling portions of it in order to get their cattle across for grazing.</li>
</ul>
<u>Participant list</u></div>
<div>
<ul style="text-align: left;">
<li>Mr. Ulaganathan, DFO - Hosur Forest Division</li>
<li>Mr.Anand, ACF - Hosur Forest Division</li>
<li>Staff of Hosur Forest Division</li>
<li>KANS</li>
<ul>
<li>Prem Kumar Aparanji</li>
<li>Rahul</li>
<li>Soundaryavalli Madhugiri</li>
<li>Brijesh</li>
<li>Tarsh Williams</li>
<li>Jyotsna</li>
<li>Sabari Giri</li>
<li>Akshay Devendra</li>
<li>Abhinandan Murthy</li>
<li>Kiran Nagendra</li>
<li>Ram</li>
<li>Rochelle</li>
<li>Girish</li>
<li>Manjunath</li>
<li>Sanjeev Kumar SR</li>
<li>Prasanna Vynatheya</li>
<li>George Tom</li>
<li>Jobin</li>
<li>Suresh</li>
</ul>
</ul>
<div>
<u>Misc Notes:</u></div>
<div>
<ul style="text-align: left;">
<li>Food arrangement was exceptionally good, thanks to the TN Forest Dept.</li>
<li>No mosquitoes in the forest IB.</li>
<li>Slightly cloudy neither too warm nor cool.</li>
<li>Evening at the forest IB was very pleasant with each sharing their wilderness experiences.</li>
</ul>
</div>
<div>
DFO Mr. Ulaganathan with the aid of videos explained to the group the problems associated with Elephants straying into human habitations. He also mentioned that there is a large herd of elephants that have gone across from Melagiri crossing NH7 and are holed up in Andhra, and that he would need our help to drive them back to Melagiri. It seems the elephants need to be driven across 50 kms of agricultural land and human habitation and that it would be a tricky affair. Leaving the elephants there would mean death to them ultimately due to food shortage and inbreeding.</div>
</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
<div>
Please see the photos here: <span style="color: #222222; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; text-decoration: none;"><a href="http://picasaweb.com/ka.naturesociety/EPTAnalysisJune2014">picasaweb.com/ka.<wbr></wbr>naturesociety/<wbr></wbr>EPTAnalysisJune2014</a></span><br />
<br />
-<br />
Prasanna Vynatheya</div>
</div>
</div>
Laxmeeshahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18259234126899970563noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3042932106525371887.post-71588385689919535662014-06-12T13:57:00.000-07:002015-01-02T00:27:11.001-08:00Illegal Checkdams in Bettamugilalam<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<div class="MsoNormal">
To, Date:
25/05/2014</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
Thiru. Lakshmi Narayan, IFS</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
Principal Chief Conservator of Forests and Chief Wildlife Warden,</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
Tamil Nadu Forest Department,</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
Chennai - 600 015</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Copy to:</div>
<ul style="margin-top: 0in;" type="disc">
<li class="MsoNormal">District Forest Officer,
Hosur Forest Division</li>
<li class="MsoNormal">District Collector,
Krishnagiri</li>
<li class="MsoNormal">Sub-Collector, Hosur</li>
<li class="MsoNormal">Range Forest Officer,
Denkanikottai Range, Hosur Forest Division</li>
</ul>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Sir,</div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<b><u>Sub: Illegal Checkdams affecting Cauvery North Wildlife Sanctuary<o:p></o:p></u></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Kenneth Anderson Nature Society (KANS) is a wildlife NGO
registered under the Tamil Nadu Societies Registration Act, 1975. We have been
actively working with the Hosur Forest Division for the last 6 years on various
issues pertaining to wildlife conservation and related matters.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
During our visit in April 2014 to a region called
Bettamugilalam, located near Denkanikottai, Krishnagiri District, we noticed
that in almost all the farm plots, the farmers had dug bore wells and were drawing
water using diesel motor pumps. Upon
enquiring, the farmers said that they have been doing this for the past 3-4
years. </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
The impact is that the streams that flow through the
villages are going dry[1].</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
So, in order to improve the water table, they have created several
checkdams along the stream by placing sacks of sand [2] and boulders[3].</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
We would like to bring to your notice the threat from such
activities:</div>
<div class="MsoListParagraph" style="mso-list: l0 level1 lfo2; text-indent: -.25in;">
<!--[if !supportLists]-->1.<span style="font-size: 7pt;">
</span><!--[endif]-->Bettamugilalam is located in the Cauvery North
Wildlife Sanctuary. It is surrounded by the Reserve Forests of Aiyur, Sameri, Marandahalli,
Toluvabetta and Galligattam. The streams that originate in these forests flow
from one to the other through these villages [4]and eventually flow into the
Panchapalli reservoir. The Checkdams are in violation of Section 29 of the
Wildlife Protection Act of 1972 which states that: </div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 35.45pt;">
“No person shall destroy,
exploit or remove any wild life including forest produce from a sanctuary or
destroy or damage or divert the habitat of any wild animal by any act
whatsoever <b><i>or divert, stop or enhance the flow of water into or outside the
sanctuary, </i></b>[5] except under and in accordance with a permit granted by
the Chief Wild Life Warden, and no such permit shall be granted unless the
State Government being satisfied in consultation with the Board that such removal
of wild life from the sanctuary or the change in the flow of water into or
outside the sanctuary is necessary for the improvement and better management of
wild life therein, authorises the issue of such permit”</div>
<div class="MsoListParagraph" style="mso-list: l0 level1 lfo2; text-indent: -.25in;">
<!--[if !supportLists]-->2.<span style="font-size: 7pt;">
</span><!--[endif]-->With streams in the forests going dry, Elephants
have been occassionally visiting the villages in search of water. If these
streams are not restored to their natural state, then, in the coming days there
could be an increase in the human-elephant conflict in this region. </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Therefore, in the interest of both the people and forests,
we request you to take appropriate steps to restore the natural flow of the water
systems and maintain the hydrological balance of this fragile region by closing
and preventing these illegal Checkdams. </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Regards,</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Laxmeesha Acharya</div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
Kenneth Anderson Nature Society</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 11.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-language: KN; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-fareast; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">1. Bore-well
next to a stream that has gone dry</span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-omFiIRGjYq0/VKZUyCaVMNI/AAAAAAAAB_E/GRr6u2lbv0o/s1600/DSC03564.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-omFiIRGjYq0/VKZUyCaVMNI/AAAAAAAAB_E/GRr6u2lbv0o/s1600/DSC03564.JPG" height="179" width="320" /></a></div>
<span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 11.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-language: KN; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-fareast; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">2. </span><span style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 115%;">Checkdams
made using sacks of sand</span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-dNF92w91V_s/VKZVPEXHGPI/AAAAAAAAB_M/wgQGVA28R5s/s1600/DSC03548.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-dNF92w91V_s/VKZVPEXHGPI/AAAAAAAAB_M/wgQGVA28R5s/s1600/DSC03548.JPG" height="186" width="320" /></a></div>
<span style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 115%;">3. </span><span style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 115%;">Checkdams
made using boulders</span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-seQ0-K7kEYo/VKZVnKBprUI/AAAAAAAAB_U/ADzgRy263mk/s1600/DSC03551.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-seQ0-K7kEYo/VKZVnKBprUI/AAAAAAAAB_U/ADzgRy263mk/s1600/DSC03551.JPG" height="179" width="320" /></a></div>
<span style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 115%;">4. </span><span style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 115%;">Map
showing the streams (in blue) flowing through Bettamugilalam</span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-tvxTXDOVI48/VKZV55LJoGI/AAAAAAAAB_c/vsnKbVpVD1Y/s1600/Map.bmp" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-tvxTXDOVI48/VKZV55LJoGI/AAAAAAAAB_c/vsnKbVpVD1Y/s1600/Map.bmp" height="236" width="320" /></a></div>
<span style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 115%;">5. </span><span style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 115%;">Blocking
of stream from flowing into the forest</span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-V3pdckqXBm0/VKZWS-VFSeI/AAAAAAAAB_k/MyFOvUp1z50/s1600/DSC03566.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-V3pdckqXBm0/VKZWS-VFSeI/AAAAAAAAB_k/MyFOvUp1z50/s1600/DSC03566.JPG" height="179" width="320" /></a></div>
<span style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></div>
</div>
Laxmeeshahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18259234126899970563noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3042932106525371887.post-2629226657996362132014-06-12T13:47:00.000-07:002014-06-12T16:23:12.007-07:00Petition to recover encroached land along Cauvery<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<div class="MsoNormal">
To, Date:
04/03/2014</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
Thiru. T.P. Rajesh, IAS</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
District Collector</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
Krishnagiri</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
Thiru Ulaganathan, IFS</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
Conservator of Forests </div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
Dharmapuri circle</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
Thiru Praveen P Nair, IAS</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
Sub-collector</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
Hosur<br />
<!--[if !supportLineBreakNewLine]--><br />
<!--[endif]--></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Sir,</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Kenneth Anderson Nature Society (KANS) is a wildlife NGO
registered under the Tamil Nadu Societies Registration Act, 1975. We have been
actively working with the Hosur Forest Division (Hosur FD) for the last 5
½ years on various issues pertaining to
wildlife conservation and related matters.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
One such issue has been a religious congregation of
thousands of people at a place called Dabguli, which is located on the banks of
the Cauvery river in Urigam range. We had initially noticed a large amount of
waste at this place during a bio-diversity survey that KANS was carrying out in
the Hosur FD in 2009-10. We met the organisers, who had been holding this
festival from around 2007-08. In 2011, we convinced them to shift from using
silver-lined plates to eco-friendly leaf plates. In 2012, with active
assistance from the Hosur FD and Police, we began frisking the visitors for
liquor and plastic. </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
This year the festival was held on February 1<sup>st</sup>
and 2<sup>nd</sup> and the Hosur FD mobilised a large contingent of Foresters,
Guards and Watchers, drawn from Denkanikottai, Anchetty and Urigam ranges, to
manage the crowd. KANS would like to thank Mr. Ulaganathan (DFO, Hosur FD and
CF,Dharmapuri) for taking up this initiative and for personally monitoring this
activity the entire day. </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
KANS would like to draw your attention to some concerns
pertaining to this festival. </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Majority of the visitors have utter disregard for forests
and for the jurisdiction of the forest department. </div>
<ul style="margin-top: 0in;" type="disc">
<li class="MsoNormal">Around 230 vehicles
(auto-rickshaws, cars,tempos, tractors, buses etc.) were counted at the
Manjukondapalli check-post on the first day. An equal, if not more, number
of two-wheelers also passed through the check-post. The vehicle density
increased from evening onwards till mid-night. <i>This is despite the
Forest Department banning entry into the forests after 6.30 pm</i>. </li>
<li class="MsoNormal">From previous years, we have noticed that nearly 4-5
tractor loads of wood is collected from the forests for cooking, <i>without
permission from the Forest Department</i>. Also, such uncontrolled removal
of wood defeats the intention of activities carried out by the Forest
Department such as creation of fodder plots, afforestation etc. </li>
<li class="MsoNormal">No permission has been
taken from the Forest Department for conducting the festival at this
scale, which is conducted not just within the temple premises, but spills
onto a much larger area.</li>
<li class="MsoNormal">The temple itself has
grown and additional permanent and semi-permanent structures have been
built in <i>encroached government land</i>. The organisers have plans to
re-build the temple in a grander scale.</li>
<li class="MsoNormal">The forest road leading
from Belpatti village to Dabaguli APC has regularly been levelled to ease
the vehicle movement, not just during this festival, but throughout the
year. There is an increase in crowd visiting Dabguli ever since
restrictions have been imposed in Mutatti in Karnataka due to it being
included in Cauvery WLS. This was claimed by one of the organisers, who
said that he was happy that more people are visiting Dabguli.</li>
</ul>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: .5in;">
<i>JCBs are used for levelling the
road, without Forest Department permission.<o:p></o:p></i></div>
<ul style="margin-top: 0in;" type="disc">
<li class="MsoNormal">The waste generated during
the festival are collected and burnt in large pits dug in the river bank.
The remaining waste (paper, plastic, glass etc.) and the remains of the
burnt/partly-burnt waste gradually finds its way into the river. Since
there are no sanitation facilities within the temple premises, the
visitors (thousands of them) relieve themselves in the river and in the
forest. These pollute the air, soil and water and thereby severly
effecting the river ecology. Also, this is same polluted water that is
drawn downstream for the Hogenekal drinking water project.</li>
<li class="MsoNormal">Even on days other than
the festival, the temple is open and music is played by the family living
at the temple, thereby permanently driving away wildlife from this part of
the Reserve Forest (RF).</li>
</ul>
<div class="MsoNormal">
This part of the forest is very important because, </div>
<ul style="margin-top: 0in;" type="disc">
<li class="MsoNormal">The entire stretch of
40kms of the Cauvery river in the Hosur Forest Division is inviolate,
except for Dabguli. </li>
<li class="MsoNormal">The areas between Uganiyam
and Dabguli are prime-habitat for the Grizzled Giant Squirrel. </li>
<li class="MsoNormal">HFD has dug EPTs all along
the northern boundary with the intention of diverting the movement of
elephants towards Cauvery. So, it is vital that the forests around Cauvery
are left undisturbed, else there will be cases of Human-elephant conflict
coming from these areas also in the future. </li>
<li class="MsoNormal">Increasing numbers of
Tigers are being sighted in the Cauvery WLS in Karnataka in the ranges
exactly opposite to Dabguli. So, there is a very high possibility of
Tigers moving into Melagiris in the coming years.</li>
</ul>
<div class="MsoNormal">
With so much at stake, we cannot allow Dabguli to turn into
a popular, dirty, noisy pilgrimage center. </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
The Kestur RF notification <i>(Fort ST. George Gazette No
137, dated:09.03.1887)</i> gives Right of way to a width not exceeding six
yards in width and is allowed only for men, cattle and pack animals over the
path from Kestur to Dabbaguli. Hence vehicle entry can be banned or restricted.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
The Bilikal RF notification <i>(Fort ST. George Gazette No
341, dated:23.05.1887)</i> specifies an area of 100 yards by 5 yards for the
temple. Therefore, the remaining structures can be easily demolished by the
Forest Department. There is a Supreme Court ruling (SLP No. 8519/2006) which
does not permit construction of religious structures in public places and has
directed the District Collector to take action on unauthorized structures
already in place. The RF notification also states that for organising the
assembly of people at Dabguli, a notice ought to be given to the Forest
Officer. Since no such notices are currently being given to the Forest
Department, all the festivals happening at Dabguli can be termed as illegal and hence banned. </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
The Tamil Nadu Forest Act, 1882 and Wildlife Protection Act,
1972 provide <b><i>absolute protection to forested area from all factors causing
degradation, depletion and destruction of wildlife and wildlife habitats</i></b>.
