Indian Wildlife Club Forum

Wildlife African crusader for nature and wildlife Posted by Susan Sharma on September 26, 2011 For Wangari Maathai, the preservation of the land and the planting of trees was more than about enriching the lives of people, it was about bringing back animals to deprived ecosystems. Wangari Maathai has been instrumental in bringing an ethic of concern about animals to the attention of the Kenyan parliament and people. "To speak about Wangari Maathai in Kenya is to speak about the Green Belt Movement (GBM) and environmental conservation. She is the most known environmental conservation activist in Kenya and Africa. Her words get the attention of the who-is-who in global business, politics or funding circles. Without her, we wouldn’t be seeing or relaxing at Uhuru Park. She was Moi regime’s nightmare – opposing all kinds of attempts to excise government land such as Karura and Ngong forests. Maathai has walked the talk, like the evangelist of the gone days." Visit the link http://greenbeltmovement.org/index.php to understand more about the green belt movement in Kenya. Read More View Comments \| Post Comment
Wildlife MY DEAR ANIMALS Posted by sarath lal k.p on September 18, 2011 I LOVE ANIMALS VERY MUCH .BACAUSE THE ARE VERY CUTE AND BEAUTIFUL. BUT TODAY MOST OF THEM IS DESTROYED AND KILLED BY HUMANS.SO I WOULD LIKE TO CARE THE ANIMALS AND SAVE MY NATURE "" EARTH IS OUR GOD '''''@EARTH GIVE US EVERY THING & WE DESTROYED HER EVERY THING '''' SAVE OUR ''''MATHA'''' Read More View Comments \| Post Comment
Environment Awareness Gaia's Garden - A Tribute to the Beauty We Have Lost Posted by Chinmaya Dunster on September 07, 2011 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RkcP3YsSEr4 Using paintings of vanished species and my own music I hope I can touch a few hearts to care for the threatened beauty around us. Read More View Comments \| Post Comment
Environment Awareness Kids and environment Posted by Susan Sharma on September 06, 2011 Why Is America's Youth Staying Indoors? •80 percent said it was uncomfortable to be outdoors due to things like bugs and heat •62 percent said they did not have transportation to natural areas, and •61 percent said there were not natural areas near their homes. Read an interesting article at the link http://www.nature.org/newsfeatures/kids-in-nature/kids-in-nature-poll.xml?src=gp Read More View Comments \| Post Comment
Environment Awareness Wetlands not wastelands Posted by Susan Sharma on September 02, 2011 ........."This is where policy gets practice fundamentally and fatally wrong. This is not useless wasteland as the revenue office described it when it gave it to the thermal power company at a pittance. This is highly productive land, both in terms of its ecological functions and economic uses. But we cannot see it or won’t because it is not in our interest. Just consider. This dead swamp is a living sponge, which soaks water, reducing the intensity of floods; the delicately maintained freshwater balance reduces the advance of salinity, which would infiltrate groundwater and ruin drinking water sources. This is a living ecosystem. It plays critical life functions................... -Sunita Narain Read more at the link http://www.downtoearth.org.in/content/lessons-kakarapalli Read More View Comments \| Post Comment
Bird Sanctuaries Bassi Wildlife Sanctuary Posted by Sharad Agrawal on September 02, 2011 Bassi Wildlife Sanctuary is a wildlife sanctuary near Bassi in Chittorgarh district of Rajasthan, India. 5 kilometers from the Bassi Fort Palace. 1.5 hours of small journey from nearest Airport Maharana Pratap Air Port , Dabok , udaipur It covers an area of 15,290 hectares and was established in 1988. It has series of tableland, gentle slopes and vast stretches of large lakes, water channels of which penetrate into the forest. Placed itself at the backdrop of lush green forests of Vindhyachal ranges, it is a noticeable wild life protection place, providing a natural habitat for varied species of wild life. Orai dam and Bassi dam form part of this nice wildlife sanctuary. Antelopes, Leopards, mongoose and wild boar are some of animals inhabit the sanctuary. Many migratory birds are spotted in the seasons. No doubt, it’s a haven for wildlife enthusiasts. Our one day experience to sanctuary was mind blogging ..as per photography level it was quite challenging that day because of heavy clouds.. 01. Rock Eagle Owl or Bengal Eagle Owl (Bubo bengalensis) 02. Lesser Golden-backed Woodpecker (Dinopium benghalense ) 03. Savanna Nightjar, Caprimulgus affinis...ID nor confirmed.. 