monitor lizard

Dandeli-Anshi Tiger Reserve from 16th May 2009 to 23rd May 2009, a ReportIntroductionDandeli-Anshi Tiger hedging is an 874 sq. km yard of a variation of habitats, situated in Uttara Kannada, the northernmost domain of Karnataka. Karnataka has four tiger reserves including Dandeli-Anshi. This tiger hedging is a merged yard of Dandeli Wildlife Sanctuary and Anshi National Park, along with nearest forestlands (10th May 2007).

The air is steaming and good with off-season showers altogether again to boot with scorching, beaming days. The element ranges from moist-deciduous and semi-evergreen to rainforests, with the panorama changing from mountain to mountain. The flora is distinctive, and harbors a myriad of enthusiasm forms, from insects to colossal mammals.

Everything in these forests is mammoth in correlation to the sum total that is seen in my backyard, like mammoth spiders, mammoth skinks, mammoth snakes (and longer) and mammoth trees, least I cease to knock over, ants and etc. This is proper documentation on papers and on camera of whatever I could cast out. I followed all of these, (pardon me botanists!) from mammals and birds to insects and came people’s home with photographs of all I could apprehension.

Some detritus unnamed, but most are named. expressly An Account1. The training was truly enchanting and inspiring, although a scintilla tiring, but the reprieve in the rainforests carried away all the keenness, thanks to the rare chilly breezes. I stayed at the hedging payment a week, beneath the waves Center payment Wildlife Studies (CWS) and volunteered to allude to at fault, recite and map the ungulate natives in an hazard to appraise the bully natives payment tigers. How-much-ever we enjoyed, the clashing actuality was shining to us and it was bleak rightly.

With all of us walking transects regularly, we came to be versed how unspecialized these forests were. This authenticity can be known to all of those who acquire gone their frequently in the hedging - false front the lodges and camps - into the jungles, looking payment mammals ends and round-the-clock. There were truly not innumerable ungulates to be seen, which flexibility a clear-cut fancy of the bully natives payment the tigers. I went Dandeli WLS the third frequently, with hopes to cast out a colossal cat, but failed again. Why cats, equivalent the Chital were seen hardly ever. You wont go bad delete people’s home sobbing, but satisfied and brim over au courant that we ought to persuade someone to go care of this mid-point, if we don’t urge that the birds go bad away too.

But refrain not! The bird and insect (let me express you, butterflies equivalent - if you don’t like other six legged creeps) enthusiasm is remarkable. If you stay http://www.dandeliwildlife.org/ you purpose be welcomed with a correspondence publicity from the Deputy Conservator of Forests anent the Tiger Reserve saying, “However, I would not call to mind you to stay this yard with an aim of seeing peculiar animals. Quite again you purpose be discouraged.

What they be doing to conclusion saying this to the tourists (tourism brings in a a bankroll of profits to this Tiger Reserve.)? Frankly, they are doing something. We honestly occupy you to delight in the forests, the rains, rivers and streams, birds and their calls, calmness and genial.” (Wait a proceedings, did he cease to knock over insects?!) This cartage is fitting and nakedly proper. The Government has kindly asked some tribal natives to persuade someone to go improbable for at fault of the exemplar areas, they acquire a searching horde of locals in the Department doing the defeat they can, governmental and oecumenical bolster is searching (to start and get payment on for colossal progression projects such as not later than CWS and Centre payment Environment Education and Leadership Programs payment Tiger Conservation) and lastly, more and more creation enthusiasts and wildlife experts are pouring in to save-the-day! If you are enchanting to domicile harp on in details, go bad here http://dandeliwildlife.org/foundation.html2.

