YEAR 5/ISSUE 01-02-03/SEPTEMBER - NOVEMBER 2019
Special 4th Anniversary Issue of Holocene Cover: Snow Leopard at Spiti, by Shivaram Subramanian 1
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Trekking through Eastern Himalaya, by Ashok Jha
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Year 5/Issue 01-02-03/September-November 2019 The Holocene is the geological epoch that began after the Pleistocene at approximately 11,700 years BP and continues to the present. As Earth warmed after the Ice Age, the human population increased and early man began to change the planet forever. For Exploring Nature, our newsletter Holocene is our platform to convey our concerns on human threat to biodiversity. We will use our newsletter as a media to highlight the current local and global issues which could impact biodiversity of Mother Nature and promote awareness of biodiversity in alignment with our group’s mission of promoting awareness of different aspects of Mother Nature among people. In this newsletter our readers will get information and periodic updates on. Recent significant discussions on biodiversity, going on across the world. Major recent research and studies on biodiversity. Biodiversity explorations planned and conducted by national and international groups as well as Exploring Nature. Information and interesting readings on wildlife photography and biodiversity modelling etc. Holocene Year 5/Issue 01-02-03/September - November 2019
Content: Editorial Does the Union Budget stand for a “green mother earth and blue skies”? Climate change is dilemma of democracy...NITI Aayog's hesitation in owning NAPCC 2008, drafted by its predecessor is a clear indication of that. They can't scarp it as they themselves consider it as a crucial policy document to tackle climate change in India. But they don't own it and denote it as a document lack of clarity. Sitharaman budget even reinforces the fact. Read analysis of Union Budget 2019 from the perspective of achieving SDG ….. 4|Page Cover Story The Day I saw The Grey Ghost by Suchismita Sahu An ardent nature lover, poet and wildlife photographer, Suchismita, narrates her first encounter with this elusive animal of Indian snow-capped mountains…. 7|Page Story Room A step away from scaling World’s third highest peak! by – Arnab Basu Adventure of trekking through forest, meadows, rocky and snow-capped trail of eastern Himalaya… 9|Page
© Exploring Nature Expert Speaks
Cover, Design and Illustration
Phayre’s Langur: A Globally Endangered Primate by Md. Shalauddin*, Md. Jayedul Islam and Md. Rasel Mia
© Exploring Nature All rights reserved. No part of this publication can be reproduced or utilised in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording or by any information storage or retrieval systems, without proper prior permission in writing from Exploring Nature. Editorial Board Team Exploring Nature Holocene Cover: Shivaram Subramanian and Ashok Jha Logo and Title Design Arijit Das Majumder and Saikat Chakraborty
A zoological article on one of the ten species of primates found in Bangladesh, from the scholars of Department of Zoology, Jagannath University, Dhaka 15|Page Co-habitation A Viral That Affects Wildlife...by Nishand Venugopal 18|Page Voice of Nature A Quest for Great Hornbill: Sangu Matamuhuri Reserve Forest, Bangladesh By Jobiar Rahman 19|Page Theme-Poster
Website www.exploringnature.org.in
The Grey Ghost by Suchismita Sahu 21|Page
e-mail info@exploringnature.org.in
Climate Strike campaign
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22|Page
Cover Photo by Shivaram Subramanian. He is a nature lover, a traveller and a wildlife photography enthusiast. A management graduate with nearly two decades of corporate experience, Shivaram gave up his full-time job in 2012 and decided to follow his heart and travel the country.
YEAR 5/ISSUE 01-02-03/SEPTEMBER - NOVEMBER 2019
Editorial: Does the Union Budget stand for a “green mother earth and blue skies”? (Earlier published in 27th August, 2019 and 2nd September, 2019 issues of online opinion and analysis daily, The Tilak Chronicle)
"If we have to live in harmony with nature, it has to have a space in democracy, and how can nature have space in a democracy when people who live close to nature don't have the right to live with dignity. Climate Change isn't just an issue, it's a democratic dilemma" Dr. Mahesh Rangarajan, Environmental Historian, at Nature in Focus Festival, 2019 The global community recognises the Paris summit in December 2015 as a historic turning point in the effort to fight climate change. At the event, 195 countries pledged their combined forces to limit the increase of average global temperature to 1.5 degrees Celsius. India, the fourth largest carbon emitter in the world, has made its role clear in the movement by making a bold commitment to reduce its emissions by 33–35 percent, compared to 2005 levels, by 2030. Despite being signatory of COP21, does India’s battle against Climate Change remain to be a Political turf game? Presently, our national institutions which are answerable to the global community, the Nation and of course the UNFCCC are hesitating to own the National Action Plan of Climate Change (NAPCC) formulated in 2008. This, even though the NITI Aayog itself considers the NAPCC as a crucial policy document for tackling climate change in India, keeps the debate alive. At the same time, as per several studies, the NAPCC as a document lacks clarity in terms of details of programmes/ schemes, adaptation measures, and detailed analyses of how these address vulnerabilities to climate change in India. As per the NITI Aayog and CBGA (Centre for Budget and Governance Accountability) India, about two thirds of Indians derive their livelihoods from climate-sensitive sectors such as farming, fisheries and forestry and the changing climate is adversely affecting their livelihoods base, especially in rain-fed and flood–prone areas. The recent press release of the Intergovernmental Panel for Climate Change (IPCC) on its report “Climate Change and Land, an IPCC special report on climate change, desertification, land degradation, sustainable land management, food security, and greenhouse gas fluxes in terrestrial ecosystems” emphasised on the climate criticality of these sectors. The report also emphasises on the importance of locally appropriate policies and governance systems, which should ideally be proposed and provided for in the Union Budget of a COP21 signatory Nation. “Land plays an important role in the climate system, Agriculture, forestry and other types of land use account for 23% of human greenhouse gas emissions. At the same time natural land processes absorb carbon dioxide equivalent to almost a third of carbon dioxide emissions from fossil fuels and industry,” said Jim Skea, Co-Chair of IPCC Working Group III. The report suggests, Land must remain productive to maintain food security as the population increases and the negative impacts of climate change on vegetation increase. This means there are limits to the contribution of land to addressing climate change, for instance through the cultivation of energy crops and afforestation. It also takes time for trees and soils to store carbon effectively. Bioenergy needs to be carefully managed to avoid risks to food security, biodiversity and land degradation. Desirable outcomes will depend on locally appropriate policies and governance systems. The Union Budget of a COP21 signatory Nation, desires proposition for such policies and governance systems. This is because Union Budgets in India play a crucial role in addressing the challenge of climate change. The Government of India is the dominant stakeholder; more than 50 percent of public expenditure in India is provided through the outlays in the Union Budget. It also holds the Constitutional obligation to meet the requirement of the Fundamental Rights (under Article 21) of ‘Right to life’ and the concept of “Public Trust Doctrine” in which certain common properties such as rivers, seashores, forests, and air are held by the government in trusteeship for their free and unimpeded use of the general public. The recent report of IPCC on Climate Change and Land is going to be a key scientific input for the Conference of the Parties of the UN Convention to Combat Desertification (COP14) this September in New Delhi, and the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change Conference (COP25) in December in Chile. This report, coupled with India’s participation in COP21 brings back the Union Budget presented by Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman of the newly elected NDA Government, on 12th July 2019, in the limelight of critical analysis, with a perspective of achieving India’s commitment to the Sustainability Development Goals (SDGs). 4
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The highlights of Sitharaman Budget from SDG perspective are: 1.