04. Indian Pitta, Pitta brachyura 05. Jungle cat (Felis chaus) 06. Blue Bull 07. White-eyed Buzzard (Butastur teesa) 08. Painted Spurfowl (Galloperdix lunulata) 09. Black Francolin, Francolinus francolinus 10. Black-headed Cuckoo-shrike (Coracina melanoptera) 11. Asian Paradise-flycatcher (Terpsiphone paradisi) 12. Oriental White-eye, Zosterops palpebrosus 13. Knob-billed Duck (Sarkidiornis melanotos) 14. Lesser Whistling Duck 15. Painted Stork (Mycteria leucocephala) 16. Asian Openbill Stork, Anastomus oscitans 17. Asian Brown Flycatcher, Muscicapa dauurica 18. Golden Oriole (Oriolus oriolus) 19. Rufous Treepie (Dendrocitta vagabunda) 20. Common Iora (Aegithina tiphia) 21. Red-vented Bulbul (Pycnonotus cafer) 22. Shikra (Accipiter badius) 23. Sparrowhawk (Accipiter nisus) 24. Chestnut-bellied Sandgrouse, Pterocles exustus 25. Brown Fish-owl (Bubo zeylonensis or Ketupa zeylonensis) 22. Oriental Honey Buzzard, Pernis ptilorhynchus 23. Crested Serpent Eagle (Spilornis cheela) 24. Plum-headed Parakeet (Psittacula cyanocephala) 25. Rose-ringed Parakeet (Psittacula krameri) 26. Indian Peafowl or Blue Peafowl (Pavo cristatus) 27. Rufous-tailed Lark (Ammomanes phoenicura) 28. Common Kingfisher, Alcedo atthis 29. White-throated Kingfisher (Halcyon smyrnensis) 30. Black Drongo (Dicrurus macrocercus) 31. Spotted Owlet (Athene brama) & ETC ETC ETC... Last not least KING OF SAARNA( LEOPARD) from Rishiraj Deval... For snaps from sanctuary plz look at the link bellow http://www.indianaturewatch.net/view_cat.php?tag=BASSI%20WILDLIFE%20SANCTUARY For more details on BASSI WILDLIFE SANCTUARY plz call shri Rishiraj Deval ..his cell no. are +91 7891100000 Regards & regrets for mistakes Sharad Agrawal with many more to explore yet.. Read More View Comments \| Post Comment
Bio-Diversity Vultures in our eco system Posted by Susan Sharma on August 29, 2011 Vultures in our eco system "They process certain bacteria and fungi present in carcasses, which otherwise form spores when brought in contact with a healthy human or animal, and become almost immortal. In the absence of vultures, dogs end up eating the dead animals and the bacteria spreads thereafter. " Dr. Vibhu Prakash Here is a link to a comprehensive article on vultures in our eco system, which makes for fascinating reading The title is "India's Vanishing Vultures" written by Meera Subramanian in the Virginia Quarterly Review http://www.vqronline.org/articles/2011/spring/subramanian-vultures/ Read More View Comments \| Post Comment
Bird Sanctuaries bhandhavgarh.. Posted by ashish on August 27, 2011 i was go to bhandhavgarh it was so good... Read More View Comments \| Post Comment
Environment Awareness Sounds in a National Park Posted by Susan Sharma on August 24, 2011 Sounds in a National park ............The impact of noise on wildlife ranging from birds to whales to elk has been a growing focus of scientific study. Increasing evidence suggests that animals in natural settings modify their behavior, though sometimes only briefly, in response to human commotion.......... One of the first things that a visitor to Muir Woods National Monument sees is a monitor that measures sound levels..... Once the diesel engines had been stilled, visitors began falling into line, heeding a subtle signal that human noises are superfluous here. But some of the signals are hardly subtle: signs posted near Cathedral Grove in the heart of the park call for silence. Near the entrance to the food and gift shop close to the park’s entrance, a decibel meter measures the sound of a visitor’s voice. Read more at the link http://tinyurl.com/3h4qn2o http://www.nytimes.com/2011/02/22/science/earth/22sound.html?_r=1&ref=nationalparkservice Read More View Comments \| Post Comment
Bio-Diversity Contribution of Pollinator-Mediated Crops to Nutrients in the Human Food Supply Posted by Susan Sharma on August 22, 2011 "The contribution of nutrients from animal pollinated world crops has not previously been evaluated as a biophysical measure for the value of pollination services. This study evaluates the nutritional composition of animal-pollinated world crops. We calculated pollinator dependent and independent proportions of different nutrients of world crops, employing FAO data for crop production, USDA data for nutritional composition, and pollinator dependency data according to Klein et al. (2007). Crop plants that depend fully or partially on animal pollinators contain more than 90% of vitamin C, the whole quantity of Lycopene and almost the full quantity of the antioxidants β-cryptoxanthin and β-tocopherol, the majority of the lipid, vitamin A and related carotenoids, calcium and fluoride, and a large portion of folic acid. Ongoing pollinator decline may thus exacerbate current difficulties of providing a nutritionally adequate diet for the global human population." Citation: Eilers EJ, Kremen C, Smith Greenleaf S, Garber AK, Klein A-M (2011) Contribution of Pollinator-Mediated Crops to Nutrients in the Human Food Supply. PLoS ONE 6(6): e21363. doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0021363 Read more at #PLoS: Contribution of Pollinator-Mediated Crops to Nutrients in the Human Food Supply http://dx.plos.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0021363 Read More View Comments \| Post Comment

