Agumbe Lovely Place for Herping

                             Agumbe..... Just awesome place.. One of the every green rain forest in western ghats.. Our 21st Nature camp was held at Agumbe . Agumbe is located in Shimoga dist. near Shrungeri. It is Cherapunji of Karnataka. Dr.Romulus Whitaker, the Snake Man of India ,started ARRS ( Agumbe Rainforest Research Station ) in this forest. The forest is famous for King cobra and other reptiles.
                             As my main subject is herps , lets see some amphibia from Agumbe... I clicked some beautiful species of frogs .... Lets go to see them.......

Fungoid Frog ( Rana malabarica)- It is beautiful forg with redish colour on back and yellowish brown strip side at the joint of limbs. You can find it on the forest floor , near the ponds, river. In breeding season their colour changes to dark.

Golden Frog- It is forest floor frog . Golden colour on back and faint blck strips on hind limbs. It has brownish strip from timpanum to hind limbs. I found it near palm garden of ARRS when we were busy in watchin meting of flying lizzard.

Cricket Frog ( Rana limnocharis ) - It is a small species of frog makes sound like cricket. You can find them near the grass or on the big leaf of a shrub. It is easy to identify , it is brownish in colour and has yellow line on back. yellowish or black strips on limbs. Colours may change in breeding season.

Indian Pond Frog - It is common pond frog siting in western ghats . It is greenish in colour and has yellow strip on back. It has golden boundry around eyes. Male has big sound sac , in mansoon you can see it near ponds and rivers with blowing sound sac .

Jerdon's bull frog ( Rana crassa) - It is similler to Rana tigerina but has short for limbs than tigerina. It is a large species of pond frogs, 99mm male recorded in western ghats . It has grenish colour and has dark spots on body . In non breeding season colour changes to brownish red . Mainlly find out in pond water with sound trakkkk---teeerrrrrrk.

Bicoloured frog - It is a floor frog species . It has two colour , yellow on back and red on side. It can be identify with big tymphanum and black circle around the eyes. You can find out in forest floor and near the ponds .

                                                                       

                             Adult bicolouerd.

AGUMBE Nature Camp 2011

AGUMBE  NATURE CAMP- 2011...( 21st camp of BVS Nature Club )

            Hi ! Nature Lovers , here a good news for you .. As we were arranging a camp of  7 – 8 days in one of the forest of Karnataka or Maharashtra  , for this year we are going to AGUMBE  .. a ever green rain forest .

            Agumbe (Kannada: ಆಗುಂಬೆ) is a village located in the Shimoga district in the state of Karnataka, India. Lying in the Thirthahalli taluk and the Malnad region, Agumbe is among the places in India that receive very heavy rainfall earning it the sobriquet, "Cherrapunji of the South".^[1] It is also the home of the Agumbe Rainforest Research Station, the only permanent rainforest research station in India. The renowned herpetologist, Romulus Whitaker called Agumbe the capital of King Cobra. An area near Agumbe has been converted into a protected area for Medicinal Plants to help in their conservation.

             The main achievement of this camp to study the birds  , mamals , reptiles . amphibians and trees of that area as well as to create interest of wild life in your own .

             The camp will be hold during  

             30 April - 7 May . at Agumbe rain forest , 

•  Attractions - Biodiversity

Many new species of flora and fauna are found in this region. Agumbe lends its name to the following species which were discovered here:

• Selenops agumbensis: A spider of genus Selenops
• Tarenna agumbensis: A shrub
• Drosophila agumbensis: A species of small fly
• Irenopsis agumbensis: A fungus
• Hygroaster agumbensis: A fungus
• Dactylaria agumbensis: A fungus

Other species discovered around Agumbe include:

• Caudalejeunea pluriplicata: A liverwort plant.
• Notothylas dissecta: A plant of type Hornwort earlier found only in Central America, was discovered in Asia for the first time in Agumbe.

Cyclotoma alleni:A beetle discovered in Agumbe.

        Spectacular Agumbe Fauna 

       

• King Cobra
• Lion-tailed macaque
• Cane Turtle
• Tiger
• Dhole
• Hornbills
• Sambhar
• Atlas moth
• Flying lizard
• Leopard
• Myriads of birds and amphibians

    

       Join us and enjoy the fragrance of rain forest .......

       For entry and forms and  more info. contact us , 

       Ninad Gosavi - ( volunteer BVS Nature Club ) -  9764876703.

       Ganesh Datar -  ( volunteer BVS Nature Club ) - 9028725129.

  

  

MAYANI bird sanctuary

                                                    The fantastic location for water birds.....