More than 8 crores of free LPG connections have been proposed to be distributed under the Ujjwala scheme - this could reduce stress on fossil fuel consumption; 2. Under the Jal Shakti Abhiyan, 1592 critical and overexploited blocks are identified. There is a proposal for creation of local level infrastructure for rainwater harvesting, groundwater recharge and household wastewater management; 3. The rural electrification scheme will continue; 35 crore LED bulbs have been distributed so far under Ujjwala scheme; 4. Every rural household will get access to clean cooking fuel and a new scheme in line with Ujjwala will promote solar stoves and battery chargers; 5. Private initiatives to support and develop renewable energy as an alternative income for farmers will be launched; 6. It is proposed to expand Swachh Bharat Mission to include sustainable solid waste management in every village; 7. Electric vehicles (EVs), will be promoted through exempting custom duty on certain EC parts, deducting income tax and interest on loans for EV purchase, and commencing Phase 2 of FAME (Faster Adoption and Manufacturing of (Hybrid &) Electric Vehicles) scheme; 8. Agro-rural industries will be boosted through cluster-based development under SFURTI scheme with focus on bamboo, honey and khadi clusters - this will help tackling climate criticality associated with land degradation; 9. The budget allocation to the environment ministry (MoEFCC) has increased from Rs. 26.83 billion (Rs. 2,683 crore) to Rs. 29.54 billion (Rs. 2,954.72 crores). It targets control of pollution through providing financial assistance to Pollution Control Boards/Committees and funding the National Clean Air Programme (NCAP) as well as other programmes such as the National Water Monitoring Programme, National Ambient Noise Monitoring Network etc.; 10. The “Vision for the Decade”, puts a pollution-free India with green Mother Earth and Blue Skies at the 3rd position, ahead of Make in India, while water management, clean rivers come fifth.
Ironically, the budget which envisions a “green Mother Earth and blue skies” is silent on all the key missions under the NAPCC, and that has further raised eyebrows of sustainability pundits across the nation. The vision statement of our current Union Budget, as articulated by Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman, is a “Pollution-free India with Green Mother Earth and Blue Skies”. Yet, it proposes no road map for carrying out the missions specified under the National Action Plan of Climate Change (NAPCC) formulated in 2008. Take the National Action Plan on Clean India (NCAP). One of the election promises of the ruling party was to reduce the air pollution in 102 polluted cities of India by 35% in the next five years. However, after it was addressed in the budget presented by late Finance Minister Arun Jaitley in 2014-15, the term ‘climate change’ has not found space again in the four subsequent budget speeches (2015-16, 2016-17, 2017-18 and 2018-19) under the same government. The new budget placed in Parliament lacks comprehensive funding strategy for multi-sector clean air action under the NCAP. The only way to make the new budget work for clean air is to leverage some of its proposed spending in transport and energy sectors. The budget reiterates the official aspiration to upscale the electric vehicle (EV) programme, make it a frontier industry, and turn India into a global manufacturing hub of EVs. This zero-emissions initiative will work toward clean air as well. The proposal highlights Phase-II of the Faster Adoption and Manufacturing of (Hybrid &) Electric Vehicles (FAME) Scheme to enable faster rollout of EVs, with an approved outlay of Rs 10,000 crores for three years, already in place since April 2019. There will be upfront incentive on purchase of EVs, solar storage batteries and charging infrastructure. This performance-based incentive is linked to advanced batteries and registered EVs, with greater emphasis on affordable and environment-friendly public transportation options. The Goods & Services Tax (GST) on EVs has already been lowered from 12 per cent to 5 per cent. There will be an additional income tax deduction of Rs 1.5 lakh on the interest paid on loans taken to purchase EVs. This amounts to a benefit of around Rs 2.5 lakh over the loan period to taxpayers who borrow to purchase EVs. While there is no doubt that the EV programme will require fiscal and incentive support, it has to draw lessons from the experience so far. An incentive programme will not work by itself. It needs a strong legal mandate for phased electrification of vehicles, a fixed timeline for intermediate goals for infrastructure, a deployment strategy, and compliance mechanisms to see real change. It is encouraging to see the continued thrust on access to clean household-cooking energy and electricity. Various studies across India have shown that household air pollution contributes at least 25-30 per cent of the outdoor particulate pollution and significantly harms health of women and children. It is envisioned that every single rural family that is willing will receive an electricity connection and clean cooking facility by 2022. The overall emphasis on 100 per cent households with LPG (liquefied petroleum gas) and electricity connections will lead to distribution companies reforming their electricity supply system for
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greater reliability, and scaling-up of LED bulbs production for households to replace incandescent bulbs and CFLs. Both consequences can contribute towards clean air and health benefits. However, going forward, the government must draw lessons from the ongoing programme. Shifting clean fuel subsidy from the rich to the poor will work effectively only if it ensures continuous reliable refills of LPG cylinders so that households continue to use LPG and do not fall back on mixed fuel mode. Pricing of clean fuels for the poor also need further attention and the status quo approach to such welfare programmes needs to change. Also, the renewable energy industry expected the budget to provide some impetus to revive growth, given the slowdown in the past year. The sector expected reduction of GST for solar projects and availability of adequate and cheap credit. However, there is nothing specific in the Budget to address these concerns. Going by past experiences, improving distribution sector’s efficiency requires broader structural reforms, such as carriage and content separation as proposed in the Electricity Act amendment. However, this is unlikely to be taken up at the moment. Meanwhile, a key area that needs dedicated attention and has been snubbed by the budget is solar rooftop panels. India is staring at a massive target of generating 40 GW of electricity through solar rooftop panels by 2022, with only 1.9 GW of capacity installed. Budgetary capital allocation or at least the announcement of a dedicated policy or scheme to fuel rapid growth of the renewables sector would have been welcomed but are missing. Although Sitharaman tried to give a serious boost to energy and transport sectors, where is the resource allocation for climate-critical sectors, with respect to land and food security, as identified by the NAPCC 2008 and emphasized by IPCC in 2019? Where the funds are allocated for incentivising water-neutral and water-positive technologies, to boost the National Water Mission, a key mission under the NAPCC? Where is the policy framework to establish a monitoring and observational network under the National Mission