In the spirit of maintaining the law of the land, we request you to take
appropriate and immediate steps to protect this region. </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Regards,</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Laxmeesha Acharya</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Kenneth Anderson Nature Society</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Copy to:</div>
<span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 11.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: Tunga; mso-bidi-language: KN; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-fareast; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">Range Forest Officer,
Urigam Range, Hosur Forest Division</span></div>
Laxmeeshahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18259234126899970563noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3042932106525371887.post-66536864865649230812014-05-11T04:36:00.001-07:002014-05-11T07:14:55.249-07:00Melagiri Bird Survey 2014<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<div align="JUSTIFY" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="font-family: Bitstream Charter, serif;">Melagiri
Bird Survey 2014, the first comprehensive study of avian biodiversity
in Melagiri Hills was conducted on 1st and 2nd of February,
2014. Over 40 bird watchers </span><span style="font-family: Bitstream Charter, serif;"><span style="font-family: Bitstream Charter, serif;">including
expert camp-leads</span> from different parts of South India, and an equal number of department staff participated
in this effort.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Bitstream Charter, serif;">Participants
were given a brief orientation at the main camp in District Forest
Office, Mathigiri, Hosur on 31 st January, 2014, after which the
teams dispersed
to their respective base camps. Twelve base camps
were selected in such a way that all representative habitats
and
altitudes are covered and they are well spread-out. </span>
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<span style="font-family: Bitstream Charter, serif;">A
total of 48 transects were conducted
across the 12 base camps. This
amounted to over 130 hours and nearly 200 kms of surveying, in which
a total
of 7191 birds of 216 species were recorded.
This includes
29 species which are being recorded for the first time from Melagiri
Hills.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Bitstream Charter, serif;">Significant
recordings inclueed Nilgiri Wood Pigeon and Dark-sided Flycatcher
from Kodekarai, Lesser Fish-Eagle, River Tern and Oriental Darter
from the riverine areas along Cauvery, Painted Stork from Panchapalli
near Chinnar river, good population of Blue-winged Parakeet from 8
out of the 12 camps, Besra, Lesser Yellow-nape, Yellow-browed Bulbul,
Oriental Turtle-Dove, Oriental Scops Owl
, Indian Blue Robin,
European Bee-eater, Common House-Martin and Hair-crested.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Bitstream Charter, serif;">Detailed analysis is available here: https://www.dropbox.com/s/juwd44tlxe9u4k5/analysis.xls</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Bitstream Charter, serif;">KANS would like to thank all the volunteers who participated, Hosur FD for their wonderful support and IBCN for supporting the Survey via Small Grant Programme.</span></div>
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Unknownnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3042932106525371887.post-56057574900758584072013-09-03T22:48:00.000-07:002015-01-02T00:56:33.451-08:00Field Staff Training - Mudumalai and Nagarhole<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">KANS and Hosur Forest Division conducted a ‘Staff
Training program’ at Mudumalai and Nagarhole Tiger Reserves from 24-28 August
2013. This was attended by the DFO Mr.Ulaganathan, ACF Mr. Soundarrajan, 2
Foresters, 5 Forest Guards, 6 Forest Watchers and 7 Anti-poaching Watchers.</span><br />
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sight-seeing at Srirangapatna.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 11.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;"><b style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Day 2:</b><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"> Started with an early morning safari and reached a watch tower at Game hut. The staff were taken around and explained about the functioning of the watch tower.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="line-height: 17px;">Later, we visited </span><span style="line-height: 17px;">Imbrella Anti-poaching camp. Forester Rajendran from MTR explained about the functioning of the APC. This covered:</span></span></div>
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<li><span style="line-height: 17px;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Staffing</span></span></li>
<li><span style="line-height: 17px;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Patrolling methods (what time they leave in the morning, beats covered etc. )</span></span></li>
<li><span style="line-height: 17px;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Recording of patrols (use of GPS, transfer data weekly with the DD, log books etc.)</span></span></li>
<li><span style="line-height: 17px;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Dealing with incidents like forest fires, human intrusions, hunting etc.</span></span></li>
<li><span style="line-height: 17px;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Life in APC (rations, solar lights, weekly shifts etc.)</span></span></li>
</ul>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; line-height: 17px;">This was followed by a Q&A by HFD staff with the Forester and interaction with the APC staff.</span></div>
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<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-YV5MB8PZmwY/VKZbfRqA_iI/AAAAAAAACAA/vtlDeGKK2o8/s1600/2imbrella2.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-YV5MB8PZmwY/VKZbfRqA_iI/AAAAAAAACAA/vtlDeGKK2o8/s1600/2imbrella2.JPG" height="240" width="320" /></a></div>
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">We then returned to the Theppakadu Log House where we were residing and after finishing breakfast, went on another another round into MTR where the Forester showed salt licks and some water holes. He explained how the water holes were prepared using natural materials, so as to blend with the environment.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; line-height: 18px;">Post lunch, we were taken to couple of other places around MTR and to see the fabulous Moyar falls.</span><br />
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<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Upon returning, we headed to the Theppakadu camp where the Deputy Director of MTR had organised a theory class. This talk was given by Mr. Kannan,Wildlife Biologist. A presentation was given on how protection and monitoring of Tigers and other species are done in MTR. The discussion was summarised by our DFO, who stressed that these systems should be introduced in Melagiris asap and protection should be taken up to the maximum extent possible.</span></span>
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<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-iGJizSvd5jc/VKZb4NkLLNI/AAAAAAAACAY/s0FGp3tJUN8/s1600/5lecture.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-iGJizSvd5jc/VKZb4NkLLNI/AAAAAAAACAY/s0FGp3tJUN8/s1600/5lecture.JPG" height="240" width="320" /></a></div>
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; line-height: 17px;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; line-height: 18px;">Next, we visited Asarumattam APC in Segur Range. Its at a very remote place, almost 15 kms from the nearest road. The participants got to observe and interact with the anti-poaching watchers.</span><br />
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<b style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; line-height: 115%;">Day 3:</b><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; line-height: 115%;"> Left for Nagarhole. The Nagarhole CF Mr. Gokul,
had arranged for a safari, and we went on that and to the luck of all of us, expecially the staff, we were able to
sight a Tiger. Evening was spent in relaxing in the quiet environs of the
forest.</span><br />
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<b style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; line-height: 18px;">Day 4:</b><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; line-height: 18px;"> Mr. Chinnappa arrived early morning by 7.30 am and he gave a brief talk about his experiences from the time he joined Nagarhole in 1967 and till date. Subsequently, after breakfast, we all headed out into the forest. There was a bus and jeep that took us in and at various places we had to get down and walk and at each place Mr.Chinnappa explained various aspects of forests and field craft. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; line-height: 18px;">These covered:</span><br />
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<li><span style="text-indent: -0.25in;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Identification of scat, dung and pellets and how to read them</span></span></li>
<li><span style="text-indent: -0.25in;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Behaviour of animals, which live in groups and as individuals</span></span></li>
<li><span style="text-indent: -0.25in;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Role of animals in keeping forests clean</span></span></li>
<li><span style="text-indent: -0.25in;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Role of forests in water conservation</span></span></li>
<li><span style="text-indent: -0.25in;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Jungle survival skills</span></span></li>
<li><span style="text-indent: -0.25in;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Role of animals in soil conservation</span></span></li>
<li><span style="line-height: 18px;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Parasitical behaviour of some trees</span></span></li>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">As we drove around the forest, he also showed us ‘hadlus’ (swamps) where people used to earlier graze cattle and cultivate paddy. He explained how the people were tactfully relocated and today there are wildlife in these swamps at all times of the day. He also showed areas where forest fires had destroyed over 30 sq.kms. in the core area which had lead to eupatorium and lantana colonizing the burnt areas.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Overall, the stress was on impressing upon the staff not to
take their work casually. There is a wealth of knowledge around them and since
they are in the field all the while, they ought to observe and learn and not
rely on outsiders for information of their forests. The stress was also on
understanding the importance of forests for the securing the future of our
children and the huge responsibility that is there on the staff in protecting
these forests.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Back at the base, Mr.Chinnappa thanked the staff for visiting Nagarhole and expressed his wish to come to Melagiris again and see more wildlife than what he had seen during his last visit.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; line-height: 18px;">The staff too were motivated with what they had witnessed over the last 3 days in Mudumalai and Nagarhole. The challenge is to translate this motivation into action on ground.</span><br />
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Laxmeeshahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18259234126899970563noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3042932106525371887.post-15669823669598468942012-10-31T04:15:00.002-07:002012-10-31T04:15:40.196-07:00Cauvery Biosphere Reserve<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
Hi all,<br />
<br />
Just sharing a link to another blog that was posted in Sanctuary Asia. <a href="http://www.sanctuaryasia.com/index.php?option=com_myblog&show=Time-to-declare-Kavery-Biosphere-Reserve-KBR-.html&Itemid=52">http://www.sanctuaryasia.com/index.php?option=com_myblog&show=Time-to-declare-Kavery-Biosphere-Reserve-KBR-.html&Itemid=52</a></div>
Laxmeeshahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18259234126899970563noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3042932106525371887.post-68926389353676010612011-08-22T23:40:00.000-07:002015-01-02T01:08:38.181-08:00Protection Staff Workshop, 2011<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
After several weeks of planning, the workshop for Protection staff of Hosur Forest Division was held on 11th and 12th August 2011. <br />
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<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-KZDAGk7U3sI/VKZfB1rNGDI/AAAAAAAACBk/ff514tyWeD4/s1600/IMG_0854.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-KZDAGk7U3sI/VKZfB1rNGDI/AAAAAAAACBk/ff514tyWeD4/s1600/IMG_0854.JPG" height="240" width="320" /></a></div>
<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-Aq2iRIzfQqQ/VKZfXHD0-CI/AAAAAAAACBs/gMAcQwCcsPM/s1600/IMG_0853.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-Aq2iRIzfQqQ/VKZfXHD0-CI/AAAAAAAACBs/gMAcQwCcsPM/s1600/IMG_0853.JPG" height="240" width="320" /></a>We reached Anchetty FRH on 10th evening along with <a href="http://www.theearthheroes.com/the-awards/2006-awards/29-praveen-bhargav-">Mr. Praveen Bhargav</a>, and <a href="http://www.maheshbhat.com/heroes/chinnappa/index1.html">Mr. KM Chinnappa</a> . After making arrangements for dinner, the rest of the evening was spent in listening to various incidents from Mr. Chinnappa's vast experience. <br />
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The next morning we left for Rasimanal for the first batch training along with Sanjeev, Ananth and Aparna who joined us at Anchetty FRH reaching a few minutes before the scheduled start time of 9 a.m. However, hardly any of the participants had arrived and they all trooped in gradually and changed into their uniforms and the workshop began at around 10.30 a.m.. <span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><br />
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<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-fjI0gFZ1YOA/TlNP_HaglsI/AAAAAAAABag/MYzTBVgVORE/s1600/IMG_0820.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-fjI0gFZ1YOA/TlNP_HaglsI/AAAAAAAABag/MYzTBVgVORE/s320/IMG_0820.JPG" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5643942703765952194" style="display: block; height: 240px; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; width: 320px;" /></a></div>
The morning session focussed on the importance of wearing the Khaki uniform, the duties of the staff, various methods to implement protection measures, moral conscience, importance of protecting forests, the critical role that the staff play in ensuring a sustainable life for future generations, multi-tiered protection system comprising of foot patrol + mobile patrol + Anti-poaching camps + check-posts, patrolling methods, maintaining healthy and fit lifestyle etc. Mr. Chinnappa gave several examples from his own experience in dealing with poachers, mobs, 'influential people' etc.<br />
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<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-agS9-hBfzPo/TlNwWvShfrI/AAAAAAAABbQ/3b1ED2nVcM4/s1600/IMG_0827.JPG"><img alt="" border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-agS9-hBfzPo/TlNwWvShfrI/AAAAAAAABbQ/3b1ED2nVcM4/s320/IMG_0827.JPG" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5643978293978955442" style="cursor: hand; float: left; height: 240px; margin: 0px 10px 10px 0px; width: 320px;" /></a>After lunch, Mr. Praveen Bhargav spoke about some of the key provisions of the Wildlife Protection Act and how the staff should use them. A demonstration on usage of weapons and their maintenance was given. Real-life situations, when staff have to use weapons in the dark, were enacted by blindfolding them and asking them to pick the correct weapon from the lot, pick the appropriate ammunition, check if the weapon is loaded or not, remove the magazine and load cartridges etc. <br />
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The workshop ended with a fervent appeal by Mr. Chinnappa to all the participants to do their job sincerely and protect the forests so that the next time he visits Melagiri, it will be thriving with wildlife. He also extended an invitation to all the participants to visit Nagarhole NP so that he could show that how a forest can be restored from the brink of destruction and also give training in field-craft. <br />
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After the workshop got over, ACF Madhu escorted us to Hogenekkal falls since Mr. Chinnappa had heard of this but had never seen them. Returned to the FRH after that and after a early dinner, we retired for the day. George joined us late that night at 11 p.m., completely drenched! <br />