One of the aims of the Department majestic, “To advance ecological, money-making, sexual and cultural advance in the tiger hedging and nearest landscape”, putting in contrasting moreover top-level factors together to put aside tiger is ability but truly tiring. However, did we be versed that the Project Tiger is (actually, was) not proper anent tigers, but it’s also a emblem, prominence up payment every living factor in the forests? By facilitating sexual (cultural not included) advance, we are hampering the element. I don’t get with “social advance in tiger reserve” if they are referring to the prime tiger element also. I came across bamboo acid in undefiled forests, burnt bamboo in some areas, strange and sentiments imported tree plantations needles also gaol forests, and clearing of forestlands payment uncommon reasons (is this the money-making advance they were talking anent?).

I purpose affront all these in facilitating anti-ecological, money-making and sexual advance. We met the Assistant Conservator of Forest (ACF) at Anshi Nature Camp. This is also identical problems being looked into not later than the Forest Department then, which is a searching factor, but signs of it are in any case bleak. He arrived in a comminatory gypsy and his redolence flared our nostrils - it smelled toxic in the midriff of a forest. We hushed on that all-inclusive memo into the coterie, what in the in seventh heaven is that? After vanishing, he returned and surprisingly greeted us. We introduced ourselves to him, and had a scintilla thrash at fault, during which he told what all he has done as a important ACF.

He knew who we were and what we were doing. He visits villages all about the hedging, spreading the essence of support. From other sources it was known that he is a truly searching mortals, and has been toe the hedging, knows its reputation as brim over as is generous and liked not later than the villagers. The chat ended there in calmness and he returned to his tent.

He appreciated our mark and wished us serendipity. Dandeli-Anshi Tiger Reserve has heartlessly six to eight tigers living in her arms (they bid 11), the horde that is not feelings to open to and burgeon. From then on, it purpose extension down, down to nil unless conservative measures are not enchanted. It is together and only digs in India that has had a searching horde of Black Panther (a melanistic good of the Leopard) sightings; the leopard horde seems to be healthy too.

I’m not trusty what the tomorrow’s holds, but I do have a yen for payment the defeat of this digs. Besides Tigers, this hedging has also seen dwindling peculiar Asiatic elephant sightings which are again of much uneasiness. Besides these, the Gaur natives that had crashed to a least scheduled to Foot-and-mouth outbreak in the peculiar natives is then growing. Besides colossal cats, the Tiger Reserve holds a neither here nor there horde of Sloth Bears, Civets, Porcupines, Mouse Deer, lesser cats as brim over as slews of Langoors, Macaques and Giant Squirrels and not to cease to knock over Chital, Muntjac and Sambar (although sighting them is an achievement).

These are a not innumerable such examples that important that it is a healthy element and can check a mammoth horde of tiger and tiger bully natives. The other rare mammals would be Slender Loris, Indian Pangolin and the Flying Squirrel. 3. This is again a with an general idea to horde if compared to Sanjay Gandhi National Park, which has recorded 251 species of birds on 104 sq.

If it can prolong such a variation of mammals, the birds are equivalent forwards of them! There are anent 272 bird species (Not confirmed) recorded in the tiger hedging including 19 endemic birds of India. km yard of deplane. However, innumerable rainforests of this hedging are moreover untouched and contain a searching variation of fauna, which is apparent from modern discoveries of some unnamed amphibian and reptilian species in Western Ghats. Dandeli is a digs to be if you purpose to on the qui vive for birds as brim over as photograph them. I did a diminutive chess-piece of birding and byword the birds which were on my wish-list. Birds such as Malabar Pied and Gray Hornbills, Malabar Trogon, Asian Paradise Flycatcher, Minivets and Black Eagle are confined to be seen.

Some rare (or tiring to spot) variation purpose directory Ceylon Frogmouth, Great Pied Hornbill and Owls. The Tiger Reserve holds a searching horde of butterfly populations along with other insects. 4. This interval is astounding compared to the vertebrates. It is these insects identical should look at fault payment, if you are interested in them.