for Sustaining the Himalayan Ecosystems? Where is the action plan aiming at afforestation of 6 million ha of degraded forestland with the participation of Joint Forest Management Committees (JFMCs) under the National Mission for “Green India”? We do not have answers. Besides, the new Draft National Forest Policy has only a few propositions to substantially increase the tree cover outside forests by incentivising agro-forestry and farm forestry; incentivising sustainability in community-managed and community-owned private forests and creating a sustained peoples' movement; and managing and expanding green spaces in urban and peri-urban areas to enhance citizens’ wellbeing. The Budget also doesn’t propose any framework for strengthening agriculture and weather insurance mechanisms and credit support mechanisms under the National Mission for Sustainable Agriculture. More importantly, there is no mention of creating a Climate Science Research Fund for providing funds for research under National Mission on Strategic Knowledge for Climate Change. Nirmala Sitharaman and the NITI Aayog must find answers to these questions urgently, and they must present them to the 14th meeting of the Conference of the Parties to the UN Convention to Combat Desertification (UNCCD COP 14) which kicks off in New Delhi today. Along with a clarification on her stand on amendment of Companies Act, 2013. Incidentally Sitharaman is the boss of Ministry of Corporate Affairs, as well, which holds the responsibility of enforcing the Act. Sitharaman, assured businessmen that the controversial penal provision in the latest amendments to the Companies Act for defaults on Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) norms will be reviewed, the statement said. The Companies (Amendment) Bill 2019, which has been signed into law by the President on 31 July, proposes that any unspent annual CSR funds should be transferred to a specified government fund within six months of the financial year. In the case of ongoing CSR projects, businesses have three years to utilise the funds allocated in a given year. The Bill also proposed penal provisions that may include fine or imprisonment or both for defaulting officers. Lack of answers to any of the questions asked above would simply make the term “Sustainable Development” a mere oxymoron, as many of our conservationist friends have started believing already.
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Cover Story: The Day I saw The Grey Ghost
Story and Photography by Suchismita Sahu (Previously published in https://www.darter.in/photography-tours/wildlife/snow-leopard-photography-tour-winter-spiti/)
Down Jacket- checked, Gloves – checked, Cap – Checked, Scarf – Checked, Woollen socks – Checked, Snow boots – checked, Sunglasses – checked, Camera battery – checked , Empty SD and CF cards – checked, Camera setting – checked. My first onfoot experience of Himalaya’s at 4200 mt altitude was about to begin. I needed to be doubly sure of everything, as I tend to forget the things if I am bit over-excited or over-apprehensive. At that point of time, I was both. Snow Leopard was not in my mind as it was just our first day in Spiti, with 6 days of exploration in front of us. So I pulled up my Jacket, tied the snow boot laces and put on cap and gloves – all set! After crossing Kibber village, we came to a stiff downhill slope with knee-deep snow. I never thought my first walk in the snow will be so extreme. My first foot on the snow and my first step in Himalayan gave me a spark in my heart. I was completely wobbling and fell down a couple of times to experience the soft and squishy feel of the snow. Seeing my condition LaraJi, our guide, came to my aid. With his help I glided through the snow and enjoyed it, though I was completely out of breath. We reached to a snow-filled road where we waited for DorjeJi, our scanner. And we soon saw him coming towards us bit upset. We were late, and he had seen fresh pugmarks in that area. But he also understood well that this was our first day in that high altitude and we need some time to get acclimatized. Then he went further on to scan, and we got some time to catch our much needed breath. I was completely overwhelmed with the beauty and harshness of the mountains that surrounded me. I followed the group heading ahead on the same snow filled road. Suddenly, we saw DorjeJi giving a strong sign from the opposite side. My heart skipped a beat. I walked fast with as much strength as I could muster. I never reached that level of endurance, not even with my toughest run. When I reached the point where everyone else was clicking away frantically and I saw where they were pointing out. Rocks and Rocks everywhere. Some were snow-capped and some bare. Then, suddenly, my heart stopped beating. The grey ghost sleeping on the caved rock, curled around and having a peaceful winter morning slumber! I was in no position to even lift my camera. I didn’t want to let this moment of sheer pleasure pass behind my camera and lens. I just wanted to watch it. I’m not sure when tears started rolling out of my eyes. Slowly the Snow Leopard got up and started to move, bringing us back to our senses. The spark of joy spread across the group. Then again DorjeJi started to call us from another ridge. We moved hurriedly towards that ridge. I was struggling due to my breathlessness. But the moment I got there, it felt as if the Snow Leopard was waiting for me. As if it was waiting for us to show what cat-walk meant in the truest sense, casting its spell with every move. Top models on the ramp could learn a thing or two 7
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from this majestic cat. Every step showed its familiarity with the territory. This is the kingdom of the Snow Leopard indeed. And the occasional glances at us told us that we were accepted in its gracious hospitality. The strength, the vigour and the control was quite visible from the paw he stretches to take every step. How carefully nature had crafted this enigmatic creation. And, just like that, it disappeared around a corner. Just like a ghost! That day, I fulfilled the top-most item on my wish list. Few days before the trip began, I wasn’t too sure if the Ghost would oblige with its presence. I came back home but a bigger chunk of me is still lying somewhere in those snowy mountains. But, I brought back these stolen moments from the time. Everyday life is a slave of time but these moments are truly liberating. Of course, with the hangover of this sighting still fresh, we got to see another Snow Leopard the following day! And spent the entire day watching it do what a cat does best – nap! And we still enjoyed its company sitting in knee-deep snow with temperatures way below freezing point. But there wasn’t a single moment of dullness and our eyes stayed glued to it. What do u call it?? Totally bewitched, isn’t it??
As a traveller, explorer, and a passionate photographer, nature has always attracted me. People around me get amused by how I can love snakes, amphibians and lizards (which they find creepy). I don’t find anything creepy or scary within nature’s creation. I strongly believe that you can have everything that you really want. At present, confused between corporate excellence and love for nature, I look forward to exploring the high altitude of the mountains, the beautiful world concealed within the ocean and the deeper aspects of rainforest. Suchismita’s journey can be followed in her Instagram profile – https://www.instagram.com/sahusuchismita/ – to view her latest photographs.