Posted by Susan Sharma on September 26, 2011

For Wangari Maathai, the preservation of the land and the planting of trees was more than about enriching the lives of people, it was about bringing back animals to deprived ecosystems. Wangari Maathai has been instrumental in bringing an ethic of concern about animals to the attention of the Kenyan parliament and people.

"To speak about Wangari Maathai in Kenya is to speak about the Green Belt Movement (GBM) and environmental conservation. She is the most known environmental conservation activist in Kenya and Africa. Her words get the attention of the who-is-who in global business, politics or funding circles.

Without her, we wouldn’t be seeing or relaxing at Uhuru Park. She was Moi regime’s nightmare – opposing all kinds of attempts to excise government land such as Karura and Ngong forests. Maathai has walked the talk, like the evangelist of the gone days."

Visit the link http://greenbeltmovement.org/index.php to understand more about the green belt movement in Kenya.

View Comments | Post Comment

Wildlife

MY DEAR ANIMALS

Posted by sarath lal k.p on September 18, 2011

I LOVE ANIMALS VERY MUCH .BACAUSE THE ARE VERY CUTE AND BEAUTIFUL. BUT TODAY MOST OF THEM IS DESTROYED AND KILLED BY HUMANS.SO I WOULD LIKE TO CARE THE ANIMALS AND SAVE MY NATURE "" EARTH IS OUR GOD '''''@EARTH GIVE US EVERY THING & WE DESTROYED HER EVERY THING '''' SAVE OUR ''''MATHA''''

View Comments | Post Comment

Environment Awareness

Gaia's Garden - A Tribute to the Beauty We Have Lost

Posted by Chinmaya Dunster on September 07, 2011

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RkcP3YsSEr4
Using paintings of vanished species and my own music I hope I can touch a few hearts to care for the threatened beauty around us.

