I looked around and saw that there were many small holes on the short wall for air and assumed that the snake must have entered in the hut from one of these holes. The hut was near an irrigation canal and the snake must have come from this to the hut as the distance is hardly 40-50 feet. They also said that they saw the snakes in past few days in the irrigation canal. I tried to bag the snake with the help of the equipment that I made but the angry and disturbed snake was not ready to go in the PVC pipe. It was quite difficult also due to small and dark hut. A disturbed King Cobra which is around 10 feet with an attacking range of 3 feet is not easy to handle in such a small hut. After several unsuccessful attempts I decided to get the snake out of the hut in open area. It was not difficult to bring the snake out from the hut and it came out easily. The moment the king cobra came out it started running fast to another house nearby. I went with a big log and lift it in the air so that it cannot enter another house. In this whole episode the snake became angrier and tried to attack more aggressively. I asked for a big basket which I got immediately and then with the help of the log allowed the snake to go under it.

The snake felt relaxed under the basket in dark as it was not moving. After this I asked to bring 3-4 bucket water and poured it over the basket to make the snake calm. Luckily I got some cold water also which helped further to make it calm. The next thing was to bag the snake in a sac which was with me after a little delay. But this was good as the snake was resting under the basket during this time delay. I asked one of the courageous guys to hold the wide open sack with the help of a long bamboo. I lifted the basket with the help of the log and saw that the snake was calm now. I removed the basket completely and asked the fellow to hold the sack. Now the snake was also cooperating with us and was not moving much. I lifted the king cobra with the log high in the air and moved it into the open sack. The snake went in without much effort and we tied the mouth of the sack with the help of a rope. The snake was safely bagged and everybody around was relaxed. By this time forest staff was also there and I asked them where to release the snake. I was told that the snake has to be released in the Dhikala zone of Park.

Since the place was a bit far and we had to go in a vehicle to the point of release I asked for a bucket with half filled with water so that I can keep the snake in it to keep it cool during the time of transfer. We took the snake to a place called Sajgadi Sot (stream) as this is a kind of habitat which king cobra likes. We released the snake a little far from the road where there was some water. Just after the release it went fast towards the water.

This is the third incident where a king cobra entered a human settlement in last five years and luckily this was also rescued and released safely back into their natural habitat. What good thing I have observed in such cases people are more aware now about snakes and instead of killing snakes they call for help and report it to forest department or other people about this.

Born in Darjeeling, Prasanna had always been surrounded by bountiful nature. A trekker, an amateur mountaineer and a wildlifer, he shifted his base to Delhi after a short stint with Department of Tourism, Darjeeling after his graduation. His profession as a tour operator has given him opportunity to explore many wilderness destinations in the Indian subcontinent.

He has volunteered during relocation of yak sheds out of Shingalila National Park and on anti Chireta Sorata (medicinal herb) smuggling drive.  He was actively involved in coordinating Snow Leopard Awareness Project at Hemis National Park in Ladakh for Earthwatch for two years. 

City life has only deepened his love for nature. Prasanna looks after our Delhi Chapter.

Wildlife enthusiast Joel took time out from wandering around India to work with Mahseer Conservancy for 1 month in March 2010. He conducted a pioneering research study looking at the decline of the Golden Mahseer on the Ramganga River in Almora. Braving the sand mining mafia, boys with explosives and illness he collected alarming data showing that the Golden Mahseer populations are being decimated. Indiscriminate fishing methods such as dynamiting, poisoning and electrocution are in widespread use and are having a devastating effect on the river ecosystem. Other human impacts such as sand mining, water extraction and pollution are all contributing to the destruction and shrinkage of the Golden Mahseer’s habitat and spawning grounds. Joel’s study highlighted that the threat to the local wildlife was extreme and action needed to be taken immediately. His report will be the foundation of several Golden Mahseer conservation initiatives in the area which will look to enforce the ban on dynamite, create numerous ‘mahseer sanctuaries’ and start angling based eco-tourism.

Joel’s time at Mahseer Conservancy was an invaluable and hugely enjoyable experience. It will also provide a practical perspective for when he goes home to the UK to do a Masters in Conservation and Biodiversity at the University of Exeter. Some highlights of his month stay were being left breathless when seeing a tiger for the first time, developing a passion for the magnificent Golden Mahseer and working with such enthusiastic and dedicated conservationists at Mahseer Conservancy. Joel hopes to return to India as soon as possible to follow up his initial report on the Golden Mahseer.