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Story Room: A step away from scaling World’s third highest peak! Story by Arnab Basu; Photography by Ashok Jha
The second named storm and the first severe cyclonic storm of the 2019 North Indian Ocean cyclone season, Fani originated from a tropical depression that formed west of Sumatra in the Indian Ocean on 26th April. Vertical wind shear at first hindered the storm's development, but conditions became more favourable on 30th April. Fani rapidly intensified into an extremely severe cyclonic storm and reached its peak intensity on 2nd May as a high-end extremely severe cyclonic storm—the equivalent of a high-end Category 4 major hurricane. Fani weakened before making landfall, and its convective structure rapidly degraded thereafter, degenerating into a remnant low on 4th May, and dissipating on the next day. But the damage was done before it dissipated completely. 72 people have been killed by it in India; including 64 in Odisha, and 8 in two districts of Uttar Pradesh. Apparently, all these had nothing to do with trekking Goechala pass, the most commonly used as base camp for scaling world’s third highest peak - Mount Kangchenjunga. My co-trekker Dr. Girija Gurung and I were also indifferent about development of cyclone Fani and engrossed in our last minute preparation of Goechala trek, until the morning of 3rd May, when our flight from Bangalore to Kolkata got cancelled, as Kolkata Airport Authority decided to shut their operation as a precautionary measure to abate the anticipated landfall of Fani on the city, as forecasted with the night fall of 3rd May, 2019. Once our flight got cancelled, the possibility of being part of this trek became quite uncertain for both of us. As per plan we were supposed to reach Siliguri by 3rd evening, so that we can start from New Jalpaiguri (NJP) towards Yuksom by 10 o’clock on next morning and reach there by evening. The road between NJP and Yuksom was not recommended for after dusk travelling, as condition at certain patches were not good. Gradually we came to know most of our fellow trekkers who planned their travel to Bagdogra via Kolkata, got affected in similar way. Therefore, we booked another flight for next day early morning, which would directly fly to Bagdogra, and convinced our trek leaders and trek conducting company to wait for us at New Jalpaiguri station till afternoon. Trek leader was considerate enough and showed flexibility to take little risk of travelling between NJP and Yuksom after dark. On 4th May, after landing at Bagdogra at 1:00 PM and reaching NJP station by 2:15 PM, we started a long drive to Yuksom which is about 150kms away and took about 8 hours to reach our home stay. Yuksom is one of the historical towns of Sikkim which provides enough glimpses of the rich heritage and religious traditions, so prominent of the state. Being once the capital of the state, Yuksom poses to have multiple attractions in terms of culture, community and peaceful serene environment that has always exceed the expectation of every tourist. On the way from New Jalpaiguri to Yuksom, we had to finish few official paper works to fetch the necessary permission for the hiking trip. The purpose was to take due permission from the police station based at Melli to Road towards Yuksom home stay ensure that official records are kept of the trekking expedition and to also have safety along the way. The paperwork includes filling up basic information and providing two passport size photographs which needs to be affixed in the form. After completing the official works it was a straight drive crossing Melli which is based at the border of Sikkim and West Bengal. The next stop was at Jorthang where we stopped for the lunch break, to enjoy the delicious food of the north eastern region. After lunch it was a continuous trip to Yuksom, as we didn’t want to waste time further, any way we were late because of all that Fani Fiasco. On reaching Yuksom, we were soon got accommodated in different rooms. Every room had 4-5 beds. As it was already 9:30 in the evening, without wasting much time, the briefing of the tour started by Trek leader Pawan. Briefing is always essential to understand the trekking route, the rules of the trek, the environmental conditions that may be present and the essential commodities which should be carried along. Yuksom also is the last destination where we can think of final pick up of small
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eateries or other provisions that may be required in the trek. There are plenty of shops in the town where hikers fulfil their requirements. The trek started on 5th may at 9:15 AM. The destination for the first trekking day was Sachen based at an altitude of 7200 feet. The total distance from Yuksom to Sachen is about 8kms and we took approximately 4 hours to reach the destination. There were occasional steep and gradual ascent and sometime descent through Kangchenjunga National Park. Because of overnight rain, although the beginning of the trek was muddy and slippery, the beautiful trail started with sights of fascinating small huts as we moved forward leaving the villages behind. It was warm and humid, but we were enjoying the fresh air as the trail continued crossing the vast landscapes and soon the trail landed to the valley of the serene River Rathong.
Entry to Kangchenjunga National Park
Crossing the valley, the trekking trail takes a sharp turn to the forested lands which with each step becomes denser with thick growth of trees. The trail often remains congested with mountain yaks and mules and we were giving way to the animals and stayed close to the mountains. After trekking through the forest for around 30 minutes, we reached the first bridge which was actually in absolute darkness except some occasional sunlight. Continuing on the trail we moved forward to experience the spectacular beauty of Tshushay Khola waterfalls which again flows to meet the Perk River and then crosses the second iron bridge. With each step in this region there was a sharp altitude gain. From here the next iron bridge comes after an hour of trekking over Mentogang Khola River. As soon as this 3rd or the last bridge of the day was reached, trek leader assured that the altitude of 7100 feet was conquered. From there another 20 minutes trekking to the campsite zone. After reaching there at around 1:30 PM, we did bit stretching and then pitched our tents. Around 4:00 PM, rain started, and it was intermittent heavy down pour throughout the evening, continued till 12:00 in midnight. On 2nd day, my day started at 4:15 AM. It was clear sky, and our trekking started at 8:30 AM. The trail was even muddier, because of heavy rain in previous night. It was predominantly steep ascending. Our journey was for Tshokha at 9,700 feet via Bakhim located at an altitude of 8600 feet. The scheduled trek for the day was not long, considering it was only 7kms trek, although we took around 6 hours, since the elevation was steep from this point and hiking also got much difficult. The hiking trail for the day started through the forested areas towards Bakhim, marked by the presence of beautiful magnolias and Rhododendrons. It was about 1 km walk from Sachen before the next iron bridge over River Perk was reached. It was fascinating to visualise the crystal clear waters of River Perk and savouring the mesmerizing ambience that characterises the location. From the bridge itself we could see the waving Prayer flags which marks the beginning of the Goechala trail. We started feeling the altitude gain with each step till the destination was reached. After this point the remaining trail was steep ascent through oak forest towards Bakhim. On the way we spot the sparkling views of Mount Pandim and Mount Tenzinkhay. The trail elevated fast and the temperature also became much cooler. Soon the first destination for the day Bakhim was reached. Reaching Tsokha We took a short break at a local tea stall and snack joint which we enjoyed after the tiring ascent. Also we refilled water in Bakhim. After having some rest for about 30-45 minutes, the trek towards Tsokha begin for another 2kms. The next trail was a mix of steep ascents and descents and with full of slopes. After conquering 9000 feet we cherished the view of excellent Rhododendrons and alpine berries spread across the area. The plateau of Tsokha was also visualized and the campsite for the day. This was a wonderful location with fascinating views of snow clad Himalayan peaks with the sight of Kanchenjunga and Pandim dominating the view. Probably the best campsite in our entire trek. There was a Monastery nearby our camp site, we went to visit that in evening. There was no rain in evening and night, and had clear sky displaying whole galaxy full of sparkling constellations on top of us. The next day of the Goechala trek, 7th May, was destined for a trek to Dzongri enroute Phedang. The altitude gain for the day would be 12, 980 feet crossing Phedang at 10,500 feet. The total distance for the day’s trek was about 9kms and it took about 10
