Smart as Nature

Malabar Giant Squirrel

I have been frequenting the Crain Hill Reserve for more then 5 years now and I haven’t come any closer to this guy then this perhaps it has got immune to the human presence – a naturally shy diurnal, arboreal mammal the MGS Malabar Giant Squirrel or the Indian Giant Squirrel (Ratufa indica ) is a strange story of adaptation in the high altitudes of Nilgiris, they are the only found squirrel species (thrives in 180 to 2,300 msl) in the high altitudes of Nilgiris apart from isolated occurrence of Flying squirrels, and if you have to believe the forest departments theory then MGS is more of a introduced species here. As far as the adaptation part goes the species which is not tolerant of habitat degradation and does not occur in plantations but here they have thrived in man made monocultured forest scapes mostly populated by the towering eucalyptus & cypress trees it is strange because these wooded areas hardy supported their source of nourishments. But they as seed disburser’s have managed to create a subsystem around these forest to meet their dietary requirements. Thus the MGS thrives here it is natures way of improvising if left to fend itself with lil bit of help from us. I wanted to continue on about the Crain Hill Reserve  I reserve that for nother elaborate entry. 

For now I would like to share about something that I felt the Nilgiris can be better off

            -          the Nutrino Project has been shifted out of the Mudumalai
                  Tiger Reserve  Link

-          MoEF’s promise to look in to the Tourism Policy  Link

-          MoEF’s comprehensive legislation to protect the bio-diversity hotspot     Link

Now for every 3 good things to happen there will be something bad to write as well so 

         

An alternative road to Ooty right through the last remaining free ranging corridor for the
Asiatic Elephants.     Link

Naduhatty Nemesis

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This is reported to have happened on 9th Monday nite, we got to hear about it on Wednesday – a small portion of the Coonoor Kotagiri road above Naduhatty caved in triggering a landslide gathering mass on due course, it had strangely detoured on its path as it forged down creating drag corridor thru the village around 4 to 5 house and a public toilet have been completely washed away with on aged women as causality by the look of it – the village appears more ravaged and gorily inflicted upon. The far flung theories going around varies from a cloud bursts, ground water currents of Rallia Dam gushing out to mild tremors, though there is a general grimness and qualm in the face of the villagers I was over awed by the indomitable spirit of the Baduga hospitality even in this times of distress the old Ayya (elderly men) of the village took to a total stranger of me around and insisted in having tea, describing of the freak rains that he hasn’t seen in all of his age (75) managing with out power water for more then a week now, it was heartening sight. The community kitchen was serving hot teas and food solely for visitors, volunteers from the neighboring villages.

VIEW MORE IMAGES HERE

 

Naduhatty WM

Updated Phyen

Updated with the photos taken in Achanakal

N(ature)ilgiris smacked

In the aftermath of the walloping rains that ravaged Nilgiris, I woke up every day to unassuming news of several lives lost around me the initial response to these fatalities relates to sensitized empathy. But yesterday I went around few places that where annihilated by the rains, it was heartening to see the extant of damage meted out by the natures fury, though I did see the images of these places flashed in the media before, the reality did prick a lot. Apart from loss of lives there have been extensive damages to properties, roads, retaining walls, embankments and farming lands. The Ketti Valley recorded 82 cm of rains in a single day record for Nilgiris and Tamil Nadu ( the previous recorded highest downpour was in Cuddalore in 1947 for 57 cm). All put together Nilgiris should have yielded something around 700 cm to 900 cm of rains from 6^th evening to 9^th morning.

Ooty’s main arterial roads from Kotagiri and Coonoor side are still disengaged, with several massive landslides reported on the Coonoor Mettupalyam road as well – It should take more then a month or so to revive these roads, this apart there are several service roads around Nilgiris that have seen multiple landslides that to has to be restored.

Now priming upon these devastations all I can sum up is that these devastation is more of made then happened, If the cause and effect is to be found the obvious fact is here for all to see, as most of the fatalities have happened due to unplanned constructions or in the Improvised Colonies on the steep face of valley’s structured without proper foundation, retaining wall or facilitating proper drainage of water.

