------------------------------------------------------------ The WildGoa Newsletter! News & Views about Goa's Wildlife & Outdoors Scene Vol. 2008.01 ------------------------------------------------------------
Yes, yes...voi murre...it's actually been 'years' since the last newsletter was out. Instead of excuses, and reasons, let's aim to change all of this, and get on with some more action and activities. I must say however, that in the silent period, I've been keeping myself busy with lots and lots of wildlife and environmental stuff here in Goa, and I'm eager to share my experiences and information with you all. I've also been traveling a lot, gaining different perspectives, and sharing experiences in faraway places like Sweden, Portugal, Germany and even up in the mountains of Nepal. I'm encouraging everybody at WildGoa to use this informal network of wildlifers, and wildlife and nature supporting people to learn and work together in achieving common goals. Step up people, and volunteer to help make the change.. Read on.. :) Clinton.. ------------------------------------------------------------ What's in: Focus Article.............................Drums in Heaven Article........................................Man-Primate Conflicts-towards solutions or problems! Wild News!................................Wild News from Goa's Newspapers Funny Bone.. ............................Jokes & Funny Pics WildGoa Event...........................25th April Meeting Regarding Saving the Frogs WildGoa Event...........................27th April Birdwatching at Donna Paula ------------------------------------------------------------ Drums in heaven -Hansel Vaz Think slimy, big beady eyes. Imagine a long tongue for eating insects, and a pond or puddle to call home, its not a movie character out of a thriller. Its Mr. Froggy, I am talking about. The same chap who emotes mixed reactions over a cross section of people. Some people scream, while others drool, and then there are people who actually interested in discovering what this amphibian is all about. The rains have come and all of us whether children or not get excited. The farmers are happy, the MET department is anxious, kids want floods to get holidays and the frog hunters are sharpening their knives. For a few of us, the timing of the rain is most critical. If it rains night, say after 11 pm then its not good. However if it rains by 7pm , a good shower, you bet there will be a lot of hustle and bustle in a lot of homes. That's because the conditions for frog hunting are now ideal. I am told for some its not a business but just an activity that you do to relax. Usually these plans are all made at the local tavern, over a few cops of feni.. or whatever that will keep you warm on the cold evening. Its simple, no sophisticated equipment. Just the humble umbrella, a sack, or 'pothy' plastic bag, a torch and yes a sharp knife. You are now the best dressed frog hunter in goa. They say they have ethics and they know that what they are doing is wrong. Since everybody knows that frogs eat mosquitoes the frogs found in your back yard are not touched, but they will go to the village fields. Sadly there are no frogs in the fields any more, the days of yore are lamented. Besides the frogs found near your village are dirty, even the ones found in wells. The best are the ones that come out to have 'bath' in the hills and forests. These frogs are clean and besides no one lives In the forest so why would anyone need to control mosquitoes? Besides only the 1st to days of the rains are used for frog hunting as the fields are not flooded, later the frogs can swim in the water. And how can one argue about decreasing frog numbers when they each only hunt about 80 frogs on an average every night, and this is done only for 2 days maybe 3. so my argument was useless. Why it was rendered more useless by these clever fools was revealed to me as I asked more and more people. Now this mosquito repellent is a debatable topic. Most believe that they eat only certain insects and leave -- so its ok to kill them? Odomos is what you should have in your bedroom if you have a mosquito menace, nothing beats even if it costs only 20 rupees. So on a good night, you could come home with even 200 frogs. Good eh? Considering the fact that each sells for at least 60 rupees in the market. And you have to be careful to use the word jumping chicken, so that no one get suspicious. But true to the good old Goan spirit, I will share my catch with my neighbours. Frog hunting is done for fun, not as a major source of food, so out of good will and the spirit of loving thy neighbour, it is duly shared. Also frogs are very hygienic!! As they don't smell when they die, tha's why