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approximately 6 hours to reach the destination for the day. Phedang falls absolutely in the mid of the whole distance since Tsokha to Phedang is 4.5km and Phedang to Dzongri is also the same. On that morning I woke up at 4:00 AM, and at around 4:15 AM, four Himalayan peaks – Pandlim, Tenzinkhang, Jupono and La Lamuney got visible, as first rays on sunlight started falling on them one by one. That day we carried packaged lunch and enough water for the trek since on the way there was no place to refill our water bottles. The trail View of mountain peaks from Tsokha was a steep ascent so proper precautions are mandatory as it is not an easy journey for the trekkers. Within minutes of climbing, we found the trail leaves Tsokha, way behind and we moved forward amidst red rhododendrons which filled the heart with happiness. Our trekking was at the end of spring season, therefore the trail was still filled with red blossoms making the pathway quite romantic and passionate. The rocky terrain at the beginning of the day slowly transformed to a paved one with wooden logs. However even though there were fascinating pathways in midst, the rocky and steep climb continued giving a hard time to the legs and knees. However the hard time was not done as the trail continued through stones and pebbles till we reached Phedang at 11:00 AM. That was an excellent scenic location to have rest and enjoy lunch with the scintillating views of nature entertaining all. After an hour of lunch break, started trekking again till we reached at Debaroli at 1:00 PM. After having rest and regaining some fresh energy, the trek continued for Dzongri. High steep climbing is found very common in the next phase of climbing and we had to be extra careful for that. After almost an hour of travelling, we got to see the worshipper flags hoisted there for praying. The trail continued amidst in line trees and stretched meadows with the background of snowy mountains making it quite a heartfelt experience for us. After reaching about 12,980 feet, at 1:15 PM, campsite, placed the tents and a much needed rest for the night. The next day begins at 3:00 AM and at around 4:00 AM we trekked for an hour to reach the Dzongri top at 13,675 feet. The greatest highlight of the Dzongri top was the sight of the impressive snow peaks of the Gigantic Himalaya range that was absolutely awe striking. The prominent peaks from here includes Kanchenjunga (8534 m), Kabru (7353 m) and Mount Pandim (6691 m) beautifying the horizon with a sight which was unforgettable. Apart from this, the spectacular sight also includes Koktang (6147 m) and Narsing (5825 m), and other peaks like Frey Peak, Kumbakarana, Jupono, Simro and others. It was otherwise a rest day, since the altitude gain the day before was quite high and body needed some time to get accustomed with this height. The pictorial view from Dzongri was quite mesmerizing and very rejuvenating which also helped in relaxing and gaining fresh energy for further trekking the next day. The place was full of whole lot Tibetan prayer flags that covered the area and kept fluttering fanatically with the breeze. The best part of enjoying in Dzongri was by taking small walks in the area and enjoying the natural extravaganza at its best. Therefore, I decided to explore the area rather sleeping in the tent during day time. Along with another fellow trekker, Mahek, I decided to climb further towards our next camp site location at Thansing. The trail was through picturesque meadows, with easy to moderate ascent. Cloud was covering us in every now and then and getting cleared after some time. The space was full of Ibex dung, we were hopeful to see few on our next day’s trail. As till evening we didn’t have much to do, I climbed quarter of the distance towards Thansing couple of time and came back to tent. In the evening, Mahek, I and the senior most trekkers of our team – Milind started trekking towards Debaroli again. Co-trek leader Dinesh was also with us and his specialty was finding off bit routes, which were often quite dangerous. So, as usual he took us through a lesser known and not so commonly used trail. It was not just steepest, among whatsoever we have experienced, also full of thorny shrubs. We had to bend on our knees to get through such bushes and clear our path at same time by pushing thorny branches. At one point of time, it became completely foggy which made it difficult for us to see further. After a while, it became really dark. As I was far behind than other three, after some time I lost vision of them. Anyway, I just started Evening adventure in Dzongri following an imaginary trail with a hope that soon I would see the camp site. But after few minutes of walking, I realized I took a wrong path and it would never take me back to camp site. Luckily my head lamp was with me and I put it on. Once I reached a relatively clear place, Dinesh could see me and shouted at me to bring me back to write trail. They were actually waiting for me, as they assumed that I must have taken a wrong route. 11
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9th May, we started at 8:15 AM. The scheduled destination for the sixth day trek was a walk to Thansing at 12,900 feet after crossing Kokcharang at 12,000feet. This was an approximately 8 kms trek but with lot of slopes and favourable pathways, the destination of the day could be covered in 4 hours. The initial trail was among lush meadows and dense rhododendron plantations making the trail quite beautiful. The deep forested areas came next where colourful tiny birds welcome us. Then it was a clear descent to Kokcharang where even the final destination for the day could also be eyed. Kokcharang was an equally wonderful sight where hikers can drink in the natural beauty and refill some water for the rest of the trip. Though there were trekkers hut in Kokcharang, the place for setting up tents was very small and congested. So without wasting time we walked down towards the bridge of the Prekchu River. The bank of the river has fine space to sit back, relax and take rest for some time. It was actually quite musical down there with the gushing sound of rippling waters and chirping of the mountain birds. After taking some rest in this location and enjoying the cool breeze from the river it was straight 2 km trek to Thansing. The trail started from the other side of the river through beautiful rhododendron trees. Since the trail was a gradual ascend and not at all steep, at the beginning we got the chance to enjoy the walk as well as enjoy the beauty of the region. The forested land however stretches till midway from where the rocky climb begins. The tough terrain also, did not stretch long since very soon the lush meadows came into view attracting us to set up the campsite. On reaching the campsite at Thansing, we enjoyed hot lunch and relaxed for the rest of the day. The temperature was quite low and windy so proper protection in terms of clothes and blanket were absolutely essential. In this kind of climatic condition, the food consumed should be light meal as heavy food can work havoc during ascend to high altitudes. Keeping body adequately hydrated is another essential requirement. 10th May, was the easiest and shortest day of the whole trek. The trekking schedule comprised of travelling to Lamuney which is based at an altitude of 13,650 feet and it took less than two hours to reach the destination. The trekking schedule, for the day was quite relaxing so the morning call came at 8 with breakfast at 9 and scheduled departure set at 10am. The trekking activity was the easiest one and more of fun than being tiring. The road towards Lamuney as expected was quite sober along the meadows with over stretched pastures on both sides, which looked simply mind blowing. The trail to Lamuney was quite decent though close to campsite we got bit hard time with the steep rocky climb to move forward. The next challenge was controlling and pitching tent against strong blow of wind.