On the depression induced rain front not that we have experienced something similar in the past , there have been depressions homing in to Nilgiri ranges and the seasonal north east monsoon lashing out but the severity and the magnitude of this scale has been long since heard of (if I can draw parallel it was way back in 1978). Obviously the blame game or finger pointing towards the global warming is natural, but as a phenomena it is rather strange pattern which has been occurring for past couple of years now of frequent depression in the oceans surrounding the peninsula which makes you conclude pointing to the el ninos

The world is now on track to experience more catastrophic damages from climate change than in the worst-case scenario forecast by international experts, scientists have warned.
The research, published in a prestigious US science journal, shows that between 2000 and 2004 the rate of increase in global carbon dioxide emissions from fossil fuels was three times greater than in the 1990s.
That is faster than even the worst-case scenario modelled by the world's leading scientists in the latest Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) reports, published over recent months, because the updated emissions figures were not available in time to be included.
We keep shying away from the thought running in us – do these things affect US?

Humm Nature has shed its inhabitation

<sup>PS: I had been wanting to update my blog for long time now but while awayed my days in virtual oblivion , as it stands justified it would have been much better to have stayed way rather then.




check out more photos of the</sup>

Devastation

^here

Like to hear the forest Laugh

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Now how many of you know about this? That there is a rare species that you can sight only in Nilgiris !

There are lots of species which are rare that can be sighted in Nilgiris upon rarity there is a Unique place for The Nilgiri Laughing Thrush (NLT) which can Only be sighted in Nilgiris and nowhere else Yes you read it right.

The Nilgiri Laughing Thrush (NLT) is a insectivorous bird larger then a house Sparrow and smaller then a common Crow splurging on insects and berries found in the Shola thickets, the call of NLT is very unique a resounding call more like mimicking laughter. NLT is the only truly endemic species of Nilgiris in the Avian Fauna part now. Thou there are lotta species that have the prefix of “Nilgiri” attached to it like the famed Nilgiri Thar then the Nilgiri Wood Pigion, Nilgiri Flycatcher, Nilgiri Pipet and so on but these species are found even outside the Nilgiri Biosphere Reserve (NBR). The Nilgiri Thar is found all the way down in Munnar and Valpari. Even more astounding is the fact that NLT is enlisted as an Endangered (EN) species in the IUCN Red list, a rung below the lists priority - Critically Endangered (CR), with the highly fragmented geographical distribution NLT can be found in small numbers around Nilgiris, there have been a sighting of NLTs in the Pala Mala Kerala ( these sighting are yet to be authenticated, inputs are needed) the population of NLT is estimated to be any thing between 2500 to 9000 individuals according to BIRDLIFE International as it is really difficult to peg the exact numbers and its anybody guess now, it might even have decreased in numbers given the state of disturbance to its habitat – which is predominantly Sholas, thickets and scrubby undergrowths in the elevation above 3000 ft.


On the conservation front what are the efforts taken to protect this unique bird, to my knowledge it is near non existent. The officials sitting in the concerned department are not aware of the importance of such a bird, even if they do they cannot gauge the critically importance attached to it. And above all it is not highlighted or media represented, like the importance given to the Nilgiri Thar. Species like NLTs are crucial denominators for the state of our environments health there are many such denominator going unnoticed around us, of all miseries people are more interested in big names of Tigers and Lion conservation – yes it holds true when the top predator is protected the ecological food chain sustains by itself, but what about the isolated small dynamic forest reserves where umpteen number of smaller species like NLTs thrive, there might even be many more species and organisms alike around the world that are in the verge of getting vanished or have seen their traces wiped off from the face of this earth due to loss of habitat – we will never come to know about it and how less important are these species in the ecological food chain? Can all this be attributed to the evolutionary process! If so can we allow the Lions the Tigers and the other exotic species to see its natural end of being wiped off from this very earth as their role in the evolutionary process has been attained?

I know no evolutionary theorem here - just a laymens heart to possess and to be possessed by nature

Is any body listenin out there ?

Chasing Monsoon

Coonoor Singara Estate Road

The picture perfect monsoon mood that is conjured up in the movies of the mountains flacked by moving mist, smog and the occasional wind swept drizzle is all but in the reel world. In the real world what does the Great Indian Monsoon means to people of Nilgiris. For us it is more of a “love hate” relationship as the better part of the year is consumed by both the SE – NW - Monsoon - it obliviate life every time monsoon sets in - to reconcile the ways and means to counter the monsoon rains over and over again – it is a way of life no doubt, a habitual acclimation of sort for the resident is more cumbersome and comes with a ritual cribbing as they gradually ease in to the monsoon mode. what with intensive cloud cover, one hardly sees the sun rays hit the earth for weeks together, dampness and moist clothing to put up with as it hardly dries, if one dwells in homes with old Mangalore tiled roofing it is (most of us do) then of all probability it will leak, seep and will splotch with droplets.

