Birds, Frogs, dogs to the fore at Pilikula wildlife week

Birds, Frogs, dogs to the fore at Pilikula wildlife week

Mangalore Today News Network

Mangaluru, Oct 5, 2015 : A variety of events were held as a part of Wildlife Week, organised at Dr Shivaram Karantha Pilikula Biological Park, in Mangaluru Oct 4.  The drawing competition for children, held as a part of the wildlife week, Nitte University Science, Education and Research Centre Director Dr Indrani Karunasagar said that all must contribute in their own way towards a cleaner environment and better life quality.

 

 

She found a need to strike a balance between development activities and environment.

DK Deputy Commissioner Adoor B Ibrahim, Sri Shivaram Karanth Pilikula Nisargadhama Executive Director Dr Prabhakar Sharma S A, Pilikula Biological Park Director Jayaprakssh Bhandary, Karnataka State Pollution Control Board Senior Environment officers Rajashekhar Puranik and Jayaprakash Nayak were present among others.

Frogs on show :  Exhibition of many species of frogs, found in Western Ghats, was organised by Aloysius College former professor in Zoology Dr Harish Joshi. Specimen of 35 varieties of the frogs, including those discovered by him, including Fejervarya kudremukhensis, Euphlyctis mudigere, Raorchestes luteolus, Fejervarya granosa, Euphlyctis aloysii, Fejervarya mudduraja and Fejervarya caperata, were on display.

 Dr Joshi said there are around 150 species of frogs in the Western Ghats and new ones are reported often. Species like Rana tigrina, Euphlyctis hexadactylus are endemic. Also, several species of green frog and water frog are endangered, due to their loss of habitats and various human activities. Use of chemical fertilisers in fields, destroys the eggs of frogs, he added. An exhibition on snakes, wildlife photography contest, quiz competition for children and pet show were also held.

On Birds : African grey bird has a great memory power, said Mohammed Nihad as he exhibited his collection of exotic birds during the wild life week celebration at Dr. Shivaram Karanth Pilikula Nisargadhama. A one-year-old bird begins to speak after taming. It can remember many words as it lives between 60 years and 70 years, he said.

He said that the life span of Kakarikis is about eight years. It attained adulthood in four months. Sun Kannur bird has rare colour, he pointed out. He also exhibited a Russian cat.  They were a big draw at the venue, with children and adults taking the exotic birds in their hands.

Dogs etc : Pet show with dogs and cats attracted visitors. Four police dogs presented stunts. Dogs of all varieties – the Great Danes, Labradors, Dobberman, Rottweiler’s, Boxers – were on show.

The precision show by canines of the police dog squad was attractive. The three Labradors – Geetha, Arjun, and Karna – and the Dobberman, Sudha, attracted visitors. Police used them for detecting narcotics, explosives and crime.

Harish, a resident of Navoor in Belthangady who handles Geetha said it was unthinkable to be away from the 4-1/2-year old Labrador. Having taken it under his wing, as a nine-month old puppy, Geetha has undergone extensive training at the state dog training centre in Bengaluru is an expert at detecting explosives.