View of Kanchenjunga from Lamuney camp site
The afternoon was marked by the appearance of some wild Yak and herds of Blue Sheep. 11th May, was summit day, the eighth day and the D day of the trek. And like all high altitude trek the summit day is the toughest and the longest day where we reach the destination Goechala at 15,100 feet and come back to Lamuney. It was a long trek of 18kms and the approximate time to cover the distance was about 13 hours. The call for the day came at 1 AM. The reason to leave early was to have maximum time in hand for both ascend and descend. Also leaving early, would ensure enjoying the beautiful sight of sunrise in the Himalayas without which the trek would lose half of its charm. We started at 2:00 AM and did our summit at 4:25 AM. To the summit After leaving the campsite it was a known trail to begin with, towards Samiti Lake, which took about an hour to reach. From there it was a steep ascent towards Goechala view point which was based at an elevation of 15,100 feet, at a distance of about 5kms from Lamuney. For us it took about 3 hours to climb the point and Pawan showed us why he is an efficient and experienced trek leader. With his help we climbed without even realizing the difficulties involved in that. All 18 of us did the summit at same time.
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From the Samiti Lake it was a steep climb to the ridge which again we had to cross with much caution as it was narrow and moved through the sides of the mountains. In the morning when we were climbing up it was dark, so we could not visualize the risk involved in that, which we realized later in the day while climbing down. The beautiful sunrise in these awe striking snowy mountains was simply captivating. The glowing morning sun was spreading its crimson colour on the dark snow creating magical effect which was so unique and breath-taking that words are insufficient to describe the exquisite scenery and the heartfelt pleasure to view the same. The other peaks spotted were from the top includes Kabru South, Kabru North, Kabru Dome, Kangchendzonga, Gocha Jupano, Pandim, Sinvo and Tenzingkhang. View of sunrise from Summit Pawan and our local guide Pasang Daju, pointed towards a plateau like area, few kilometres away from our summit point, which is apparently used as base camp by the trekkers who goes for scaling Mount Khangchendzonga. We felt as if we were just “a step away from scaling World’s third highest peak!”
Previously they used to take trekkers up to that point, some recent sightings of snow leopards in that area has evoked certain restriction in accessing that point. After summit when we climbed down to Samiti Lake, we saw few pug marks of carnivores, but those were certainly much smaller than that of a snow leopard. Could be of some mountain cats. After spending some time at the view point and admiring the beauty at the most, we descended to Lamuney and reached at around 7 o’clock. On reaching the campsite at Lamuney we cherished a hot lunch and packed the belongings for a further descend to the next campsite at Kokcharang. We reached there at 2:30 PM, and there was heavy rain throughout the evening. But with night fall the sky got cleared. Night temperature went down to sub-zero. Although inside of tent was cosy, but morning we found snows everywhere including on the roof of the tents. However, after the longest day of the trek, in the night we were too tired to get bothered by snow fall and sub-zero temperature. On 9th day, the trek was set for descending from Thansing at 12,900 feet to Tsokha at 9700 feet. The total distance for the trek down was 16kms but I took more than 7 hours to cover the distance. I deliberately did a slow trek to enjoy the forest path and beautiful rhododendron flowers. And also, with an intention to increase my intimacy with forest, as technically it was the penultimate day of the trek. My relationship with forest is as old as 22 years, and these years have always made me emotional for various reasons. The trekking through temperate broadleaf and mixed forests, alpine grasses and shrubs of Kangchenjunga National Park of Sikkim, was bringing back all the feelings and memories of all my previous forest experience. The cool breeze of the mountainous region was quite comforting that refreshed my mind and I was cherishing those moments and wanted to increase the duration of that ecstasy, thus lingering my trek.
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In those days I saw quite a few of Himalayan Magpie, on summit day at Goechala top I saw few Starlings and Himalayan Rock pigeon. Today I saw the most talked about Himalayan bird, the Himalayan Monal. As it was not my photography exploration, so I was not carrying any cameras with me, therefore no images of wildlife in this story. As I always believe nature and natural phenomena can be best enjoyed through natural eyes, therefore, I don’t prefer to carry my photography gears during high altitude trek. Also it’s not very convenient from safety point of view – for both Gears and me! The environment in this stretch was quite fascinating as the rich forest vibrates enthusiasm and renewed energy. The pathway was quiet simple with not much difficulty and no steep stretches which also helped in conducting a pleasant journey. The most astounding view in this trail was the sight of Mount Pandim with its snow clad peak jutting out and glorifying the trail. Once we pitched tents at Tsokha, heavy rain started and continued till 10:00 PM. 13th May, the last day, targeted destination was Yuksom which was the commencing point of the trek at 5,670 feet. It was a long 15kms trekking distance but I was super-fast on that day, and almost did a Himalayan version of my “long distance run” to reach in around 4 hours. Evening was all about partying and celebrating our successful summit by smoking local weeds, local liquor called “Thumba” - made of fermented millet and hot water, and not to forget the country chicken. After a gap of ten days we could devour meat. Also worth to mention taking shower in hot water, cleaning all body parts and getting into a proper bed to sleep with a thick blanket to cover, after a gap of ten days. This is what mountain does with you, bring you down to harsh reality of living life without basic amenities, and make you realize that those so called “basic amenities” are luxury for many, which we generally take for granted in our comfortable urban lifestyle. “Thumba”
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Expert Speaks: Phayre’s Langur: A Globally Endangered Primate By Md. Shalauddin, Md. Jayedul Islam and Md. Rasel Mia of Department of Zoology, Jagannath University, Dhaka
Ten species of primates are found in Bangladesh including 5 Macaques, 3 Langurs, a lesser ape- the Gibbon and a Loris. Phayre’s Langur (Trachypithecus phayrei, Blyth 1847) is the identical one having blackish coat with whitish belly and white patches around eyes and mouth. This is an arboreal primate which lives in groups (usually 15-30 individuals). Both multi-male and multi-female groups are seen. Globally it is distributed across the northeastern India, eastern Bangladesh, western and southwestern China, northern and eastern Myanmar, Laos, Thailand and Vietnam. The species occurs in northeastern and southeastern forests in Bangladesh inhabiting different types of habitats including mixed evergreen forests, semi-evergreen forests, moist deciduous forests, sparse woodlands dominated by bamboo vegetation. Unfortunately due to wide of anthropocentric threats especially the habitat destruction, its population has declined more than 80% over the last three generations. As a result, it has listed as an endangered (EN) species globally and critically endangered (CR) in Bangladesh.