Joel’s aims for the future are to start growing his own vegetables, learn to play the flute and become a full time eco-warrior with a specialized lycra superhero costume.

After landing and a bumpy but not too long drive to Tiger Camp at Corbett National Park, I was met by the most amazingly smiley faces, welcoming me at the reception with warmth and friendliness. As previously mentioned the wildlife I knew was going to be exotic and amazing but on my first day I never expected to be called into the ‘fun ranger’ Mikma’s hut to be greeted by the biggest lizard I had ever seen, a monitor lizard clinging on to the side of the hut with huge claws. Its beady eyes and body not moving an inch, it didn’t even look like it was breathing. Definitely a good start to this trip!

One of Vanghat's many pools

The next day we jumped into the back of a Gypsy we set off for the short drive to Vanghat, in the Ramganga Valley. On route we saw a crested serpent eagle soar above us and land on a nearby branch with a snake in its claws, as well as a lesser fish eagle rising in the airs hot vents. 

That evening at Vanghat we walked to a beautiful deep slow flowing pool hidden in the valley where we could see the huge golden mahseer swimming below us. On the walk we came across all types of fantastic birds, greater yellownape woodpeckers, crested kingfishers, slaty-headed and plum headed parakeets, pallas and lesser fish eagles and the stunning Asian paradise flycatcher with its long trailing tail feathers and most impressive a tawny fish owl,  which peered eagerly down at us.

Other mammal sightings included a growling wild boar as we disturbed its rummage in the bushes, a porcupine nuzzling in the undergrowth for food and Sambar and Barking Deer. It’s not just the sights of these animals that filled me with awe but the sounds were enlivening. From every angle birds chirped and mammals called.

Elephants in Dhikala

Well this is the trip I had been waiting for and I had heard many stories about people seeing the famous tigers of Corbett national park and little did I know that the next 3 days were going to be some of the best of my whole life. Dhikala was the area in the national park we were going into. The elephants were in abundance, for their size they moved so graciously and there herds were so protective of the tiny calves. Mothers and aunties would hide them as they crossed the track In front of us. One thing which I was astounded by with these huge creatures was the way they moved – silently, effortlessly you wouldn’t know they were there unless they made it really obvious! A big mugger swam at the area called high bank. No tiger today and I wasn’t holding my breath – ‘Do these elusive, fine-looking creatures really let you see them?’ I just couldn’t imagine it.

Heather in safari

Pied kingfishers dove in and out of the river collecting fish, a green and chestnut-headed bee-eaters in the grasslands, crested serpent eagles and the  huge pallas’s fish eagles scouring the river for prey. More exciting moments were to come when a large female elephant protecting its herd charged at us, was one of the scariest moments of the trip but highly exhilarating.

After the morning safari we opted for an afternoon on the watchtower. The watch tower was a large structure overlooking a river bed and many of the animals came here to drink especially in the 40’C mid day sun. Sitting there for 5 hours in the searing heat may not be everyone’s idea of fun but it was worth it, sighting a tiger one was going back into the bushes from the river. As well as wild boar having a dip to cool down we saw hog deer on the grasslands and jackals running playfully.

Once our time was up we were picked back up and headed back to camp for an elephant safari which was unfortunately cancelled due to some bad weather coming in but little did I know this was a good thing. Instead of the elephant ride we headed off again by gypsy for an evening safari. Weather was worsening so we weren’t hoping for many sightings as most of the animals would surely be sheltering from the storm? Divan our driver who had been brilliant the whole time suddenly spotted a tiger across the river heading back towards the long grass of the chaur. We stopped and looked through the binoculars and sure enough there it was leisurely strolling into the tall grass. It disappeared from view and bizarrely appearing a few seconds later in what looked like the same place stood a cheetal deer. Was it just this deer playing tricks on all our eyes or was it really a tiger!? After another 20 seconds of looking through the binoculars it was then that I spotted the tiger, watching the cheetal. It was going to kill. I said to those around me whatever you do keep an eye on that deer, its going to be prey!! We watched for what seemed like no time at all as the tiger slowly crept up behind the unsuspecting cheetal. Then the cheetals head darted up – it had heard the Tiger. With eye on the cheetal the tiger leapt through the grasses and with one swoop of its powerful paws it brought the cheetal down. With hardly a struggle the tiger had its jaws round its throat and in seconds the cheetal did not move. The tiger had it and I saw it!!! As if that wasn’t enough a 2nd Tiger emerged from the opposite side and walked towards the tiger and cheetal it had just killed. I must be dreaming I thought, this is surely too good to be true, a real life tiger kill, no one see’s this! With a gust of wind and dust flying in our faces we watched from a distance as the tigers took its prey and slinked off into the grasses! Now that was a lifetime experience!!

