Malshej Camp 28-29 September, 2013

It was indeed a wonderful monsoon for us that came to an end with Malshej Ghat Camp. The camp was conducted from 28 to 29 September, 2013. Apart from regular biodiversity watch this time the focus was on plants and moths. We are thankful to Miss Priti Choghale for helping us in identifying the moths and exploring Malshej.

A.Flora

Rock

1.              Vad/Banyan Tree (Ficus benghalensis)

2.             Palas/Flame of  the forest (Butea monosperma)

3.             Amba/Mango tree (Mangifera india)

4.             Karanj/Pongam oil tree  (Pongamia pinnata)

5.              Pan terada/Rock Balsaum(Impatiens acaulis)

6.             Katesavar/Red silk cotton tree (Bombax ceiba)

7.              Gulvel/Guduchi (Tinospora cordifolia)

8.             Chamel/Maloo creeper (Bauhinia vahlii)

9.             Sag/Teak (Tectona grandis)

10.         Bahava/ Indian Laburnum (Cassia fistula)

11.           Aaghada/Prickly chaff flower (Achyranthes aspera)

12.          Umber/Country fig tree (Ficus glomerata)

Rock Balsum By Gauri Gurav

13.          Ghaneri/Red sage (Lantana camara)

14.          Jambhul/Java plum/Black plum (Syzygium cumini)

15.          Wild Karwand (Carissa spinarum)

16.          Pimpal/Sacred fig tree (Ficus religiosa)

17.          Khair/Catechu tree (Acacia catechu)     

18.         Vavla/Indian Elm (Holoptelia integrifolia)

19.          Bor/Indian jujube (Ziziphus jujube)

20.        Dinda/Bandikoot berry (Leea indica)    

21.          Motha dinda (Leea macrophylla)

22.         Kala kuda/Sweet indrajao (Wrightia tinctoria)

23.         Pandara kuda/Tellicherry bark (Holarrhena antydysentrica)

24.         Kawla/Press me not (Smithia sensitiva)

25.         Anantmul/Indian sarsaparilla (Hemidesmus indicus)

Green Malshej By Shreya Bhanap

26.         Ain/Laurel (Terminalia crenulata)        

27.         Chickna/Common wireweed (Sida acuta)

28.        Takla/Wild senna (Cassia tora)

29.          Dalphodi/Cup n saucer plant (Breynia retusa)

30.        Jangali draksha/Wild grapes (Ampelocissus latifolia)

31.          Kadu karanda/Aerial yam (Dioscorea bulbifera)

32.         Kallavi/Glory lily (Gloriosa superba)

33.         Ukshi/Paper flower climber (Calycopteris floribunda)

34.         Rantil/Wild sesame(Sesamum indicum)

35.         Terada/Balsam

36.         Keni/Whiskered commelina(Commelina benghalensis)

37.         Chota kalpa/Indian borage(Trichodesma indicum)

38.        Shisham/Indian rosewood(Dalbergia sissoo)

39.         Sonaki/Graham’s groundsel (Senecio grahamii)

40.        Cosmos (Cosmos bipinnatus)

Malshej Fauna:

Golden Emperor Moth By Meghana Oak

A.    Insects:

a.       Butterflies:

1.      Tailed Jay

2.      Common Mormon

3.      Common crow

4.      Yellow pansy

5.      Common jezebel

6.      Lemon pansy

7.      Wanderer

8.      Plain tiger

9.      Striped tiger

10.  Leopard

11.  Lime

b.      Moths:

Golden Emperor moth

Makshej valley By Gauri Gurav

Geometrid moth

Emerald moth

Hawk moth

Death’s head hawk moth

Footman moth

Slug moth

Grass moth

Hook-tip moth

c.       Other insects

1.      Water beetle

2.      Katydid

3.      Short horned grasshopper

4.      Shield bug

5.      Red silk cotton bug

6.      Cricket

7.      Honey bee

Moth laying Eggs-By Gauri Gurav

Rhino beetle-Gauri Gurav

8. Water strider
9. Gall insects
10. Rhino beetle

Unidentified-Photo-Gauri Gurav

B. Arachnids:

1.       Tunnel spider

2.       Giant-wood spider

C. Reptiles:

1.      Forest Calotes

2.      Garden lizard

D. Birds:

1.      Cormorant

2.      Great egret

3.      Indian pond-heron

4.      Black shouldered kite

5.      Oriental magpie robin

6.      Red-vented bulbul

Frog By Gauri Gurav

7.      Blue rock pigeon

8.      White-throated kingfisher

9.      Common tailorbird

10.  Purple-rumped sunbird

11.  House sparrow

12.  Black drongo

13.  Common myna

14.  House crow

15.  Green bee-eater

16.  Red-wattled lapwing

17.  Spotted dove

18.  Jungle babbler

19.  Rose ringed parakeet

20.  Crested serpent eagle

21.  Little brown dove

22.  Yellow footed green pigeon

Observations -By Gauri Gurav

23.  Crow pheasant

24.  Eurasian golden oriole

25.  Large billed crow

26.  Oriental white-eye

27.  Palm swift

28.  Yellow billed cough

Plastic Polluting Malshej -Gauri Gurav

E. Mammal:

1. Hanuman langur

2. Bonnet macaque

Kille Shivneri -By Gauri Gurav

Tea Time - Gauri

Disscussions -Gauri Gurav

Geometrid Moth-Gauri Gurav

Group - Gauri Gurav

Preparing for Wonderful winter........

Best Out of Waste Workshop in Pune

                                                       Workshop on  Best out of Waste

WWF-India,MSO conducts a workshop on Best out of Waste for Pune NCI school students on 21st Sept. 2013 at Indradhanushya,Pune. 33 students participate in the workhop.In this studnets learn to make puppets by using socks ans waste cloths.Studnets were made aware about the waste that we produce and how we can reduce it.  Mrs. Mrudulla Kelkar and her colleges from Pune teach them to make beautiful puppets.

Students busy in making puppet

A happy face with Puppet!!

Sion Fort Trail 

WWF-India,MSO had arranged a nature trail to Sion fort in Mumbai. The fort is located in the city and still protecting some wild monsoon flora. Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru garden is also situated in the fort.15 participants attend the trail.

On a trail -Photo by Gauri

Owl Moth-Photo by Rupali Gurav 

Castor Butterfly-Photo by Rupali Gurav

Report - Ransai Camp 10-11 August, 2013.

WWF-India, MSO had arranged a nature camp to Ransai village near Panvel. The camp was attended by 9 participants.

Our group. Photo courtesy - Mr. Naimi

It is a quiet village with nice and healthy forest. The village consists four small tribal settlements. It also forms a catchment area of Ransai Dam. We are thankful to 'Friends of Nature' an NGO for helping us in organising the camp. Their help in arranging logistics had made it easy for us to run the camp smoothly. This NGO is working for snake awareness in that area. Interaction with Mr.Jayawant Thakur,from Friends of Nature and Mr. Santosh Takale had revealed lots of interesting facts about the area. This area might undergo the SEZ and this seemed to major concern and a threat as far as original biodiversity of this area is concerned. We request all the nature lovers to do their bit for conserving this area.Quarrying is also another major threat for the biodiversity.

Interaction

Being very near to Mumbai & Panvel this place has already started showing indicators of irresponsible tourism - the garbage (in very less quantity though). We request each person visiting this area to respect nature and act accordingly.
We are thankful to all the participants as well for volunteering in preparing food :)

We came across many species of plants, insects, reptiles and birds.
Here are the photographs of some of them-

Glory Lily clicked by Shreya

Haldu clicked by Shreya

Balsam & an ant clicked by Rupali

 

land crab clicked by Mr. Naimi

pic by Mr. Naimi

Cobra Ckicked by Dr. Shreya Bhanap

Indian Tarantula clicked by Rupali Gurav

Bug clicked by rupali

Friends of Nature Conducting awareness session for locals clicked by Gauri Gurav

 

View of Ransai Lake from Village

Report by
WWF-India, MSO