Thekkady
From Behind the Wheel: Truth In Advertising
Thekkady
The Poetry of Science
This conversation between two luminaries of modern science: Neil deGrasse Tyson, astrophysicist and host of NOVA and evolutionary biologist Richard Dawkins is as poetic as it is informative, and well worth the time it takes to listen.
Professor Dawkins says that science is the poetry of reality. We take pleasure in his and Professor Tyson’s expanded bandwidth… Continue reading
Hindhu Festival – Maha Shivaratri
Photo credits: Ramesh Kidangoor
Maha Shivaratri means “the great night of Shiva”. Shiva- the name meaning auspicious- is one of the Hindu Trinity, comprised of Lord Brahma The Creator; Lord Vishnu The Preserver and Lord Shiva The Destroyer. This festival is said to commemorate the day on which Shiva protected the world by drinking a pot of poison that had the power to destroy the entire universe. Continue reading
Bird of the Day: Spot-billed Pelican
Lalbagh Botanical Gardens, Bangalore, Karnataka
CJ, Kashmir And Awesome Powder At The Top Of The World
Russ Juskalian for The New York Times. A skier in a backcountry section of the Gulmarg area.
Our friends at the New York Times appear to agree with our friend CJ that the place to be this ski season is Kashmir. Click the image to go to the story in the Travel section of Sunday’s edition:
The risks of a ski trip to Kashmir? Security, avalanches and the altitude. The rewards? Perfect powder, an absence of crowds and staggering Himalayan beauty.
Flavours Of Kerala – Idli
Photo credits: Ramesh Kidangoor
Idli is a South Indian savoury cake made by steaming a batter made with fermented rice powder, black gram dal and salt in a special pan with rounded indentations. Idlis are popular throughout India especially the southern part of the country. The dish is usually served with sambar and various chutneys, including tomato, coconut or coriander.
Continue reading
If You Happen To Be in New York City
From today until May 19 the New-York Historical Society will begin hosting a multi-phased exhibition of Audubon‘s early, exuberant period as an illustrator-naturalist:
Audubon’s Aviary: Part I of the Complete Flock
To celebrate the sesquicentennial of the New-York Historical Society’s purchase of the Audubon avian watercolors and the the release of the lavishly illustrated book Audubon’s Aviary: The Original Watercolors for “The Birds of America”―published by the New-York Historical Society and Skira/Rizzoli and winner of a 2013 New York Book Show Award Continue reading
Don Edwards Wildlife Preserve, CA
Bird of the Day: Great Blue Heron
For Foodie Friends
This is the third of the “From Scratch” entrepreneurship-focused podcasts we have sampled, and each one so far has been excellent. The first two had a very strong connection to conservation, which explains why we sampled them first. This one has no connection to conservation, but there is a great spirit of community embedded in everything Keller says. He is notably clear-headed in acknowledging the role his family played in his development, and how his eventual success was due to people who might not have been expected to support him. Click the image above to go to the podcast.
From Behind the Wheel: Psychic Mass Transit
Elderberry – Sambucus nigra
Native to the sub-tropical regions of Europe and Australia, Elderberry grows widely in Kerala’s Hill Range gardens above 1000 meters. The clustered berries are an important food for many birds and the flowers are a favorite for honey bees and other pollinating insects. Continue reading
Bird of the Day: Green-tailed Warbler
Parque Valle Nuevo, Dominican Republic
Mammals In Modern Habitats
Little did we know that there was an organization called The Mammal Society, let alone that they sponsor such a phenomenal photo competition each year (see some of the prizes offered to understand why so many people contribute). We appreciate the acknowledgement that wild mammals are increasingly found in domesticated locations, which is not how it should be but here is what it looks like:
In 2012-2013 we ran the first Mammal Photographer of the Year competition for amateur photographers. Judges, including Kate MacRae, AKA “Wildlife Kate”, and photographer Steve Magennis are looking for images that tell a story, show rare behaviour, highlight mammals in a fragile environment, or make the ordinary extraordinary. The aim was to bring mammals into public focus, raising awareness of the issues they face, and hopefully encouraging us to appreciate the species that are often overlooked but essential to the health of our habitats. Continue reading
Nagarahole National Park – Karnataka
Photo credits: Ramesh Kidangoor
Nagarahole National Park is located near Mysore in Karnataka, covering an area of 643.39 sq km. This national park is one of the best-maintained wildlife reserves in the country. The name of the park is derived from naga, which means cobra in Kannada (the local language of Karnataka) and hole, referring to streams, or river. The park, also known as Rajiv Gandhi National Park, has an abundance of fauna including spotted deer, wild boar, gaur, elephants, leopard and tigers. Continue reading
Read, Weep, Act
Figure 1. Elephant dung density and range reduction across the Central African forests.
A just-released scientific study documents the destruction. Roughly 25,000 elephants per year are killed in Africa to feed the demand for ivory in Asia, and the pace has increased in the last decade such that, in another decade, extinction is possible. A petition that led to one important-sounding announcement provided momentary hope until it was noted that no dates or even vague timelines were committed to. For now, we have only the clear, cold facts of science and whatever stimulus these findings provide for us to take action:
Abstract
African forest elephants– taxonomically and functionally unique–are being poached at accelerating rates, but we lack range-wide information on the repercussions. Analysis of the largest survey dataset ever assembled for forest elephants (80 foot-surveys; covering 13,000 km; 91,600 person-days of fieldwork) revealed that population size declined by ca. 62% between 2002–2011 Continue reading
Bird of the Day: Black-necked Stilt (Don Edwards National Wildlife Refuge, CA)
From Behind the Wheel: Moto’more
Kacheripady, Ernakulam
Beauty Of Kerala – Varkala Beach
Photo Credits: Ramesh Kidangoor
Varkala is situated about 50 km north of Thiruvananthapuram, the capital of Kerala. The area’s topography is perhaps its best attraction; the wide plateau atop steep laterite cliffs offers a grand vista of the sea. Continue reading
Bird of the Day: White-necked Rock Fowl
Photo Credit: Adam Riley, Rockjumper Birding Tours
Asumura Village, Brong Ahafo Region, Ghana
Wild Bees And Crop Yields
Wild bees, such as this Andrena bee visiting highbush blueberry flowers, play a key role in boosting crop yields. Left photo by Rufus Isaac/AAAS; Right photo courtesy of Daniel M.N. Turner
We like stories about bees for many reasons, but mostly in relation to the seemingly unrelated topics of food and collective action. In less than five minutes, this podcast news story adds important information to the mix:
Some of the most healthful foods you can think of — blueberries, cranberries, apples, almonds and squash — would never get to your plate without the help of insects. No insects, no pollination. No pollination, no fruit.
Farmers who grow these crops often rely on honeybees to do the job. But scientists are now reporting that honeybees, while convenient, are not necessarily the best pollinators. Continue reading