It was amazing to see and something that will stay in my mind forever. It was pretty gruesome but a fact of life, one which I understand has to happen to keep these extraordinary animals alive.

Elephant bath!

Next morning we had to leave the camp but not before we had our last safari. We headed off in a different direction to the routes we had taken previously and went to the reservoir where we saw basking Gharial & mugger crocodiles and woolly necked storks sitting on the banks looking for fish. We also saw black franklins on the grasslands, red headed vultures circling above us, ashy prinias and 3 brown fish owls sitting in one tree, perfectly camouflaged. Later we saw the beautiful Indian roller having a good old roll on the track in front of us and a jungle owlet swooping through the trees finding lizards for breakfast. I really don’t think I could have asked for more.

My time in Corbett National Park was now over. It’s not just the Tigers I came to see, that was just an added bonus, but the vast array of birds, mammals and reptiles. Every time I walked or was driven around the area, I was guaranteed to see something new. It fulfilled my lifetime ambition as well as giving me a new love for birding and exploration. I loved India and I will be back.

White-Rumped Shama (Copsychus malabaricus)

We all at some point in our life are fascinated with birds. During our childhood days, our adulthood or old age. Birds are found in different shape, size and colour. Birds are in true sense a gift of Mother Nature to us. Birds are a very special life form on earth as these winged creatures are capable of flying, running and even some can swim. Not all birds can fly like kiwi, ostrich. In many birds male and female birds of same species are of different colour this is called sexual dimorphism. Usually males are more beautiful and females are little dull in colour. This helps the female in choosing the best male for mating while their dull colour protects them from their enemies while they lay their eggs on the nest.

Crimson Sunbird (Aethopyga siparaja)

There are over 1500 species of birds found in India and more than 600 are recorded in Corbett region. Some of them are resident birds while some are migratory. Due to the geographical location of Corbett one can see summer and winter visitor birds in Corbett. Some birds do local migration while some birds come from other countries mainly ducks which come to this region during winters. Birds are found in different types of habitats. They live in water bodies, swamps, grasslands, riverbeds, dense forests and scrub forests.

Crested Serpent Eagle (Spilornis cheela)

Today many tourists visit places to see birds only. Uttarakhand with its rich wildlife is always a favourite destination for nature and wildlife lovers. But unfortunately we are not yet successful to attract more tourists from this segment. After religious tourism it is wildlife tourism which can earn handsome revenue to the state and can also generate employment for local unemployed youth. Government along private partners should work on strategies so that we can bring wildlife tourists to our state. We need to highlight other fauna like birds found in our forests and should organize bird watching or census programme on regular basis. It will not only attract birders but we will also be able to understand about their population etc.

Red-Vented Bulbul (Pycnonotus cafer)

Birds not only look beautiful but are very important for us. They play an important role in the ecosystem. They control the insects and other animals number. They are a very good pest controller as well as they also help in regeneration of forest through seed dispersal. They disperse seeds from one place to another and that is how trees of different species grow at different places. Some birds are fruit eating, some are insect eater some birds are carnivores (raptors) while some are scavengers. All these birds do various important tasks in the nature, some control the insects’ numbers while some take seeds of trees to other place. Some kills rats, snakes while some clean our environment by eating dead animals.

When one is doing bird watching there are many things one can note like their size, colour, special feature like, beak, legs, behaviour, place and time where the bird was seen. Few things are necessary for watching birds like a pair of binoculars, a field guide book about birds, a note pad and a pen or a pencil. At first one can start this as a hobby but after some experience and tips from experienced person anybody can become a good bird watcher. Great degree of patience is required for this.