There are other ogress varieties of beetles such as Jewel Beetles, although plebeian else where; it’s a analyse to on the qui vive for them. Along with Southern Birdwing - the largest butterfly of India, identical can not error the Malabar Banded Peacock and Malabar Tree Nymph - both endemic to India. Besides these, the ants, wasps and other vulturine insects rake the undergrowth payment bully and are a indefatigable memory that this is wilderness. I learnt a searching assignment there, someone had said, “remember, a double-crosser ascendancy stab you and a leopard ascendancy persuade someone to go you”, but it’s the wasps, bees and ants you ought to look at fault payment too as they are adept of stinging you faultily! The biomass of insects is more compared to the vertebrates in this domain.

I made a check b maintain lean once again of the sum total that I could cast out and apprehension toe lens (and tried to identify), the horde is degree truly less, if we assess the possible of this digs. There are predators, scavengers as brim over as decomposers innumerable to be missed, but a a bankroll of industry needs to be done to allude to at fault as brim over as swat them equivalent today. 5. Let’s go bad delete to that saying, “a double-crosser ascendancy stab you.”, and rightly you desideratum on the qui vive for at fault payment them! They are superbly camouflaged, waiting in the bushes and leaf Often adapted to as plural child, waiting payment you to pass not later than them, and you to on them, then they’ve had you, you are abruptly! But actually, snakes don’t have a yen for to exhaust their poison on you. It is our serendipity to cast out them in the peculiar, rarity them and induct them be.

They choose locations where their bully is abounding in - such as lizards, geckos, skinks, frogs and birds too. Snakes such as Vine Snake, Malabar Pit Viper and Hump Nosed Pit Viper are generous of seen, other than these, Indian Cobra, Krait, Kukris and also Trinket Snake are seen in this hedging. While I was there, we flip a detail of King Cobra captured at Joida that imposing anent 14 feet! It was released into the forests. Frogs are seen in all three seasons, and there are records of caecilians during dampness period. This was when we passed Joida a ends after the news broadcast! I was also fascinated not later than the frog natives there. Malabar Tree Frog, Common Tree Frog, Fungoid Frog, Bronzed Frog, and other frogs etc.

are seen or heard during all the seasons; monsoon specifically brings at fault a analyse to the frog enthusiasts. Forest Calotes, Garden Lizard and geckos are truly plebeian. It was enchanting to on the qui vive for so innumerable skinks in the hedging where they would rake the forest astound, keeping identical general idea on me as they busied anent their regularly chores. One lizard you ascendancy be interested in seeing, the Monitor Lizard is also seen here, although you ought to be truly intelligent on spotting identical.

Other than these fascinating creatures of the peculiar, lest I cease to knock over, there are innumerable leeches and ticks in these forests, and it is their consummate digs to be. Albeit this biodiversity, mortals has an characters upper class like a shot once again these forests and the advance is bewitching a precipitate pace, identical such crate swat reveals much of it (of ecologic, of developmental and of Neroic intentions) with the “making of the Dandeli dam”. Rainforests harbor innumerable parasitic creatures that directory Bottle Flies (not of much uneasiness to humans) and Horse Flies (Leech and Ticks too) and they are generous ample to ask you goodbye with souvenirs (bite marks, actually) on you - that don’t terminating lengthy!6.

There are innumerable dams in Uttara Kannada of which Supa Dam on Kalinadi is peculiar, another dam the Upper Kaneri Dam is built across Kaneri River, there are discrete other dams built on the tributaries of Kalinadi (in all six dams). All these acquire made Uttara Kannada a powerhouse of vivacity, all from the health resources, at the finance someone back of health resources at one’s fingertips. A hornbook of this is at one’s fingertips on the internet here http://144.16.65.194/hpg/envis/doc1999ahtml/miscteri201211.html (and word-for-word at the same frequently fulfilled here: http://www.esgindia.org/campaigns/dandeli/press/DandeliPR3.htm ) which contains details of this base EIA detail at the finance someone back of the biodiversity that has unchanging this domain payment a lengthy frequently. One peculiar and rational hitting crate was that of the Dandeli Dam, that was termed as “worst crate of deceiver in environmental conclusion making depiction in India”. In abbreviated, Ernst and Young, an oecumenical consulting iron submitted an EIA detail payment the Hydal Project that was plagiarized. The iron, as stated in a Press Release dated 5th December 2000, had copied the precipitate EIA of the Tattihalla Agumentation Scheme ready-to-serve not later than Institute payment Catchment Studies and Environmental Management, Bangalore, not later than presenting Dandeli as being in Tattihalla.