View Comments | Post Comment

Environment Awareness

Kids and environment

Posted by Susan Sharma on September 06, 2011

Why Is America's Youth Staying Indoors?

•80 percent said it was uncomfortable to be outdoors due to things like bugs and heat
•62 percent said they did not have transportation to natural areas, and
•61 percent said there were not natural areas near their homes.

Read an interesting article at the link

http://www.nature.org/newsfeatures/kids-in-nature/kids-in-nature-poll.xml?src=gp

View Comments | Post Comment

Environment Awareness

Wetlands not wastelands

Posted by Susan Sharma on September 02, 2011

........."This is where policy gets practice fundamentally and fatally wrong. This is not useless wasteland as the revenue office described it when it gave it to the thermal power company at a pittance. This is highly productive land, both in terms of its ecological functions and economic uses. But we cannot see it or won’t because it is not in our interest.

Just consider. This dead swamp is a living sponge, which soaks water, reducing the intensity of floods; the delicately maintained freshwater balance reduces the advance of salinity, which would infiltrate groundwater and ruin drinking water sources. This is a living ecosystem. It plays critical life functions...................

-Sunita Narain
Read more at the link http://www.downtoearth.org.in/content/lessons-kakarapalli

View Comments | Post Comment

Bird Sanctuaries

Bassi Wildlife Sanctuary

Posted by Sharad Agrawal on September 02, 2011

Bassi Wildlife Sanctuary is a wildlife sanctuary near Bassi in Chittorgarh district of Rajasthan, India.

5 kilometers from the Bassi Fort Palace.

1.5 hours of small journey from nearest Airport Maharana Pratap Air Port , Dabok , udaipur

It covers an area of 15,290 hectares and was established in 1988.

It has series of tableland, gentle slopes and vast stretches of large lakes, water channels of which penetrate into the forest.

Placed itself at the backdrop of lush green forests of Vindhyachal ranges, it is a noticeable wild life protection place, providing a natural habitat for varied species of wild life.

Orai dam and Bassi dam form part of this nice wildlife sanctuary. Antelopes, Leopards, mongoose and wild boar are some of animals inhabit the sanctuary.

Many migratory birds are spotted in the seasons.

No doubt, it’s a haven for wildlife enthusiasts.

Our one day experience to sanctuary was mind blogging ..as per photography level it was quite challenging that day because of heavy clouds..

01. Rock Eagle Owl or Bengal Eagle Owl (Bubo bengalensis)

02. Lesser Golden-backed Woodpecker (Dinopium benghalense )

03. Savanna Nightjar, Caprimulgus affinis...ID nor confirmed..

04. Indian Pitta, Pitta brachyura

05. Jungle cat (Felis chaus)

06. Blue Bull

07. White-eyed Buzzard (Butastur teesa)

08. Painted Spurfowl (Galloperdix lunulata)

09. Black Francolin, Francolinus francolinus

10. Black-headed Cuckoo-shrike (Coracina melanoptera)

11. Asian Paradise-flycatcher (Terpsiphone paradisi)

12. Oriental White-eye, Zosterops palpebrosus

13. Knob-billed Duck (Sarkidiornis melanotos)

14. Lesser Whistling Duck

15. Painted Stork (Mycteria leucocephala)

16. Asian Openbill Stork, Anastomus oscitans

17. Asian Brown Flycatcher, Muscicapa dauurica

18. Golden Oriole (Oriolus oriolus)

19. Rufous Treepie (Dendrocitta vagabunda)

20. Common Iora (Aegithina tiphia)

21. Red-vented Bulbul (Pycnonotus cafer)

22. Shikra (Accipiter badius)

23. Sparrowhawk (Accipiter nisus)

24. Chestnut-bellied Sandgrouse, Pterocles exustus

25. Brown Fish-owl (Bubo zeylonensis or Ketupa zeylonensis)

22. Oriental Honey Buzzard, Pernis ptilorhynchus

23. Crested Serpent Eagle (Spilornis cheela)

24. Plum-headed Parakeet (Psittacula cyanocephala)

25. Rose-ringed Parakeet (Psittacula krameri)

26. Indian Peafowl or Blue Peafowl (Pavo cristatus)

27. Rufous-tailed Lark (Ammomanes phoenicura)

28. Common Kingfisher, Alcedo atthis

29. White-throated Kingfisher (Halcyon smyrnensis)

30. Black Drongo (Dicrurus macrocercus)

31. Spotted Owlet (Athene brama)

& ETC ETC ETC...