In Corbett Tiger Reserve many species of raptors, kingfishers, woodpeckers, flycatchers, parakeets, drongos, orioles, sunbirds, owls, bulbuls, laughing thrush are found.

The mahseer shows more sport for its size then a salmon and therefore considered the best sportfish in the world….this is what snobs (??) of the Raj era had to say. Mahseer have overjoyed generations of anglers and time after time lived up to being called the “Mighty Mahseer”.

A Legend: One of the fascinating narrations of Jim Corbett in his book “Man-eater of Kumaon” is about his fishing for mahseer in a river that flowed for some 60 km through a beautiful valley teeming with wildlife. The chapter titled ‘Fish of my dreams’ narrates how the air then was filled with the fragrance of flower and the spring songs of a multitude of birds. Corbett exclaimed that angling for mahseer in a sub-montane river in that atmosphere was a sport fit for the kings!

While Corbett felt that the 50 lb mahseer he had caught could be forgotten, what would remain etched in his mind was the sublime surroundings in which he had caught the fish. His description of the river and surroundings seem to bring to life the Ramganga valley of the Corbett Tiger Reserve which is till one of the few strong holds of mahseer in India.

A Brief: The mahseer is a freshwater fish that can attain a huge size. A 70-80 kg catch has not been uncommon in this area which boasts fish which can grow to weights exceeding 100 kg.

Most mahseer take the bait quite avidly which perhaps has helped cultivate an erroneous impression of it being carnivorous and rapacious by nature. Studies have proven that mahseer are omnivorous and take almost anything—weeds, snails, crabs and live fish. The etymology of ‘mahseer’ throws up interesting clues. The word could mean a fish with ‘Lion’s gameness’, ‘large-scaled fish’, ‘large-headed fish’ or ‘fish par excellence’!

Distribution: Mahseer inhabit most river and reservoirs of India, Pakistan, Nepal, Bhutan, Bangladesh, Burma and Sri Lanka. Mahseer experts have recognized six to eight different species in India but no detailed information on the present status and distribution of each of these species is available. Different species of mahseer inhabit different habitats ranging from tropical water where the temperature in summer goes up to 35°C to sub-Himalayan waters where the winter water temperature drops close to 0°C. Mahseer can be found in streams a few metres above sea level and also in fast moving waters at altitudes of 2,000 m or more.

Ramganga: The mahseer species found in the Corbett Tiger Reserve is the golden variety (Tor putitora), graces the Ramganga river and weights up to 25 kgs. The biggest caught, weighed and photographed on the Vanghat beat was a 68 pounder in April 2004 by Mark Fielden from UK. Another Mahseer almost caught by Vish Satappam and George Fanthom, presumed to be over 70 lbs, literally dragged the rod away (which was later retrieved) and escaped.

Endangered mahseer: Accurate data on the catches of mahseer from different parts of the country is woefully lacking, however compression of figures from a few isolated surveys as well as observations of anglers and biologists indicate that there is a serious decline in the mahseer numbers in the country.

The decline is due to a combination of factors —unchecked and indiscriminate fishing, dynamiting and poisoning of rivers which destroys even the brood fish and juveniles, pollution and siltation of river bodies and construction of dams which has impeded the migration of mahseer, a factor crucial for its spawning. Unfortunately for mahseer, when compared to other commercial fish, it is more prone to depletion and extinction.

Spawning: A prime habitat requirement of the mahseer is clean water, which is fast becoming a scarcity. Favored mahseer spawning grounds are calm, well-oxygenated waters with a bed of sand or gravel. Journey to such grounds is fraught with risk and dangers. The fecundity of mahseer as compared to the commercially exploited species is very low. For example the Deccan or Khudree mahseer (Tor Khudree) has 6,000 eggs/kg body weight of rohu (Labeo Rohita) and 1,33,000 eggs/kg body weight of catla (Catla Catla).

The eggs of mahseer are demersal or capable of sinking to the river bed and therefore, mud instead of sand or gravel on the river bed can cause them to simply perish. The hatching period for Khudree mahseer is 60-80 hours while that of Golden or Himalayan mahseer is 80-96 hours as compared to the meagre18 hours for catla and rohu. Further, the semi-quiescent stage soon after hatching is three days for catla and rohu, while it is six days for Khudree mahseer. We can safely infer then that the mahseer is more vulnerable to all forms of decimation. If it is to survive throughout its range, there is an urgent need to plan and implement strict conservations measures.

