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Biodiversity Register
The Forest Hut resides in the magnificent Western Ghats, a treasured hub of biodiversity. Our unwavering commitment lies in the preservation and restoration of this precious ecosystem. At Forest Hut, we prioritize ecological restoration as the guiding principle for all our endeavors.
Interesting Sightings
We always knew that diversity in native flora would invite diverse fauna. And we keep getting surprised by the glimpses of micro-wildlife, some of which we never thought existed.
Rare Guest at the doorsteps – Meet Phipson’s shieldtail snake
Until recently, we didn’t know that shieldtail snake is listed as Vulnerable <VU> in IUCN red list.
When we saw it in our verandah, we felt really grateful.
Majestic Great Hornbills – They Came to Say “Hello!”
Similarly, recalling the great hornbill sighting still gives us goosebumps.
It was June 2019, the monsoon had just started.
It was around 3:00 in the afternoon, but the weather was cool and misty. The plantation was in full swing.
The Crested Serpent-Eagle, otherwise seldom heard, let alone seen through the rains, was very vocal that day. It had been uttering shrill notes since morning. All of us were busy with the plantation, and we heard this strange throaty barking call coming from the direction of the Varoti Wadi Devrai, no more than half a kilometer away from our farm. An old lady from the neighboring village claimed she had never heard this sound before. And then we saw them.
From a distance, we thought they were birds of prey. But then we saw the giant bill, the white-striped wings, and the bright yellow casque. As they came closer, we realized that they were much bigger than birds of prey. The pair of Great Hornbills flew majestically towards us, standing out against the lush green forested mountains behind. We stood, enchanted, in our tracks. The giant birds perched on a tall tree in our farm. They sat there for a few moments before soaring away into the mist.
As farmers of the forests, they are known
Black & Yellow plumage, they own
4 feet tall when full-grownI still return to that memory & think it was a dream. One of the many gifts from nature.
Bird Sightings at Forest Hut, Dhruv Dave
The Importance of Recording Observations
To capture our flora and fauna diversity, Shree has started publishing our observations at the Forest Hut on the India Biodiversity Portal. And having the observations recorded helps to;
- Maintain the data in a more systematic way.
- Identify some of the species that we may not be aware of – India Biodiversity Portal has some amazing members who help identify the species.
- Use the data to derive patterns to see how flora and fauna are evolving over time.
Shree’s observations on the moths got recognized recently at National Moth Week 2023.
You can bookmark following India Biodiversity Portal (IBP) link to stay updated about the observations at forest hut.
https://tinyurl.com/fhobservations
About IBP
To share your observations on the India Biodiversity Portal, simply create an account and start uploading. You can even upload without knowing the species – just check the “Help Identify” box and let others assist you.
India Biodiversity Portal is a great example of Citizen Science.
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