Chat Archives

Chat on "Urban Biodiversity" dated September 18, 2011 Susan Sharma: Welcome to IWC chat on "Urban Biodiversity" Dr.Surya Prakash: Hi Every One! Susan Sharma: Hello Dr.SP Dr.Surya Prakash: Thanx Susan for selecting the burning issue! Dr.Surya Prakash: Hi Sandeep! Sandeep Ghosh.: Good Evening Folks! Dr.Surya Prakash: Very Good Evening! Susan Sharma: Good to see you Sandeep Sandeep Ghosh.: where do we begin? Sandeep Ghosh.: feeling great to be part of the online indian wildlife club. Sandeep Ghosh.: good to know both of you! Dr.Surya Prakash: Sandeep what do you feel abt urban biodiversity? Susan Sharma: Sorry SP, the machine is unforgiving Sandeep Ghosh.: first what do U mean by urban biodiversity? Sandeep Ghosh.: how do you define the term? Dr.Surya Prakash: Conserving nature around us specially in cities! Dr.Surya Prakash: when anthropogenic pressure is at its peak! Sandeep Ghosh.: feel very strongly about it particularly in calcutta Dr.Surya Prakash: true ! Sandeep Ghosh.: trees are felled indiscriminately Sandeep Ghosh.: the varied bird species is fast disappearing1 Dr.Surya Prakash: its a major concern of all the metros Sandeep Ghosh.: so is the varied plant species ! Sandeep Ghosh.: which yields various brightly coloured flowers Sandeep Ghosh.: and a variety of fruits! Sandeep Ghosh.: being replaced by concrete high rise buildings and parking lots! Dr.Surya Prakash: When we are losing grip on the forests lets atleast save what ever little is left around. Sandeep Ghosh.: though Mamata Banerjee is genuinely concerned about it ! Sandeep Ghosh.: I know this last statement for sure given my profession.... Dr.Surya Prakash: Simple concern will not help Sandeep Ghosh.: I am a freelance photojournalist Susan Sharma: Urban biodiversity stresses on locally growing plants and fruits Sandeep Ghosh.: I know simple concern will not help but, Dr.Surya Prakash: Look at Susan! Susan Sharma: most of us cannot distinguish between exotic and local Dr.Surya Prakash: she started growing the insects attracting plants in her garden Sandeep Ghosh.: the political powers in the state will have to a concerted help. Dr.Surya Prakash: and has fantastiv butterfly diversity at home Susan Sharma: I am just growing what is local and suited to the soil Sandeep Ghosh.: My mother does grow flowering plants in flower pots on my terrace! Dr.Surya Prakash: scientifically she developed micro habitat Sandeep Ghosh.: though I am unable to identify most of the butterflies Sandeep Ghosh.: I can easily identify almost all the birds that visit our terrace early in the morning Dr.Surya Prakash: Grow indigenous species Susan Sharma: My experience is that having a microhabitat around you makes on more observant Sandeep Ghosh.: what are the indigenous species? Sandeep Ghosh.: give me the common names of some of them? Dr.Surya Prakash: that suits to the climate of kolkata Susan Sharma: More appreciative of the food cycle Dr.Surya Prakash: FOR BUTTERFLIES OR THEIR HOST PLANTS? Dr.Surya Prakash: SANDEEP Sandeep Ghosh.: no the kind of thing that Susan is doing? Sandeep Ghosh.: U said micro habitat Dr.Surya Prakash: YES! Sandeep Ghosh.: yes so what exactly is Sandeep Ghosh.: susan doing Susan Sharma: I do not use chemical fertilisers and pesticides Dr.Surya Prakash: She has grown Murraya plant commonly called curry patta Dr.Surya Prakash: and is a host plant for common jay butterfly Sandeep Ghosh.: alrite that curry patta is there at my home Sandeep Ghosh.: what else? Susan Sharma: Lime trees for common mormon, lime butterfly Dr.Surya Prakash: Lemon plant for common mormon & lime butterfly Sandeep Ghosh.: alrite! Dr.Surya Prakash: Calanchoi and milk weed for red pierrot and tiger butterflies Sandeep Ghosh.: but don't u think that this kind of message has to be spread across the city Susan Sharma: Anar for all kinds of brds and butterflies like evening brown, common castor Dr.Surya Prakash: once you have insect diversity at home Dr.Surya Prakash: u will have primary consumers that is birds Sandeep Ghosh.: the castor which u r referring to is there at my home Sandeep Ghosh.: no lemon plants Dr.Surya Prakash: Caster seed oil plant for Common caster and lantana camara for pansies susan Sandeep Ghosh.: we had plants like those known in Bengali as Dr.Surya Prakash: Casters will not visit lime tree Sandeep Ghosh.: kolke phul, double togor, jabaphul, lonkajaba and a variety of roses both white and red! Susan Sharma: Castors like anr fruit though-They breed on casot seed plants which grow wild on road sides, Am I right? Dr.Surya Prakash: NO BUTTERFLY