Sumantha caught a Mahseer

Mahseer Haven: Ramganga river, where Corbett fished for his dinner, has over this century undergone a major change due to the construction of a dam at Kalagarh in the late 60’s and early 70’s. Consequently, the water in the reservoir encompasses an area of 60 sq km in summers and 80 sq km in the winter months. With the monsoons of July-August, areas around the 16 km of the river from Kalagarh to Dhikala stands inundated. Fortunately, the 32 km stretch of river a little upstream of Vanghat, (from where it enters the Corbett Tiger Reserve) right up to Dhikala, remains what it was a hundred year ago—a spectator to the abundant wildlife on both the banks. Mandal and Plain rivers, the upstream tributaries of the Ramganga, are vital spawning grounds for the Mahseer of the Tiger Reserve. Spawning usually occurs in the month of August.

It’s a great pleasure to see people getting acknowledged for their hard work and achievements and we would like to wish Mr Bhartari all he best for future success in his endeavours.

The reason for this project emerged after an obvious result from the firewood survey: the villagers will not reduce their wood collection unless some alternatives are provided to them. Unfortunately, the government is almost absent in such help. Our actions may be at small scale, but at least they are actions. The women are the protagonists of this project since they are the ones going inside the forests, the ones risking their lives and the ones who work the harder.

WELFARE has a strong will to empower villagers –strongly dependant on forest products – and to reduce their pressure on the forest. This would serve several purposes:

- by raising their income, the villagers will hopefully progressively modify their habits and buy wood alternative. The best alternative would be LPG but solar cookers should also be brought to their minds.

- by reducing their wood consumption, the villagers would obviously reduce their venues inside the forest, reducing their impact on the forest.

- by reducing the impact of the villagers on the forest, the man-animal conflicts should decrease too.

Different sub-projects are hosted under the name WELFARE:

- the Lantana furniture project: in association with ATREE, four villages (Kyari, Sunderkhal, Ringora and Chhoti Haldwani) have been selected to be trained how to make furniture out of Lantana. This project comprises the removing of Lantana camara, the making of the furniture, the selling and marketing of the furniture and the afforestation of the area where Lantana has been removed.

- NEEMA: this project is happening in Ringora village where a girl, Neema, is making the only artefacts available in and around Corbett, making them priceless. She is making a set of dolls and hand bags out of a local hemp, the “saan”. We are supporting her by managing the whole selling and marketing of her products and to give an identity to Ringora’s village. She is the ambassador of the brand and will confidently bring other girls from Ringora in this project, increasing the range of products made.

The idea of those projects is to combine the conservation of wildlife species such as tiger and of the environment and to improve villagers’ lives. The regeneration of the undergrowth and the forests in general is vital for the preservation of many animals’ habitat. We should never forget that the forests of Corbett are not ours, they belong to the animals. Imagine if someone came to your house to take every day pieces of your walls. In a near future, you would be left with nothing!

On the other hand, the improvement of villagers’ lives would cover a several facilities such as better health care, better education and self employment.

Please refer to the other blogs dedicated to each project to know more about them.

Comon Tiger Corbett

Corbett is popularly called the land of roar, trumpet and song – means it is known for tigers, elephants and birds. This is right as it has the highest density of wild tigers in the world with one of the best male female ratio of the Asian elephant (1:3) and an amazing diversity of avifauna with 625+ species of bird. It is rarely understood as a good area for butterflies. Corbett region is a paradise for butterflies and for those who love butterflies. People usually visit Corbett to watch ‘wildlife’ and from most of them understand ‘wildlife’ means tiger, leopard, elephant, and other large animals. However, wildlife means each and everything which has life on this planet, be it a snake, a plant, a tiger or the largest animal of our planet ‘whale’ etc. and this also cover small insects like butterflies.