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12th morning, though the program for the 2nd batch was supposed to begin at 9 a.m., was delayed by by the forest department staff. After confirming the timings with the Urigam Ranger, we reached Uganiyam at around 10.15 a.m. and began the session.<br />
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It was conducted on similar lines as the previous day. The only difference was that this set of participants seemed a little more aware of the WPA, were better able to handle the weapons and the sessions were more interactive.<br />
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<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-N7KhlrKnskM/TlNM8LHDpGI/AAAAAAAABaY/FBqmEjDwjIA/s1600/DSC01001.JPG"><img alt="" border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-N7KhlrKnskM/TlNM8LHDpGI/AAAAAAAABaY/FBqmEjDwjIA/s320/DSC01001.JPG" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5643939354683614306" style="cursor: hand; display: block; height: 240px; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; width: 320px;" /></a> <br />
Towards the end, ACF Madhu spoke from his experience and related couple of incidents to motivate the participants. Sanjeev gave the vote of thanks and handed over souvenirs to Mr. Praveen Bhargav and Mr. Chinnappa. <br />
<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-qjSkKp0ItSk/TlNMKIubbaI/AAAAAAAABaQ/_nbp9Z0JmS4/s1600/DSC01004.JPG"><img alt="" border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-qjSkKp0ItSk/TlNMKIubbaI/AAAAAAAABaQ/_nbp9Z0JmS4/s320/DSC01004.JPG" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5643938495049985442" style="cursor: hand; display: block; height: 240px; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; width: 320px;" /></a> <br />
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Handouts were given to all the participants containing important provisions of the Wildlife Protection Act, Gun Safety guidelines. A copy of English & Tamil versions of 'The Truth About Tigers' DVD was also given to the participants, courtesy Mr. Shekhar Dattatri. <br />
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<b>Observations:</b> <br />
- Some of the staff from the 1st batch need training in weapon handling <br />
- APCs are under-staffed and probably under-equipped also <br />
- Checkpost is manned irregularly, probably only when some FD official is visiting. <br />
- Watch towers do not have any watchers, including the new one just before Gerhatti <br />
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<b>Participants </b><br />
11th August 2011: <br />
Hosur, Rayakottai and Krishnagiri Ranges. 45 guards/watchers/foresters. Officers: ACF M. Anandakumar, ACF A. Madhu, ACF Padma, RFO Vishwanathan (Anchetty)<br />
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12th August 2011: <br />
Denkanokottai, Jowlagiri, Anchetty and Urigam Ranges. 35 guards/watchers/foresters. Officers: ACF M. Anandakumar, ACF A. Madhu, RFO Vishwanathan (Anchetty), RFO Ramachandran (Denkanikottai), RFO Soligounder (Jowlagiri and additional charge of Urigam) <br />
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- <br />
Laxmeesha Acharya </div>
Laxmeeshahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18259234126899970563noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3042932106525371887.post-86842595903540652512011-08-02T10:12:00.000-07:002011-08-03T06:18:26.205-07:00Camera Trapping Project<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
Kenneth Anderson Nature Society (KANS) started the Camera Trapping project in May 2011 with the primary aim of documenting the biodiversity in Melagiri by getting photographic evidences. As the animals in Melgiri are extremely timid and shy due to human interferences, KANS decided that the best way to get photographs was to deploy camera traps at different locations in the field. Camera traps are silent and effective as they detect motion and body heat to take photographs automatically. <br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg0sSDysXRc7Jejepgqt5MT2VAoS4VWNxp4Ju63IyJDcsQMzRWfs1eQGep6wv-K8rG4WeTeHdM-odg7J3SWg_cNy9D9zhf_9dftczpsDclv6tdAEJdti1CHvLXewaCnvYIhap1wpOUgWmPC/s1600/clip_image002.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="" border="0" height="320" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5634287059778649634" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg0sSDysXRc7Jejepgqt5MT2VAoS4VWNxp4Ju63IyJDcsQMzRWfs1eQGep6wv-K8rG4WeTeHdM-odg7J3SWg_cNy9D9zhf_9dftczpsDclv6tdAEJdti1CHvLXewaCnvYIhap1wpOUgWmPC/s320/clip_image002.jpg" style="display: block; height: 400px; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; margin-top: 0px; text-align: center; width: 320px;" width="256" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b><i>A camera trap deployed in the field</i></b></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
The camera trapping project is undertaken to support the vision of KANS, that is, conservation of Melagiri and its wild denizens. Conservation cannot work if we don’t know what we are trying to conserve. This project is aimed at understanding and filling that gap.<br />
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The purpose of the camera trapping project can be broadly classified into primary and sub-objectives.<br />
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Primary objective:<br />
<ul>
<li><div closure_uid_9jutbk="60">
To obtain photographic evidences of fauna in various ranges of Melagiri.</div>
</li>
</ul>
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Sub-objectives:<br />
<ul style="text-align: left;">
<li><div closure_uid_9jutbk="60">
To capture movement of cattle in the forest.</div>
</li>
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<li>To identify human disturbances such as vehicular movement, movement of people along forest trails/tracks etc.</li>
</ul>
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Method of deployment:<br />
A suitable range is selected based on claims of animal activity. The traps are then placed in a selected beat within the range based on direct or indirect evidences.<br />
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As of now KANS has deployed three camera traps in the field. These have been successful in getting photographs of leopard, small indian civet, palm civet, sambar deer, elephant, wild boar, spotted deer, jungle cat, porcupine and a few birds.<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiIhYIkz08a_6PNwl1J_gkHMy2hscnxf0YHqchjXB0Nx1dOV09YtilhJYTs9WHmrGhAIKQkrmrf9QgQWz0M1xkuzBAqS0ijOygYCsLXrlD4Vmn4xzyKq8m01K3MQaKtmoYh6_1F6bifR2SK/s1600/KANS2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="260" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiIhYIkz08a_6PNwl1J_gkHMy2hscnxf0YHqchjXB0Nx1dOV09YtilhJYTs9WHmrGhAIKQkrmrf9QgQWz0M1xkuzBAqS0ijOygYCsLXrlD4Vmn4xzyKq8m01K3MQaKtmoYh6_1F6bifR2SK/s400/KANS2.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b><i>A few camera trapped denizens of Melagiri</i></b></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
This is an ongoing project and if you are interested in participating or getting any other details, please get in touch with me(Arun) at <a href="mailto:arunaccess@gmail.com">arunaccess@gmail.com</a>.<br />
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Unknownnoreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3042932106525371887.post-32838461434653730962011-07-25T20:15:00.000-07:002011-07-25T20:15:54.694-07:00<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b><u><span lang="EN-US">Training workshop for Protection Staff of Anchetty and Urigam Ranges </span></u></b></span></div><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b><u><span lang="EN-US">on 11<sup>th</sup> and 12<sup>th</sup> August 2011 </span></u></b></span><br />
<u><span lang="EN-US"></span></u></div><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><u><span lang="EN-US"><br />
</span></u></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US">Kenneth Anderson Nature Society is organising a 2 day workshop for the Protection staff of the Hosur Forest Division wherein approx. 60 staff will be trained in field craft, anti-poaching tactics, proper use of firearms and guidelines on legal issues. The objective of the workshop is to enhance the skills of the staff and also highlight the importance of their role and improve their morale and self-esteem. </span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">The workshop will be conducted by Wildlife First, represented by Mr. Praveen Bhargav (a former member of NBWL) (<a href="http://www.theearthheroes.com/the-awards/2006-awards/29-praveen-bhargav-" target="_blank">http://www.theearthheroes.<wbr></wbr>com/the-awards/2006-awards/29-<wbr></wbr>praveen-bhargav-</a>) and Mr. KM Chinnappa (<a href="http://www.maheshbhat.com/heroes/chinnappa/index1.html" target="_blank">http://www.maheshbhat.com/<wbr></wbr>heroes/chinnappa/index1.html</a>), a former Range Officer of Nagarhole National Park</div><div class="MsoNormal"> <span lang="EN-US"> </span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US">This workshop is a follow up to an earlier workshop conducted in November 2010 for 32 Range Officers of the Dharmapuri Circle. See <a href="http://www.thehindu.com/todays-paper/tp-national/tp-tamilnadu/article903270.ece?css=print" target="_blank">newsreport</a></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US"><br />
</span></div><div class="MsoNormal">The staff will be trained in field craft, anti-poaching tactics, proper use of firearms and guidelines on legal issues. The objective of the workshop is to enhance the skills of the staff and also highlight the importance of their role and improve their morale and self-esteem.</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><span lang="EN-US"></span><span lang="EN-US">Itinerary </span> <ul style="margin-top: 0in;" type="disc"><li class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US">Workshop timing: 9am – 5pm</span></li>
<li class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US">11<sup>th</sup> August 2011: Training for staff of Anchetty Range at Rasimanal APC </span></li>
<li class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US">12<sup>th</sup> August 2011: Training for staff of Urigam Range at Uganiam APC</span></li>
</ul><span lang="EN-US"> </span>Atleast 3 volunteers are required. Please contact Laxmeesha, <span><a href="mailto:laxmeesha@gmail.com" target="_blank">laxmeesha@gmail.com</a> if you wish to volunteer for the event.</span><span lang="EN-US"> </span>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3042932106525371887.post-27113796248349178462011-06-28T00:31:00.000-07:002011-09-27T07:06:33.300-07:00Tree Walk @ Melagiri<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhA-TYaeccfTA35QDxDjJZbekr72PWbHWbDG7psLKhqs_IYPd_85eHfxEAh4DGDwDKiY7amwXwXxSDGtBk-NIIadaG5yPJ9l6B6Tlo-m_E3NfBlKeBQrfLzMEm36p7_6v4aW7JmTGo4iUM/s1600/Flora.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="192" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhA-TYaeccfTA35QDxDjJZbekr72PWbHWbDG7psLKhqs_IYPd_85eHfxEAh4DGDwDKiY7amwXwXxSDGtBk-NIIadaG5yPJ9l6B6Tlo-m_E3NfBlKeBQrfLzMEm36p7_6v4aW7JmTGo4iUM/s640/Flora.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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Tree walk is an initiative to understand and catalogue the tree species in Melagiris. Our member Sheshadri who is an expert on trees is leading the walk which has been very informative to say the least.<br />
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In his own words Sheshadri puts down the following on flora and on the Tree walk project<br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;"><i>"Trees dominate the landscape in the rich Forests of South India. Every species of Tree makes possible the existence of hundreds of other members of Biological community.<br />
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We need to acquaint ourselves with these harmonious lifeforms. They evolved from 250 to 350 million years ago. Humans are only 1.5 lakh years old !<br />
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Tree walks are the first steps needed for Tree conservation. Accurate Field Botanists and Effective Foresters are the need of the Hour.<br />
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It is important to identify Forest trees and discover their various functions in supporting biodiversity. The botanical names, local names of Trees and Shrubs.. Their various Shapes, Sizes, Forms and occurrence in the Wild will be explored in detail. In this way we can relate to them and learn to conserve them.All other species of Flora and Fauna shall follow....<br />
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In-Situ conservation measures are - protecting their habitat and minimizing Human activity ( except some ancient tribes who have always lived in harmony with the forests ). Special protection for Rare and Endangered Trees.<br />
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Ex-Situ conservation measures are Collection of Seeds, generating Tall Saplings in local TNFD Nurseries or Nurseries and Farmlands in adjacent locations. Planting them in appropriate locations on the periphery of forest areas to Improve Natural Forest Cover. Thus attracting a wide variety of Local Fauna."</i></span><br />
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We have completed 2 sessions on the tree walk session so far that began first in May 2011. <br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjipfpda_xcs1aDGN6DfFZcXSrLrOhKpGz3CebIs0GIVrMJx16Kq7Ppr5WUA4hv08UiAmzqOdKkzRJEqgXKVSrISMwUydC_seaUkO8EFOelRgviHq1MuT1vmDr2NkTxUR5ejJ-LUax6-pc/s1600/elengi.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjipfpda_xcs1aDGN6DfFZcXSrLrOhKpGz3CebIs0GIVrMJx16Kq7Ppr5WUA4hv08UiAmzqOdKkzRJEqgXKVSrISMwUydC_seaUkO8EFOelRgviHq1MuT1vmDr2NkTxUR5ejJ-LUax6-pc/s200/elengi.JPG" width="150" /></a> <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgDFVDdV9w4YKrYyWVBBUTRPFRsLj0KPJstnN7kpHWaQVyxgOyr_67QTHJ60zowBKo7srEgt-FelWg-YiuAEmUooMjh0h3HusYBdwUuyXuMaG7KIs7MqvgSigJodRoTlruVa4bRkgVd9a0/s1600/Sepiaria.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgDFVDdV9w4YKrYyWVBBUTRPFRsLj0KPJstnN7kpHWaQVyxgOyr_67QTHJ60zowBKo7srEgt-FelWg-YiuAEmUooMjh0h3HusYBdwUuyXuMaG7KIs7MqvgSigJodRoTlruVa4bRkgVd9a0/s200/Sepiaria.JPG" width="200" /></a> <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEilVTg5b2dSWRSw_YgtCL9USvr8yNBsW_xHy1P0mr0klIZX2EPxmRzIZs8fnT2KH283z-tABzm1UTcFSaKHGr2WEaQipQGk8GGe1wkGE7VcGHwdYOaORYV1pUht0yqY0nPUx1PAKOPo-wE/s1600/givotia.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEilVTg5b2dSWRSw_YgtCL9USvr8yNBsW_xHy1P0mr0klIZX2EPxmRzIZs8fnT2KH283z-tABzm1UTcFSaKHGr2WEaQipQGk8GGe1wkGE7VcGHwdYOaORYV1pUht0yqY0nPUx1PAKOPo-wE/s200/givotia.JPG" width="200" /></a></div>
We came across to a variety of trees from the evergreen trees like Mimusops elengi to scrub jungle varieties like Capparis sepiaria. We even documented a few Eastern ghat species like Givotia rottleriformis. This verily proves that Melagiri indeed is this unique landscape, where the the eastern and Western Ghats meet!<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEilVTg5b2dSWRSw_YgtCL9USvr8yNBsW_xHy1P0mr0klIZX2EPxmRzIZs8fnT2KH283z-tABzm1UTcFSaKHGr2WEaQipQGk8GGe1wkGE7VcGHwdYOaORYV1pUht0yqY0nPUx1PAKOPo-wE/s1600/givotia.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"></a> <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiR8ADIAm6UVEhUSwQ8D2sZCjRi2wisCRicGSZNexvTgbd4f7KW1PnbWUFR_z7SCdablTpKZGvEzHsG8oQLCGH-lY3V18b6JlELufHBJWa0YzFitFyYw_RLs50oD1CNCkdXR6zrBbAzCPM/s1600/wrightia+arborea.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiR8ADIAm6UVEhUSwQ8D2sZCjRi2wisCRicGSZNexvTgbd4f7KW1PnbWUFR_z7SCdablTpKZGvEzHsG8oQLCGH-lY3V18b6JlELufHBJWa0YzFitFyYw_RLs50oD1CNCkdXR6zrBbAzCPM/s200/wrightia+arborea.JPG" width="200" /></a></div>
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Sometimes we came across rare varieties like Wrightia arborea.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEipg-zv25HqJGLrXblomhcv_cwga9wg1Pp7ZsdmoE-CcUjAG_oTH3YQV3GBRBHeT1C5BSVnF-yaQuPITGBEvHktI44XbBswD78e5Y7WOUrwbS0Z5rF-bOsQTQu-L5s8czXJ2nJBEip-Oyo/s1600/mitragyna.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEipg-zv25HqJGLrXblomhcv_cwga9wg1Pp7ZsdmoE-CcUjAG_oTH3YQV3GBRBHeT1C5BSVnF-yaQuPITGBEvHktI44XbBswD78e5Y7WOUrwbS0Z5rF-bOsQTQu-L5s8czXJ2nJBEip-Oyo/s200/mitragyna.JPG" width="200" /></a> </div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiR8ADIAm6UVEhUSwQ8D2sZCjRi2wisCRicGSZNexvTgbd4f7KW1PnbWUFR_z7SCdablTpKZGvEzHsG8oQLCGH-lY3V18b6JlELufHBJWa0YzFitFyYw_RLs50oD1CNCkdXR6zrBbAzCPM/s1600/wrightia+arborea.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiR8ADIAm6UVEhUSwQ8D2sZCjRi2wisCRicGSZNexvTgbd4f7KW1PnbWUFR_z7SCdablTpKZGvEzHsG8oQLCGH-lY3V18b6JlELufHBJWa0YzFitFyYw_RLs50oD1CNCkdXR6zrBbAzCPM/s1600/wrightia+arborea.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"></a></div>
