COCHIN NATURAL HISTORY SOCIETY

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)

Thursday, February 3, 2011

Wetlands( Conservation and Management) Rules 2010

Dear all,

At the bottom of the blog a link to the full text of the Wetlands(Conservation & Management)Rules 2010 is given for your reference and information

Wednesday, February 2, 2011

Prasanth’s Birdwatching Report 30-1-2011

I went for birdwatching to Koottikkal along with Madhu Krishnan from 6.30 am to 12.30 pm on 30-1-2011. We had seen the following birds,

1. Little Cormorant
2. Indian Pond Heron
3. Red Spurfowl
4. Grey Junglefowl
5. Whiskered Tern
6. Spotted Dove
7. Emerald Dove
8. Green Imperial Pigeon
9. Plum-headed Parakeet
10. Blue-winged Parakeet
11. Asian Koel
12. Greater Coucal
13. Jungle Owlet
14. White-breasted Kingfisher
15. Oriental Broad-billed Roller
16. Malabar Grey Hornbill
17. White-cheeked Barbet
18. Great Black Woodpecker
19. Lesser Golden-backed Woodpecker
20. Greater Golden-backed Woodpecker
21. Heart-spotted Woodpecker
22. Red-whiskered Bulbul
23. Common Iora
24. Jerdon's Chloropsis
25. White-throated Ground thrush
26. Oriental Magpie Robin
27. Jungle Babbler
28. White-headed Babbler
29. Greenish Leaf Warbler
30. Asian Paradise Flycatcher
31. Purple Sunbird
32. Grey-headed Starling
33. Southern Hill Myna
34. Eurasian Golden Oriole
35. Black-naped Oriole
36. Black-headed Oriole
37. Black Drongo
38. Bronzed Drongo
39. Greater Racker-tailed Drongo
40. Indian Treepie
41. White-bellied Treepie
42. House Crow
43. Jungle Crow.

For some pictures visit,

http://drsprasanth.blogspot.com/

Dr. S. Prasanth

Tuesday, January 25, 2011

Prasanth’s Birdwatching Report 23-1-2011

Today I visited HMT estate along with Madhu Krishnan for birdwatching from 8.30 am to 11.30 am. We had seen the following birds.

1. Cattle Egret
2. Indian Pond Heron
3. Brahminy Kite
4. Crested Serpent Eagle
5. Western Marsh Harrier
6. Spotted Dove
7. Asian Koel
8. Greater Coucal
9. Small Bee-eater
10. Blue-tailed Bee-eater
11. White-cheeked Barbet
12. Common Swallow
13. Large Pied Wagtail
14. Red-whiskered Bulbul
15. White-browed Bulbul
16. Brown Shrike
17. Oriental Magpie Robin
18. Indian Robin
19. Franklin's Prinia
20. Ashy Prinia
21. Blyth's Reed Warbler
22. Purple-rumped Sunbird
23. Purple Sunbird
24. Spotted Munia
25. Grey-headed Starling
26. Brahminy Starling
27. Rosy Starling
28. Common Myna
29. Black Drongo
30. House Crow
31. Jungle Crow

For some photos visit,

http://drsprasanth.blogspot.com/

Dr. S. Prasanth

Thursday, January 13, 2011

Invite

Asian Waterfowl Census (AWC) 2011.

Friends,

The CNHS invite you to participate in the Asian Waterfowl Census (AWC) 2011.

The AWC is an annual event and this year it will be carried out during January/February for collection and dissemination of information on waterbirds and wetlands. The result of the census and information are used to promote regional and national waterbird and wetland conservation issues. Indian Bird Conservation Network (IBCN) as well as Bombay Natural History Society (BNHS ) are coordinating the event.

So CNHS has plans to visit the largest and nearby Important Bird Area (IBA) in Ernakulam namely, the Devasowm Paadam, in the Varapuzha panchayat on 6^th February 2011 and count the waterbirds and thus become a part of this international exercise.

Thanking you in anticipation for your active participation in the AWC.

For further details, contact:

Dr.Dilip K.G.

9446128308

drdilipkg@yahoo.com

CIRCULAR

MALAYATTUR-IDAMALAYAR-POOYAMKUTTY BIRD SURVEY

Dear all,

The Cochin Natural History Society(CNHS) is happy to announce a major bird survey of this season.The Cochin Natural History Society(CNHS) &Kerala Birder shall team with Kerala Forest Department (KFD)to conduct a bird survey in Malayattur Forest Division - a largestretch of low & mid-altitude forests with few high elevations – stuck between the Vazhachal-Sholayar and Mankulam Divisions covering a hugearea of more than 600 sq.km of mostly evergreen forests including the famous stretches of Idamalayar & Pooyamkutty.

