Wildlife Week is from 2nd to 8th Oct 2015. This year do spend some time with kids across landscapes and speak about our wildlife. Good things. Happy thoughts. And simple ideas of how kids can help be the change that MK Gandhi spoke about. We will do our bit. Images by Nirmal Kulkarni and Shilpa Awate.

A Specialised Species expedition is being announced for the Saw Scaled Viper ( Echis carinata) in the month of September 2015. There is much ambiguity about this species and its venom, habitats, color variation and biology systematics. We will try and collect some crucial data on this for our advanced work on this species.

The dates are 10^th to 13^th Sept 2015. We leave on 10th in the morning and are back on 13th afternoon. There are 4 seats for this expedition. Please note it is a specialised expedition. do let me know on ophidian_nirmal@yahoo.co.in if interested.

 

It's a tiny Goan fejervaryan frog

In the lowland areas of the Western Ghats parts of the Goa and in the hilly tracts of the Belgaum, it is quite common to hear the tinkling 'trick, trick' 12 to 14 note chorus call from the mud pools, paddy fields and local water bodies in the monsoon during the late evening. Many of these are terrestrial frogs sitting next to water bodies making calls to attract females for mating. Although most of these frogs are terrestrial, they need water bodies to breed in. These terrestrial frogs belong to the amphibian genus Fejervarya of the family Dicroglossidae and are commonly known as either 'cricket frogs' or 'fejervaryan frogs'. These frogs range in size from small (19 mm) to large (56 mm) are distributed throughout Asia.  Most fejervaryan frogs are morphologically very similar and difficult to identify on the basis of external characters alone, creating taxonomic uncertainty in terms of  names, identification and systematics.

A team led by K.P. Dinesh, S.P. Vijayakumar, Varun Torsekar  and Kartik Shanker of Centre for Ecological Sciences, Indian Institute of Science, Bangalore; B.H. Chennakeshavamurthy of Zoological Survey of India, Calicut and Nirmal Kulkarni of Mhadei Research Centre, Goa have published their findings on a new species of tiny fejervaryan frogs in the recent edition of the international taxonomic journal Zootaxa. The new species is called 'Fejervarya gomantaki' after the state of Goa where this species is found. Most fejervaryan species in South and South-east Asia are cryptic and difficult to identify on the basis of morphology alone. The authors have used a combination of morphology, geographic distribution range and molecular methods to describe the new species.  In addition, the authors provide an overview of the systematics of the group and recommend additional sampling across the Asian continent.

 At present, the new species is known to be found in low lying water logged areas of Goa and the adjoining hill ranges of Belgaum where it is abundant locally. However, more detailed studies of this species are necessary to map its distribution range and understand its biology.

This is an appeal to all research colleagues, collaborators, volunteers, patrons, supporters and interns of our conservation research work. lend your voice and time to roar for the Tiger from the 23rd of July to the 29th of July 2015. Wherever you are, whatever you are doing and however small it be…speak for our national animal and conservation of its habitat. On Global Tiger Day, July 29th, make your roar count.

A Goan backwaters riverscape 2015
This a Goan riverscape where coconut groves share roots with mangroves and marsh crocodiles share habitats with smooth coated otters and pied kingfishers. A Goa that Goans need to conserve and treasure while it remains. 

On Vata Pournima today

I have been fortunate to see a 400 year old Banayan tree intact. Without been hacked as part of a road-widening plan. Without being surrounded by a marbled flooring or black stones and choked. Free from bill- boards pinned to it. I have watched in awe this Ficus over the years. Somewhere safe. Somewhere intact and protected. Today on behalf on this Ficus r, I urge everyone to do a rethink.  About the Ficus in your neighborhood, in your city square or besides your school. And act. On Vata Pournima today, conserve the Ficus and its legacy.

Sunrise at he Hypnale Research Station at Kuveshi is a beautiful affair. Overlooking forests of Anshi dandeli tiger reserve and contiguous to the forests of Mollem National park, this is home to me whilst in the DATR.