they are good to eat. Yes I got many answers. Everyone agrees that frogs in the villages are now extinct and not worth combing the fields only for about 20 frogs. The find of a turtle is very good luck. And that make s a good curry. Boil turtle alive or just cut the underbelly when its alive. Why should there be any emotion, they don't make any sound. So you go to places like Chinchinim and Sanguem, I will not reveal the exact locations. These are sure places wher you can come home with a sack full of frogs. The police.. um. Some can be bribed with frog legs, again the goodwill counts. Others may book you, but then its worth it. Around Margao is not safe so you have to go to the villages. If you want to sell the frogs in the market the whole frog alive has to be sold. As some like to eat the body as well. The frog chill fry is said to be lip smacking. And the restaurants now make a Chinese dish like 'rums of heaven'. Why should the government interfere? Everyone does it and it's a tradition. Knowledge is passed over generations. Besides the government is confused, on one hand they try to protect Goan culture and now they are saying frog hunting should be banned, just like the 'banning' of bull fights. And more so the government has no business as they are feeding them, so they should not interfere. One boy told me that the only time they feel bad is when thay begin slitting they bellies to clean them up. The easy job of pulling of the skin while the frog is still alive is made tougher when they find most of the frogs with bellies full of eggs. That's the only time they feel bad. I will end by, stating that yes these people do have a heart, we have to find it. So don't feel shy to tell the friendly neighbour or the restaurant that what they are doing is only helping odomos. Hansel Vaz wrote this after speaking with a lot of village boys in coastal Salcete. Hansel is a true wildifer at heart, having gone out on frog rescue missions, armed just with a camera & mobilephone (to call for help if required). While he now spends his time working offshore New Zealand, he returns back to Goa for the Mangoes and Monsoons this Saturday. He can be contacted at <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> *** Man-Primate Conflicts-towards solutions or problems! -Nirmal Kulkarni The Non-Human primates (as they are referred to) that are commonly found in Goa include the Common Langur (Semnopithecus entellus) and the Bonnet Macaque (Macaca radiata) and both these species are being frequently seen in conflict with humans across the state. Though our tolerance for the same has been phenomenal towards them, the not-in-my-backyard syndrome is slowly taking root amongst us, urban Goans all across the state. Our failure to accept facts about the reduction in natural habitats and available food, etc for such wildlife often leads us to raising our voice about such issues that are then solved in a manner that raises serious questions about the handling of such problems. The above said animals are often trapped with the help of trap door cages with baits due to complaints and voracious protests by urban dwellers where these animals 'stray' in thanks to loss of habitat and forest cover. Some of these also land up in people's homes as objects of prestige and are later dumped into the neighbourhood to aggravate the problem. The urban Goans easiest method of ensuring the removal of such animals is the local press, which promptly puts up demands of every neighbourhood to solve the problem. Easier said than done, the response is the trap cage or bait where the unsuspecting primate is lured and trapped. It is then transported to a range office, kept for some days and later discretely released in an unknown location! (Some of these locations would not only raise eyebrows but protests as well!!) This sounds very simple, but is the most disturbing aspect of the whole issue as these unfortunate primates are being left in wild habitats in and around the hinterland of Goa without any monitoring or scientific conservation methods. And while this practice is termed as Translocation or Rehabilitation by the Forest Department, it is a sad fact that both these terms are far from the reality of this practice that is being followed over the times. The word Translocation actually means to augment or re establish a population in a wild habitat with the help of field staff, scientists and wildlife biologists who would monitor the process over a given period of time. Rehabilitation, on the other hand is a sustained process of releasing animals in a phased manner after they acclimatize to their new habitats in the wild. Our Forest Department, does what is called DUMPING of wildlife, i.e. literally