Fatal Hepatitis and Ticks in a female gaur in Thadagam Reserve Forest

A newspaper report on August 23 2019 from Coimbatore says a female gaur died in an elephant proof trench in the borders of the Thadagam Reserve Forest.

As per the report of the District Forest Officer the cause of death was hepatitis and ticks. 

The gaur known as the Indian Bison is a vulnerable species in the Western Ghats.

Gaurs are magnificent wild animals known to be elusive.

From what source or contact could this female gaur have acquired hepatitis and what were the kind of ticks that caused the death?

A female gaur, believed to be around four years old, was fou ..

Read more at:
http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/articleshow/70794908.cms?utm_source=contentofinterest&utm_medium=text&utm_campaign=cppst

District forest officer Venkatesh said hepatitis and tick in ..

Read more at:
http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/articleshow/70794908.cms?utm_source=contentofinterest&utm_medium=text&utm_campaign=cppst

District forest officer Venkatesh said hepatitis and tick in ..

Read more at:
http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/articleshow/70794908.cms?utm_source=contentofinterest&utm_medium=text&utm_campaign=cppst

Proiphys amboinensis flowers continously from November till February

It didn't rain at all in March this year 2019 in Thiruvananthapuram unlike the same time last year. The days and nights have been much hotter too this year. Yet the lily with the luminescent flowers Proiphys amboinensis flowered throughout January and February this year unlike last year. The flowering which began with the November rains in 2018 continued till February this year. The fragrance and the luminosity of the flowers remained the same throughout the flowering period from November till February.

With the shortage of water this year, rice water which is the left over from the cooking of rice was used for watering the plants. Could it have been the rice water which caused this continuous flowering?

 Proiphys amboinensis flowering in February 2019

November Rains -Three

After flowering earlier this year, the lily with the luminescent flowers -Proiphys amboinensis flowered again this November. The buds came some time in mid-November with the rains. A fluffy insect crawled all over Proiphys amboinensis when it had its buds.

Proiphys amboinensis with buds and a crawling fluffy insect

The fluffy insect just crawled all over the plant without eating any part of the plant. 

The Lily with the luminescent flowers/Proiphys amboinensis

After five days the buds started blooming. The flowers stay open even through the night and remain attached to the stalks for as long as two weeks. 

The Lily with the luminescent flowers/Proiphys amboinensis in Thiruvananthapuram

November Rains - Two

Tending to Heliconias takes a lot of time and effort.

A Heliconia flower

There is some respite from watering with the coming of rains in November.

Heliconia flowers in the November rains, Thiruvananthapuram

 

Heliconia flowers also attract visitors such as humming birds and bats.

This November-an unusual red-rimmed variety of Heliconia also flowered. 

A red-rimmed variety of Heliconia in Thiruvananthapuram

November Rains - One

November rains in Thiruvananthapuram are pleasantly cool and not chilling as they are in Northern India. The rains this time brought forth a Krishna Thulasi/Ocimum sanctum and a Thekku/Tectona grandis along with the usual undergrowth. 

Krishna Thulasi/Ocimum sanctum & Thekku/Tectona grandis saplings in the undergrowth

Sacred Groves - a rich abode of biodiversity in Kerala; now on the verge of extinction.

- stated a report over a year ago in March 2015, prepared by a Committee chaired by State Minister for Forest, Sports and Cinema Thiruvanchur Radhakrishnan, which was tabled in the ongoing Assembly session then.

The report went on to state that , 'the sprawling patches of sacred groves; the rich abode of biodiversity seen in and around villages across Kerala, are on the verge of extinction due to large-scale construction following demographic changes.'

'Known as 'sarpakavu' or 'kavu' in local parlance, sacred groves are traditional places of worship with some of them having idols of snakes and goddesses.'

'The increase in number of construction of new buildings in the place of ancestral homes, which used to house sacred groves in their premises, have virtually led to the destruction of this biodiversity system.'
 
'The report also said indiscriminate grazing in the last few decades, uncontrolled felling of trees for firewood and changes in the pattern of worship (from nature worship to temple) have also contributed to the dwindling of groves.'

'Groves are home to a large number of rare flora and fauna, including those facing extinction threat. As many as 475 species of birds, 100 species of mammals, 156 species of reptiles, 91 species of amphibians, 196 species of fishes and 150 varieties of butterflies can be seen in the groves in the state.'

'Though there were about 10,000 groves in the princely state of Travancore before the formation of Kerala, only  1,200 of them remain now.'

'Coastal district Alappuzha has the highest number of groves, while high-range districts of Idukki and Wayanad have the lowest number.' 

'Iringorkavu", spread over 2.5 acres in Perumbavur in Ernakulam district, is the largest grove in the state.' it said.'

Some Observations:
1. The report failed to mention a law - 'The Kerala Joint Hindu Family System (Abolition) Act, 1975' which wrought havoc in joint Hindu families who were conserving most of the sacred groves and the flora and fauna in them, in Kerala. Partition deeds for share of the lands to be given to each family member- increased- much more than the species existing in these sacred groves.

2. Sacred Groves are precious assets. Only those who have worshipped in these glorious places can preserve them through traditional practices distilled with their rich traditional knowledge of nature.

3. Traditional knowledge which was passed from generation to generation mostly through women of the families was cruelly disrupted. 

4. Close relationships within most families were broken through 'The Kerala Joint Hindu Family System (Abolition) Act, 1975' law which only encouraged conflict between members to battle each other in courts of law.  

5. All sorts of predators... still prowl around vulnerable family members to draw one into ...prolonged court cases 

6.The snakes in the Hindu sacred groves were more trustworthy, dependable... than these *vile predators*.

7. The pattern of worship from nature to temples (that are now *controlled* by the Government (via the various Devaswom boards) bringing in much money (?) was a corollary.

8.The Marumakkathayam Law which gave inalienable rights to property and right to matrilocality to girls protecting them in the eventuality of a serious mental illness disability was abolished too as it is mentioned in 'The Kerala Joint Hindu Family System (Abolition) Act, 1975'

9. So many women with serious mental illness disability who could heal in the environment of the quiet peaceful rich sacred groves in Kerala were adversely impacted which is strangely overlooked by ...academics, historians.

Some Observations - Growing Platycerium

Pic 1. July 2015

Pic 1. July 2015:  New shoots appeared on Guru Purnima Day. Some algae growing near too. 

Pic 2. December 2015

Pic 2. December 2015: The North East Monsoon started sometime in September and the rains continued through October...still going on with an occasional sunny day. Lichens have appeared near the base of some fronds.

Pic 3. December 2015

Pic 3. December 2015: Platycerium seems to be liking the showers and thunderstorms. Both the silvery copper fronds in the base and the green fronds which bear spores are growing well. The Lichens can be seen in the base.