There were trees like Mitragyna parvifolia where we witnessed several hundreds of common crows and plain tigers busy nectering reminding us of the ecological services these trees provide.<br />
<br />
Please find the documentation on the tree walk here, <a href="https://sites.google.com/site/aboutmelagiri/main/flora">https://sites.google.com/site/aboutmelagiri/main/flora</a> and images at the KANS picasa album <a href="https://picasaweb.google.com/ka.naturesociety/FloraOfMelagiri">https://picasaweb.google.com/ka.naturesociety/FloraOfMelagiri</a><br />
<br />
Documenting Flora is an ongoing project. Please get in touch with Karthik (karthikguna@gmail.com) for more details regarding participation during the tree walk and other details.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3042932106525371887.post-74161025809105263392011-06-27T10:01:00.000-07:002011-07-04T09:51:16.043-07:00Grizzled Giant Squirrel and Four Horned Antelope re-discovered<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-right: 0.1in;"></div><span style="font-size: small;">The grizzled giant squirrel (Ratufa macroura) is a large tree squirrel in the genus Ratufa found in the highlands of the Central and Uva provinces of Sri Lanka, and in patches of riparian forest along the Kaveri River and in the hill forests in the Tamil Nadu and Kerala states of southern India.The International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) lists the species as near threatened due to habitat loss and hunting.</span><span style="font-family: Calibri;"> <br />
<br />
The (GGS) is a previously un-recorded species for the Hosur forest division (HFD). Specific search for GGS was made by researchers of Asian Nature Conservation Foundation (ANCF) after Mr.Ganesan former DFO of HFD expressed his deep conviction that this animal would surely be found along the riverine tracts along the Cauvery river. Sure enough, a number of nesting sites and a handful of individual animals have been recorded at various places by Dr.Bhaskaran, Saravanan and Senthil Kumar from ANCF through record shots of a single GGS in 2009.<br />
<br />
Recently KANS member, Mr. Prasanna was fortunate to spot and obtain some good images of the GGS. Thus the GGS presence has been verified again.</span><br />
<br />
<div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;"> </span><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjtY8-en22lFhZAweW5uqtnEHely7imRybvXKbqTnIXwAj_67Gl3D8fXbrAXq3MwfGpLN2hvS7aPdEh6Qu07ykIXPyMPzE5ioua66e0r8CAtupMBGEVUvMaI67bpTn8dWtuyTPB84MhoQc/s1600/_DSC3650.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="248" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjtY8-en22lFhZAweW5uqtnEHely7imRybvXKbqTnIXwAj_67Gl3D8fXbrAXq3MwfGpLN2hvS7aPdEh6Qu07ykIXPyMPzE5ioua66e0r8CAtupMBGEVUvMaI67bpTn8dWtuyTPB84MhoQc/s400/_DSC3650.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Another species found in this region, the Four horned antelope (Tetracerus quadricornis), also known as Chousinga is listed as vulnerable under the IUCN Red list of threatened species. </span><span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 12pt;">It is usually found near to perennial water sources since it needs to drink water regularly. Its preference to dry deciduous forests has exposed it to a lot of biotic pressure from MFP collection and livestock grazing.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Both these rare species have discovered in the Urigam and Anchetty ranges of the Hosur Forest divisions during the year long bio-diversity survey carried out by KANS with ANCF along with the TamilNadu Forest department. </span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 12pt;">A recent Frontline article by Dr.AJT Johnsingh recently conjectured that the four horned antelope was probably extinct along the Tamilnadu side of the Cauvery. A dead specimen was also </span> <br />
<div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">recovered a few years back from the Udedurgam area of the Rayakota Range of Hosur Forest division.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Calibri;"> It is a cause for celebration that they are found in good numbers with as many as 30 defecation sites spotted along the banks of the Cauvery river. The four horned antelope usually a solitary creature is regularly sighted in the Hosur Forest division as small herds of upto 3 individuals.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Recently Dr.Ravi Raja Singh, son of the late Mr.Raja Singh who was the DFO of these parts in the 70s, also a KANS member sighted FHA.</span></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiPodwWsNk2Vicnm9eK1HRi1D9bf9VOV6rv2bkoiLHHsDO-gnv14cd54VP_OATUxLWlhVd8_y_xaqZUR2lEka79FiYxKSc7fXasZyjgGfdldWEB5mQwaBngbTk4G6ohTqFrhz2zuMU4JGw/s1600/25148_119422511407350_100000188068593_289735_5738688_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiPodwWsNk2Vicnm9eK1HRi1D9bf9VOV6rv2bkoiLHHsDO-gnv14cd54VP_OATUxLWlhVd8_y_xaqZUR2lEka79FiYxKSc7fXasZyjgGfdldWEB5mQwaBngbTk4G6ohTqFrhz2zuMU4JGw/s400/25148_119422511407350_100000188068593_289735_5738688_n.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Calibri;"><br />
</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 12pt;"> Its a matter of deep concern that these bio-diversity rich areas are under pressure from cattle penning, fire wood collection and Minor Forest Produce collection . The current DFO, Mr. Ulaganathan has taken a positive step by creating checkposts at points of entry to GGS habitat. He has stepped up vigil and posted watchers, which was not there earlier.<br />
<br />
However, villagers and city folks alike have found these forests to picnic and hold social gatherings. Loud music, vehicle horn, human presence and littering of plastic and beverage bottles have continued to disturb the last refuge of the GGS in HFD. </span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><span style="font-family: Calibri;">The common Langur is nearly extinct in this range and GGS and FHA may follow suit. The cry of the hour is to take immediate steps to secure the future of these endangered species by addressing the immediate threats posed by cattle penning and human disturbance.<br />
</span>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3042932106525371887.post-91114186948457914142011-04-05T21:46:00.000-07:002011-04-15T22:51:07.666-07:00Mammal Survey 2011, Hosur Forest divisionHosur FD in collaboration with the local NGO, Kenneth Anderson Nature Society conducted the Mammal Survey in the ranges of Hosur Forest Division namely – Anchetty, Urigam, Denkanikottai, Javalagiri, Krishnagiri, Rayakottai and Hosur. Volunteers from Karnataka and Tamil Nadu participated in the synchronised survey. Each team with one or two volunteers and<b></b> watcher/guard started on their pre-assigned beat in all ranges at 6.00 am exact so that no repeated data got recorded. <br />
<br />
<div><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEian2r-wPundlRz0_5IAC6aJ0lUSjNSCIskwsS_bRYbJv2oLNX-OGrszit9uTQL0LW8PHu2g6RIDAzXo6tjcBdC2bHtx6djv9ci-fin-98OOWHY_70O2I05E62EJx1QQUDO2SgOXYIblQM/s1600/IMG_2.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"></a><br />
All volunteers underwent orientation program by the KANS range coordinators on the survey that covered the importance of conducting the survey, entering data during the survey, the survey methodology, the geography and history of the forests and the mammals in it, the do's and don't when in forest etc., The survey was divided into a 2 day event to collect direct and indirect evidence of the mammals.<br />
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<div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEian2r-wPundlRz0_5IAC6aJ0lUSjNSCIskwsS_bRYbJv2oLNX-OGrszit9uTQL0LW8PHu2g6RIDAzXo6tjcBdC2bHtx6djv9ci-fin-98OOWHY_70O2I05E62EJx1QQUDO2SgOXYIblQM/s1600/IMG_2.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEian2r-wPundlRz0_5IAC6aJ0lUSjNSCIskwsS_bRYbJv2oLNX-OGrszit9uTQL0LW8PHu2g6RIDAzXo6tjcBdC2bHtx6djv9ci-fin-98OOWHY_70O2I05E62EJx1QQUDO2SgOXYIblQM/s320/IMG_2.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>On Saturday, 19th, the volunteers did a block count by walking in criss-cross fashion through the beat area in the morning and sat patiently by a waterhole to count the mammals in the evening. The next day, Sunday 20th, volunteers collected indirect evidences in the same beat area via block count strategy in the morning. They recorded all hoof/pug marks and carnivore scratch marks. Line transect method was followed to record the elephant dung in the evening.</div></div>Overall the survey went smoothly and the data collected so far has been encouraging. Almost all the ranges saw good activity by the elephants with one team in the Denkanikottai coming across a herd of 17 elephants. Healthy Leopard activity was observed. Significant numbers of Gaur, <span style="background-color: white;"><b></b></span>Chital, Sambar and others were observed.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjhC_ZoH08qKsnX7_8IQ_xzUVj7PBuHIlbZnSUBJfQLKPCdWxYd-QZl5GRHmfCfgfTe7BaAACnmqpGiKA9ASG0PoJFNZTel8v7L5-_ZNZCPVBDSDJe-o4yYZItXhtgRSHpAjb_Q8jaEUZA/s1600/IMG_1.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjhC_ZoH08qKsnX7_8IQ_xzUVj7PBuHIlbZnSUBJfQLKPCdWxYd-QZl5GRHmfCfgfTe7BaAACnmqpGiKA9ASG0PoJFNZTel8v7L5-_ZNZCPVBDSDJe-o4yYZItXhtgRSHpAjb_Q8jaEUZA/s320/IMG_1.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br />
Images from the mammal survey are uploaded here : <a href="https://picasaweb.google.com/surveyphotos">https://picasaweb.google.com/surveyphotos</a><br />
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The following are the reports that appeared in the newspapers:<br />
Bangalore Mirror : <a href="http://www.bangaloremirror.com/article/10/2011032820110328000229803984dc3a/What-did-you-spot-Elephant-or-dung.html" target="_blank">http://www.bangaloremirror.<wbr></wbr>com/article/10/<wbr></wbr>2011032820110328000229803984dc<wbr></wbr>3a/What-did-you-spot-Elephant-<wbr></wbr>or-dung.html</a><br />
City Buzz : <a href="http://www.scribd.com/doc/52386766/CB-25-03-11-Page-12-13">http://www.scribd.com/doc/52386766/CB-25-03-11-Page-12-13 </a>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3042932106525371887.post-85511939714954445902011-03-27T01:15:00.000-07:002011-03-27T01:15:52.700-07:00<span style="font-size: large;"><u><b>One Day State Level Seminar on Urban Green Initiatives for Environment Teachers<br />
& Kenneth Anderson Memorial Lecture,</b><b> 2011</b></u></span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;"><b>Date :</b> Wednesday, 16th March 2011<br />
<b>Venue :</b> MLA Academy of Higher Learning, 14th Cross, Malleswaram Bangalore 560003</span><br />
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<b>Report by Jayaram Karkala</b><br />
<br />
The programme started at 9.30 A.M. with the welcome address by the Principal Dr.Padmaja.<br />
The official inauguration was done by lighting the lamp, and a Kannada song on Mother Earth.<br />
<br />
All audience took the following Nature Pledge: <br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;"><i>We, who have gathered here today, take a solemn pledge</i></span><br />
<ol><li><span style="font-size: x-small;"><i>To conserve and protect Mother Nature in all possible ways</i></span></li>
<li><span style="font-size: x-small;"><i>To be compassionate towards all creations including fellow humans, animals, insects, plants, trees, rocks etc.</i></span></li>
<li><span style="font-size: x-small;"><i>To conserve water and its resources.</i></span></li>
<li><span style="font-size: x-small;"><i>To reduce the use of plastics & leather.</i></span></li>
<li><span style="font-size: x-small;"><i>To recycle and reuse all nature resources as much as possible.</i></span></li>
<li><span style="font-size: x-small;"><i>To reduce pollution in all forms.</i></span></li>
<li><span style="font-size: x-small;"><i>To reduce carbon foot prints on our planet.</i></span></li>
</ol>Jay, Secretary KANS spoke on KA and KANS .<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEif5BZdETtin_-XKbFccUxmlrWiLISf3sETSkOf2qQP9evAvgnH98YM1ya1jp310SYlEJ0FcfPw0j6E2bM7kH8fpdcmQu2Kwp_QzF3SpcM1mQsvCCMdOcZrZY0mFt4G6uQGLQeQXHZsRhg/s1600/bk.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEif5BZdETtin_-XKbFccUxmlrWiLISf3sETSkOf2qQP9evAvgnH98YM1ya1jp310SYlEJ0FcfPw0j6E2bM7kH8fpdcmQu2Kwp_QzF3SpcM1mQsvCCMdOcZrZY0mFt4G6uQGLQeQXHZsRhg/s320/bk.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;">Mr. B K Singh</span></div><br />
Then Chief Guest Mr. B.K.Singh spoke on problems faced by Karnataka FD on man –animal conflict. He cited population growth and encroachment on jungles by people on the fringes of forests, as main the reason for such occurrences. He said that conflict of interest is there even in villages, where FD have spent lakhs of rupees for solar fencing. People have removed pockets of solar fences for their easy movement into forests for collection of firewood, honey etc. The elephants use this openings for raiding crops. He even stated that a recent experiment to relocate elephants from tea estates have failed after the elephants who were born in tea estates do not like forests and they come back to estates. Thus there are many problems, he said, unknown to public on man-animal conflicts. He cited that food crops like ragi etc should not be cultivated with in 5 kms of elephant corridors, to prevent elephant raiding crops.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEho6ErBGDZTL5W4xDg7cDUwxweDBs6B6-OycAVsAFNlCgpj78alLwfJH9EFjMgnXYjoa8N0i-ZZblrVG5MFtCg0vXMAlvVfaTtC2J4-F1jQ3KlaYHzVe9eq-o0Fu-0p9o4HH8CT7syCON4/s1600/199228_10150114300674580_567439579_6597992_3765929_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEho6ErBGDZTL5W4xDg7cDUwxweDBs6B6-OycAVsAFNlCgpj78alLwfJH9EFjMgnXYjoa8N0i-ZZblrVG5MFtCg0vXMAlvVfaTtC2J4-F1jQ3KlaYHzVe9eq-o0Fu-0p9o4HH8CT7syCON4/s320/199228_10150114300674580_567439579_6597992_3765929_n.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;">Sri Suresh Heblikar</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;"> </span></div>Kenneth Anderson Memorial Lecture was delivered by Sri Suresh Heblikar, who held the audience spell-bound by his oratory. His first subject was the loss of lakes in Bangalore. He said that he can show from records that 20 years ago all major lakes were connected together in with overflow systems. With the encroachment of real estate, all connections are cut and lakes have dried up. Even marsh at the edges of lakes was bio-diversity pockets in those days. With sand mafia’s activities, the lakes have disappeared. The next topic he mentioned was the influx of rural population to cities. The infrastructure requirements like water, power have reached exorbitant proportions, making it impossible for govt to provide them. He advocated basic needs of villages to be met, youth employment opportunities given in villages to reduce this influx. The third point he stated was that Tiger, being a glamorous animal, is being used by every conservationist in talks and plans. He insisted that saving bio-diversity should cover conservation of all animals, insects, birds etc, not the only just the tiger. His speech was well received by the audience.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhSpDv33UCTX8WYF1x6N4mHDTCADCdIzROdEqjVt6SgAeMbKyKfwQhCYiH0UDRLdQcwquTAPTLefEXhO9s3ZWDjZbQKtz0OLj-b5h6YuMY4s8O4trowmuAVwV5QNbhfkUfq8-C5ndXxpoE/s1600/188882_10150114296744580_567439579_6597930_6763575_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhSpDv33UCTX8WYF1x6N4mHDTCADCdIzROdEqjVt6SgAeMbKyKfwQhCYiH0UDRLdQcwquTAPTLefEXhO9s3ZWDjZbQKtz0OLj-b5h6YuMY4s8O4trowmuAVwV5QNbhfkUfq8-C5ndXxpoE/s320/188882_10150114296744580_567439579_6597930_6763575_n.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;">Karthik JLR speaks</span></div><br />
After a break, morning session started with session on Urban Ecology by Mr. Kartikeyan of JLR. He engrossed the students with his slide show and inimitable interesting interactive session. He told so many unknown facts about common insects, snakes, and rodents encountered every day by urban people. The audience, in future after this session, will see all urban insects, animals in a different perspective.<br />
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The next session was by Hasiru-Usiru team of Vinay Sreenivasa and Seshadri, with a slide show explained about trees of Bangalore and efforts taken by HasiruUsiru to protect through activism/appeals.<br />
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The next session was Shubha/ Karan of Biome- Solutions on Rain water harvesting. They explained in details various aspects, methods, and advantages of RWH.<br />
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A short film on KANS shown to the audience was much appreciated, as seen in feed back forms.<br />