releasing primates in areas where the rural population of Goans do not have the means or access to make complaints or even call for help in cases of conflicts. In fact more than solving the problem, we are worsening it more by introducing animals to an existing population of wild primates which are either forced out or move towards rural villages for their source of food. These traits of homing back to human settlements are often observed across the state and the results vary from the primates being poisoned, shot or captured again to start the cycle all over again, depending on who spots the primates first! Besides which, it is an established fact, proved by scientific research that wild animals that come and adapt to urban areas develop certain traits and behavior that is seen as dependent to human environs. These primates are often exposed to infections and contagious diseases that could be easily transferred to their wild counterparts, when they are released back into our wild habitats. The hard fact that remains today is that no agency is monitoring the post release of these primates and it is being repeatedly argued that we are aggravating the problem more than solving it! The Wildlife Re-Introduction Specialist Group of the IUCN has laid strict guidelines and protocols for the Translocation and Reintroduction of wildlife, especially conflict animals like primates and big cats. The Goa Forest Department needs to re think of its policies in this regard and formulate a protocol for its release of trapped primates and other wildlife. Monitoring, veterinary examination and biological implications are a prime necessity in such cases, as non-compliance would backfire on the wildlife populations of our forests in the long run. There is thus a vital need for the Department to rethink about its policies and wildlife management strategies on a priority basis. As for us, Goans, it is high time that we accept the fact that issues such as these will be a part of our lives in the coming years as development and progress continue to hound out our vast natural resources like primates and other wildlife and turn them into refugees in our land of plenty! Nirmal U Kulkarni is a WildGoan and has worked a lot on the flora and faua in Sattari, the north east of Goa. He's is one of the Directors of Wildernest, an ecofriendly hotel in Surla. He can be contacted at <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> *** Wild News! Wildlife and Nature News clips sourced from Goa's Local Press Media. This has been selectively compiled by Clinton from Joel's daily news clips, which is available at http://groups.yahoo.com/group/goanewsclips/ Goa's 'warriors' crocodiles fight survival battle PANAJI, 11 Oct: Marsh crocodiles, who once "fought wars" to save Goa from being captured by Portuguese rulers are now facing extinction due to increased poaching, environmentalists feel. "The crocodile sightings have drastically reduced in the recent times. The reasons could surely be habitat destruction and poaching", Nirmal Kulkarni, an environmentalist, who has been closely following these reptiles, said. Cumbharjua-Banastarim canal, part of Mhadei river in north Goa near here, has been the habitat of these crocodiles, which led a 'naval warfare' during famous Banastarim battle in 1511. -[The Times of India] 12th October 2007 King Cobra rescued by Amrut Singh BICHOLIM OCT 11: The Animal Rescue Squad on sunday caught a 13.8 feet King cobra at Thane Sattari and today it was released in the forest of the western ghats. Speaking to Herald the chief of the Animal Rescue Squad (ARS), Amrut Singh told that this is the eleventh King Cobra rescued by them from Valpoi. The recent King cobra was found on Sunday at Pali Thane- Sattari in the kulaghar belonging to one Santosh Soma Gaonkar. Gaonkar was busy in cutting the bushes in his kulaghar when he suddenly spoted the snake at about 11 am. "At first he thought it would be a bamboo, but with a closer look he came to know that it is a reptile" Amrut Singh told adding "he immediately contacted us and we rescued the cobra." "The king cobra was eating a monitor lizard when it was first spoted by Gaonkar, it was half eaten since last three days and we had to remove it first after catching the snake" he disclosed adding "today in the presence of the media we released the cobra deep into the forest." -Samir Umarye <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> on Goanet, 12th October 2007 Sardinha will work to legalise buffalo fights PANJIM: GPCC president Francisco Sardinha has said that he would seek to move an amendment to the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Act to legalise buffalo fights. Addressing the media after filing his