Indian Wildlife Club Ezine

Bird Watching Yashpal Negi's New Camp Yashpal Negi's New Camp Photo by Mousree Ganguli, taken two days before the flash floods The place where The Mandakini Magpie Bird Camp at Kakragarh stood, the Mandakini River is flowing now. Scarlet Finch-Photo by Yashpal Negi Yaspal Negi, bird watcher and owner of the Camp has received no compensation from the Government. He is glad that he and his family escaped the Mandakini's fury. The family's revenues came from tourists-especially bird watchers for whom Magpie Bird Camp was a beautiful homestay which came with food, warmth and a resident bird expert. The male Himalayan monal in flight was captured by Vijay Cavale while trekking around Mandakini Magpie Bird Camp. Negi is rebuilding his camp, thanks to help from many bird watcher friends. This time the camp is a two room shelter at Mukkumath; with a camping site on the banks of AkashKamini River, reports Santanil Ganguli. A keen bird watcher himself, Santanil Ganguli (Calcutta) has been following the progress of the new Camp Negi is building. Santanil can be contacted at santanil.santanil@rediffmail.com According to Santanil, Mukkumath's claim to fame is as the winter residence of the Deity at Tunganath temple. Tungnath is the highest temple in the world and is one of the five Panch Kedar temples located in the mountain range of Tunganath in the Rudraprayag district in Uttarakhand. During the winter season, the temple is closed and the symbolic image of the deity and the temple priests are moved to Mukkumath, which is 19 km from there. Tungnath is at the top of the ridge dividing the waters of the Mandakini River (raising from Kedarnath) from those of the Alaknanda River The Tungnath peak on this ridge is the source of three springs, which form the Akashkamini River. Negi has built a two room set at Mukkumath, which is at a height of 7000ft. He has also provided a camping site on the banks of Akashkamni River, which originates from Tunganath. View of the botanical station from Tunganth temple-Photo Susan Sharma Birders, it is time to show that you really care about birds and bird guides like Yashpal Negi whose life has been devoted to the birds of Uttarakhand. IndianWildlifeclub.com continues to follow up the progress made by Yashpal Negi whose camp, which housed bird watchers from all over the world for 13 years, vanished overnight in the Uttarakhand flash floods. Yashpal has received no aid/relief from any of the Government Departments. He still needs financial help to rebuild his camp. For the benefit of those who wish to render monetary aid, we are again providing his account details: Name: Yashpal Singh Negi Bank: State Bank Of India Branch: Bhiri Saving Account No: 11442534733 NEFT/IFSC Code: SBIN0009834 Please remit your contributions directly, and intimate him accordingly. His numbers are +91-9412909399 and +91-9720709499 Morning Sun at Kedarnath Peak-Photo Shashi Sharma Those who contribute more than Rs 1000/- may send in their name, email id , date and amount of credit to susan_sharma@hotmail.com. IndianWildlifeClub .com will send a high resolution copy of ‘ Morning Sun at Kedarnath” to each one of them.
Events Events for February 2014 Events for February 2014 Program hosted by WWF(India) to be conducted at the India International Centre February 15, 2014 Illustrated Talk cum screening of film "Winged guardians of our Mountainscapes" By Dr.Susan Sharma, Founder IndianWildlifeClub.com The term winged guardians has been used by Dr. Susan Sharma me to refer to mountain pheasants. Pheasants are the species of birds to which our national bird, the peacock, belongs. The talk is about their importance as an indicator species for the health of our mountains. About a third of all the pheasants in the world are found in India. While pheasants have been reduced to birds for captive breeding (like the jungle fowl) or as game birds in the US and Europe, several parts of Asia still have the wild population. The hills and valleys of the Himalayan ranges are the only areas left in the world where these exotic birds species still exist in their natural surroundings. Western Tragopan, Himalayan Monal, Koklass-the mountainscapes exist because they exist. Anyone living in the mountains will vouch for the Himalayan Monal whose calls warn the ground dwelling animals like musk deer, tahr and bear of approaching hunters /poachers. It is high time we removed the tag of game birds from pheasants. The talk is based on the experience of spending about ten days in the Kedarnath Wildlife Sanctuary to observe monals and other pheasants. Venue : India International Centre , 40, Max Mullar Marg, New Delhi 110003 - Conference Room 1 - Timings = 6:30 PM In connection with the above event, we are doing a poll on the question " Are pheasants game birds or endangered species?" Please cast your vote on the poll which is on our homepage. Monthly Online chat on 16th February, 2014 Topic "Decreasing tolerance of backyard wildife" ModeratorSoham Mukherjee Soham can be reached at www.wildinfo.blogspot.in Soham is a wildlife biologist with special interest in herpetology, wildlife rescue & rehabilitation, conflict mitigation, and captive management of wild animals. His work includes research, conservatconservation education, community engagement and training professionals in wild animal management Entering the Chat Room Chat Room opens about 5 minutes before the Chat Session begins Chat Room Home Page provides a link 'click here' to enter the Chat Room (available only when the Chat Room opens) Once you click the Link 'click here', you will be prompted to enter your email address and IWC Member password And you are guided into the Chat Room
Wilderness Volunteers Update on Tiger-Cyclo -walk through 15th January 2014 Update on Tiger-Cyclo -walk through 15th January 2014 -Sunil Joshi Sunil addressing a press conference at forest office, Amravati. Day 20 - 2nd January 2014. Chandur railway to Amravati a distance of around 29 Kms. 'Tiger Cyclo-Walk' was welcomed at Amravati, by Dr. Dinesh tyagi CCF "Project tiger" Melghat, Ms. Ninu Somraj DFO Amravati forest department, Satpuda foundation, Wildlife & environmental conservation society & the press club of Amravati. Day 28 -- 10th January.2014 Balapur to Khamgao a distance of around 31 kilometers. The accommodation of the team was at patrakar bhavan, Khamgao. Shree Manjeet singh of Tarunai foundation took care of the team at Khamgao. Shree Manjeet singh is warden of forest department as well. Day 28 -- 10th January 2014. Balapur to Khamgao a distance of around 31 kilometers. Team tiger cyclo-Walk presented an audio visual in National high school, Khambgao. Day 29 - 11th January 2014. Khambgao to Nandura, distance around 27 kilometers. The team delivered a presentation in Kothari school, Nandura. The team came across this son & his mother from Kolhapur district who were on pilgrimage tour for about 3 months on foot. They have visited many temples & ashrams. I asked them " What about the expenses ? who takes care of the expenses" The genuine answer was -- " Bhau, we do not have land so we worked on daily wages. The god is so kind ....... Now, we do not have a single rupee, but nothing has stopped us on this tour of pilgrimage. people give us food & we sleep in temples. We travel only on foot so no question of spending money ! We do not have any belongings so we are not afraid of thefts, our devotion on the god is the only asset what we have & no one can steal it from us " I was absolutely speechless after this dialogue ! ! Our earlier updates acn be read at http://indianwildlifeclub.com/Ezine/View/Details.aspx?aid=906 http://www.indianwildlifeclub.com/ezine/view/details.aspx?aid=904