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A nature quiz was conducted by KANS team of Girish/ Warrier. A prelim was done with 20 teams during lunch break, short listing 4 teams for the finals.<br />
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During Lunch break another short film on Sholas was shown to the audience.<br />
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Post lunch session started with ATREE team talking on Urban trees and their conservation. This topic was well received by the audience.<br />
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Nine teams presented papers for environment competition, and were judged by KANS team of Girish/Warrier/Nirmala.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhiLwjNmgDEF47jaHW3du9DJX2lorrOxGuVTaNZsPpULBh-0WLJDaIblP7koQDOJqxARKm1NfphKaj2awALUI6F4q5aWkrciNfl2CSh-AhVN3CoJkoVW8Thdqcfby8t0ZfaBwIi983kshU/s1600/quiz+finals.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhiLwjNmgDEF47jaHW3du9DJX2lorrOxGuVTaNZsPpULBh-0WLJDaIblP7koQDOJqxARKm1NfphKaj2awALUI6F4q5aWkrciNfl2CSh-AhVN3CoJkoVW8Thdqcfby8t0ZfaBwIi983kshU/s320/quiz+finals.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;">quiz finals</span></div><br />
The finals of Nature quiz was conducted in a very interesting manner with power point by KANS team of Warrier/Girish. The whole audience also enjoyed the quiz by participating and answering for questions which the finalists could not answer.<br />
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Feed back forms (designed by Girish-KANS) were collected back from all participants for analysis by the college authorities. They would inform us the feed back points in a few days. The successful, satisfactory Seminar ended with Vote of Thanks by Dr.Kalyani.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3042932106525371887.post-34416243221575409332011-03-09T12:11:00.000-08:002011-03-09T12:11:17.068-08:00Synchronized Mammal Survey 2011<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">We have just received information from the Tamil Nadu Forest Department that the Synchronized Mammal Survey in Hosur Forest Division will be conducted on the <b>19th and 20th (Saturday and Sunday) of March 2011</b>. They have requested our help and participation.<br />
<br />
This is an excellent opportunity to explore and experience this vast forested area which we hope will soon be made a wildlife sanctuary. We request your participation to make this a successful survey.<br />
<div><br />
<br />
<b><u>How to Register</u></b></div><div><br />
</div><div>To register for the survey, kindly fill in and submit the following form:<br />
<a href="https://spreadsheets.google.com/viewform?formkey=dDJpXzBHMlVQYlFneElJcXNFQzdud1E6MQ" target="_blank">https://spreadsheets.google.<wbr></wbr>com/viewform?formkey=<wbr></wbr>dDJpXzBHMlVQYlFneElJcXNFQzdud1<wbr></wbr>E6MQ</a><br />
(This is to avoid sending unnecessary emails to people in our volunteer database who will not be participating in this Mammal Survey)<br />
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<u><b>Arrangements</b></u></div><ul><div>
<li>Volunteers will have to report at the DFO's Office, Near Cattle Farm, Mathigiri, Hosur on Friday, 18th March at 06:00 PM. The survey will conclude by 02:00 PM on Sunday, 20th March.</li>
<li>Volunteers will have to reach Mathigiri by themselves. Pick up and drops to transect points will be arranged by the Forest Department. However please do keep your own options in case you want to move around.</li>
</div><li>Volunteers will be accommodated in various FD guest houses and camps available in various ranges. Lady volunteers will be allotted ranges with the better guest house facilities.</li>
<div>
<li>Packed food will be arranged by the Forest Department.</li>
</div></ul><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/-Dc51wHqitp4/TXfefoumIuI/AAAAAAAACCQ/3Ljf_8IXF0Q/s1600/IMG_0446.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/-Dc51wHqitp4/TXfefoumIuI/AAAAAAAACCQ/3Ljf_8IXF0Q/s320/IMG_0446.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div></div><div></div><div></div>We will send further information on arrangements, detailed programme and survey methods, documentation procedures etc to the people who register on the above link. If you have any queries, send it to melagirisurvey@gmail.com<br />
</div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3042932106525371887.post-32911382600902053172011-02-09T10:36:00.000-08:002011-02-09T10:36:33.735-08:00Plastic pollution control at Dabguli, Urigam forest range<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQ3rXzWMKWL2UVFB9-DTCXzDBd-xLZXPJ4Mt2lpsKGcKDY_gx-gjW95J_wUIN7PgM-FnKGr7CTwsH5GuQtW_Aqw4hzLU6SSkmtVQokBEayKvUe9MfteXDplIOb2vzq5Xq8meQUnkkDe34/s1600/180410_181163965253015_100000782373469_354450_3587259_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQ3rXzWMKWL2UVFB9-DTCXzDBd-xLZXPJ4Mt2lpsKGcKDY_gx-gjW95J_wUIN7PgM-FnKGr7CTwsH5GuQtW_Aqw4hzLU6SSkmtVQokBEayKvUe9MfteXDplIOb2vzq5Xq8meQUnkkDe34/s1600/180410_181163965253015_100000782373469_354450_3587259_n.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQ3rXzWMKWL2UVFB9-DTCXzDBd-xLZXPJ4Mt2lpsKGcKDY_gx-gjW95J_wUIN7PgM-FnKGr7CTwsH5GuQtW_Aqw4hzLU6SSkmtVQokBEayKvUe9MfteXDplIOb2vzq5Xq8meQUnkkDe34/s320/180410_181163965253015_100000782373469_354450_3587259_n.jpg" width="320" /></a><span style="font-size: x-small;"> </span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">Dabguli belongs to the Urigam range in Hosur Reserve forest under the Tamil Nadu Forest Dept. Situated on the banks of the river Cauvery surrounded by hills on the one side from Cauvery Wildlife Sanctuary a haven for the wild animals, especially the elephants that descends down to quench their thirst.</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEieCpXRXvf-GYM0Y1UrGTHEDRRSGDExtQDo51AVJOsB_zIU43WApt57xYIB2pOvpTtSC1IZVGfEfNrH6Htd9TdRg1DFRnuhpBZgw1n9XCwalD24MX7FOb0Uk9CiRpXrL4AD5gapWrEbWKE/s1600/180988_181142468588498_100000782373469_354232_3053629_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"></a></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">A temple dedicated to Basava stands on a bare hillock in Dabguli. This temple sees a trickle of devotees descending down throughout the year. Every once a year around the time of Shivaratri a gathering of 15-20 thousand people swarm this once peaceful region to be a part of the Jathre organized by the surrounding villages for 2 days.</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEieCpXRXvf-GYM0Y1UrGTHEDRRSGDExtQDo51AVJOsB_zIU43WApt57xYIB2pOvpTtSC1IZVGfEfNrH6Htd9TdRg1DFRnuhpBZgw1n9XCwalD24MX7FOb0Uk9CiRpXrL4AD5gapWrEbWKE/s1600/180988_181142468588498_100000782373469_354232_3053629_n.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEieCpXRXvf-GYM0Y1UrGTHEDRRSGDExtQDo51AVJOsB_zIU43WApt57xYIB2pOvpTtSC1IZVGfEfNrH6Htd9TdRg1DFRnuhpBZgw1n9XCwalD24MX7FOb0Uk9CiRpXrL4AD5gapWrEbWKE/s200/180988_181142468588498_100000782373469_354232_3053629_n.jpg" width="200" /></a></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">During the rapid survey conducted jointly with the Tamil Nadu Forest Department, Kenneth Anderson Nature Society who has been devoted to conservation activities in this region, witnessed Dabguli littered profusely with all the paper and plastic waste. KANS took up the initiative to minimize pollution the next year, 2011. KANS requested the planning committee of the Dabguli Jathre to use plates made out of leaves as against paper/plastic plates. When the committee pictured financial constraint as reason to opt the plastic plates, KANS bore 50% of the costs for the Areca leaf plates and secured a vendor as well to buy 30,000 plates. The Dabguli committee who appreciated our concern dug up pits at several places to collect the plates for dumping.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgmBLl7w1poLivydfKc7jQttZHHhakCkfWydHP4U4WUn07kxxnNpEpXY-YHpQA31iU-d77110ewb0WAG4RQlWToCg8K1yPCp5V6r77pZod_9patBNCW-ywtGwrlRvdDV7eLxRn7UGPcPLU/s1600/IMG_4610.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="133" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgmBLl7w1poLivydfKc7jQttZHHhakCkfWydHP4U4WUn07kxxnNpEpXY-YHpQA31iU-d77110ewb0WAG4RQlWToCg8K1yPCp5V6r77pZod_9patBNCW-ywtGwrlRvdDV7eLxRn7UGPcPLU/s200/IMG_4610.JPG" width="200" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi9zbCrVSSHrzEOPAndP3pUZYzVfwLt0ivomPlORmcXrzmY6LCyaCBlpqAIL4iE7TIg2Mh8x959NUSWSTwii6y6xUDTQKZF6KMg34r0W8yAJBFrRv_uC0W0eKmCx33LfT3Eq0d5u8sy6pg/s1600/IMG_4612.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="132" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi9zbCrVSSHrzEOPAndP3pUZYzVfwLt0ivomPlORmcXrzmY6LCyaCBlpqAIL4iE7TIg2Mh8x959NUSWSTwii6y6xUDTQKZF6KMg34r0W8yAJBFrRv_uC0W0eKmCx33LfT3Eq0d5u8sy6pg/s200/IMG_4612.JPG" width="200" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiEAfLErGq2AfJVWGjDqyYRolp0euPmpKazyOUp1szrE87Y6O6F877aq4weeSV_so90WrNC8YuiMh61ZmeHzYZtqav-gfSooaHS5IpHmnLFQjfBPbNIVWr_mPY8z8nf4EtHNI882bYv4hA/s1600/IMG_1399.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; 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margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="133" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjYYrCiN5gR30YJoGarVpL3Nc7VlLKaVAMuNKEhywGt4-DlhaULJ-UVs5MdhYMwMMzcAGgS9a_BmVi3pLckNlN5Dj681ePwSZJGSEhdG4FVEbCXQF1-6LM7XcxqZI9NHd8bDpsVoo7641M/s200/IMG_1449.jpg" width="200" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhAs_Qt0bQrSqvcwPpz3K6ron7GC_fLqwioomJekx2GA3gHlM5iLP8zgdl2Z1FAM9TIzJWqbQt0WiafOODQ51sLEVg4DdnGDNAIC4oP3u8hOipRsY_rCQtTltfWz7IxvNuePQuEtbkWIvk/s1600/IMG_1465.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="133" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhAs_Qt0bQrSqvcwPpz3K6ron7GC_fLqwioomJekx2GA3gHlM5iLP8zgdl2Z1FAM9TIzJWqbQt0WiafOODQ51sLEVg4DdnGDNAIC4oP3u8hOipRsY_rCQtTltfWz7IxvNuePQuEtbkWIvk/s200/IMG_1465.jpg" width="200" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJrjmRXHxqNmaAWq9E3UyA_5xjYs6LBJ4LuhfllErlvbCA42mcyicYzTGo6Z3PyKMxbk17o5Pe3kDsaTXImGLXY8gi67NFfpb6HrBD3kZ2UZb94iznIHIdvdxwJc_HV9awcZTVcIX5PRA/s1600/IMG_4659.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="133" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJrjmRXHxqNmaAWq9E3UyA_5xjYs6LBJ4LuhfllErlvbCA42mcyicYzTGo6Z3PyKMxbk17o5Pe3kDsaTXImGLXY8gi67NFfpb6HrBD3kZ2UZb94iznIHIdvdxwJc_HV9awcZTVcIX5PRA/s200/IMG_4659.JPG" width="200" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4z0okT0KkIjyZDbXySMNS2xjBxkuRdOpC_ByFQODtm6dIzYwdEokFNkI3QJ9ZL101LGMUqaubV9KLhwLxidHBa86TTo_UDEOA-zokRcspFUIedlqP1a4vif95wPmdtxiomkZgi-P18qY/s1600/IMG_1483.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="133" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4z0okT0KkIjyZDbXySMNS2xjBxkuRdOpC_ByFQODtm6dIzYwdEokFNkI3QJ9ZL101LGMUqaubV9KLhwLxidHBa86TTo_UDEOA-zokRcspFUIedlqP1a4vif95wPmdtxiomkZgi-P18qY/s200/IMG_1483.jpg" width="200" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiLPo4YB03tm69AEizDWYpPCphIbKlP-GAsfdi3ddZVh7FJ7bb8JHacbazhRAwnVTzP2CXH8YKOdQxagaqhsCnUKtOfsDM65OQCDMLMY1VecufSA9v3jRtAm9ErwbwhjVPd4fGe9Yiy6lg/s1600/181946_181161668586578_100000782373469_354414_414559_n.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiLPo4YB03tm69AEizDWYpPCphIbKlP-GAsfdi3ddZVh7FJ7bb8JHacbazhRAwnVTzP2CXH8YKOdQxagaqhsCnUKtOfsDM65OQCDMLMY1VecufSA9v3jRtAm9ErwbwhjVPd4fGe9Yiy6lg/s200/181946_181161668586578_100000782373469_354414_414559_n.jpg" width="200" /></a><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;">On the D day a team of 21 KANS members placed banners urging the pilgrims attending the Jathre not to litter the sacred forests. Additionally they set up baskets made out of jute in front of the shops that had mushroomed in the wake of the jathre to collect the plastic waste arising in the form of tea cups, bags, ice cream cups etc., KANS also screened the movie " Nagarhole Video - Tales from an Indian Jungle" by Shekhar Dattatri, to the audience to bring home the message of conservation. The following morning the volunteers spread out and collected all the plates and plastic waste scattered and dumped them into the pits.</span><br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEitMdgHX6idXKTjKGH4AI4QhJUZjft_1iu4DWppfuEwYUMO-OA00u2r3mUvwCIdXfFxb4z00lf9O_pGmmpgYz4Ii5MTzJH3YQn64jGv_te_hEwuiBd4dr9raLgZi_BSkxe6SV9JBl0MGmY/s1600/firewood+collection.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="133" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEitMdgHX6idXKTjKGH4AI4QhJUZjft_1iu4DWppfuEwYUMO-OA00u2r3mUvwCIdXfFxb4z00lf9O_pGmmpgYz4Ii5MTzJH3YQn64jGv_te_hEwuiBd4dr9raLgZi_BSkxe6SV9JBl0MGmY/s200/firewood+collection.jpg" width="200" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiuq54gfx2BtmHyAzaHCG-nj1mIPW0vaVen4LyUP13GYc6NEkbQ3c8WsPwa66yTeKHRCTkuDL4JMgIKSBURB-tAAoo0I2dIWgZBagfTeMFqL7S8iZvKhUEOCdw5Ooz4xMb-XX7EGd3mwsA/s1600/167160_181143411921737_100000782373469_354248_3885598_n.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiuq54gfx2BtmHyAzaHCG-nj1mIPW0vaVen4LyUP13GYc6NEkbQ3c8WsPwa66yTeKHRCTkuDL4JMgIKSBURB-tAAoo0I2dIWgZBagfTeMFqL7S8iZvKhUEOCdw5Ooz4xMb-XX7EGd3mwsA/s200/167160_181143411921737_100000782373469_354248_3885598_n.jpg" width="200" /></a><span style="font-size: x-small;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhBgpH9O2otn3zsfnDseJFtJz4zZPPSleVxLdiEtwh-i5SED67-ORMzstu6Y_1eakiA2LyzssGLds4iZ3iaM_bZ3J0VGkkJqAek1ZXRcfTB4Pwr5NMg68YEP4rPSEA0pgEA3rhMH6z7F5Y/s1600/IMG_4676.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhBgpH9O2otn3zsfnDseJFtJz4zZPPSleVxLdiEtwh-i5SED67-ORMzstu6Y_1eakiA2LyzssGLds4iZ3iaM_bZ3J0VGkkJqAek1ZXRcfTB4Pwr5NMg68YEP4rPSEA0pgEA3rhMH6z7F5Y/s200/IMG_4676.JPG" width="133" /></a></span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;">One of the many concerns that arose during the Jathre and that needs serious attention from the forest department were the procurement of fuel-wood which was collected without abandonment (Remember nothing goes waste in a forest, the dry wood is home to many species) Loudspeakers and music system that kept a steady stream of songs and talks throughout the 2 days and the wandering tourists who camped anywhere and everywhere recklessly.<br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhBgpH9O2otn3zsfnDseJFtJz4zZPPSleVxLdiEtwh-i5SED67-ORMzstu6Y_1eakiA2LyzssGLds4iZ3iaM_bZ3J0VGkkJqAek1ZXRcfTB4Pwr5NMg68YEP4rPSEA0pgEA3rhMH6z7F5Y/s1600/IMG_4676.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"></a></span> <br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;">The forests of Dabguli have been seriously hampered by the stream of tourists who disregarding the laws of the forest, camp here without obtaining the permission from the FD and cause a lot of disturbance to the local fauna, a jathre in such big scale with ambitions to billow out into a cattle fair, building guest houses, renovating the temple in grand scale, laying down a tar road plus electricity will be a death blow to the already suffering forests of Hosure FD.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: small;"><b>Prasanna Vynatheya gives below his personal experience volunteering for the Dabguli pollution control </b></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: small;">Malarnthum Malaratha ………… Nadiyum vilayadi kodiyu kalaisaindi …</span> </div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><a href="http://www.dishant.com/jukebox.php?songid=18807" target="_blank"><span style="color: purple; font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: small;">http://www.dishant.com/<wbr></wbr>jukebox.php?songid=18807</span></a> </div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: small;"> </span> </div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Times New Roman;"><span> </span>Song from the past came drifting through the forest across the Cauvery as the sleep too came drifting in snatches, it was well past midnight. We were all tired, tired of the last lap of 7+ kms through the tough terrain running parallel to the river. Yet, all smiles and talks amongst 23 of us as we rested under the beautiful starry night.</span></span> </div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: small;"> </span> </div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Times New Roman;"><span> </span>A little romantic but that’s it, just to give you the background. Yes the song was Tamil that came floating at Uginiyam, whereas 7 kms away at Dabguli it was all Kannada; yes Kannada songs, Kannada announcements, Kannada skits and drama, though it is Tamil Nadu officially.</span></span> </div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: small;"> </span> </div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Times New Roman;"><span> </span>The Dabguli Jatre (Fair) is being celebrated only since recent times (some say 5 yrs ). Otherwise Dabguli was a very lonely stretch of Cauvery river tens of kms downstream from Mekadatu. In our previous trips we have recorded rare & disappearing species as Four horned antelope, Grizzled Giant Squerril, Otters etc at this very region.