VISITS ROSE FLOWERS SANDEEP Susan Sharma: i mean castor plants Sandeep Ghosh.: yes absolutely Sandeep Ghosh.: but birds do visit roses Susan Sharma: Are all roses exotic? Sandeep Ghosh.: not all Dr.Surya Prakash: Haven't seen birds visiting roses Dr.Surya Prakash: mostly susan Sandeep Ghosh.: the bird species are varied and they do visit roses Sandeep Ghosh.: purple sunbirds do Sandeep Ghosh.: apart from roses, there are the other flowers which birds visit! Sandeep Ghosh.: we used to have samal flowering trees in our locality Sandeep Ghosh.: and i learnt to identify birds which used to nest there Dr.Surya Prakash: Birds prefer those flower where the gynacium is little big for their bill or else tongue can fit in Dr.Surya Prakash: Samal is Red Silk Cotton tree? Sandeep Ghosh.: yes but the white roses which are sold in Calcuttan nurseries are big enough Sandeep Ghosh.: yes red big flowers which in the spring turn red leaves! I may be wrong, Dr.Surya Prakash: Red Silk flower produce 5ml nector every day so Susan Sharma: Calcutta nurseries supply plants all over in Delhi too. Dr.Surya Prakash: even the bigger birds visit them but not roses Sandeep Ghosh.: please correct me as my knowledge of plants and butterflies is limited Dr.Surya Prakash: not an issue dear Sandeep Ghosh.: in calcutta there are certain rich families who maintain terrace gardens which are extremely well maintained Sandeep Ghosh.: but the same cannot be said of the city parks and gardens Dr.Surya Prakash: with exotic plants? Sandeep Ghosh.: as they are by and large neglected Sandeep Ghosh.: yes SP with exotic plants on the terraces Sandeep Ghosh.: some of the orchids are imported for huge sums of money from japan and south korea Dr.Surya Prakash: In every city or habitat we need to have local plants suitable to that climate Dr.Surya Prakash: so that they can provide habitat to insects to grow and breed Sandeep Ghosh.: if we were to conduct a detailed survey of every such locality in CCU then we can begin to do something to conserve the local habitat Dr.Surya Prakash: onece they are ther birds will automatically come Susan Sharma: Getting a mindset change is needed. Dr.Surya Prakash: true susan Sandeep Ghosh.: as I am new to the very concept of wildlife conservation based on an ecosystem approach, i would expect both of you to guide me Sandeep Ghosh.: I am at your disposal Sandeep Ghosh.: guide me Dr.Surya Prakash: most welcome Susan Sharma: We need to connect urban biodiversity to bio diversity at large in NPs, then it will become fashionable to have urban biodiversity Sandeep Ghosh.: how???? Dr.Surya Prakash: btw do you know Sumit K Sen in Calcutta? Susan Sharma: That is the big question Sandeep Ghosh.: heard about him! don't know him personally!! Susan Sharma: Birders do a big service by spreading awareness Dr.Surya Prakash: He is the moderator of calcutta birds and a very learned man Dr.Surya Prakash: will send u his email id Sandeep Ghosh.: the person whom I do know is Shyamal Tikadar and Lata Tikadar with whom I have detailed discussions on wildlife conservation! Dr.Surya Prakash: to help you Sandeep Ghosh.: my email address is rhinos9848@gmail.com Sandeep Ghosh.: and tigers8269@gmail.com Dr.Surya Prakash: Sumit is ultimate for birds not only in calcutta but in most parts of the nation Susan Sharma: Gardeners can do the same thing by talking to urban house gardeners about host plants and insects and birds Sandeep Ghosh.: correct Dr.Surya Prakash: yes Susan Sandeep Ghosh.: even nursery owners! Susan Sharma: Most gardeners need education on use of pesticides Dr.Surya Prakash: Iliked your both id's sandeep Susan Sharma: which are not only harmful to insects but humans too Dr.Surya Prakash: it shows your love to nature Dr.Surya Prakash: like parthnium grass and vilayati kiker in delhi susan Susan Sharma: As a photo jornalist you can do your bit thro news paer articles, Sandeep Dr.Surya Prakash: yes well said susan Sandeep Ghosh.: Folks please give me 5 minutes, as we have just had an earthquake tremor here in Calcutta and we have to take the basic precautions! be back soon! Dr.Surya Prakash: this will creat awareness among people of calcutta Dr.Surya Prakash: same here in delhi sandeep Dr.Surya Prakash: susan have u felt it? Susan Sharma: I think Delhi has woken up to parthenim, kikar, Dr.Surya Prakash: entire north india shaken and delhi mildly Dr.Surya Prakash: earthquake Susan Sharma: Yes Susan Sharma: epicentre 60 km from Gangtok, 6.8 richter Dr.Surya Prakash: So susan shall we wind it up? Susan Sharma: Yes i think we can Susan Sharma: Thank you Sandeep and SP Dr.Surya Prakash: OK Nice talking and thanx,Good night Susan Sharma: Good night and sleep well Dr.Surya Prakash: Bye