nomination as the official Congress candidate for the South Goa bye-election, Sardinha said that he and Home Minister Ravi Naik had attempted such an agreement during their previous tenure as members of parliament. "It (bullfight) is a popular sport among the people, and sometimes draws an even greater crowd than a football match," he said. -[GT] 13th October 2007 Animal lovers furious over Sardinha's remark ANJIM: GPCC president Francisco Sardinha's remark that he would seek to move an amendment to the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Act to legalise the "popular sport among the people" - buffalo fights - has upset the animal lovers in Goa. Upset with the statements made by Sardinha, Adv Norma Alvares, an animal rights activist, said, "He is talking a lot of bull and trying to fool the people of South Goa into believing that he is going to change the law of this country, only so that Goans can enjoy bullfights." -[WE-GT] 14th October 2007 Does slaughtering not amount to cruelty, asks Sardinha PANJIM: Justifying the amendment of the Prevention to Cruelty Act, GPCC president and Congress candidate for South Goa Lok Sabha by election, Francisco Sardinha, said that it would put an end to buffalo fights held clandestinely and across the state, posing danger to the people's safety. He strongly denied the animal lovers' contention t at the move to amend the Act would, in fact, cause cruelty to animals. He argued that these (buffaloes) are animals who are slaughtered when they become unserviceable. "Does this (slaughtering) not amount to cruelty to animals," he asked. "It is the worst form of cruelty," he added. -[WE-GT] 14th October 2007 Edible and medicinal mushrooms September to March is an ideal season in Goa to grow bumper crops of oyster mushrooms. Mushrooms are the magic health food of this century and these species are considered as plants without the green matter - chlorophyll. Patients suffering from diabetes, high cholesterol and hypertension need to include mushrooms in their diet. Dr Kurade's locally produced quality button mushrooms are highly recommended so also Pinto's Oyster mushrooms produced at Merces. -[Nandakumar Kamat, NT] 17th October 2007 Greenpeace opens office in Goa PANJIM: Greenpeace, a global environmental NGO yesterday started its operations in the state by opening its first office in Panjim. "With the opening of this office wes tart another historical moment for Greenpeace in India. We will now actively bring the issues of environmental concern directly to the people's home in this state," said Siddhartha Dutta from Greenpeace. Contact: Tel 0832-6452877. -[GT] 19th October 2007 Media workshop on coastal ecology PANJIM: The Goa Marathi Patrakar Sangh, Panjim, in association with the National Institute of Oceanography, World Wildlife Fund and the state government will organise a two-day media workshop on coastal ecology from October 19: The theme of the workshop is "Will we lose our Cities to the raging Seas?" The workshop will begin with an overview of the workshop by Dr Nandkumar Kamat of Goa University at 9.45 am today. Architects Dean D'Cruz and Ritu Prasad, Patricia Pinto and Shridhar Kamat will participate in the last session 'Town un-planning: Pressure on land compounded by poor town planning' at 12.10 pm. -[GT] 19th October 2007 The Traditional Village Structure Traditional villages in Goa have their own peculiar forms. The village consists of different communities residing in that area depending on the natural sources of water and cultivable land within the village boundaries. With the gods and deities, spiritual entities were also considered as hallowed. Along with human beings, domestic cattle, animals, plants, trees, water bodies, vegetation and fields for cultivating grains, the mountains and jungles; all such factors/eleemnts together are required to complete the concept of the village. The society in such villages has a natural inclination towards religions. [Vinayak Khedekar, Panorama-NT] 21st October 2007 The Snakes of Goa Literati invites you to a session on The Snakes of Goa by Rahul Alvares on 28th October 2007 at 11.30 a.m. There will be a slide presentation followed by a discussion. The talk will cover different aspects described in his book The Call of the Snake including how to identify snakes, myths about snakes, how to deal with snake bites etc. Rahul's travels through the snake world of India which resulted in his book "Free From School" in which he describes the benefits of his year away from school shall naturally be a essential part of his presentation. For those of you who don't know Rahul, Rahul learnt snake handling at the Pune snake park, spider rearing at Madras, and croc handling under