</span></span> </div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: small;"> </span> </div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Times New Roman;"><span> </span>Despite the last 14kms of muddy track through thick forest, there were around fifteen thousand people from the surrounding regions. They had come in small and medium trucks, tractors and the usual two wheelers to this Jatre.</span></span> </div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: small;"> </span> </div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Times New Roman;"><span> </span>Families found rocks and stones to sit and watch the proceedings that started with the usual inaugural address from the few organizers, followed by variety entertainment that was preceded by our KANS projection of Nagarahole.</span></span> </div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: small;"> </span> </div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Times New Roman;"><span> </span>There were about five Swamyjis on the stage and all of them spoke too, plus the three to four persons from the organizing group. From their talks one thing was certain; they all wanted this Jatre to be held every year and with more and more pomp and festivities. One of the Swamijis made a loud appeal to all</span></span> </div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt 39pt;"><span style="font-family: Symbol;"><span><span style="font-size: small;">·</span><span style="font: 7pt 'Times New Roman';"> </span></span></span><span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: small;">To focus their energy to make his dream of including a Cattle Fair at Dabguli.</span> </div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt 39pt;"><span style="font-family: Symbol;"><span><span style="font-size: small;">·</span><span style="font: 7pt 'Times New Roman';"> </span></span></span><span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: small;">Another Swamyji said he was looking forward to contribution from the people to help them build facilities for the devotees.</span> </div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: small;"> </span> </div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Times New Roman;"><span> </span>But two swamyjis strongly condemned the drinking that was rampant all around that place even on the day of the Jatre. To quote his exact words ‘Inside the temple I got the smell of incense and when I stepped outside it was all alcohol’. The first Swamyji who spoke, begged the gathering to keep the place’s sanctity, and to make this a place of pilgrimage, to come there to desist and getaway from their vices, and, not make it a place for vices.</span></span> </div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: small;"> </span> </div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Times New Roman;"><span> </span>In a way it was heartening to hear the Swamyjis boldly condemning the sordid practice of consuming alcohol in that sacred place, and at the same time it was a revelation to know that these indulgences happen to a great extent even at this place where the primary reason for visiting the place is for the Temple of Basava (Shiva’s vahana the Bull) </span></span> </div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: small;"> </span> </div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Times New Roman;"><span> </span>There was power graciously granted by the Electricity Board, the road was being improved, and there was talk about building guest houses etc. for the devotees. It is not difficult to surmise that it is only a matter of time before this quite stretch of Cauvery will become another Mekadatu or Muthatti. Well friends let me tell you that when a group of us managed to reach Mutthatti on bikes in 1975 or 76, we were the very first of the visitors to do so on bikes. There was nothing there except a small temple amongst huts. Today I believe it is a popular picnicking place, spoilt by plastic and garbage and of course noisy people.</span></span> </div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: small;"> </span> </div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Times New Roman;"><span> </span>My intention of recording these things is to give us all a clear understanding of what is happening there at Dabguli. What was also heartening though is that we managed to arouse in them a feeling of responsibility towards the environment. This was more than once emphasized by the speakers on the dais, who constantly kept requesting the gathering to keep the place clean and not to litter all around. We have scored a definitive point in that sense.</span></span> </div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: small;"> </span> </div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Times New Roman;"><span> </span>As it stands, given the turnout at the Fair and the voice of determination of the organizers and the supporting presence of the Swamyjis, we can deduce that it is definitely going the way that we at KANS dread to think.</span></span> </div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: small;"> </span> </div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Times New Roman;"><span> </span>Another song that floated upstream was again a very old Tamil song that goes like ‘</span><b><span style="font-family: Arial;">sailair aluva silair cerepa, Naan aledekonde cerepae’</span></b></span> </div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><b><span style="font-family: Arial;"><span style="font-size: small;"> </span></span></b> </div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><span style="font-size: small;"><b><span style="font-family: Arial;"><span> </span></span></b><span style="font-family: Times New Roman;">My dear tamil friends please forgive me for any misspellings or distortions in the above lines.<b><span style="font-family: Arial;"></span></b></span></span> </div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: small;"> </span> </div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: small;">With growing concern</span> </div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: small;">Prasanna</span> </div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: small;">Jatre happened on: 5<sup>th</sup> & 6<sup>th</sup> of Feb. 2011</span></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3042932106525371887.post-27424002705137992872011-01-25T00:57:00.000-08:002011-01-25T01:03:54.004-08:00Uniform Distribution<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_EJ1qFqMupzE/TT6Q9anKyHI/AAAAAAAABVM/9JrPwQ1zn9c/s1600/1.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 214px;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_EJ1qFqMupzE/TT6Q9anKyHI/AAAAAAAABVM/9JrPwQ1zn9c/s320/1.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5566045574266538098" /></a><br />The villages in and around Hosur Forest Division have regularly experienced crop depradation by elephants during the months of Nov-Feb. A program was conducted at Hosur on Dec 29, 2010 to compensate the farmers who have suffered crop loss. The same event saw the Hosur FOrest Division setting up a crop depredation squad of 30 watchers who would be dedicated to assist the villagers in driving the elephants back into the forests. KANS contributed to this endeavour by donating uniforms to all the 30 watchers. The kit comprised of shirt, pant, cap, belt, sweater, monkey cap, shoes and socks. These were distributed to each of the watchers by the Hon. Forest Minister Mr. N. Selvaraj. At the same event, KANS Vice-President Mr. Sanjeev Kumar, also handed over a memorandum to the Forest Minister highlighting the importance of conserving the Melagiri forests.Laxmeeshahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18259234126899970563noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3042932106525371887.post-88801822209374731342011-01-21T12:35:00.000-08:002011-01-21T22:30:37.244-08:00Call for Volunteers: Minimising Pollution at Dabaguli Jatre<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><h3 style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif;"><div style="font-size: small; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm; text-align: left; text-decoration: none;">Dabaguli is a picturesque place on the banks of the Cauvery in the Urigam forest range of the Hosur forest division. An antipoaching camp of Tamilnadu forest department and a small shack housing a fisherman family are the only human presence for most part of the year. A small Nandi temple is the only relic from times long ago when Dabguli hosted a cattle patti (kraal).<br />
</div><div style="font-size: small; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm; text-align: left; text-decoration: none;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiucwjNCnwwBpvI3wofp1uvj23NMChPgJM4BqLy0s3l0BT3kZXm9LnVEreCjymfGauskKde_edA3zBYryo4EK4uoJYH3lgnULT0EM1UwJrTnOZabSqkP1kskp4ZeLj9-HJfYDyp1KkuJyA/s1600/urigam+%2528copy%2529.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiucwjNCnwwBpvI3wofp1uvj23NMChPgJM4BqLy0s3l0BT3kZXm9LnVEreCjymfGauskKde_edA3zBYryo4EK4uoJYH3lgnULT0EM1UwJrTnOZabSqkP1kskp4ZeLj9-HJfYDyp1KkuJyA/s320/urigam+%2528copy%2529.jpeg" width="320" /></a></div></div><div style="font-size: small; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm; text-align: center; text-decoration: none;"></div><div style="font-size: small; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm; text-align: left; text-decoration: none;"></div><div style="font-size: small; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm; text-align: left; text-decoration: none;"><br />
</div><div style="font-size: small; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm; text-align: left; text-decoration: none;">This sleepy little temple sees a thin stream of visitors throughout the year. However a huge crowd of about ten thousand people descend on this idyllic spot from surrounding villages in Tamilnadu and Karnataka for the annual Dabguli Jatre (festival) around the time of Shivrathri. This grand overnight event has various poojas, dramas, Harikathe etc.</div><div style="font-size: small; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm; text-align: left; text-decoration: none;">This is a cause for concern as these environs are home to the highly endangered Grizzled Giant squirrel and a host of other wildlife including chital, sambhar, elephants, leopard, wilddogs and sloth bears. Theplastic litter left behind by this crowd is not only an eyesore but also a big environmental threat.<br />
</div><div style="font-size: small; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm; text-align: left; text-decoration: none;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEidAg7C_yVe13kfBdzUuxwdgQlO6a_quimw06lMyMra0LoeqKgUWrr9ZFPCCPiDw3n0daGnitj_T5epl3T8b4bPPagqKm8C1RBx2hkmKKuTcZXjB42drMAuZH0OOA1c32WQyPKwCsSVEPo/s1600/plastic-bag-litter.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="239" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEidAg7C_yVe13kfBdzUuxwdgQlO6a_quimw06lMyMra0LoeqKgUWrr9ZFPCCPiDw3n0daGnitj_T5epl3T8b4bPPagqKm8C1RBx2hkmKKuTcZXjB42drMAuZH0OOA1c32WQyPKwCsSVEPo/s320/plastic-bag-litter.jpg" width="320" /></a></div></div><div style="font-size: small; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm; text-align: center; text-decoration: none;"></div><div style="font-size: small; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm; text-align: left; text-decoration: none;"><br />
</div><div style="font-size: small; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm; text-align: left; text-decoration: none;">This year, the festival is marked to fall on the 5th and 6th of February, 2011. <a href="http://kans.org.in/">Kenneth Anderson Nature Society </a>(KANS) has been interacting with the organising committee of the Jatre to contain the environmental impact. The villager folk and the organising committee sincerely acknowledge the pollution caused by the event. KANS' presence, participation and efforts to tackle this problem will help further sensitize them to the problem.</div><div style="font-size: small; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm; text-align: left; text-decoration: none;">KANS has convinced the committee to use bio degradable arecanut leaf plates instead of plastic and thermacol plates to serve the 25000 meals that will be dished up during the festival. KANS will subsidize the cost of the plates and also bear the cost of commercial firewood instead of jungle wood used to cook these meals.</div><div style="font-size: small; font-weight: normal; text-align: left;">A screening of the Kannada Version of 'Tales from an Indian Jungle (the one about Nagarhole) is also being planned at the spot during the festival.</div><div style="font-size: small; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm; text-align: left; text-decoration: none;"><br />
</div><div style="font-size: small; font-style: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm; text-align: left; text-decoration: none;">We require 20-30 volunteers during to carry out this program. The major task will be disposal of plates and plastic. The proposed itinerary is as follows:</div><ol style="font-size: small; font-style: normal; text-decoration: none;"><li><div style="margin-bottom: 0cm; text-align: left;">Assemble at Anchetty Guest House on Friday, 4th February Friday night.</div></li>
<li><div style="margin-bottom: 0cm; text-align: left;">Proceed to Dabguli on very early on Saturday morning.</div></li>
<li><div style="margin-bottom: 0cm; text-align: left;">Stay over-night during the festival.</div></li>
<li><div style="margin-bottom: 0cm; text-align: left;">Come back on early Sunday evening.</div></li>
</ol><div style="font-size: small; font-style: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm; text-decoration: none;"></div><div style="font-size: small; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div style="font-size: small; text-align: left;">Points to remember:</div><div style="font-size: small; text-align: left;">Dabguli is deep inside the forest on the banks of the Cauvery. There are no sleeping facilities or toilets. Please carry enough water and sleeping bags/mats. Weather can turn chilly and dewy at night so carry enough warm clothes and cap. Volunteers will have to make own transportation arrangements. Venue is approachable by 2 wheeler/car.</div><div style="font-size: small; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div style="font-size: small; text-align: left;"><span style="font-weight: normal;">Route from Bangalore: Bangalore-Hosur-Denkanikottai-<wbr></wbr>Anchetty-Tagatti-Hunsenhalli-<wbr></wbr>Belpatti-Manchugondanahalli-<wbr></wbr>Dabguli</span></div><div style="font-size: small; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm; text-align: left; text-decoration: none;"><br />
</div><div style="font-size: small; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm; text-align: left; text-decoration: none;">If you are interested in being a part of this, mail in to <a href="mailto:ka.naturesociety@gmail.com" target="_blank">ka.naturesociety@gmail.com</a> <wbr></wbr>on or before Tuesday, 25th January, 2011. If you are coming by your own vehicle, kindly indicate how many more volunteers can join you from Bangalore/Hosur. We will get in touch with the team with detailed route and availablity of car-pool, on Wednesday, 26<sup>th</sup> January, 2011.</div></span></h3></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3042932106525371887.post-19742014219472501132010-12-06T12:50:00.000-08:002010-12-21T15:10:52.885-08:00Global Warming Awareness Program at Nalanda School<div style="font-family: inherit;">Cheerful students, wonderfully supportive staff and complete co-operation and interest by FD more or less summarises the Global Warming Awareness Program KANS conducted at Nalanda School, Krishnagiri on 4th December 2010.</div><div style="font-family: inherit;"><br />
The first programme was tree plantation by the students of various classes. The students and class teachers showed keen interest in planting the 120 saplings arranged by Mr. Thillairasan with support from Mr. Palanisamy, Range Officer, Interface Forestry Range<span style="font-size: x-small;">.</span> This takes the total number of saplings planted in Krishnagiri region to 1620! Range Officer Mr. Shivaji, who was the Chief Guest for the event explained to all of us what each sapling is and what all are its uses.</div><div style="font-family: inherit;"><br />
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Next, we all moved to the mini-theatre and Laxmeesha gave a presentation on Global Warming. He explained the problem in simple terms for the students and also suggested small but effective steps to fight the issue.</div><div style="font-family: inherit;"></div><div style="font-family: inherit;"><br />
</div><div style="font-family: inherit;">This was followed by the screening of <a href="http://www.shekardattatri.com/">Shekar Dattatri's</a> <a href="http://www.truthabouttigers.org/home/">The Truth About Tigers.</a> Those collective gasps during the 'violent' parts of the video (tiger's hunt and man's poaching) and the soft giggles when the video was showing the playful tiger cubs is a huge encouragement to extend this activity to other schools as well. Later, on seeing the English version of Truth About Tigers, Mr. Shivaji asked us for the Tamil version to show everyone at FD and we promised we will get a copy of it and send it across.<br />