Grass Jewel Corbett

Though no serious study has been done on butterflies in Corbett and exact number of butterfly species cannot be declared, But approximately more than 100 species of butterflies are found here. Common tiger, common nawab, baronet, common map, dark blue tiger, glassy tiger, blue tiger, common sailor, common leopard, common gem, chocolate soldier, common jezebell, commander, common castor, common cerulean, common gull, common wanderer, Dart, psyche, spot swordtail, yellow pansy. Great eggfly, bamboo tree brown, clubbeak, common blue bottle and common emigrant are some common species that can be seen in Corbett region. Areas like Jhirna, Bijrani, Dhikal and Lohacaur which are the main tourism zones of Corbett are good but as tourists are not allowed to walk one can only observe them from the vehicle. The main road National Highway number 121 between Aamdana to Dhangari gate, Tera village and Sitabani is a nice place to look for these winged insects closely.

Micro-fauna is always neglected by many people and only researchers and serious wildlife lovers pay attention to these beautiful creatures of our planet. Nature has inspired the human in many ways. We have learned and invented many things from the nature. Butterflies are one of the most colourful creatures on the planet and they always inspired our lyricist and artists.

Butterflies belong to the order Lepidoptera which includes moths and butterflies and is the second largest order among insects with approximately 150,000 species. Out of 150,000 species there are about 17,820 species of butterflies in the world and about 1500 species of butterflies are recorded so far from Indian subcontinent.

Indian Fritillary Corbett

Studying the butterflies is not an easy task but even amateur nature lovers can easily study butterflies. All one need is some basic things like a field guide, net, jar, paper envelops, forceps lens and microscope. But with above all you need a will to learn with great degree of patience. One needs to identify the species and observe their behaviour. Main things to be noted during the observations are like their behaviour, feeding habit, range, mating behaviour and their life history are few things which can be of great use. There are four stages in the life cycle of a butterfly – Egg, Larva, Pupa and Adult. This transformation from an egg to an adult is called complete metamorphosis. Average life of a butterfly is 15 – 20 days but some species also live up to six months.

Usually people confuse moths with butterflies but both can be differentiated from each other with following features:  Butterflies fly usually day time while most of the moths are nocturnal. Butterflies antennae are clubbed or hooked and never covered with hair while in moths they are of various shapes and sometimes hairy. Studying the butterflies can also be done by taking their photograph. Butterflies are very difficult subject for nature photography as they can see the movement easily due to their compound eyes. It requires lot of patience to for their photography and one can get best shots during early morning. The best place to look for the butterflies is either a garden of any open area in a forest like a nala or open areas with flowering plants. Lantana flowers are best to look for many species of butterflies.

Pea Blue

Conservation of these insects is very important from the ecological point of view. On one hand they are an important food chain component for the birds, and other animals. They are good indicators of environments and on the other hand they also help in the regeneration of many plant species. They are the second highest group of pollinators after honey bees.

Today because of various developmental activities going on near their habitat these butterflies are facing a threat. Agricultural activities, urbanization, grazing and forestry activities together degrading their habitats. Such disturbance damages their habitat and their food plants. One or Two degree temperature increase in the atmosphere due to global warming can lead to extinction of many species. There is a need to spread awareness amongst people for their conservation. Protected areas should be declared for their conservation. Like all other life forms these creature also has equal right to live on earth.

Fore more info please contact – Sanjay Chhimwal, junglee_s@rediffmail.com, +919837517359

A jeep safari is a good way to see the sights

One hundred years ago, India’s tigers numbered around 40,000, yet within decades the Royal Bengal Tiger faced extinction. Although hunting was outlawed in 1970, the survival of the species was threatened by continuing loss of habitat and by poaching.

Enacting the Wildlife Protection Act in 1972, India’s central government established the first nine tiger reserves, including Corbett and totalling 16,000sq km, across India.

Reserves now number 27 and encompass more than twice that initial land area.

Project Tiger has doubled India’s tiger population whilst safeguarding much of the gene pool and habitats for wildlife generally, although some argue that some smaller reserves are not viable populations.

As at Corbett, Tiger Reserves consist of a core, a heartland shielded from forestry, grazing and other disturbances. Buffer zones supplement the habitat and allow multiple uses, including pre-existing villages and forestry operations.

Project Tiger http://projecttiger.nic.in

Fact File

Corbett National Park is six hours drive east of Delhi. Overnight trains also serve Ramnagar, which offers a range of accommodation including the comfortable but bizarrely designed Country Inn Tree Tops, one of many hotels along the Ranikhet road.

Corbett Museum is 32 km from Ramnagar on the road to Nainital.

More information: Lonely Planet’s encyclopaedic India guide.