Fig 1. Social life of Phayre’s Langur (Trachypithecus phayrei, Blyth 1847). There are very few studies conducted on this species during past decades on their ecology in the Indian sub-continent. As a result, availability of such information is scanty and very few are known on their current status and survival in the forests in Bangladesh which are depredating fast. A project is running on the current population status and conservation initiative in north-eastern forests of Bangladesh. We have been studying currently the food and feeding behaviour of the endangered species in the Lawachara National Park (1250 ha, 24030’-24032’N, 91037’-91047’E) of north-eastern Bangladesh. The forest is semi-evergreen in nature and located within the Indo-Burma Biodiversity Hotspot.
Fig 2. Distribution of Phayre’s Langur and our study area.
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We have been collecting data since March 2019 (3 days per month) of a group of 31 individuals. We found that the group is less shy in comparison to other groups and forage both in dense forest cover and under highly disturbed areas by tourists with the park. Another reason for studying this group was that the group is already familiar with human that is helpful to be habituated fast for data collection.
Though, in the first day of our visit it seemed to ignore our presence around them. After two and half hours of data collection they misguided us and didn’t exposed their normal behavior. Even, in the first day of each month, this behavior is common and our patience to get recognized by them rewards with good amount of data. Few issues regarding Phayre’s Langur ecology and behaviors are as follows: Social Life: Phayre’s Langurs are highly social animal and usually lead by an adult male. Adult males are often the last individuals in movement ensuring that females with baby of the group reached safely in destination and ensuring no one left behind. They maintain a strict social life having babies and living together. Social Interaction includes allow grooming and caring of non-adults (by non-mother females also). It is seen that the adults participate in grooming while juveniles and infants play moving around most of the individuals. When infants get afraid of any reason then mother helps them learning situation being close and hugging them. Fights among individuals of a group is scarce, however, happens infrequently with other the groups. They are usually silent and most communication happens by touch. They can be loud both in interaction among group members (especially in playing by non-adults) and in fighting with other groups. Though it was known that infanticide (killing infants to eager females into mating and further reproduction) happens when a brand new adult male comes into leading. Food-feeding and Ranging: The Langur use plants of 5-30m height (mostly 15m from ground) in feeding and ranging. During our study period still now, we have recorded to use 43 plant species as feeding tree that includes Acacia auriculiformis, Acacia mangium, Artocarpus chaplasha, Artocarpus lakoocha, Dillenia pentagyna, Ficus hispida, Ficus benjamina, Ficus racemosa, Syzigium fruticosa, Syzygium grande, Melocanna bambusoides, Bambusa tulda, Olea dioica, Pterospermum acerifolium, Sterculia villosa, Streblus asper etc. They consume more leaves (prefer young leaves) than fruits (mature) or flowers. They were also seen consuming animal matter as a protein source (e.g. insects). However, they shifted their diet and consumed more matures leaves, petioles, flowers, and epiphytes when other foods were less available. Sometimes the large group splits into two sub-groups for foraging benefits. We have recorded a home range of the group of about 60 ha during this study period which is in fact smaller in comparison to other studies in neighboring countries. Resting and Sleeping: Both for resting and sleeping, the primate select dark places of by dense canopies. Within few meters in different plants, all the Individuals take rest together. Mothers and adult makes always remain in the top canopies and nonadults use mid canopies. The plant species used for sleeping were Artocarpus chaplasha and Melocanna bambusoides with a height of 15-30m. 16
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It is well understood that the disturbances by tourists, sounds of vehicle movements in train line and road passing into the park, monoculture plantation and habitat degradation are main threats for their survival. At the end, we’ll report to Bangladesh Forest Department highlighting further steps of research and conservation for the species. Acknowledgements: We are thankful to Tanvir Ahmed for reviewing this article.
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Co-habitation: A Viral That Affects Wildlife... By Nishand Venugopal Previously published in https://www.newsonpets.com/a-viral-that-affects-wildlife/
I am very disturbed by the recent video that is viral about mob lynching of a tigress in Pilibhit Tiger Reserve in Uttar Pradesh. It is disheartening to see the reaction pouring in from various social media channels and the sensationalism media has brought in this case. Will this incessant outpouring of anger, frustration, name-calling and demeaning do any good for conservation? I feel it won’t. Sitting in cities with all the benefits and privileges, are we really capable to judge what’s happening in conflict zones like these? I request each and every one of you to just think before you type or share. I respect people’s sentiments as the tigress visuals are dramatic and painful, but we only see a portion of it and not the whole picture. So we can’t pass on the judgement. Another example that I came across was the death of a male tiger in Nilgiri division in and rumours spread like wildfire that it was a poisoning case. Reactions showered abuses on the villages nearby. It was given the colour of a perfect murder but now the post-mortem report suggests that it was choked to death by the food it ate. Maybe the damage has already been done on ground zero, as the curses and abuses would have reached as fast as the wind to those who are not even part of this incident, which might create a divide between the villagers who live in these areas. The result is that the forest managers and NGOs who are working hard to mitigate the human-animal conflicts there will find it tough to gain trust from the villagers in these conflict areas. Those who fired these comments are not at all affected by this, but the animals will be… How the beast was killed by villagers in Pilibhit is unjustifiable; blaming the whole village for the mess created by few is what worries me. The perception war of cities upholding the love for nature and villages marring environment by encroaching is not completely true. If the cities loved nature as they perceived then we would not have to run for clean air and water. Sometimes unfortunately for few the love for nature is just restricted to social media activism and safaris in jeeps inside the jungles for a few days without even connecting with nature or the people who survive around these areas. As long as explosion of human population, degradation and fragmentation of habitat of wildlife is happening human-animal conflicts are tend to increase and policymakers and authorities have to work with a long term vision to reduce this crisis. Inter-department coordination is necessary for an amicable solution. There is a specific pattern that I have noticed and that is nature lovers in cities react to such incidents spontaneously in social media without taking into account the ground reality. Such kind of outburst builds up and creates a hashtag trend which news media takes up and some even sensationalize it with dramatic video effects to boost Target Rating Points (TRPs). This coverage is taken up by those who are against such Tiger reserves. They can arm-twist the hardworking NGOs and people who are trying to protect these areas and even incite the villagers to take up arms against animals and those who protect