Regd. Office: Revathi Bhavan, Edathala P O, ALUVA-683561. Reg.No.: ER 18/10 of 2010 Telephone No.: 0484-2837414 Email:cochinnaturalhistorysociety@gmail.com


WELCOME TO THE COCHIN NATURAL HISTORY SOCIETY

The Cochin Natural History Society is a non-profit making, non-political charitable institution registered under the Travancore-Cochin Literary, Scientific and Charitable Societies Registration Act, 1955. This is a society of amateur naturalists who live in harmony with nature and seek to protect and to preserve the biodiversity and healthy natural environment. The mandate of the society is to undertake studies and documentation of biodiversity around us and to draw attention to the aesthetic, economic, scientific and conservation aspects.The society also intends to provide a platform to those who are concerned to come together and share, enlarge and correct our knowledge about Nature and its magnificence. Any person, who has a love, interest and commitment towards conservation of our biodiversity and natural history may become a member of the society*.







"You can know the names of a bird in all languages of the world,but when you are finished ,
You will know absolutely nothing whatever about the bird.....
So let`s look at the bird and see what it`s doing --that`s what counts.
I learned very early the difference between knowing the name of something and knowing something."


-Nobel Laureate Richard P Feynman(1918-1988)


Saturday, March 22, 2014

InverteBlitz in Idukki Wildlife Sanctuary Successfully Completed


Cochin Natural History Society and Kerala Forest Department have conducted a Faunal Survey of the invertebrate fauna of the Idukki Wildlife Sanctuary on 14-16th March 2014. This was done using a new method of monitoring and documenting biodiversity in a given place using citizen volunteers and scientists and professionals. It is called InverteBlitz a modified form of BioBlitz which has been done in Aralam WildLife Sanctuary in the past. A bioblitz is an intense period of biological surveying in an attempt to record all the living species within a designated area (protected Area/Wildlife Sanctuary). Groups of scientists, Naturalists and Volunteers conduct an intensive field study over a continuous time period. There is a public component to InverteBlitz, with the goal of getting the public interested in biodiversity. Total of 18 participants from different parts of Kerala and from different backgrounds like Pharmacists, Mechanics, Sociologists, Doctors,Clerks,Entomologists(those who study insects in general),Myrmecologists(those who study ants) ,Odonatologits(those who study Dragonflies and Damselflies) Lepidopterists(those who study Butterflies),retired Engineers, Zoology students  all participated in the exercise.

The InverteBlitz was designed by Dr.Mohammed Jafar Palot, Scientist, Western Ghats Field Research Station, Zoological Survey of India, Kozhikode and Prof.Dr.Dilip K.G., President, Cochin Natural History Society. This survey was held with the assistance of Malabar Natural History Society and Travancore Natural History Society. Participants included Dr.Muhammed Jafer Palot, Dr.Dilip K G, Kiron C G (Author, Dragonflies and Damselflies of Kerala), Manoj. A (Myrmecologist), Sri.Baiju(Lepidopterist) etc.

IDUKKI WILDLIFE SANCTUARY

Idukki Wildlife Sanctuary is located between 9040’ and 9055’N latitudes and 76050’ and 77005’E longitudes and is situated in Kerala state, Idukki district, Udumpanchola and Thodupuzha Taluk. The area is a part of Nagarampara Reserve Forests and forms the catchment area of Periyar River and caters to ldukki Hydel Project. The sanctuary was notified in 1976. The area was previously part of Kottayam Forest Division. The total extent of the sanctuary is 105.364sq.km which includes 33sq.km water body of the Idukki Reservoir The sanctuary consists of two Sections: Idukki Section, which was previously part of Nagarampara Range and Kizhukanam Section, which was part of Ayyappankovil Range.

RESULTS OF THE SURVEY

Summary Results of this survey is given below:-

 
Ø 18 participants

Ø  Camps at            

·         Kizhukanam

·         Vakavanam

·         Vairamani(Vellakkamaly)

·         Chempakassery

·         Kettuchira

Ø  Found more than 350 species of  Invertebrates

Ø  30+ species of  Ants

Highlights

v  Found Blind Ant from Kettuchira camp

Ø  25+ species of Spiders

Highlights

v  Found Ant Mimicing Spider from Kettuchira camp

Ø  80+  species of  Butterflies

Highlights

v  Found Malabar Flash from Vairamani camp

v  Malabar Tree Nymph from many localities

Ø  5+ species of  Centipedes

Highlights

v  Found Coral Centipedes from several camps

v  Scolopendra sp.

Ø  Grasshoppers  more than 25 species

Ø  Painted grass hoppers and  other Katydids

Ø  Crickets – more than 25 species

Ø  2  species of  Scorpions

Ø  20+ species of  Dragonflies

Ø  6 species of  Cockroaches

Ø  20+ species of  Wasps

Ø  3  species of  Freshwater Crabs

Ø  2  species of  Earthworms

Ø  2  species of  Waterskaters(Water striders are bugs that can walk on water. They live on the surface of ponds and    marshes. They eat both living and dead insects, such as butterflies, dragonflies, and mosquitos.)

Ø  Many species of  beetles such as Whirligig beetles, Tiger beetles, Ladybird beetles,  Carabid beetles, Long-horned beetles, Chrysomelid beetles, Jewel beetles, etc.,

Ø  More than 20 species of hemipteran bugs

Ø  Cotton bugs, Assassin bugs

Ø  Praying Mantis- 6 species

Ø  Moths- at least 10 species

Ø  Stick insects- 3 species

Ø  Snails and  Slugs- 4-5 species

Ø  Millipedes- 4 species

Ø  Flies- many species including flower flies, blow flies, Horse flies, Crane flies, Blue bottle flies, Sarcophagid flies etc- at least  8 species

Ø  Earwigs- 3 species

Ø  Cicadas- 2 species

Ø  Wasps- many species like spider wasps, potter wasps, paper wasps, hornets, etc

Ø  Phalangids- 2 speceis

Ø  Honeybees- 2 species

Ø  Mosquitoes – 3 specis

Vertebrates

Ø  Some interesting Birds

·         Savannah Nightjar

·         Jungle Nightjar

·         Short-toed Snake Eagle

·         River Tern

·         Woolly-necked stork

·         Little Grebe

·         Great cormorant

·         Oriental Darter

·         Indian Pitta

·         Black Eagle

Ø  Frogs

·         5 species

Ø  Toads – 2 speceis

Ø  Lizards- 5 specis

Ø  Skinks- 2 specis   

Ø  Gunther’s Vine Snake

Ø  Caesilian – Icthyophis beddomei

Ø  Elephant - mating at Vellakkamali (Vairamani team) 15-03-2014, 10.30 a.m.
There was a competition for spotting maximum diversity of species and Sri.Manoj. A,  Myrmecologist and member of TNHS got the first prize (91 points) and  Sri.Hari Praved,MSc Student,MES College Ponnani got the Runner Up Prize(89 points).The Survey was Co-Ordinated by Sri.Saji P K, Wildlife Warden,Idukki Wildlife Division ,Sri.Jayachandran Range Forest Officer, IWLS and Vishnupriyan Kartha,Secretary,Cochin Natural History Society