yet again ... getting lost ... then enjoying self-discovery ...

The Mammals of India: A Systematic and Cartographic Review Anwaruddin Choudhury 2016    Gibbon books and The Rhino Foundation for Nature in NE India Forestry Bureau, COA ISBN 978-93-80652-04-7 Some random observations Glance Significantly more details of mammals occurring in the region east of Calcutta owing to the Author’s almost unparalleled experience of the region. Mammals in the region, as he states in the preface, cover 65 per cent of our country’s mammals. Colin Groves, in the foreword, describes the book succinctly as ‘ this book fills a real gap, it lists synonyms, cites relevant literature and importantly makes thoughtful assessments of taxonomic claims and counter claims ’. He adds that ‘ the author begins with surveys of environment and biogeography, and then conservation, before going on to his listing ’. Chapters There are topics that one does not come across in books on similar lines. While these additions are welcomes

Let us have a meeting Published at Raiot  on 28th November 2016 Thanks are due to Raiot , Angela and Tarun. At a recent meeting it was a pleasant surprise to hear an agitated voice state that we need to move beyond talking of what was discussed during the previous meeting and what we could possibly discuss during the next meeting. We need to talk of work progress ( and lack of it ) between these meetings and ask ourselves why meetings have become an end in themselves. Angst in the tone ensured silence for the 5 odd minutes that followed. On way back home that evening I recalled the different categories of people I have encountered during meetings, people who left me – well, wondering. People who fly half way across the country or the globe for a meeting and then are busy checking emails and face-book. They have little idea of what has been discussed and suddenly they wake up to the discussions around them. This happened recently at a gathering ( at Lamakaan ) tha

Stepping into history Once I got to know that I will stay on Lodhi Road, during the short trip, I was clear I had to make the best of the opportunity. Chance Pe Dance is not exactly a set of words used to bring out a positive act; another perspective however is that life is all about taking chances and opportunities. The fog, smog, pollution and whatever else it was did not deter me from walking to the Safdarjung Tomb on an early morning. With the very low number of people present then, the place had a separate feel. We are so tuned to having people around us, especially when moving in these cities, that their absence has an impact on how we see and feel the place. What I love at these places is that one can touch and feel the stones and walls; caress history. I climbed up, walked along the periphery and wondered if it was the boundary even then. What then lay on the other side? These questions of how would the place have been then I ever have as I walk these places.

People, we were told, were not keen to participate in more meetings with NGOs as promises, by most NGOs, had not been kept. We had gone to discuss conservation education, seek inputs prior to freezing the plan, and ended up listening to the story of human – elephant conflict in the neighbouring villages. Story of the situation having gone from bad to worse. Village A had planned a meeting to discuss human - elephant conflict. Besides the villagers the meeting was to include members of two local organizations.   A local politician got a whiff of the meeting and came over. During the meeting he actively participated in the discussions and promised to help. Elections were around the corner and as a corollary he was pro-active in not only taking the discussions further towards actions but also sanctioned funds. His only condition was that the fence, which had been decided during the meeting, should come up prior to the elections. Image: Karpagam Chelliah The electric fence,

~ ~ More thoughts from rail journeys Thanks Apurva Bahadur for the images आप की तस्वीरों ने तो रूखे सूखे से शब्दों को जैसे बारिश की मस्ती से भिगो दिया है ~~ Sunsets at the train door are ever endearing, Half moon somehow makes an early appearance, Together, we see the unending and unbothered tracks, The vast openness offers its hand, To walk together and share silences, The green, brown and blue around nod in agreement, Heart gets clearer on what it wants, Like I do on such evenings, I hear, or do I hum, Kahin door jab din dhal jae ~   कहीं दूर जब दिन ढल जाए Image: Apurva Bahadur ~ ~ Moon and stars as if run with the train, While the Trees below, stand still, Their silhouettes darker than the sky, Lights afar, yellow and white, caress poles and roofs, Time floats with the rythm of wheels on tracks, Music that flows into silences, Once in a while, a river changes it all, And reminds on

Book review which finds place in November 2016 issue of Teacher Plus . Title: Sangla: A valley of strange happenings Author: Katie Bagli Published in: September 2016 Publisher: Inking Innovations   Twice during the past two years, I have been fortunate to trek in Himachal Pradesh and come across some of the species that the author mentions, including choughs and vultures. This book took me back to the endearing mountains. Sangla: A valley of strange happenings is a story of a four-year young girl from Mumbai who invests one year of her life in the mountains and her experiences during the period. It touches upon different aspects of mountain life like changing seasons when the snow keeps the family inside the house to customs like the to-be bride weaving the shawl she would wear during her marriage.   One experiences some beautiful moments as one reads the book. These stand out. The very first page says ‘ To the majestic deodar trees in the Himalaya

Thoughts on culling after the discussion session last month. Timeline December 2015 the Bihar state government for the first time since the Wildlife Protection Act came into being ‘used’ Section 62 of the Act to declare Nilgai and Wild Boar vermin. This was followed by Uttarakhand in February 2016 for Wild Boar and Himachal Pradesh in March 2016, followed by another one increasing the geographical spread during May 2016, for Rhesus Macaque. These allowed for their being killed, using multiple means, in large numbers. Spat between two central government ministers helped highlight the issue and it was extensively covered by media during June 2016. Scenario today What numbers were to be killed to bring conflict to acceptable levels? How many animals were killed in each of these states? Has the culling had any impact on the conflict situation? While all this happens we are yet to get answers to some of the seemingly basic questions. It is easier to move ahead wit

Have you seen Oil Palm in Tiger Reserve? And other questions on Dampa This is the unedited version of the piece published in Deccan Herald . Recent trips to Dampa have been followed with a series of interesting questions, by friends, on the landscape. Dampa is often referred to as being different from other Tiger Reserves be it management or tiger sightings? Why is it so? There are multiple reasons. To begin with, Dampa is not an atypical Tiger Reserve in the lines of Ranthambore or Corbett where one enjoys a drive a four wheel vehicle; here one walks up and down the forest. On sightings the Indian Express during September 2015 reports ‘ Senior forest officials in the state and conservationists who have worked there admit there have been no tiger sightings in Dampa for decades, and no tiger has been caught by numerous camera traps although a large assortment of other wildlife — including smaller wild cats — has been .” Management issues include lack of single managemen