them which leads to more such mishaps until either the ‘interested’ group manage to destroy the habitat of animals or make that place so unsafe for those who are protecting those animals. It is a vicious cycle of money and land which unfortunately have only one loser and that is the animal itself. You go through any report or incident recently you will find how this works. Now another type of viral behaviour which is creating trauma to creatures that are born wild is the so-called ‘cute videos’ of exotic wildlife and forced selfies with them which trend on Instagram and other social media channels. A few months ago a video of a Chimpanzee looking at the phone screen and scrolling Instagram went viral. Dr. Jane Goodall, the world- famous conservationist, and primatologist condemned and requested public not to share this video as it was an inappropriate portrayal of a juvenile chimpanzee. In the recent investigation report that came in National Geographic ‘Suffering Unseen: The Dark Truth behind wildlife tourism’ by Natasha Daly and also article about Otter Cafes in Mongabay website shed light into how social media influences illegal wildlife trafficking all around the world. I must also emphasize on constructive use of social media as people need the inspiration to get involved in activities to preserve nature. There is a lot of positive development and good work happening in India and around the world. Exposure to such productive initiatives and, promoting it will boost the morale of volunteers who relentlessly work day and night in securing nature for the future. Some of these organizations work with meagre funds and very little resources. Bringing their services into the notice of the general public will help to garner support and resources for them to work. Corporates also will be able to contribute if they know about such institutions. Sometimes such stories of goodwill, courage, dedication, and commitment towards Mother Earth help in changing the attitude of policymakers and authorities to make right choices and stand up for the benefit of the environment. The wave of positivity and hope will bring the change we need. I request readers to look for such stories and to express them with a passion so that it creates an impression for others. 18
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Voice of Nature: A Quest for Great Hornbill: Sangu Matamuhuri Reserve Forest, Bangladesh By Jobiar Rahman
We were 5 in number; we have decided it as early as six months ago before the journey was started. One of our birding mates Raju who decided it for the very first time and wanted to go there. Let me introduce rest of the birder in our team. First of all Mr. Sahad A Raju who served as a sports journalist in a renowned Daily Newspaper, then Mr. Showkat Shuvro, who he had a long career in MNC, now recently he runs his own business and doing well, third person is Mr. Ratul, one of the fastest identifier of any mountain bird without seeing and only by listening the Bird’s call, one important thing to mention here that he never been any mountain in Chittagong. Everyone has a personal Doctor, if you guys ask me what’s mine. I must say he is one and only our Munna Bhai MBBS. Now he works as a Regional Medical Officer in ICDDRB at Chakaria, and nevertheless while every time we visit in Bandarban for birding, he makes our trip easier with his medical logistic support and prescriptions. It was 22nd February 2018, tickets were in our hands, we started our journey at due time (9.30pm) from fakirapool bus counter, Showkat Shuvro was seated just behind Raju, Ratul and I. Our bus moving slowly due to traffic, Ratul bhai synced his ear with cell phone. Showkat bhai and I were also scrolling through FB in our smart phone and Raju was warning us to keep our cell phone safely inside pocket. Meanwhile Showkat bhai got tensed after receiving a phone call from his house, we asked him what happened? He replied he couldn’t go with us. He told us there was a business deal on next day, and he had to sign on a legal paper and his lawyer was waiting for him. We made several alternatives and Raju checked out the traffic alert in Google map, but Showkat Shuvro bhai said goodbye to us. We felt sorry for him. After half an hour still we were in a huge jam, we couldn’t cross last counter of the bus. Suddenly Showkat Shuvro bhai called us again and told us that he was driving fast with a PATHAO to reach us, and successfully he reached us once again. After a long drive over the night we reached Chakaria at 8.00 am, where Munna bhai received us and we got into a rented Chander Gari. We reached at Ali Kodom at 9.30 am. Then we moved with two Sherpas to Dim pahar road by Motor Bike. Bike journey was thrilling. We had a thoroughly checked by Army in the Check post. “Where to go? Where you came from?” And it was all about before DIM Pahar Road. You have to carry your NID card as well. Many of them called it 18 kilo. Bike gave us a drop, we started walking, and the altitude was 2800 feet, those roads were vertically up and down with slope. Roads were tricky. While we crossed around 3 % of total road ahead, Shuvro bhai got a muscle injury and pull in the legs. He laid down and Munna bhai got scared and asked him that still had had chance to go back. But Showkat bhai denied and continued his walking and gave away his backpack gear etc. to one of our Sherpas. We found an intersection, where Hundreds of Erythrina, unnamed wild orchids and civet trees were vertically grew on the edge of the road, and then interesting things were happened. Few Brownback Needle tails were flying just above our head, it was so fast like fighter jet. My heart was beating fast as Munna bhai whispered that there were so many common Rose Finches on the top of the tree, and our shutters started clicking. As our clock was ticking fast, we took the last break of the trip. We sat on a dead tree, we have sweated a lot, we pulled our t shirt down, sun just going down behind the Mountain Rung Rang Tong, and it was magical.
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We reached khamchong para before the sun set. Our Sherpa arranged room after negotiating with Karbari of that para. We prepared our meal. Raju was the cooking master and he made hot noodles soup for all of us. We slept on the floor in row, that night was so cold, it was about 14 degrees Celsius. In the morning of second day, once again we had noodles soup in our breakfast. Before that, we washed our faces with little splashing of water and brushed our tooth as well. First ten minutes were spent in cleaning our gears, camera, and lens with hand blower. Then we stepped into the forest. We left one Sherpa in the room for making lunch and the other one with us for carrying water and other supplies. In second day the achievement was consecutive sighting of Streaked Spider Hunter, Orange Bellied Leaf bird, Black Bulbul, Little Pied Flycatcher, Ashy Bulbul, Black Eagle, Oriental Hobby, Grey Bush Chat, some Warblers, Minivets, Greater Racket Tailed Drongo, Grey Treepie, Wedge Tailed Green Pigeon etc. Second half of second day was interesting for butterflies. On third day, we got to talk to inhabitant of the reserve forest to know about their lifestyles, how do they collect and store fresh water, how do they cultivate their crops and many other things. On that day I just stepped into the forest in after noon, and found White Crested Laughing Thrush, Black Bulbul pair and some raptors as well, but couldn’t find Great Horn Bill. I was bit upset due to no Great Hornbill sighting, while coming back we were literally praying for Great Hornbill. Suddenly God responded to us and two Great Hornbills flying from one branch to another branch. It was one of the magical moments in my entire life.
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Theme Poster
The Grey Ghost by Suchismita Sahu
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YEAR 5/ISSUE 01-02-03/SEPTEMBER - NOVEMBER 2019
Theme Poster
Supports Global Climate Strike…..
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