Baobab tree is historical to Mumbai, but residents are unaware of their omnipresence. One man took up the challenge to document them.
I knew of the Baobab tree as a massive tree somewhere in Africa, but little did I know that for most of my life in Bombay, I had been living among these gentle giants. Both the colleges that I studied in had a Baobab tree within 300 meters, but I never noticed them.
“If a Baobab spoke, man wouldn’t understand!” This phrase displays the profound nature of the trees and their existence that has surpassed centuries. Pic: Zico Fernandes
Originally from Madagascar, Africa, the Baobab trees are defined by their swollen base – with a girth upto 36 ft – and height – up to 98 ft – and live a remarkably long life. I was inspired to advocate for the trees in Mumbai after an article highlighted a Baobab that was attacked by miscreants in 2014, and since 2017, I’ve been discovering and documenting Baobab trees in Mumbai – through an Instagram account – and have been featured in Mid-day and Hindustan Times.
The Baobab plays an important role in the environment, medicine and the circle of life. Pic: Zico Fernandes
I started my Instagram account to write about each tree that I visit in Bombay. I would start my journeys to scout for trees on Sundays so I could ride around easily and avoid traffic. Pic: Zico Fernandes
I have documented 30 odd trees on my Instagram account but I have heard that Bombay has around 120 of these scattered all over. I am no botanist, I have this account because of my love for this tree. Pic: Zico Fernandes
I want people to know how lucky Mumbai is to have so many Baobabs around the city. The city is so fast paced that these beautiful trees are often ignored, but Mumbai is probably the only metropolitan city to house so many Baobabs. Pic: Zico Fernandes
I plan to start a Baobab takeover on Instagram since I am not in the city for a few months. Followers from Bombay can take over the account for one day, visit a Baobab that they know and post on the account themselves. Pic: Zico Fernandes
Voluntary organisations have urged the government to settle the claims of local communities, without reducing Pulicat Sanctuary's borders.
A collective of 34 civil society organisations and more than 200 individuals from Tamil Nadu and across the country have written to the Thiruvallur District Collector, Additional Chief Secretary of Environment, Climate Change and Forests, Chief Wildlife Warden, and the Tamil Nadu Chief Minister Cell to protect the Pulicat Bird Sanctuary for ecological and social reasons and settle the rights of people without reducing the sanctuary's boundary. The voluntary groups have urged the government to initiate the settlement of claims of local communities residing in the 13 revenue villages within the Pulicat Birds Sanctuary boundary limits. Excerpts from the letter:…
In the fourth part of the series on ecological living, the author describes how her home was invaded by the moth caterpillars.
Part 4: The plague of the ‘asuras’ Lesson learnt: None yet for we don't know from where or rather how so many caterpillars descended on us! In the second part of the series, I described how the Muplis beetles had invaded our home. As if we didn’t have enough on our plates with the beetles turning up every year. For a few seasons we had the added joy of seeing caterpillars contend with the Muplis for the top spot of insects we never wanted to see again. And these are not butterfly caterpillars, which I discussed in the third part…