Then came into fancy the Tata Energy Research Institute (TERI) identical brim over known and respected NGO that produced an EIA within no frequently. After that followed “tight-lipped” calmness, and later another EIA was demanded not later than the manipulation. It took identical month to uncut the rejoin to swat - which is deranged, in prospect of the patterns of plants as brim over as animals (life and fury, migration and seasonality, searching manners and non-breeding period, etc.) according to the changing period. The EIA detail was submitted, and concluded to be ungenuine (Again, go bad toe the association provided payment details, it is depressing indeed). Ranjit Daniel commented on the TERI EIA, and brought at fault the actuality and aspersion to the environmentalists that are “concerned” with mid-point. Ecologist Dr. He said, “Names of species are botched, not innumerable outdated and imagined in authenticity.

Plant names are untouched of spelling and classification errors.new species of birds as claimed not later than TERI were brim over known in the domain payment a hundred years.there are no heards of elephants in Dandeli.common snakes like Pit Vipers are not included in the detail.” In December 2000, a correspondence publicity to the Director of TERI was written expressing dejection and ravishment of EIA. We all be versed then how mellow this domain is. Furthermore, the EIA concluded that the dam purpose not acquire a signal majority on the biodiversity of that domain without providing any supporting declaration.

Ultimately, this EIA was also enchanted delete. Another detail dated June 2003 can be flip here: http://www.hindu.com/fline/fl2012/stories/20030620000207100.htmAs of 2006, the edge payment Dandeli Dam had been stalled. Although these two cases are worlds to boot, they do check a biodiversity that is at pole payment defenceless desires. This clashing authenticity is bleak about us, if you assess a undefiled forest of Karnataka or the lungs of Mumbai, the SEZ domain in Uran (May 2009). 7. Forest is an ecological pigeon-hole, defined not later than the classification of vegetation that grows there. While I walked the forest, I realized that this forest classification changes with every mountain you huffish, something you can record as you promenade, and suspire - if you equivalent buddy-buddy your eyes.

Depending on the classification of plants and trees, the forests are classified as deciduous, evergreen or exchange forests (in this Tiger Reserve). The forest has thick-witted undergrowth as brim over as a elevated, choking canopy, on another upgrade it was ruled not later than bamboo - under age as brim over as abruptly, creaking and squeaking as they waved to the zephyr currents. On another mountain side, it was sinker covered not later than cane (Calamus rotang) which prefers growing in thick-witted rainforests - walking amidst them is as searching as walking amidst barbwires. It was monumental and stunningly pleasurable. While on some patches, there were dried, deciduous patches that were scorching and steaming and on some hilltops, it was sinker glaring - and you could cast out the Western Ghats spanning from identical corner of the general idea to the other.

I did my defeat to journeys as much as performable from the hedging, and came people’s home drained and ardent. Yet this looker was scarred at some places, thanks to the pandemic “plantation” projects not later than the manipulation. This inferential of afforestation ought to be changed, and it was realized not later than the Forest Department in frequently, then they be versed what Australian Acacia is and what’s health to confined to to these forests.

We came across considerable patches of Teak, Australian Acacia and Cashew nut trees, all in the midriff of a health forest. Albeit pressures from humans, the Dandeli-Anshi Tiger Reserve in any case stands crack, and attracts a a bankroll of tourists. Eco-tourism is bewitching searching cast in these parts, along with other environmental projects to persuade someone to go care of it from farther grieve. 8. On my reprieve, I had a not innumerable revelations I discussed once again, but I was eager there are some of us who actually uneasiness.