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</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_Lf14xzxcKIg/TP1K05ofPZI/AAAAAAAABxI/W-QWECmXqvU/s1600/DSC_0027.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="209" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_Lf14xzxcKIg/TP1K05ofPZI/AAAAAAAABxI/W-QWECmXqvU/s320/DSC_0027.jpg" width="320" /></a><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_Lf14xzxcKIg/TP1KP_nKoGI/AAAAAAAABxE/7KiJedoW2wk/s1600/DSC_0026.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="208" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_Lf14xzxcKIg/TP1KP_nKoGI/AAAAAAAABxE/7KiJedoW2wk/s320/DSC_0026.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div style="font-family: inherit;"></div><div style="font-family: inherit;"><br />
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And, these cheerful faces were the best part of the event.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_Lf14xzxcKIg/TP1LniJZX9I/AAAAAAAABxM/qPm628P7nPU/s1600/DSC_0014rs.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="424" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_Lf14xzxcKIg/TP1LniJZX9I/AAAAAAAABxM/qPm628P7nPU/s640/DSC_0014rs.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><div style="font-family: inherit;"><br />
</div><div style="font-family: inherit;"></div><div style="font-family: inherit;">Rest of the pictures can be found here in our photo-stream: <a href="http://picasaweb.google.com/ka.naturesociety" target="_blank">http://picasaweb.google.com/<wbr></wbr>ka.naturesociety</a></div><div style="font-family: inherit;"></div><div style="font-family: inherit;"><wbr></wbr></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3042932106525371887.post-64073914001004766752010-12-06T05:40:00.000-08:002010-12-06T05:40:41.555-08:00First bird watching session by KANS<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgKKHhXih1uzGyhC3CcHyhDDi9r9dHybdJ5ReCX1VkbVrUoSGKfN_7K_7mwb_gkoH2ZGEFXB8ev1-hFl_WjfDe8N90uOlzAZ7YqyUEwq0FB6sDNfWlKpvryfpryBpXaPBowUY7_agcLXL0/s1600/BWC.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgKKHhXih1uzGyhC3CcHyhDDi9r9dHybdJ5ReCX1VkbVrUoSGKfN_7K_7mwb_gkoH2ZGEFXB8ev1-hFl_WjfDe8N90uOlzAZ7YqyUEwq0FB6sDNfWlKpvryfpryBpXaPBowUY7_agcLXL0/s320/BWC.jpg" width="214" /></a></div><br />
Twenty five students each from Sishya school and Titan school attended the first session of bird watching conducted by KANS on 28th november 2010. These sessions have been initiated to familiarise the students with the many species of birds that have made their home in and around Hosur and its forests. The students will also be educated about the behaviour and conservation of the migratory birds that visit during the winter months. KANS intends to conduct one session every month for the students from Hosur with the cooperation of school authorities who will appoint one teacher in each school for these activities.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgncKzG5yuQ9TtEKrbtQz7SSd1tiHUs0O8fIiJSW3sq8HLp-SoSDC9MlNsv_VoXVUkT2VGuHLuovWtj3mtKF06-xhjHUgiNh0qk3KcAaYi5NZPdMN9iQ3LSoqIw8qYVb_63j09LE8iUbfs/s1600/img2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgncKzG5yuQ9TtEKrbtQz7SSd1tiHUs0O8fIiJSW3sq8HLp-SoSDC9MlNsv_VoXVUkT2VGuHLuovWtj3mtKF06-xhjHUgiNh0qk3KcAaYi5NZPdMN9iQ3LSoqIw8qYVb_63j09LE8iUbfs/s320/img2.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br />
The following activities were carried out:<br />
1. A Slide Show on Common and endangered birds of India was presented by by Mr. Guruprasad Timmapur, a member of KANS at Titan School. He also spoke about the various services such as pollination and pest control performed by birds in general and also about some of the superstitions surrounding some of the birds.<br />
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2. The presentation was followed by a bird watching session at Sanamavu reserve forest on the outskirts of Hosur. The students, with the help of KANS members were broken into several groups and identified many common birds found in this scrub jungle. <br />
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3. Finally a discussion was held with the children and they were given assignments to identify the birds in their neighborhood.<br />
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<div style="font-family: Times,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span class="messageBody">Deepa Mohan, who volunteered for the Bird watching session at Hosur gives us a photographic guide to the events that unfolded on the day here - </span><a href="http://www.blogger.com/goog_1136546225"><strong><span></span></strong></a><a href="http://deponti%20to%20the%20world%20-%20kans%20outing%20with%20children%20of%20titan/Sishya%20Schools,%20Hosur,%20281110" style="color: #cccccc;"><strong>http://deponti.livejournal.com/747580.html</strong></a></span></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3042932106525371887.post-69843317378126899352010-11-20T05:40:00.000-08:002010-11-22T06:57:16.166-08:00Wildlife protection and enforcement training for the Hosur forest divısion<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2H7cmJ0WJs8Zh52QKLP26zDxSRLX5hNm-TeymVXojJclYlRo4semmF_kFZY30XySxn_Gv0DXa8bkO5VCkZQaHx-RPsvC1Jj1u4h8gO4XDDQ4nqYNLBm2KT2VSmHgDAHiuyG5aM-17zFQ/s1600/IMG3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2H7cmJ0WJs8Zh52QKLP26zDxSRLX5hNm-TeymVXojJclYlRo4semmF_kFZY30XySxn_Gv0DXa8bkO5VCkZQaHx-RPsvC1Jj1u4h8gO4XDDQ4nqYNLBm2KT2VSmHgDAHiuyG5aM-17zFQ/s400/IMG3.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><i>The team</i></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><i>As part of wildlife week celebrations KANS partnered by <a href="http://www.wildlifefirst.info/" target="_blank">Wildlife First</a> </i>conducted wildlife protection and enforcement training program for the Hosur forest divısion rangers and DFO, at Aiyur eco-awareness camp in Aiyur range in Hosur FD (Forest Division) <br />
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The training program was held on 19th November at the Aiyur eco-awareness camp, hosted by the Tamil Nadu forest Division. <a href="http://www.theearthheroes.com/the-awards/2006-awards/29-praveen-bhargav-">Praveen Bhargav</a>, a trustee of Wildlife First, and a member of the National Board for Wildlife conducted the session for the Hosur forest division rangers and DFO. Around 35 Rangers from the Hosur FD, Dharmapuri FD's DFO, Hosur FD's DFO- Ulaganathan and CF (Conservator of forests)- Varadharjalu attended the program.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgfRUsoYfp709ZzlNi7gD7AQZjOdsnwr_uOS9cvlyKciQMvNzpmp8WplcL4jqhtJCsiT7dK4DZwUeixCXg1Ch0AQ-PbY3up_yNiJCyhNsWZYhu28MHQHI-F4xn405eZTstUghgpLRznN54/s1600/IMG1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgfRUsoYfp709ZzlNi7gD7AQZjOdsnwr_uOS9cvlyKciQMvNzpmp8WplcL4jqhtJCsiT7dK4DZwUeixCXg1Ch0AQ-PbY3up_yNiJCyhNsWZYhu28MHQHI-F4xn405eZTstUghgpLRznN54/s400/IMG1.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br />
The following series of activities were conducted:<br />
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<b>I. Wildlife Protection:</b><br />
<ul><li> Explaining the importance of foot patrol, Mobile Patrols, Anti Poaching Camps and Check posts for the protection of the forests</li>
<li> How to set up anti poaching camp and ideal number of such camps (3 per 100 sq. km)</li>
<li> How to organize patrolling through patrols, tracks, etc., and gather intelligence through them</li>
<li> How to tackle poachers, conduct raids.</li>
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<b>II. Wildlife protection enforcement</b><br />
<ul><li> Went through the key points in wildlife protection act, forest act and forest conservation act . (Like sections on filing cases)</li>
<li> Detailed the process of lodging complaints and to make the case fool proof</li>
<li> Interaction with the local police</li>
<li> Detailed the settlement of tribal rights through various acts</li>
<li> Through personal examples and citing various sources explained why the forests must be conserved.</li>
</ul><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiAeC6BEUqpzxroxXa68CfFkt_dKc555bNWSD-2f4y0kvvdmWPQfG1PfjZfeFffoXjTM96XbMpf5owU0PGUFQPg3NeGLO37m7oIgpUHCZN50LuIsEY6BYLtmbpaWoLJHtr1pdSKGe4lrnw/s1600/IMG2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiAeC6BEUqpzxroxXa68CfFkt_dKc555bNWSD-2f4y0kvvdmWPQfG1PfjZfeFffoXjTM96XbMpf5owU0PGUFQPg3NeGLO37m7oIgpUHCZN50LuIsEY6BYLtmbpaWoLJHtr1pdSKGe4lrnw/s400/IMG2.jpg" width="400" /> </a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">The following event appeared in the Hindu, TN publication :</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"> <a href="http://www.thehindu.com/todays-paper/tp-national/tp-tamilnadu/article903270.ece?sms_ss=facebook&at_xt=4ce9d11bfcb32c1b%2C0">http://www.thehindu.com/todays-paper/tp-national/tp-tamilnadu/article903270.ece?sms_ss=facebook&at_xt=4ce9d11bfcb32c1b%2C0 </a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3042932106525371887.post-76376092275107254372010-10-18T05:12:00.000-07:002010-11-20T06:10:42.431-08:00Urigam Ground Survey - January 2010A couple of months back I had registered with KANS(Kenneth Anderson Nature Society) as a volunteer. Never thought they'll respond but they did, two months later. Got a mail asking me to come for a ground survey of Urigam, a place in the Melagiri range of the Hosur forest division. So off I went on a friday evening (left early from office), got picked up by a couple of guys who were going there by car. Reached Ancheti forest guest house by 8 in the night.<br />
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After exchanging pleasantries with the rest of the group(14 volunteers), we were briefed on our itinerary for the next day. We were divided into teams of two and would be accompanied by a forest guard during our hike through the forest. My teammate was a girl who was working with Infosys. We were given data sheets on which we had to record the data pertaining to direct and indirect evidences (direct-sighting or hearing animals; indirect-pug/hoof marks, scat/droppings etc.), covers to collect samples(in case of scat/droppings) and GPS(Global Positioning System) to record the exact spot where we found evidences. We had to collect these data while walking along a pre-decided trail. So everything set, we guys finally crashed for the day at almost 12 in the night, on the veranda, chivalrously offering the sole room to the two ladies in the group. I did have second thoughts about giving away the room as it started getting inexorably cold a few hours into the sleep.<br />
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Next morning saw us awake by 4:30 and getting ready quickly to set off from the guest house to our respective drop points. My team reached our start point finally at 6:30. We started with the forest guard assigned to us. The guard told me that our trek would be around 12 kilometers which I think was true coz we reached our extraction point only by 12:30 and it did seem like a good hike. Just at the start of our trail I saw a Crested Serpent Eagle, to me it was like a good omen, which would make my hike eventful. Spirits up, we kept moving forward. The first indirect evidences were hoof marks of Wild pigs(Sus scrofa) and Elephant(Elephas maximus) dung at an almost dry waterhole. Then we came across scat of Civet(unsure of the species) which I had to collect. Whoa! what am I talking about, pick up shit?! Yup, thats exactly what I had to do and I did it without a second thought; but then again ensured that I did it in the most hygienic way possible. I put my hand into one of the plastic covers they had given for sample collection and picked up the scat and then turned the cover inside out which made sure that I did not have direct contact with the scat but at the same time it ended up in the cover. After enthusiastically collecting this great piece of evidence, I realized the lack of a bag to carry it. So off went the cover full of scat into my army green cargo's knee pocket. Then took out the GPS, took a reading and recorded the observations on the data sheet. Later we found a lot of Elephant dung and scat of Wild Dogs/Dhole(Cuon alpinus). The Wild Dog's scats were quickly collected. Wild dog's scat is identifiable by the presence of hair(hair of its unfortunate prey). Then we also came across droppings of Bonnet Macaque(Macaca radiata) and Sloth Bear(Melursus ursinus). We also came across a strange scat which the guard claimed was of Wild dogs but I had doubts as it was completely white and without hair, which resembled that of a Striped Hyena(Hyaena hyaena). Anyway to clear doubts, this too was appropriately collected and recorded. During our hike we also found tracks of Sambar(Cervus unicolor), Spotted Deer(Axis axis) and also Sloth Bear. These were photographed like those of the wild pigs. Direct sightings of mammals during the entire hike consisted of only two- Hanuman Langur(Semnopithecus entellus), a troop of which were seen across a valley on another hill and a Spotted Deer doe. Other than mammals quite a few birds were also spotted. Happy with the data sheet being filled reasonably, we reached our extraction point to meet organizers. I excitedly told them about our experiences as to what we had seen and collected. Later during the day we met the other teams and discussed our findings. Some teams had found Leopard(Panthera pardus) scats and pug marks while others had seen Jackals(Canis aureus).<br />
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For that night, we were to camp at an Anti-Poaching Camp at Uganiyam, near the Cauvery river. On the other side of the river was Karnataka. The Karnataka side seemed better forested and the tell tale evidences of humans were less as it was a sanctuary whereas the Tamil Nadu side was only a reserve forest. The river bank in one area was littered with plastic left behind by Pilgrims who had come to a temple there for a festival; the sight was heart-breaking! Anyway did some light birding in the vicinity for a couple of hours while waiting for the other teams to arrive. During which time a couple of people went on a coracle ride and spotted the Smooth River Otters(Lutrogale perspicillata)!! After everyone got back, we settled down at the Anti-Poaching camp at Uganiyam. Here we chatted and cracked jokes and spent our time till around 12 in the night. Then some of us slept inside the camp building(me included), while others slept in their respective vehicles and some others, outdoors.<br />
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Early next day, I got up and did some birding with a guy who was doing project(MSc project) on birds. While birding we also saw a group of 4 Wild Pigs bounding away after hearing us. Soon after the birding, I handed over the data sheets, photographs and the samples to the organizers. I explained in detail whatever I had seen and collected. That brought my survey to a close. I was happy, elated and felt like I was in the air because I felt I had accomplished something; I had finished a task I was entrusted with, a task that I was more than happy undertaking...<br />
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<img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5529360249414684882" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgTso9qTuc6WkoySJ8O6wz5wOHsIvYjn_uwOXUepgVrh8C_iiuTZ7VGWdJNndYyyJpIIDakkfjo8hR71sVulzRyp4Cqng7oNfUZdiC4_9clcEVD1RTYfJj219bho80-d_vwKDRfXoBZRopY/s400/Group.JPG" style="display: block; height: 266px; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; width: 400px;" /> Check out this article on Cauvery forests- <a href="http://www.flonnet.com/fl2626/stories/20100101262606400.htm">http://www.flonnet.com/fl2626/stories/20100101262606400.htm</a> <br />