Left with the smaller side of the Monsoon as the peak months of June and July are behind us now, having yielded below normal rains then forcasted for this year let alone year on year. In the ecological front if one has observed the pattern of monsoon for last 8 to 10 years it is pretty evident that there has been a major shift in Nilgiris climate pattern one that stands out conspicuously is the window of second season which has vanished and both the monsoons have merged – every thing in its severity is has been the order of the day. Heavier rains in the monsoons, summer getting hotter with ever souring temperature.

The monsoon is now expected more so with some kind of mechanical precession with the every passing year the weather department is forecasting the precise date the monsoon sets in - fairly it is been the case for more then 8 to 10 years now that we have received reasonable monsoon as expected. In the face of it I keep pondering over the thought of “expecting the nature to perform on any given time” Now can it perform to our demanding needs ? with so much of influence like the El Ninos, The Greenhouse Effect and the vanishing green cover. In the probability of the monsoon skipping out for a year – imagine what will be the arising scenario? Total devastation a precarious scenario whereby our storage facilities is churned out on hand to mouth basis. The last time monsoon gave a break for a year the scenario wasn't as demanding as now but that was 10 year before. What we will see is chaos every where, the obvious blame game, committees upon committees special task force core working groups (bureaucratically buying time, and excuse “WE ARE WORKING ON IT” ), the green crowd given a hearing and massive fund infused to do major forestry, de-silting dams, reservoirs lil bit of framer pleasing finally the sizable chunk of the fund will end up with crooks masquerading as Realtors. And can we have a plan B here if so what kind of contingency can we plan to fill up in place of the monsoon a blatant management theory here to ask for a contingency plan for nature (sic a contingency plan for “nature”, thou one can be better equipped to face it but cannot replace it) ~ it is like being parched on top of the cliff and expecting every time a copter to rescue us.

That precarious Year is not far off from us, will eventually dance to the tune of Nature until then I await the arrival of the Monsoon dampness mountains flacked by moving mist, smog, the occasional wind swept drizzle et al

Coonoor, Brooklands Road

The men who keeps your Tigers

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In the age where it is a compulsive fad, too glam and to too hepp to profuse of tiger conservation... in this very world lives these men scoffing of poachers gun powders, braving forest fire and occasional wild life aggression there is no protagonist hep conservation theory here- just commitment and the livelihood strands that they cling on to for nothing more then mare pittance doled out by the forest department – the arrival of even that pay packs has no fixed date either- waiting for more then three months or even six months before the lay their hands on the pay register. They are the first in line ears eyes and defense in the forest management, toiling beyond their primary duties, life of an Anti Poaching Watcher (APW) is a wrenching tirade and dribbling sweat shop treatments on a normal day they trudge minimum of around 20 km to mind their beats ( forest tracts divided into small areas for easy managements) apart from monitoring the beats they double up as fire watchers, on occasion of fire flares up they have to dig trenches and fire lines to contain the fire from spreading. The APW force is drawn mostly from the indigenous native menfolk who are well versed with the terrain and surroundings more over the department leverages the local knowledge base and intelligence in turn providing them small employment window (mostly on Temporary roles) for these predominant herders and farm hands.

Featured here:

Bhojan crossing the stream near Shanda Mattam Anaikatti ~ a 46 year native Irulan is father of three and belongs the the Segur Division Forest Circle on the Temporary roles for more then 12 years now (finally got inducted). Attacked by Sloth Bear once – escaped with a ripped shoulders bones and broken arm was in the Gudalur Government Hospital for more then three months. Snarled by Tigers, Chased by Elephants umpteen number of times. “He has chased wild Elephants” at least once, as far as I have seen with my own eyes. Believe me. Waiting to see his daughter graduate from the College in Coimbatore.

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The Paeans of Octavio Paz

Ootacamund

In the Nilgiris Hills

I went looking for the Todas.

Their temples are cone- shaped and are stables.

Thin, bearded, impenetrable,

they milk their sacred buffaloes

murmuring incoherent hymns.

They guard a secret from Sumeria,

not knowing that they guard it.

Between the thin, dry lips of the elders

the name of Ishtar, the cruel goddess,

shines like the moon on an empty well...

A vision on the mountains road:

the rose camelia tree

bending over the cliff.

Splendor in the sullen green,

fixed above an abyss.

Impenetrable presence,

indifferent to vertigo – and language...

~ Octavio Paz

(winner of the 1990 Nobel prize for Literature)

Nilgiris has mesmerized one and all they came, they saw - got conquered
(still coming in droves)

a laureate from far of ... as far from Mexico came visiting and

had this to say.