Last not least KING OF SAARNA( LEOPARD) from Rishiraj Deval...

For snaps from sanctuary plz look at the link bellow

http://www.indianaturewatch.net/view_cat.php?tag=BASSI%20WILDLIFE%20SANCTUARY

For more details on BASSI WILDLIFE SANCTUARY plz call shri Rishiraj Deval ..his cell no. are +91 7891100000

Regards & regrets for mistakes

Sharad Agrawal

with many more to explore yet..

View Comments | Post Comment

Bio-Diversity

Vultures in our eco system

Posted by Susan Sharma on August 29, 2011

Vultures in our eco system
"They process certain bacteria and fungi present in carcasses, which otherwise form spores when brought in contact with a healthy human or animal, and become almost immortal. In the absence of vultures, dogs end up eating the dead animals and the bacteria spreads thereafter. " Dr. Vibhu Prakash

Here is a link to a comprehensive article on vultures in our eco system, which makes for fascinating reading

The title is "India's Vanishing Vultures" written by Meera Subramanian in the Virginia Quarterly Review

http://www.vqronline.org/articles/2011/spring/subramanian-vultures/

View Comments | Post Comment

Bird Sanctuaries

bhandhavgarh..

Posted by ashish on August 27, 2011

i was go to bhandhavgarh it was so good...

View Comments | Post Comment

Environment Awareness

Sounds in a National Park

Posted by Susan Sharma on August 24, 2011

Sounds in a National park

............The impact of noise on wildlife ranging from birds to whales to elk has been a growing focus of scientific study. Increasing evidence suggests that animals in natural settings modify their behavior, though sometimes only briefly, in response to human commotion..........

One of the first things that a visitor to Muir Woods National Monument sees is a monitor that measures sound levels.....

Once the diesel engines had been stilled, visitors began falling into line, heeding a subtle signal that human noises are superfluous here.

But some of the signals are hardly subtle: signs posted near Cathedral Grove in the heart of the park call for silence. Near the entrance to the food and gift shop close to the park’s entrance, a decibel meter measures the sound of a visitor’s voice.

Read more at the link http://tinyurl.com/3h4qn2o

http://www.nytimes.com/2011/02/22/science/earth/22sound.html?_r=1&ref=nationalparkservice

View Comments | Post Comment

Bio-Diversity

Contribution of Pollinator-Mediated Crops to Nutrients in the Human Food Supply

Posted by Susan Sharma on August 22, 2011

"The contribution of nutrients from animal pollinated world crops has not previously been evaluated as a biophysical measure for the value of pollination services. This study evaluates the nutritional composition of animal-pollinated world crops. We calculated pollinator dependent and independent proportions of different nutrients of world crops, employing FAO data for crop production, USDA data for nutritional composition, and pollinator dependency data according to Klein et al. (2007). Crop plants that depend fully or partially on animal pollinators contain more than 90% of vitamin C, the whole quantity of Lycopene and almost the full quantity of the antioxidants β-cryptoxanthin and β-tocopherol, the majority of the lipid, vitamin A and related carotenoids, calcium and fluoride, and a large portion of folic acid. Ongoing pollinator decline may thus exacerbate current difficulties of providing a nutritionally adequate diet for the global human population."

Citation: Eilers EJ, Kremen C, Smith Greenleaf S, Garber AK, Klein A-M (2011) Contribution of Pollinator-Mediated Crops to Nutrients in the Human Food Supply. PLoS ONE 6(6): e21363. doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0021363