Events
Nature Education Program
2nd Workshop on Herpetology and Captive Maintanence of Reptiles
Dipak Mitra invites you
Time
Friday, November 19 at 9:30am - November 21 at 5:00pm
Location Calcutta Snake Park
Hello Friends!
This November, Reptile Instinct, an initiative by Calcutta Snake Park is coming out with a unique program that will give its participants an opportunity for hands on experience into the ever declining natural world. Posted below is the brief.
REPTILE INSTINCT
Reptiles are widely misunderstood. They hardly ever get justice for their actions. Hence it is only through awareness that people will learn to respect nature and its components. Reptile Instinct, an initiative by Calcutta Snake Park, focuses on building a
network of people, who single-mindedly work towards creating a platform for conservation of wildlife, world over. This requires young people to experience the work, trials, successes and efforts that are being made at the grass root level. Pursuing this vision,
the initiative engages Volunteers, from the world over and of different aspirations, to contribute and grow together with the facilities and efforts. The works assigned to the volunteers are planned and extensive. This includes research and conservation studies
that will have to be completed during the stay, immense skill dependent work that contributes towards the growth and success of the particular initiative. In return, this will generate more revenue which may increase the work force for the various activities
and efforts and enhance the ongoing research work.
Workshop focusing on the following topics:
1. Reptile Ecology
2. Field herping Techniques
3. Survey Methodology
4. Captive Husbandry and management of reptiles
5. Snake bite first aid.
6. Plenty hands-on experience !!
Total duration of workshop: 19th November to 21st November 2010
Assembling at: Calcutta Snake Park at 10am
How to reach: Please see website: http://www.dipakmitra.net/
Who can attend?
The workshop is skill and knowledge oriented. Anyone can participate. Age, sex, occupation no bar.
Accommodation: Separate Ladies and gents dormitories available.
(For more information and to register, please write to Suvrajyoti Chatterjee in reptileinstinct@gmail.com or call Dipak Mitra on +91 (0) 9674278568)
7 DAYS PHOTOGRAPHY WORKSHOP
Vishwajeet Naik invites you
Time
Sunday, November 28 at 6:00pm - December 5 at 5:00am
Location HOUSE OF ART
9'SATVELY ROAD CAMP, Pune
The details of the workshop are as below:
• Understanding Camera fundamentals (Aperture, Shutter speed and ISO)
• Using Your Camera's Automatic Settings for Eye-Catching Outcomes
• Photography Lighting and understanding effects of lighting
• Basic Photography Composition
• Still/product photography session
• Portrait photography session
• Fashion photography session
• Architectural Photography session
• Sports and wildlife photography session
• Night photography sessions including light painting
• Black and White Photography
• Learning Basics of Image editing (PHOTOSHOP)
• Analyzing students work
Butterfly Fest at Vasai Fort on November, 27,2010.
Nikhil Disoria invites you
Time
Saturday, November 27 · 6:00am - 12:30pm
Location Vasai Fort, Mumbai
Hi all,
SPROUTS is Organising a Butterfly Fest at Vasai fort.
You all must have heard of the Vasai Fort, a construction standing for
over 400 years, just outside Mumbai. Since, much of the original fort
building has been damaged and a dense forest has grown inside the huge
...fortress (originally build to encompass the seven fishing villages in
and around Vasai), the place is a good habitat for many birds, frogs,
butterflies and other small creatures. The fort provides shelter for a number of species of birds which were once common in the Mumbai city, but have been displaced due to the growing population and pollution.
Also found in the fort is a huge diversity of butterflies. A famous spot
where over 100s of striped tiger, crow, pansy and other butterflies roost during winter. But butterflies are juts one of the highlights of the place. You can get to see some interesting flora too in the fort!
The outing fees are Rs.100 + transport for members and Rs. 125 + transport for non-members.
Please confirm your participation latest by November 22,2010. Please note, it is mandatory to register and pay advance to attend the outing, so that suitable resources can be arranged.