Source: The Nilgiris Guide (1993)

By D.Venugopal
Nilgiri Documentation Centre.

OF Todas

 Untold of Glares

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The Todas have been unique, like the Nilgiris they have always been in the media glare, i had always wanted to write about them because i have been associated with them since my teens and have grown hearing about their folklore and legends. It did strike me if i had to draw equals or measure them with other similar indigenous tribes, it would be hard to draw parallel hence the uniqueness and i can elaborate many such uniqueness of the Todas of one being of Vegetarian in eating habits of unique dialect with phonetics that have any inkling with the Dravidian or Sanskrit lineages. They have been the most written about most mentioned about indigenous people of the Nilgiris. Which makes me the question about - other equally or more precarious native communities that inhabit the Nilgiri Biosphere, pretty much unknown much to the outside world. The Todas have been in the limelight as a flagship community in the Nilgiris - when you mention about Nilgiris the thoughts that linger would obviously will include that of Todas as well. In the broader spectrum it is immaterial of who hogs the limelight until at least they get the exposure which would be of immense help in the upliftment of these communities, having said that the Todas are relatively on a better wicket, Then the Cholanaikens and Paniyas.

It is time we threw some light on these people as well.

Shot on Pothili son's marriage Filming session by A Belgian Film Crew with Vasamalli 

For More On Todas

Todas the Story on Front line 

Wikipedia - Todas

 

Transports

Transport by all Means

Is this an apt image for the term.  Near Sathyamangalam in the Black Buck Sanctuary this is indeed way of life - the development is word that is near non existent here, in a euphemistic view the great debate of development vs conservation will have no takers from the communities that inhabits these forest areas which is again the most crucial elephant corridor. 

Now where do we draw the line? 

The Nilgiri Peak

The Moolakad Times

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In my quest to probagate Nilgiris – of its grandures and uniqueness I lost unto the time and as the buck keeps passing on to another time and nother day.I need to get my acts together, to keep the momentum on I am going to blog mostly of back logged photos - the above one is a compelsive blog material

Moolakadh 22 km from Gudalur it is lynch pin in the 'O' Valley basin at 4330 ft msl groovy gorge's under belly of the Nilgiri high lands flanked by the Nilgiri Peak at 8320 ft msl of it looks like a typical third world country side small plantation settlement of the Birla Jaishree plantation, the plantation has run in to huge legal embroil as the said tracts of land belonged to Nilambur Kovilagam which where turned over to the Birlas who converted large extant of prime forest in the tea, coffee and spice plantation suppose to be around 16000 acres – as the Supreme court has directed the birlas to maintain status quo and there isnt much estate works happening the the labour force have moved out in search of better pasture this settlement wears a deserted looks. We found curious infants peeving at us on our quest to Nilgiri Peak ( that is an another blog do coming soon, I hope so...)

Living it up 2009

Living it up 2009

2009 has seen its first couple of days. it is irony that 

Hope is wright all around us in spite of the global turmoils, 

Hope makes us dream realize and thus exist,

To live and tell the tales of another day....

One such tale about a small Dream in the Quest of Mukurthi.

The Mukurthi Nilgiri Thar Sanctuary will always have its charm; nonetheless I can vouch for word Mukurthi in itself singlehandedly allured me in to conservation. It carried a mystic wonderland tag to it from all that I heard since my teens, thou I did personally set my foot on top of the peak in the year 2004 but it was in my dream list for more then a decade. In those days – that is around 10 years ago it was open to all those who had a streak for adventure to venture on to scale the peak even camp near the stream all that is restricted now, this zealously guarded patch of haven is a proper typified (few) remains of natural Shola grassland vegetation of Nilgiri Highlands. A verdant stretch of rolling mounds carpeted of a unique grass strains which retains moisture all thru the year hence called the catchment areas and natural over head tank of low altitude flood plains of River Bhavani one of the main intent to be notified as protected area apart from being a habitat for the endangered Nilgiri Thar.

All these years the Forest Department has done a commendable work in conserving this region however the plight of this unique grassland vegetation is under tremendous threat from wattle a commercial timber that was introduced by the English mainly for viscose fibre and for firewood needs – the wattle spreads very fast and is destroying the prime Shola grassland which the Forest Department is finding it difficult to eradicate, the only means to eradicate the wattle is by physically uprooting the wattle which is a herculean task and subsequently the windswept seedlings keeps pollinating to the adjoining peripherals. Hope that we are able to restrict the wattle and conserve this haven

Wishes for the Year 2009.