Bird Watching

Yashpal Negi's New Camp

Photo by Mousree Ganguli, taken two days before the flash floods

The place where The Mandakini Magpie Bird Camp at Kakragarh stood, the Mandakini River is flowing now.

Scarlet Finch-Photo by Yashpal Negi

Yaspal Negi, bird watcher and owner of the Camp has received no compensation from the Government. He is glad that he and his family escaped the Mandakini's fury. The family's revenues came from tourists-especially bird watchers for whom Magpie Bird Camp was a beautiful homestay which came with food, warmth and a resident bird expert.

The male Himalayan monal in flight was captured by Vijay Cavale while trekking around Mandakini Magpie Bird Camp.

Negi is rebuilding his camp, thanks to help from many bird watcher friends. This time the camp is a two room shelter at Mukkumath; with a camping site on the banks of AkashKamini River, reports Santanil Ganguli. A keen bird watcher himself, Santanil Ganguli (Calcutta) has been following the progress of the new Camp Negi is building. Santanil can be contacted at santanil.santanil@rediffmail.com

According to Santanil, Mukkumath's claim to fame is as the winter residence of the Deity at Tunganath temple. Tungnath is the highest temple in the world and is one of the five Panch Kedar temples located in the mountain range of Tunganath in the Rudraprayag district in Uttarakhand. During the winter season, the temple is closed and the symbolic image of the deity and the temple priests are moved to Mukkumath, which is 19 km from there. Tungnath is at the top of the ridge dividing the waters of the Mandakini River (raising from Kedarnath) from those of the Alaknanda River The Tungnath peak on this ridge is the source of three springs, which form the Akashkamini River.

Negi has built a two room set at Mukkumath, which is at a height of 7000ft. He has also provided a camping site on the banks of Akashkamni River, which originates from Tunganath.

View of the botanical station from Tunganth temple-Photo Susan Sharma

Birders, it is time to show that you really care about birds and bird guides like Yashpal Negi whose life has been devoted to the birds of Uttarakhand.

IndianWildlifeclub.com continues to follow up the progress made by Yashpal Negi whose camp, which housed bird watchers from all over the world for 13 years, vanished overnight in the Uttarakhand flash floods. Yashpal has received no aid/relief from any of the Government Departments.

He still needs financial help to rebuild his camp.