I sighted 52 species of birds on my reprieve, 64 species of insects including 28 species of Butterflies, 12 species of Dragonflies, 2 species of Damselflies, 6 species of ants and other insects that could not be classified up to species even, such as grasshoppers, flies, hemipterans, beetles and arachnids. I sighted 9 species of reptiles - including snakes, geckos and lizards, not innumerable frogs and last analysis 11 species of mammals. No specimens were captured or tottering. All the species were either identified on the rejoin to or toe photographs.

The sightings were recorded at Dandeli Wildlife Sanctuary, Anshi National Park, Kumbharwada and Baargada, all a mainly of the Dandeli-Anshi Tiger Reserve. The habitats ranged from forestlands (semi-deciduous, semi-evergreen and rainforests), to rivers and streams that were mostly barren or contained contaminated pools. Pied Bushchat - 1 M, E2. List of SightingsDANDELI-ANSHI TIGER RESERVE - RANDOM SIGHTINGSINDEX: GREATER THAN 50 = ABUNDANT (A); GREATER THAN 10 = PLENTY (P); NUMBERS ANYWHERE DENOTE EXACT FIGURES; MALE - M; FEMALE - F, JUVENILE - J; SEEN - E; HEARD - C; DEAD - DBIRDS:1. Common Kestrel - 1, E3.

Brahminy Starling - 1, E4. Stork billed Kingfisher - 3, E6. Oriental Magpie Robin - 1 M, 1 F, E5. Malabar Pied Hornbill - 10 E, 1 C7. Racquet tailed Drongo - 5, E8. Malabar Gray Hornbill - 2 E, 1 D10. Scarlet Minivet - 1 M, E9.

Tailor Bird - 1, C11. Night Jar - 3, E12. Black Eagle - 1, E14. Peacock - 1 M C, 2 F E13. Red wattled Lapwing - 2, E15. Velvet Fronted Nuthatch - 4, E16.

Red Rumped Swallow - 4, E18. Short toed Snake Eagle - 1, E17. Eurasian Golden Oriole, 4 M, 1 F, E19. White cheeked Barbet - 1, E20. Lesser Yellownape - 1 M/F, 1 J, E22. Grey Tit - 1, E21. Chestnut tailed Starling - 11, E23.

Coppersmith Barbet - 1, C24. Malabar Whistling Thrush - 4 C, 2 E26. White rumped Shama - 1, E25. Yellow footed bailiwick Pigeon - 1, E27. Small Minivet - 1 M, 1 F, E28. Flame backed Woodpecker - 2, E30.

White throated Kingfisher - 4, E29. Pond Heron - 3, E31. Little Cormorant - 1, E32. Greater Coucal - 2, E34. Cattle Egret - P33.

Jungle Myna - 12, E35. Rufus Woodpecker - 2, E36. Cinnamon Bittern - 1, E38. Great Pied Hornbill - 1, E37. Asian Fairy Blue Bird - 1, E39. Brown Fish Owl - 1, E40.

Black Headed Munia - 9, E42. Malabar Trogon - 1 M, E41. Purple Rumped Sunbird - 1 M, E43. Crested Serpent Eagle - 1, E44. Red Vented Bulbul - P46.

Brahminy Kite - 1, E45. Jungle Crow - 7, E47. House Sparrow - 4, E48. Common Myna - 4, E50.

House Crow - 3, E49. Black Drongo - 2, E51. White browed Wagtail - 2, E52. Brown Dusk Hawk - 1 (DRAGONFLY)2. Grey Jungle Fowl - 1 F, EINSECTS1. Common Clubtail - 2 (DRAGONFLY)3. Green Marsh Hawk - A (DRAGONFLY)4.

Spider Wasp - P6. Ground Skimmer - A (DRAGONFLY)5. Hawkmoth Ambulyx sp.- 1 (MOTH)7. Grasshopper - A8. Common Jay - 1 (BUTTERFLY)10. Rustic - 4 (BUTTERFLY)9.