Romulus Whitaker at the Croc bank in Mammallapuram. Rahul has been retrieving snakes from human habitations in north Goa for the last eleven years and has rescued more than 800 snakes. He also edits an on-line newsletter on this work called "The Creepy Times". -[GoaNewsClips] 23rd October 2007 Two buffaloes killed in lightning VASCO, Oct 23: Tragedy struck a woman from Povacao-Verna, when nine of her 10 buffaloes were killed after being struck by a bolt of lightning on October 22 evening. Libania Fernandes had taken her 10 buffaloes to a nearby pond behind the police quarters at Povacao. When she returned to the pond at about 6 pm, she was horrified to find nine of her 10 buffaloes lifeless with severe burn injuries. Fernandes has estimated her loss at Rs.1 lakh. -[H] 24th October 2007 The humble bullock cart The bullock cart can be described as a vehicle that is 100 per cent pollution-free. Not too long ago, these eco-friendly vehicles could be seen transporting goods to every nook and cranny of Goan villages. The bullock cart not only supported the owner's family, but also provided rural carpenters engaged in the manufacture and repair of these carts, with a livelihood. -[Pantaleao Fernandes, GT] 26th October 2007 Dog attacks 3-yr-old girl in Ponda, rescued PONDA: A three-year-old girl was attacked and dragged away by a canine in front of her house at Nagzar-Curti, Ponda, but rescued in the nick of time by her mother. The mother too was scratched on the face by the dog, which was later killed by the villagers. The girl, named Muskan Bagoda, suffered dog-bite injuries to her head and head. She had to be shifted to Margao's Hospicio Hospital for an injection as the same was not available at the local ID Hospital. Muskan had gone out to answer nature's call in front of her house, when she was suddenly attacked and bitten by the dog early on Saturday morning. It may be recalled that on August 30, a mad dog had bitten six people including an infant. -[WE-GT] 28th October 2007 The high life Dancing and swirling in the skies myriad colours, our resident winged friends and those on a migratory route are adding a feather of a different kind to Goa's cap. Yes, indeed, we are talking about bird watching and sightings in the State, which opens season this month and continues through April. "An absolute delight for ornithologists and bird enthusiasts alike, there's lot to learn from a trip like this," says Cathy D'Lima from Panjim, reflecting the view of many such enthusiasts. Whilst the Dr Salim Ali Bird Sanctuary in Chorao is Goa's only protected bird reserve, a wide variety of birds can also be spotted elsewhere - Baga fields, Morjim beach, Chorao Island, Santa Cruz, Carambolim lake, Tambdi Surla, etc. -[Patricia A Alvares, WE-GT] 28th October 2007 Kushawati River In Trouble with Muddy Water Reports have come through that the water flowing down the River Kushawati in Southesatern Goa, is unusually muddy in the past week. This time however, the reason for the sudden deteoration of water quality is not the monsoons which are finally over, but because of mining in these areas. Unplanned mining activities in Quepem & Sanguem talukas of South Goa have only increased in the last few years, causing the muddy water to be seen as far downstream as Sulcorna. "How can the river be so muddy when its not been raining in this area recently?" questions Soiru Sawant a resident of Colomba. At the end of a monsoon season, mining companies start operations by emptying out accumilated rainwater from central mining pits. Choosing the quickest, but environmentally unsound way to get rid of this contaminated and muddy water, they pump it into the nearest stream, rivulet or river as in this case, the river Kushawati. Sawant goes on to explain that he's never seen such muddy water even in the heaviest of monsoon seasons. Mining seems to be increasing, legally or not. In 2002, during a wild animal census in the Netravali , Sanguem, I was shocked to see more than a dozen illegal open cast mines operating round the clock in protected wildlife sanctuary. Take a train ride from Margao to Collem, as I did this week and you will see for yourself that the devastated section between Sanvordem and Kalem train stations. Between these two stops, the train gives a glimpse of just a fraction of how bad things are in that side of Goa... Public roads filled with mining trucks were brown not black, and all the vegetation around is covered in dust. Huge open pits can be seen on both sides of the railway lines with mining trucks milling about. As the train crossed the river Kushawati I'm reminded that the fish in the river struggle to breathe and suffocation is common, given the number of fish floating on the