Dates
11th Feb 2011 - 14th Feb 2011
Assembling on 11th & Return on 14th.

Interested CNHS members/followers may please mail your
confirmations at the email: vpk_cusat@yahoo.com .More details on how to reach, where to reach etc will
follow by individual mail communication.

Thanks & Regards

Vishnupriyan Kartha

Secretary

COCHIN NATURAL HISTORY SOCIETY
Mobile: 9446437410

Monday, January 10, 2011

The Wildlife (Protection) Act, 1972

The full text of the ACT is given at the bottom of the blog for your information and reference. Pls. click the link.

Sunday, January 9, 2011

Bhootathankettu-Edamalayar Photos

You are invited to watch a wonderful Photo Album by Dr.George Mothi. It is on the right panel. Click over the photo to enlarge.

Indian Purple Frog

Paathaala thavala (Malayalam) Nasikabatrachus sahyadrensis (7cm)

Indian Purple Frog is a relatively large burrowing frog with a distinct, bloated appearance. Endemic to the Western Ghat Mountains (Sahyadri Mountains) - which conservationists consider a biodiversity hotspot. In Sanskrit, nasika means "nose" and batrachus means "frog," while Sahyadri refers to the location where this species is found.

The blackish-purple ‘living fossil’ looks like a bloated doughnut with stubby legs and a pointy snout. Its closest relatives hang out in the Seychelles, a group of islands 1,900 miles (3,000 kilometers) away. The species Nasikabatrachus sahyadrensis is estimated to have originated in the Jurassic, 130-180 million years ago.

Little has been published about the life history of Nasikabatrachus sahyadrensis; it is rarely seen. N. sahyadrensis is fossorial (adapted to digging) and comes to the surface only for a few weeks a year to breed.

Human pressure, primarily from agriculture, has reduced forest coverage and dam projects in the Western Ghats threaten large portions of this frog's habitat.

Courtesty: Biju and Bossuyt (2003), Aggarwal (2004), Dutta et al. (2004), Radhakrishnan et al. (2007) and Sandeep Das

This photograph was taken at Ernakulam on 24^th May 2012.

FORTHCOMING PROGRAMMES

> World Wildlife Week Celebration (Concluded. For more details, pls. see BLOG ARCHIVE, Oct 3-10, 2010)

> Bird Race 2010 (concluded. For more details, pls. see BLOG ARCHIVE,Nov 14-28 and see Right panel)

> Birding Tour for new comers to be organised by CNHS.(Edamalayar-Bhoothathankettu birding trip conducted.For more details, pls. see BLOG ARCHIVE, Dec 5-12 and also right panel).

> Pelagic Bird Survey in Ernakulam!

(Conducted in February,2012)

> Asian Waterfowl Census - CNHS to participate on 6th Feb 2011, at Devasowm paadam, Varapuzha, Kochi (Concluded. See report below)

> Edamalayar Bird Survey (By Kerala Birder and CNHS, from Feb 11-14, 2011. Conducted. See report below))

Thursday, February 3, 2011

Wetlands( Conservation and Management) Rules 2010

Wednesday, February 2, 2011

Prasanth’s Birdwatching Report 30-1-2011

Tuesday, January 25, 2011

Prasanth’s Birdwatching Report 23-1-2011

Thursday, January 13, 2011

Invite

CIRCULAR

Monday, January 10, 2011

The Wildlife (Protection) Act, 1972

Sunday, January 9, 2011

Bhootathankettu-Edamalayar Photos

CNHS Membership Application Form

SAVE Asia`s Vulture from Extinction(SAVE)

An Introduction to Birds and Birdwatching

Checklist Of Indian Birds

Madhav Gdgil Report on Western Ghats

Fifty Ways To Make Your Home Eco-friendly

State of the World`s Birds-2013

Threatened Birds of Kerala

Munnar Bird Survey Report

Conservation Across Landscapes-India`s Approach to Biodiversity Governance

Citizen Sparrow Project

Green Guide for Teachers

List Of Endemic Birds Of India

Spatial Map of Western Ghats(Courtsey MoEF website)

Wetland Atlas of Kerala

Endangered Animals Of India List

Wetlands Rules 2010

The Indian Wildlife (Protection) Act 1972

Green Passport Application Form

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LINKS:- Some Useful Web Links