Plain Tiger - 2 (BUTTERFLY)11. Handmaiden Moth - 1 (MOTH)12. Painted Lady - 1 (BUTTERFLY)14. Cicada - 3, 1 Moult13. Common Emigrant - P (BUTTERFLY)15. Lime Butterfly - 3 (BUTTERFLY)16. Crimson Rose - 8 (BUTTERFLY)18.

Blue Mormon - 6 (BUTTERFLY)17. Common Four-ring - 3 (BUTTERFLY)19. Crimson tailed Marsh Hawk - 2 (DRAGONFLY)20. Evening Brown - P (BUTTERFLY)22. Parakeet Darner - 2 (DRAGONFLY)21. Black tipped Forest Glory - P (DAMSELFLY)23. Line Blue - 1 (BUTTERFLY)24.

Chocolate Pansy - 1 (BUTTERFLY)26. Fulvous Forest Skimmer - 1 M, 2 F (DRAGONFLY)25. Common Mormon - 1 F Stichius good, 1 F Romulus good (BUTTERFLY)27. Malabar Banded Swallowtail - 2 (BUTTERFLY)28.

Asiatic Bloodtail - 2 (DRAGONFLY)30. Plum Judy - 1 (BUTTERFLY)29. Southern Birdwing - 2 (BUTTERFLY)31. Blue Oak Leaf - 4 (BUTTERFLY)32.

Flatid - 134. Lanternfly - 1 E, 1 D33. Angled Pierrot - 1 (BUTTERFLY)35.

Malabar Tree Nymph - 2 (BUTTERFLY)36. Red Helen - 1 (BUTTERFLY)38. Darner UNID - 1 (DRAGONFLY)37.

Common Indian Crow - A (BUTTERFLY)39. Striped Tiger - 1 (BUTTERFLY)40. Oecophylla smaragdina - A (ANT)42. Great Eggfly - 1 F (BUTTERFLY)41. Camponotus sericeus- A (ANT)43.

Brown Darner - 1 (DRAGONFLY)44. Erebus heiroglyphica - 2 (MOTH)46. Yellow Spotted Skipper - 1 (BUTTERFLY)45. Malabar Banded Peacock - 1 (BUTTERFLY)47. Coral tailed cloud wing - 3 (DRAGONFLY)48. Lemon Pansy - 4 (BUTTERFLY)50.

Ditch Jewel - 2 (DRAGONFLY)49. Dung Beetle - 651. Jewel Beetle - 152. Unid Big Fly - 554. Long Horn Beetle - 253. Horse Fly - 755.

Black winged Bambootail - 1 (DAMSELFLY)56. Leptogenys processionalis - A (ANT)58. Long necked Sugar Ants - A (ANT)57. Chromatogaster Ants - A (ANT)59.

Myrmicaria brunnea - A (ANT)60. Monkey Puzzle - 1 (BUTTERFLY)62. Nigger - 1 (BUTTERFLY)61. Owlfly - 163. Mosquitoes - P64. Pseudoscorpion - 12. Macrobrochis gigas - 2 (MOTH)ARACHNIDS:1.

Ticks - P3. Wolf Spider - Arctosa sp. Jumping Spider - 75.

- 34. Tarantula - 2 burrows6. Golden Silk Orb Weaver - Nephila sp.- P7. - PREPTILES1. Tetragnathidae - Leucage sp.

Vine Snake - 22. Rat Snake - 2, 1 Moult3. Forest Calotes - 4 M, 3 F5. Indian Cobra - 14. Garden Lizard - 16.

Draco - 37. Hemidactylus prashadi - 29. Monitor Lizard - 18. Skink - AAMPHIBIANS1.

Skittering Frog - A2. Frog Eggs - PMAMMALS1. Fungoid Frog - P3. Gray Langur - 46 E2. Black Naped Hare - 2 E3.

Wild Boar - 1 E5. Malabar Giant Squirrel - 5 E, 2 C4. Porcupine - 1 Quills6. Gaur - 1 E7. Sloth Bear - 1 E9. Muntjac - 1 C8. Jackal - 2 E10.

Spotted Deer - 1 E11.