Arun also blogs at <a href="http://www.thewhistlingthrush.blogspot.com/">Idle Mind</a>.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3042932106525371887.post-49424621931203301882010-10-13T23:21:00.000-07:002010-11-20T06:12:47.557-08:00Wildlife week celebration by KANS in Hosur Forest Division<div style="color: #444444; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: transparent; font-size: small; font-style: normal; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline;">Day 01, 09/10/2010 - Nature Camp</span></div><div style="color: #444444; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: transparent; font-size: small; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">As part of the wildlife week festivities, KANS conducted a nature camp for the students of Sishya and Titan School, Hosur at Aiyur eco-awareness camp.</span></div><div style="color: #444444; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: transparent; font-size: small; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">The idea behind conducting this camp was to bring into sharp focus of the students the area of Melagiri, its history, diversity and to bring into them a sense of responsibility to protect this 1480 sq km area of forest cover falling into Krishnagiri district.</span></div><div style="color: #444444; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="color: #444444; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: transparent; font-size: small; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">The students, a total of 9 each from the 2 schools were picked up from the Sishya School. On reaching Aiyur they were immediately taken to a short walk on the road leading to the Samieri lake from the camp. During the walk the students were made to listen to the various sounds of the forest and appreciate the diversity of creature that have made these forests their home. The students were briefed about spiders, birds, trees and the various animals that are found.</span></div><div style="color: #444444; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><br />
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<span style="font-size: small;"><img height="285" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/S92ca_XbSBWrxySV19Fj0au8zZ15sayzNueD3RNWYkqgi64p_rYTCyYEoMscgxzYc-jIM9FV7Kmx-VMV0cES6Lk80I9WoRuV7IWlP7DGPwlEIVLaNg" width="400" /></span></div><div style="color: #444444; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><br />
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<span style="background-color: transparent; font-size: small; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">After breakfast the group of 10 students randomly picked trekked into the Manchi trails. The trek that began at 10am wrapped up at 2pm. The students prepared a checklist of all the birds , animals, butterflies they encountered. The students also learned to identify the animals by their pug marks, birds by their calls and flight pattern and butterflies by their patterns and colours.</span></div><div style="color: #444444; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="color: #444444; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: transparent; font-size: small; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> They were intrigued by the call of Iora and Coucal and were enraptured by the beautiful Blue mormon, lemon and yellow-orange tip butterflies. The guide who is a local gave them an insight into the medicinal properties of the herbs and trees we saw on the trail. By the end of the trek, which covered a distance of around 6-8 kms the students could identify a lot of species and were ever more excited and repeatedly asked for continuing such camps. They realized that forests are inviolate parts of our existence, that their preservation is a must and took a bold stand of spreading this new awareness they gained.</span></div><div style="color: #444444; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="color: #444444; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><img height="281" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/S0zcaX6IN-Lc3BpFvn1QbcEKZumBJU5LkJGsPPXpn8Ejzrpgk2aMOB69GqPCAEHhfvmw3zfZKYP_O0GsLdriMIXBnDEmumlN_byL6NGSkLcVYVU1pw" width="400" /></span></div><div style="color: #444444; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: transparent; font-size: small; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">After the lunch, sitting in a circle both the groups recounted their experiences and later we headed out to the view-point of the Spider valley, where Sanjeev, vice president of KANS talked to them into length about Kenneth Anderson, the Indian born Scottish hunter who once roamed these very forests hunting the man-eating tigers and leopards and rogue elephants, the former glory of Melagiris, how KANS came into being and how the students could help KANS conserve these forests. </span></div><div style="color: #444444; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="color: #444444; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: transparent; font-size: small; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">The students were encouraged to form groups at their school under the guidance of their principal and Sanjeev, which would then be directly involved in surveying the Melagiri in small batches. With the infusion the younger generation closer home, who feel a sense of belonging and responsibility towards these forests, Melagiris is bound to bounce back to the state it was 40-50 years back.</span></div><div style="color: #444444; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="color: #444444; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><img height="288" src="https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/gx77pvEba4fDTKfucSUj9-9I0U3PhbxnMte4obqCduiS-Jygg5gdacUrdUo9VGAN71sT_eXly9v7rqoT3AHyRL3MSYn9Wi-hdfJSlDPdxhFQD96Xgw" width="400" /></span></div><div style="color: #444444; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: transparent; font-size: small; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">The group then headed towards the Sameeri lake and patiently waited for more than an hour until darkness fell with silence, to catch a glimpse of the elephants. Unfortunately perhaps because of the rains they chose not to visit the lake.</span></div><div style="color: #444444; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: transparent; font-size: small; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Finally we wrapped up the camp with a 40 min sojourn into the secret life of Tigers and the conservation value and issues surrounding them by screening the movie 'Truth about Tigers' by Shekar Dattatri.</span></div><div style="color: #444444; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="color: #444444; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><img height="285" src="https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/Nu8UzgB7_bZ6Uu9tiiCUpyhN9dU7gx10eBRwUUrj-cmY-FI1Kbs6xvpW2z0rpqmGvJOa02Frq-C4XmroLgAsqWBIHlJcU90hcrzgz3qplLoP5enTmw" width="400" /></span></div><div style="color: #444444; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="color: #444444; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: transparent; font-size: small; font-style: normal; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline;">Day 02, 10/10/2010 - Painting Competition, theme - Wildlife</span></div><div style="color: #444444; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="color: #444444; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><img height="296" src="https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/o8D75kI9IB_ojdE_JSXMZRexnyJu_TNPQWkwCVIC0eEujHWfCrpIloXOWoivGeea0CKWeeorj_Ewy5MScCfWCLfHH1cX8qpy5nYXk2oicxWQfvy55w" width="400" /></span></div><div style="color: #444444; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="color: #444444; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: transparent; font-size: small; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">A total of nearly 10 schools in and around participated in the painting competition with a turnover of 467 students in the groups of LKG to 2nd, 3rd to 5th, 6th to 7th and 8th to 10th.</span></div><div style="color: #444444; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: transparent; font-size: small; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">The painting competition took place at St. Joseph's higher secondary school in Hosur and jointly conducted by KANS, HRT and HLC. </span></div><div style="color: #444444; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><br />
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</span></div><div style="color: #444444; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><img height="260" src="https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/67-x_HTWDLvqmt5PZ9YrWehvvo-Ho1Td1b28aSdp3AfprgIA1vL-0J-A1LDhqo95Yo1MKuOt_JtWu4SAxRPuqUyNDnXW9t_ZVq0idS_4PNjANLTL1g" width="400" /></span></div><div style="color: #444444; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="color: #444444; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: transparent; font-size: small; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">The theme of the competition was wildlife and an entry fee of 20 INR was collected. The enthusiasm among the kids was electrifying, from 9.30 to 11.30 the students poured out paints into their sheets and drew, painted and munched on the snacks provided. The registration and handling the students was organized such that it was ensured that each student was escorted back by their own guardian. The panel of judges consisting of </span><span style="background-color: transparent; font-size: small; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Mr.Jaganathan (Art Master, Goverment Boys High school), Mrs.Usha Rani Sridhar ( Civil Engg. BITS Pilani, trained in fine arts and conducts classes in Hosur), Mr.Gowri Shankar ( Drawing master fromTitan watches) and Mr.S.Shiva( Drawing master, winner of top 30 WGC jewellery designers and founder of March Arts Foundation ,Hosur elected a 1,2 and 3rd prices plus 5 consolation prizes in each category.</span></div><div style="color: #444444; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="color: #444444; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><img height="265" src="https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/iRZYxNqEfVUrXSIcg75Ku8xfXXNYqGp0KdsIRWeEind0vc41iMLjdFfgXrByUkJQMFLf8lljvY6tvGc-LApSjaXNoklkv7f3Tb1FFKl5cKbcnQ82IA" width="400" /></span></div><div style="color: #444444; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="color: #444444; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">And the team..</span></div><div style="color: #444444; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="color: #444444; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><img height="256" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/T29JNpL-TvqODMaRfAW9oTIG8VtANdvvKVX4A0f_gHjQIJYpSnYX8wyS4hGch0tVTA1BQ1-aP_sxmRD9-opTQK2TRmaXO254ZgH7HJmu6v1I7U0ssQ" width="400" /></span></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3042932106525371887.post-16563051809035753792010-10-13T23:19:00.001-07:002010-10-13T23:19:57.425-07:00Threats to Melagiri forestsA strong odour of cattle dung hit us even before our eyes caught sight of it littered everywhere like shopping freaks in Bangalore's Mall. And here we were in the middle of a thick scrub jungle come to do a census on the flora and fauna of the Hosur Forests also called as Melagiris. Kenneth Anderson Nature Society together with Asian Nature Conservation Foundation have taken up several surveys in this region that spreads over an area of almost 1200 sq kms containing a mix of several vegetation but mainly abounded by the dry scrub forest to study these forests and restore the region back to its original state.<br />
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These forests face manifold threats and perhaps the one by cattle grazing tops the list. Cattle here are grazed in large numbers and pegged down in large cattle-pen called pattis. The absence of large carnivores and a blind eye by the forest department has made the Hosur forests a cattle grazing grounds for the locals. There is a suspicion that the cattle that's been grazed belongs to the wealthier families in Tamil Nadu living far away from Hosur employing the services of the local. While the locals are allowed to graze cattle and sheep, grazing goats is illegal, though one can frequently come across goats grazing in the Melagiris. This has been made illegal because while the cattle/sheep feed mainly on grass the goat eats up tender shoots thus denying the forests to rejuvenate.<br />
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Chital that is so abundant in the other side of the Cauvery, on the Karnataka side, that you yawn when you sight herd after herd thudding away in your wake has in this region become a sight to feast on. So why have the herbivores been thinning out even as the forests remain? Answer, human interference and Cattle Grazing. These herbivores have been hunted down for meat and skin. Also since they naturally avoid man increased human interference has made them to flee these forests. The dwindling grass cover by the cattle even as it sprouts and the foot and mouth disease, poaching for meat has all played a major role in wiping out the larger population of the herbivores. With such a small prey base and poaching has wiped out the tigers, not to mention cattle-kill poisoning carried out by their distraught owners long ago. Although we have recorded pug marks of leopards and wild dogs, tigers and hyena have are no longer to be found although the locals claim to have seen one or two a while.<br />
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Thick lantana jungle has sprung up everywhere wiping away the native plant species. Its likely that these dry bushes catch up fire at the slightest chance building up into a roaring furnace and destroying the forest. KANS (Kenneth Anderson Nature Society) has drawn plans to employ locals to remove this invasive weed from the roots. However no amount of de-weeding can remove them forever, the seeds of lantana are spread by birds and need but a brief spell of rain to grow back to numbers. A sustained effort over time only can put a cap on the lantana jungle.<br />
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Man-Elephant conflict is on steady rise. The Elephants have taken to crop-raiding due to a variety of reasons - perhaps because the farms have replaced their original forests? or because they face shortage of food within forests due to expansive cattle grazing? Some also say the Elephants have taken a liking to easily available farm produce while others vehemently deny it stating elephants are shy of humans and do everything in their power to avoid human habitation. And having experienced that first hand I must say I agree with the latter belief. Human death toll is getting higher too. Unwary locals and forest guards have been trampled by bulls occasionally.<br />
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At several places Villages have taken permanent residence within the forest boundaries. Re-settling these villages from the Melagiris is essential to give the forests and wildlife a chance to revive. However this is a very sensitive issue, the tribals in this region have been living in the forests are called Poojaries and have since time immemorial developed a culture that is deeply associated with the forests. It is indeed very difficult to separate the original settlers from the new families that must have taken residence in the recent past. A fair approach must be followed and enough compensation must be given for the families to persuade them to move out of the forests. A few of the natives could be soaked in as the forest staff as their knowledge of these forests is exhaustive and indispensable towards studying and protecting them. <br />
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The locals have been using the forests to extract a variety of forest produce including firewood, tamarind pods, honey to list a few. KANS has drawn up plans to provide LPG gas to the families to cut down on the firewood gathering. Farmlands are extending their tentacles into the forest lands steadily. When the Melagiris assume Sanctuary status, with enough security, it can be said that Timber extraction, poaching and such illegal activities can be capped.<br />
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Reckless Tourism is another contributing factor. Although Melagiris are relatively unknown patch of forests it can be predicted that with all the conservation activities in progress, the limelight on the flora and fauna will inevitably attract a steady stream of picnic-goers. Already tourists are seen loitering around. At a prominent lake where the elephants usually gather in large numbers at dusk tourists unmindful of the danger have been seen in groups. Although there is no straight forward solution to the Tourism issue but it must be handled with caution.<br />
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Although the list of threats does not end here, they are not new. Our forests throughout India are reeling under the same tell-tale signs. We have only around 3% land under forest cover protecting a fragile eco-system. New lands are almost impossible to secure for the already threatened plants and animals and the majority of the forests in this 3% fall as reserved forests. The forest staff are few, they are underpaid and not well equipped to fight the poachers. There are many problems and many more solutions. Today the cry of the hour is to guarantee the security of our remaining forests, to guarantee a life to the many beasts and wild plants that abound our lands. The time is to act.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0