 Mayni....
 Satara dst. , Near Vita taluka place...
                        Many migratory birds pass through the area, such as Flamingos from Siberia, which come in large numbers.      Approximately 400 migratory birds were reported. Other birds like the Northern Shoveler, Stork and Kingfisher are also found at the sanctuary. Other resident and migratory bird species in the winter season include: Coot, Brahminy Ducks, Black Ibis, Painted storks, Common Spoon bills, etc. The nests of storks are also observed near the lake. Flamingos are regular winter visitors to the place. The flamingo species are observed feeding in shallow water.Mayani Bird Sanctuary is studied as a typical wetland ecosystem which is rich in flora and fauna.It is observed that, the hydrophytic species like otolia sps grows very well in shallow water. It is the main source of food for aquatic birds.Other food is available viz. small fishes, crabs, water insects etc. also observed. Some efforts have been made for conservation of natural forest near the lake. This region is mainly under drought condition. Some plots have been allotted to local farmers, such as on the lake's dam during summer when the water dries up. There are also some medicinal plants grown in the region. Cactus are also planted nearby the lake.

                        The sanctuary covers area about 65 Hectors... When I was walking along the lake I saw a big colony of red rumped swallow . I was appro. 200 m. far from them. I wont to capture them..I did close to them to take snaps and I covered 200 m distance with Zik - Zak motion and hide and hiding ...and finally got the snaps of  them . That was a lovely experience . 
         
       If you are the bird lover then Mayni is the perfect place for you . Mayni is one of the sanctuary that is well connected by all the means of communication and transportation .

       The best time to visit it is during winter . Dont miss this golden place of birds...

                                                                                                                
       For more info. contact me .. Ninad Gosavi --> 9764876703 

असा पाउस मनमानी.......

 खरं तर आज wild life पेक्षा जरा वेगळ लिहितोय  .............
      आज सकाळी क्लास जाला अणि घरी यायला निघालो . जरा change म्हणून मारुती रोड वर गाड़ी घातली . अणि तेवढ्यात पावसाला सुरवात झाली . गाड़ी पावसात तशीच सोडून आडोशाला उभा राहिलो . सकाळचे ७ वाजले होते . चहाची वेळ . समोर मस्त एका टपरीवर रेडिओ लावला होता . pahilyach सरीचा ओला सुवास आला... मस्त गाण लागलं होतं ...

म्हंटल चला एक कटिंग मारू . टपरीच्या पत्र्यावारून पडणारी पावसाची धार नकळत चाहत पडत होती. पण तिकडे लक्ष देण्यापेक्षा त्या पलीकडचा पाउस लई भारी होता ... चाह संपला ...गाण पण संपलं होतं ...गाड़ीला किक मारली अणि घरी गेलो . घरी गेल्यावर कल्ला की हरिपुर मधे एक काम करुन यायचं  आहे . मला काय ... मला हवच होतं . पुन्हा गाड़ी काढली ..सरळ हरिपुरचा रस्ता धरला . रस्त्यावर कोणीही नव्हतं . पाउस जोरात चालू ..डोक्यावर टोपी नाही ...चाश्म्यावर सगले थेम्ब...अणि गाड़ी ४ थ्या गिअर वर ... काम लगेच उरकल..थांबून  उपयोग नव्हता ..पाउस थांबला असता..तसाच घरी आलो . परत एकदा चाहा झाला..पण या वेळी सोबतीला parle - G होतं .   

संध्याकाळी ७ ला क्लास सुटल्यावर मारुती रोड वरून मित्राबरोबर घरी येत होतो . च्या मारी तेवढ्यात पुन्हा पाउस . इतका जोरात आला की रस्त्यावरच्या लोकांची धावपळ झाली . पुन्हा नेहमीचं चित्र ...दुकानाचे कट्टे पटापट लोकांनी भरून गेले . त्यात आम्हीपण होतो ..दुकानाच्या आडोशाला थांबलो........ . lights off..मस्त खमंग वास सुटला होता ...अणि गरम तेलात काहीतरी टाकल्याचा  आवाज आला ..समोर वाडेवाला होता . मस्त गरम ..समोर वडे .. त्यात पाउस ...अणि आम्ही काय ही संधी सोडणार होतो ?.. दोन वडे हाणले...मित्राने {धनंजय}अणि २ वाड्याची order दिली . माझ्या डोक्यात एक भारी idea आली . bag मधे  dominos च flecs होत . फोडला अणि वाड्यावर घातला . Dominos VADA . wow ! आता मात्र पाउस फार वाढला  होता पाणी घोट्यापर्यंत आलं होतं .
      ...... मजा आली आज ...खूप भारी वाटलं ...तुमचाही पाउस असाच झाला असेल न ? मला सांगायला विसरु नका . just add your comment here and share ur पाउस .....
                                        असा पाउस मनमानी ...असा पाउस मनमानी ....
                                          त्याची बेफिकिरी करते सरिसरी ना तूफानी

Yana

                        याना ......... लक्षात राहण्यासारखे ठिकाण . या वर्षी आमचा कैंप याना ला होता . ( याना - tq.- कुमठा , dist.- उ. कन्नडा, कर्नाटक )  yana rocks हे तिथल आकर्षण . ज्वलामुखिपसून बनलेले अणि पाउस, वारा,ऊन यांच्या आघाताने झिजलेले मोठे पाषाण . इतके मोठे की पूर्ण पाषाण बघायला मान पूर्ण वाकडी करावी लगते .तर या आशा मस्त ठिकाणी आमचा कैंप पार पडला .

