Wildlife

  I was lucky to catch this sparrow while it took a moment to rest. The once common sparrow seems to be disappearing from Bangalore replaced by the ugly crow.Pic By Ravi Kaushik ⊕

Having been away from Bangalore for a very long stretch, it felt wonderful to go to the monthly (second Sunday of the month) birding outing at Lalbagh.Those who came for the outing included people who were coming to Lalbagh for the first time, and  those trying birdwatching for the first time, along with more seasoned birders. Apart from the regular birding group, Anil G T and Guruprasad also brought about 30 children from Rajarajeshwari Nagar, and they formed a separate group who went to the Lalbagh Lake first.By about 8am, an assorted group of people got together, with experienced birders…

Disclaimer: this information is provided by Prithvi K, an expert on snakes, it is for your information only. Please do not attempt to catch snake(s) based on the information provided here. Prithvi K, a trained snake catcher and resident of Sarjapur Road started rescuing snakes from January 2008. According to Prithvi, out of almost 270 varieties of snakes found in our country, only four are venomous. By learning to identify these four, we can allow non-venomous snakes to live in our surroundings, and maintain the balance in our ecosystem. Prithvi says, "If you are interested in pursuing herpetology as a…

THE TRUTH ABOUT TIGERSA film by Shekar Dattatri, Duration: 40 minutesScreening on Friday 23rd April at 7:30pm sharp at Alliance Française Bangalore. There are limited seats so please take yours by 7:15pm. The screening will be followed by an interactive Q&A with renowned tiger scientist Dr. Ullas Karanth and Shekar Dattatri.About the film:The tiger, India's National Animal, is disappearing at an alarming rate from our forests. Government estimates reveal that there may be fewer than 1500 left. Why have India's tigers declined so drastically? What exactly are the problems facing their conservation? And are there any solutions to the crisis?…

Ashoka Trust for Research in Ecology and Environment (ATREE), Bangalore is organizing a free 'Vacation Training Program on Bio-Resources' for students from April 19th to 8th May 2010. Funded by Department of Bio-Technology, Government of India, this program consists of lectures and interactive sessions with eminent scientists and experts in the field of biology and bio-resources, visits to research institutes, orientation to skills required for field-biology and out-door camps. Students who have appeared Class X examination in 2010 from recognized schools in Karnataka are eligible to apply. Application forms can be downloaded from our website. For more details visit http://atree.org/vtp-2010…

Like many other participants, I too would like to add my thanks to the people.....Madhukara, Srihari, Subbu,Swarna (that was in alphabetical order!) and all the others, starting from Sunjoy Monga and HSBC... to the judges who probably had an intense session....who've made the Bangalore Bird Race a very enjoyable event. We had a very tiring, but extremely delightful day...and I think perhaps it's the motivation to spot that extra species which makes us look harder and see more birds. Certainly I peer into the reeds and weeds and foliage with greater concentration on Bird Race days!Here's Subbu speaking at the…

There are many ways to get away from the bustle of Bangalore city. One of the greenest options is to spend a quiet afternoon at Bannerghatta amongst the birds and beasts.   ⊕

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Its time again to reconnect with nature, and enjoy the flora and fauna around Bannerghatta.This month's Third Sunday trail will be on 20th of December 2009.Place : Ragihalli Village TankTime : 6.00 AMMeeting place : Govt Primary School, RagihalliGoogle Map Coordinates : 12.739328, 77.574592Group Leader : Mahesh ChandComfortable clothing,good walking shoes, cap, water bottle,binoculars ( if you have them!), a camera ( if you like to shoot)...these are what you need to join the trail. This outing is free and open to anyone who can walk the trail of around four to five hours . We recommend car-pooling between participants.…

The horticulture department is planning a foodcourt at Nandi Hills. The proposed location is part of the habitat of Nilgiri Wood Pigeon. The plan is likely to have impact on this I do feel that Government can use the present buildings at Nandi Hills, some of which lie unused and abandoned. I request each of you to email the concerned people and voice your concern. I received an email from Subbu, an avid bird-watcher of Bangalore. This should come as a shocker to all those who love watching birds at Nandi Hills. The proposed food court on top of Nandi…