For the benefit of those who wish to render monetary aid, we are again providing his account details:

Name: Yashpal Singh Negi

Bank: State Bank Of India

Branch: Bhiri

Saving Account No: 11442534733

NEFT/IFSC Code: SBIN0009834

Please remit your contributions directly, and intimate him accordingly.

His numbers are +91-9412909399 and +91-9720709499

Morning Sun at Kedarnath Peak-Photo Shashi Sharma

Those who contribute more than Rs 1000/- may send in their name, email id , date and amount of credit to susan_sharma@hotmail.com. IndianWildlifeClub .com will send a high resolution copy of ‘ Morning Sun at Kedarnath” to each one of them.

Events

Events for February 2014

Program hosted by WWF(India) to be conducted at the India International Centre

February 15, 2014

Illustrated Talk cum screening of film "Winged guardians of our Mountainscapes"

By Dr.Susan Sharma, Founder IndianWildlifeClub.com

The term winged guardians has been used by Dr. Susan Sharma me to refer to mountain pheasants. Pheasants are the species of birds to which our national bird, the peacock, belongs. The talk is about their importance as an indicator species for the health of our mountains. About a third of all the pheasants in the world are found in India. While pheasants have been reduced to birds for captive breeding (like the jungle fowl) or as game birds in the US and Europe, several parts of Asia still have the wild population.

The hills and valleys of the Himalayan ranges are the only areas left in the world where these exotic birds species still exist in their natural surroundings. Western Tragopan, Himalayan Monal, Koklass-the mountainscapes exist because they exist. Anyone living in the mountains will vouch for the Himalayan Monal whose calls warn the ground dwelling animals like musk deer, tahr and bear of approaching hunters /poachers. It is high time we removed the tag of game birds from pheasants.

The talk is based on the experience of spending about ten days in the Kedarnath Wildlife Sanctuary to observe monals and other pheasants.

Venue : India International Centre , 40, Max Mullar Marg, New Delhi 110003

- Conference Room 1 - Timings = 6:30 PM

In connection with the above event, we are doing a poll on the question " Are pheasants game birds or endangered species?" Please cast your vote on the poll which is on our homepage.

Monthly Online chat on 16th February, 2014

Topic "Decreasing tolerance of backyard wildife"

ModeratorSoham Mukherjee

Soham can be reached at www.wildinfo.blogspot.in

Soham is a wildlife biologist with special interest in herpetology, wildlife rescue & rehabilitation, conflict mitigation, and captive management of wild animals. His work includes research, conservatconservation education, community engagement and training professionals in wild animal management

Entering the Chat Room

Chat Room opens about 5 minutes before the Chat Session begins

Chat Room Home Page provides a link 'click here' to enter the Chat Room (available only when the Chat Room opens)

Once you click the Link 'click here', you will be prompted to enter your email address and IWC Member password

And you are guided into the Chat Room

Wilderness Volunteers

Update on Tiger-Cyclo -walk through 15th January 2014

Update on Tiger-Cyclo -walk through 15th January 2014
-Sunil Joshi

Sunil addressing a press conference at forest office, Amravati.

Day 20 - 2nd January 2014.

Chandur railway to Amravati a distance of around 29 Kms.

'Tiger Cyclo-Walk' was welcomed at Amravati, by Dr. Dinesh tyagi CCF "Project tiger" Melghat, Ms. Ninu Somraj DFO Amravati forest department, Satpuda foundation, Wildlife & environmental conservation society & the press club of Amravati.

Day 28 -- 10th January.2014

Balapur to Khamgao a distance of around 31 kilometers.

The accommodation of the team was at patrakar bhavan, Khamgao. Shree Manjeet singh of Tarunai foundation took care of the team at Khamgao. Shree Manjeet singh is warden of forest department as well.

Day 28 -- 10th January 2014.

Balapur to Khamgao a distance of around 31 kilometers.

Team tiger cyclo-Walk presented an audio visual in National high school, Khambgao.

Day 29 - 11th January 2014.

Khambgao to Nandura, distance around 27 kilometers.

The team delivered a presentation in Kothari school, Nandura.

The team came across this son & his mother from Kolhapur district who were on pilgrimage tour for about 3 months on foot. They have visited many temples & ashrams. I asked them " What about the expenses ? who takes care of the expenses"

The genuine answer was -- " Bhau, we do not have land so we worked on daily wages. The god is so kind ....... Now, we do not have a single rupee, but nothing has stopped us on this tour of pilgrimage. people give us food & we sleep in temples. We travel only on foot so no question of spending money ! We do not have any belongings so we are not afraid of thefts, our devotion on the god is the only asset what we have & no one can steal it from us "

I was absolutely speechless after this dialogue ! !

Our earlier updates acn be read at

http://indianwildlifeclub.com/Ezine/View/Details.aspx?aid=906

http://www.indianwildlifeclub.com/ezine/view/details.aspx?aid=904

Sounds interesting ?

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