Chat Archive Dragonflies and Damsel Flies - February, 2017 Online Courses on the study of birds - July, 2015 Rewilding degraded Land- practical experiences - June, 2015 Why are vultures important for Swachh Bharat? - May, 2015 Green Living - March, 2015 Restoring degraded lands for wildlife - January, 2015 Insect Tourism - November, 2014 Use of GIS and Remote Sensing for Biodiversity Conservation - October, 2014 Why celebrate wildlife week? - September, 2014 Wildlife Film making - July, 2014 Wildlife Film making - June, 2014 Sharing of Experiences by our wilderness volunteers - May, 2014 Online Environmental Courses - March, 2014 Decreasing tolerance of backyard wildife - February, 2014 Frogs of India - January, 2014 Sustainable Development: The Right Approach - December, 2013 Tiger Cyclowalk- an Interview with Sunil Joshi - December, 2013 Tiger Cyclowalk - Highlands to Ocean - November, 2013 Volunteering at Melghat Tiger Reserve - October, 2013 Role of Citizens in Scientific Research - September, 2013 Ranthambore Adventure - January, 2013 Bats-The Night Warriors - October, 2012 Man vs Tiger-Can Science help? - July, 2012 Human Elephant Conflict - June, 2012 Saving the one horned rhino - May, 2012 "Man-Leopard Conflict - how we can deal with it" - April, 2012 Environment and Wildlife Film making - March, 2012 "Rainforest Wildlife-Unique adaptations" - February, 2012 Conserving wildlife in fragmented landscapes - January, 2012 Urban Biodiversity - September, 2011 Green Hiking in the Himalayas - August, 2011 Role of Zoos in Conservation - July, 2011 Reduce, Recycle and Reuse - June, 2011 Black Necked Cranes - symbol of the rising Green Consciousness - May, 2011 Wildlife Issues in the North -East of India - April, 2011 Trekking in the Himalaya - March, 2011 Conservation of Marine Diversity in India - February, 2011 Plant native trees this monsoon - January, 2011 Human Elephant Conflict - December, 2010 Conservation and Development in Emerging India - November, 2010 "WILL ANIMALS ADAPT TO ANOTHER HABITAT........ - October, 2010 Responsible Tourism- Way forward to conservation? - September, 2010 Vulture Conservation in India - August, 2010 Plant a tree (trees) this monsoon - June, 2010 Role of Urban Birds - April, 2008 "Role of Urban Birds" - April, 2008 GM Foods and Bio-diversity - March, 2008 Taking Responsibility for One's Carbon Emissions - February, 2008 Ecological Security - January, 2008 The Himalayan Musk Deer - November, 2007 Urban Wildlife - October, 2007 Disappearing Tigers: Taking Stock - August, 2007 Garbage littered on our Streets - July, 2007 Bear Conservation nad Protection - June, 2007 Role of Captive Elephants in wildlife conservation - May, 2007 Endangered Animals of Sikkim - April, 2007 Citizen Participation in Environmental Issues - March, 2007 Vulture crisis in India - January, 2007 City Parks and Biodiversity - December, 2006 Why is bird census important? - November, 2006 Shooting Wildlife with a Camera - October, 2006 Rain Harvesting - September, 2006 Environmental Education - July, 2006 Tribal Bill - June, 2006 Trekking in the Himalaya Region - May, 2006 Trekking in the Himalayas - May, 2006 Coastal Wildlife - April, 2006 MARINE BIOLOGY - March, 2006 Atmospheric Brown Cloud - February, 2006 Tiger Census - January, 2006 Tiger Task Force Report - December, 2005 Marine Ecosystems Chat dated 18 November 2005 - November, 2005 Coral Reefs - October, 2005 Global Warming - September, 2005 Tourism and Wildlife - August, 2005 Environment Education - July, 2005 Wild Elephants - May, 2005 Tiger Census - April, 2005 Enforcement of Wildlife Act and the Common Man - January, 2005 Crane Migration - November, 2004 Migratory birds of India - October, 2004 Offences Against Wildlife - September, 2004 Man Animal Conflict - August, 2004 Recent Amendments to the Wildlife Act - July, 2004 Is there a case for keeping large mammals in zoos? - June, 2004 Captive elephant management - May, 2004 Conservation of seaturtles - April, 2004 Asiatic Lion - March, 2004 Plight of lesser animals - February, 2004 Mangroves of India - January, 2004 DEER AND ANTELOPE - November, 2003 PHEASANTS - October, 2003 Amphibians - September, 2003 Chat on Butterflies - Our Natural Gardeners - April, 2003 Chat on Asian Elephant - January, 2003 Chat on Migratory Birds - December, 2002 Chat on Snakes - November, 2002 Chat on Rare Birds - August, 2002 Chat on Environmental Issues - July, 2002