ANNUAL PIT VIPER EXPEDITION 2016 Northern Western Ghats of India.

This is the 7^th consecutive year of the now acclaimed PIT VIPER EXPEDITION of Herpactive. The last 6 years have seen teams gather vital data, compile popular articles and research notes and help collate baseline data on pit vipers as well as other Herpetofauna of the 3 states of Goa- Karnataka and Maharashtra.

This year the expedition broadens its scope and plans to set up long term monitoring data at a new field site and contribute to the existing knowledge of these highly evolved snakes. Study of their niche habitats through systematic photo, ecological documentation will be another objective and so will be conservation education to a selected target community target group.

We will target 3 species for data collection on color morphs and abundance besides collection of habitat preference data and photo documentation of other Herpetofauna. The 3 species of Pit vipers are the Hump Nosed Pit viper (Hypnale hypnale), Malabar Pit viper (Trimeresurus malabaricus) and Bamboo pit viper (Trimeresurus graminieus).

Besides this, the team will document any and all other forms of lesser forms of biodiversity that is intrinsic to the habitats of these charismatic species. We will also learn field data collection techniques, snakebite protocol and basic taxonomy amongst other aspects of ophiology and basic herpetology.

This year is special as I have dedicated it to the world of Asian Pit Vipers and my aim is to spread as much knowledge and awareness about these species as possible.

For those who wish to contribute to a one of its kind annual expedition through Northern Western Ghats canopy forests, cross the seasonal monsoon waters at picturesque locales and can brave high humidity and excessive rainfall, this trip is meant for you. 

Team strength will be restricted so join up soon.

Date- 29^th June to 3^rd July 2016. (29^th June, 30^th June, 1^st July, 2^nd July and 3^rd July)

Fees- Rs. 15,500/- only including transportation and basic camp meals. This does not include stay on day prior to the expedition and day after the expedition is over. Meeting point is at Panjim on 29^th June 2016 at 9.00 am at Heera petrol pump. We do not look at stay arrangement before or after the expedition.

To book a seat one has to pay entire amount as advance to the following account. This amount is non refundable so please be cent percent sure that you are attending the expedition.

HERPACTIVE- 611401010050078.

Account type- Current account.

The IFSC Code is UBIN0561142.

Union Bank of India, Dhuler Mapusa Branch, North Goa.

 

Received the 1^st place in the theme “Exploring Unknown locations of Goa” and 2^nd place in the theme “ Goa marching towards an advanced state” at the All Goa Photography Contest and Exhibition Scheme 2015 organized by Department of Information and Publicity (Govt. of Goa). Hon. Chief Minister of Goa Mr. Laxmikant Parsekar on the occasion of National Press Day 2015 presented the awards today.

Both these award-winning images were taken from aboard the ‘Sea Eagle’ cruise vessel in the hinterland backwaters of Goa. For details of how to embark on these cruises visit www.seaeaglenavigation.com

Wildlife Week 2015

A meeting with old team members and new ones as well as held at Hypnale Research Station Kuveshi on account of Wildlife week. Interactions with local Forest watchmen, school children and the village elders on various issues were held along with team member Vaibhav Kandalgaonkar.

Took a talk for the Sattari Headmasters Association on the occasion of Wildlife Week 2015. Interactions regarding human wildlife conflicts, stress to create consciousness amongst living with wildlife for children were held. The aspects of Snake bite protocol as well as dispelling of old myths regarding snakes and other reptiles were also covered. It was a good session as Headmasters from over 15 schools participated in the session.

Dear Team members and patrons,

The Goan Jungle Book is my attempt to bring together a collection of some articles and notes I have written for local newspapers and publications, which detail my several sojourns through the forests in and around Goa, and reflect my concerns as an ecologist and activist. 

Aimed at  youth in particular and the interested nature loving individual in general, these essays offer just a tiny glimpse of the teeming jungles of Goa - where creatures big and small thrive in habitats that are unexplored and seldom appreciated. It is now in its second reprint.

This mail is a request and an appeal- to purchase 10 copies of 'The Goan Jungle Book' and support a part of our field work that is carried on with funds generated from the same. 

Each set of 10 books costs Rs 3000/- (Rs 300/- per book) . These make excellent birthday gifts or souvenirs for young adults as well as for personal libraries and as return gifts. Moreover, I promise to sign every copy if one wishes so…and delivery is by speed post at our expense.

Do please let me know if anyone is interested.

thanks and cheers

Nirmal.

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.