Everyone is requested to carry some snacks and a water bottle. Please wear camouflaging clothes red ,yellow and other bright colours are not advised. Wearing perfumes,jewellery or other expensive things like ipod should be avoided. Also cap and sunglasses are
advised.
Payments for Bookings to be done in full cash advance at SPROUTS Earth Shop, 5, Pawar Shops, Rani Sati Marg, Malad (East), Mumbai 400097, Tel: 28784889. You can also do an online cash transfer to Anand Pendharkar 000-401-535-219 - ICICI Bank Nariman Point Branch
and send an email to sproutsonline@gmail.com with names, age, gender & place of origin.
Schedule:
Meet at the Vasai Road Railway Station Ticket Counter (West) at 7.30
am on November 27,2010.
The trail will continue till 12 noon.
Beach Walk at Navagaon on November, 20,2010.
Nikhil Disoria invites you
Time
Saturday, November 20 · 6:30am - 12:00pm
Location Navagaon beach, near Arnala (Virar), Mumbai
Dear Friends,
SPROUTS is organising a Beach-Walk at Navagaon beach, near Arnala (Virar). The Navagaon beach is being monitored by volunteers of the Sahyadri Nisarg Mitra (SNM) Group and they have found it to be one of the few turtle nesting sites in North-Western Maharashtra.
The beach is fairly unpolluted and has a large floral and faunal diversity - some probably yet to be identified! In continuation of our last few year's Beach Walks, SPROUTS takes the opportunity to explore the marine
life of the beach and also our favourite avifauna.
Event Date: November 20, 2010.
Timings: 7:30am-12:00noon
Meeting Point: Virar S.T Depot (West) at 7:00am
Outing Fees: 150/- (including light tea & snacks, Study Material,
Expert Guidance) *The above cost will not include Mineral water, Other
Beverages, to and from Transport etc.
Last Date for confirmation: November 15, 2010.
Please carry sufficient water (2lts), food (fruits, sandwiches, thepla),
headgear (cap/hat), closed shoes, rainwear/umbrellas...
Hope to see all of you and maybe we can also enjoy the early winter migrations!
Payments for Bookings to be done in full cash advance at SPROUTS Earth Shop, 5, Pawar Shops, Rani Sati Marg, Malad (East), Mumbai 400097, Tel: 28784889.
You can also do an online cash transfer to Anand Pendharkar 000-401-535-219 - ICICI Bank Nariman Point Branch and send an email to sproutsonline@gmail.com with names, age, gender & place of origin.
Island Ecology Workshop
Gerard Martin invites you
Time
Monday, November 22 at 7:00am - November 27 at 12:00pm
Location Andamans
Andaman and Nicobar Islands!
The Andaman Islands are an almost fabled archipelago with clichéd sun-kissed beaches, blue waters and incredible coral reefs. However, there is a lot more that is spectacular on these islands! There are mangrove forests, intertidal zones and rainforests as
well and all these habitats are dependent on each other, as are the flora and fauna that live within them.
We will explore four separate habitats, ...better understanding the dynamics at play within them and how they affect each other. Along the way, we will build skills in surveying techniques, canopy access, snorkeling and scuba diving.
We’ll be staying at the premier conservation and research body on the islands- The Andaman and Nicobar Environmental Team’s field station and get involved with their experiences, work and endeavors. The field station is located with mangrove forests and inter-tidal
zones adjoining it and the five-acre campus is a well-preserved rainforest!
The workshop will encompass a lot of learning skills, experiencing new ecosystems and getting numerous photo opportunities. We’ll see many species that are unique to the islands and some that are adapted specifically to life in island habitats.
One day will be dedicated to snorkeling and another will be spent scuba diving to better experience the coral reefs and also build skills.