                        हे गाव ( गाव नाहीच वस्ति आहे ३१ घरांची ) तसा जंगलात वसलेल. So, nature camp घ्यायला अगदी योग्य . प्राणी तसे फरसे नाहीत पण पक्षी मात्र भरपूर , वनस्पति शास्त्रालाही खाद्य पुरेपुर . So,कैंप मस्त झाला असणार यात शंकाच  नाही.    

                       आम्ही ६१ जण होतो .म्हणजे त्यात आमचं volenteer च टोळक होतच. मस्त दंगा करणारं . 1 मे- ६ मे या कालावधीत कैंप होता . पाहिले २ दिवस जंगलात ट्रेक होते. ४ तारखेला long treak , विभूति फ़ॉल्स ला . विभूति फ़ॉल्स याना पासून ८ km. लांब . चालत गेलो सगळे . तिथे पुन्हा खडी उतरण . अणि शेवटी मस्त उंच धबधबा. गार पाण्यात मनसोक्त हत्ती सारखं डूंबलो.  

                         कतगल च्या अलीकडे १ km.  वर यानाचा फाटा आहे . त्या फट्याने सरळ गेलात तर १५ मिनिटांच्या अंतरावर तुम्हाला एक टेलीफ़ोन exchenger ऑफिस दिसेल . त्या ऑफिस च्या समोर विनायक हेडगेच घर आहे . तो त्या ऑफिस मधे काम करतो . विनायक हा यानाचा पर्यटक अधिकारी म्हंटल तरी चालेल . कारण या वस्तीत त्याचं एकट्याचंच रेसॉर्ट आहे . रहायची सोय पण मस्त . एक झोपड़ी आहे रहायला . तशी मोठी आहे . पण खरच जंगलात रहायला गेल्याचा खरा feel इथे येतो . विनायकंच तुमचे treak ठरवेल. त्याला पूर्ण जंगल पाठ आहे . विनायकचे मित्र अप्पू ( पुरुषोत्तम) अणि संतोष पण तुम्हाला भेटतील . एवढच नाही विनायक तुम्हाला orkut वर पण भेटेल . माझ्या friend list माहे आहे तो . बाकी सारी व्यवस्था तो करेलच .
                          याना च आणखी एक वैशिष्ठ म्हणजे तिथे सेंचुरी पाम आहेत . हे एक प्रकारचे पाम आहेत ज्यांना ८० ते ९० वर्षांनी फुलोरा येतो अणि एकदा फुलोरा येउन गेला की ते मरून जातात  . त्यांची ऊँची सुद्धा फार . एकंदर काय तर यानात सारं काही अवाढव्य आहे .

          मग दिवाळीची  सुट्टी यानात घालवायचा विचार आहे की नाही ? जाताना मला जरुर सांगा . मी पण यायला तयार आहे .
          Vinu Hedge -9448022782

An injured young one of kite

                                  Tring.... Tring...... I picked up my phone there was my friend ( Namrata patil , she is also animal lover) telling me that an injured young one of a bird found in her relative's back yard. I picked up my bag and camera and went to her ( friend's) home. Firstly we saw a est which is made up of  some parts of a brach of coconut tree. That was kite's nest.

                                   Then we saw that young one of bird . It was black and 8-10 cm. in length. It had some white hair like ecxoskaleton. When i touched it stared to scream like  'shooooo......shooo...........' It was a cub of kite .

   We picked up it with it's nest and went at friend's house ( her hasband is femous vet.dr.  Dr. Gorakh Patil . ) . We feed it the dog food and meat. And finaly now it is well .

 If  you find an injured bird or animal  Please contact us ,

 Animal and Bird resque 
 9764876703

                                 TO see the video of this,click on  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zYmC3V90lqk

We organise a Sparrow PROGRAM and comp.

                                  20 march  -: World House Sparrow Day.

                                  Nearly we did survey of birds in Sangli city. ( Dr. Salim ali bird Census 2009) and in that census we found the approximate number of house sparrow that was 4807 only ! It is less than last census.
          
                                  Buildings and traffic are the mail causes of it . They distroy their food chain as well as nesting place.

                                  What should you do to increase the number of House sparrow. Please send us me your IDEAS . We will publish your great ideas in our House Sparrow program . 

              Sparrow Program
                     Date- 21/03/2010
                     Time- 5 pm - 7 pm
                     Address- Nagar Vachnalay , near Mahanagar palika , Sangli. 416 416   

                      as well as we organise drowing and poster compitition . For student and OPEN group

                      For more info. cantact me - 9764876703