ACTIVITIES:
Understanding Island Ecologies
Mangrove walks- Searching for specialized animals
Intertidal Zone- Understanding this unique niche
Visits to the reef
Looking for crocodiles
Herpetofaunal surveys
Photography sessions
Ecology presentations
Canopy access
Snorkeling for marine life
Scuba Diving
Loads of hands on experience
Night surveys
Andaman and Nicobar Islands Environmental Team (ANET)
The Andaman and Nicobar islands are a chain of some 300 little known archipelagic islands situated on the eastern rim of the Bay of Bengal. Closely guarded by the Indian Government, they remain a pristine tropical island paradise, complete with stunning coral
reefs, crystal blue waters and unspoiled equatorial rainforest. Most extraordinary, many of the islands are a bastion for some of the last remaining aboriginal tribes on earth that continue to shun all contact with the outside world. The Andamanese, as these
tribes are collectively known as, inhabit a significant percentage of the islands in fully protected areas that remain completely off limits to the general public.
Shortly after setting up the Croc Bank in the 1970s, the Whitakers realize there were needs for basic herpetological and other ecological work in the then much neglected islands. Over the next several years Rom, together with Satish Bhaskar and Alok Mallick,
set about crafting a strategy to effectively address these issues. The Andaman and Nicobar Environmental Team (ANET) was conceived in 1989 and shortly thereafter five acres of land was purchase and a base station constructed in Wandoor, on the southern tip
of South Andaman island.
ANET has since carried out extensive work on marine turtles, herpetofaunal biogeography and a host of other biological studies. In addition, ANET has been actively involved in the broader ecological and social spheres including work on natural resource utilization,
socioeconomics and the management of protected areas.
As one of the most capable NGOs in the region, ANET played a pivotal humanitarian and disaster relief role in the Nicobar Islands after the infamous 2004 tsunami devastated the region. Today, although still very active in the reptile arena (with a recently
described genus of Agamid named at the base to prove it!) ANET has a very broad curriculum of environmental development work, including marine and terrestrial components. ANET is the only environmental research base in the islands and remains one of the Croc
Banks most exotic and luxurious projects – our very own Treasure Island!
Program Dates- 22nd to 27th November, 2010.
For further details or to register please get in touch with Conan on 9449010673 (conan@gerrymartin.in)
Rainforest Ecology Workshop
Chetana Purushotham invites you
Time
Friday, December 3 at 8:00am - December 5 at 7:30pm
Location Agumbe Rainforest Research Station, Karnataka
Cobras, Canals and Carabineers
A Rainforest Ecology Experience
Unfairly called the Cherrapunji of the South, Agumbe possesses a lot of its own unique charm and enigmas. Known primarily for the almost unfathomable rain and the clichéd and touristy ‘Sunset Point’, this sleepy town of Malgudi Days fame remains a tiny dot
on the highway between Shimoga and Mangalore.
Geographically, the area is a small and low basket in the Western Ghats and consists of very unique flora and fauna. One of the few lowland evergreen forests in the Western Ghats, Agumbe is a naturalist’s dream, offering excitement and discovery at every corner.
This December, Gerry Martin will be taking a group of enthusiasts over to the Agumbe Rainforest Research Station to provide them with a learning experience by getting involved with the various projects that the Research Station is conducting. There will also
be skill-building sessions where individuals can learn various techniques in wildlife field biology.
Activities:
Stream Exploration
Radio Tracking
Canopy Access
Survey Techniques
Night Surveys
Camping Out
Waterfall Hike
Plenty of Photo Ops
Various learning presentations
Topics will include:
Reptile taxonomy, rainforest ecosystems, snakebite first aid, radio telemetry, king cobra breeding biology, etc.
Who can attend this workshop?
Anyone who is 12 years and above and interested in Nature can attend this workshop. It is open to children and adults. The age range on our workshops has been as large as between 12 and 60 years old! All levels of dialogue, interest and skills are addressed
and accommodated.
Accommodation and Logistics:
The group will travel via overnight bus to Agumbe on the 2nd of December. The bus departs from the Majestic Bus Stand in Bangalore at 10 PM. We will be staying in tents at the field station. There is a common dining area and the bathrooms and toilets are permanent
structures with hot and cold running water.
We will return early in the morning (usually around 5 AM) on the 6th of December.
For further details or to register, please get in touch with Conan Dumenil. 9449010673/ conan@gerrymartin.in.
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