surface. "The river is so muddy that it's even unworthy for my cattle's to drink" complaints John Cardozo a cattle herder living on the bank in Quepem. What's more alarming is that this river is the main source of water to number of "kulagars" situated on its bank and the Paroda irrigation canal, therby affecting humans directly too. If nothing's done, River Kushawati will loose it's charm, fear the villagers of Quepem. -Clinton Vaz with Inputs & Photos by John Fernandes<[EMAIL PROTECTED]>, 30th October 2007 World's oldest living animal found LONDON: British scientists have found a 400-year-old clam, believed to be the world's longest living animal, off the coast of Iceland, which may reveal the secret of longevity. -[UNI] 31st October 2007 Agapur village, a heritage site Goan villages are a beautiful melting point of varied cultures and trends. Agapur, a village in Ponda is filled with natural flora and fauna. On a verdant hillock of this village lies an ancient temple of Shri Madhav Rameshwar Govind Purush. The temple is declared as a 'protected site' by the department of Goa State Archives and Archaeology. -[Rohit Phalgaonkar, NT] 1st November 2007 Save our Hills The hills in Marna, Siolim, are being dug and shaved indiscriminately for commercial purposes. Many villagers, including women in the area are in great distress as they were growing vegetables and earning their bread. Will the government look into the matter, or let them be thrown out of their homes by unscrupulous builders. Once our age-old hills are wiped out, future rains will cause massive landslides and total environmental degradation. -[SS Siolecar, Siolim, in Letters to the Editor, GT] 1st November 2007 Cashew Concerns Cashew production is on decline in Goa and this is certainly not a good piece of news as cashew is a major cash crop for the state. While the state government proposed to double the production of raw cashew by 2010, the latest production figures do not support the promise. While cashew production in Goa was 32 tonnes in 2003, it was 26 tonnes in 2004 and 27 tonnes in 2005. [Edit, NT] 6th November 2007 Majorda locals for rejuvenation of lake MAJORDA, Nov 6: Several villagers from Majorda have said that the Majorda lake located near the church along side the railway track has been neglected by the concerned authorities. Villagers said that this particular lake provided water to the villagers and now stands neglected as no one bothers to erect a sluice gate. [NT] 7th November 2007 Donkeys have a hospital for themselves in Rajasthan UNDLOD, Nov 7: Donkeys in Rajasthan now have a hospital exclusively for themselves, thanks to 'The Donkey Sanctuary', a Untied Kingdom-based organization. The hospital has an ambulance that reaches anywhere in the region to treat the wounded donkeys. The treatment offered is free of cost. A donkey costs around Rs.500 to Rs.1,000. It doesn't look viable to the owners to spend on them for treatment. You can see wounded donkeys straying on the roads here. [ANI/NT] 8th November 2007 Dhillo' of Velips of Khotigao Velips or Kulmis residing in the hinterlands of Kankona, Kepem, Sanguem celebrated a big ritualistic festival - Dhillo - following the Diwali. "Dhillo" is an icon made of clay or cow dung. It is decorated with garlands of marigold. Some elderly Velip women opine that the "Dhillo" is an iconic representation of Shri Krishna who takes care of their cattle when they are left for grazing in the forest. [Rohit Phalgaonkar, NT] 15th November 2007 Rare snakes BICHOLIM, Nov 19: The Animal Rescue Squad from Bicholim found a rare hump-nosed pit viper snake (Chapdi) at Pali Bicholim. ARS chief Amrut Singh that the rare snake is usually spotted in the Western Ghats and Shri Lanka and not found near human habitation. The venomous snake is of red colour and is 15-inch long. [H] 20th November 2007 Coming from the mountains: Alexyz Walking through the mountains is always a thrilling experience. It become more interesting when you are part of a trekking camp and on a mission to cover Indrahara Pass, which is 14,000 ft above sea level. Goa's celebrated cartoonist, Alexyz, chose this expedition as the perfect reason to get away from the daily routine and be with nature. Alexyz is passionate about trekking and has been since his college days. However, this journey will be particularly remembered. He says, "It was a 15-day tour that started in Dharamshala in Himachal Pradesh. We were 10 trekkers from Goa and were part of a Pune-based trekking organisation, Zhep." Alexyz was part of a team of 40 trekkers of Zhep. It was a collage of people. "There were trekkers from different walks of life like MBAs, doctors and interestingly, I was the oldest, being 62-year-old, while the youngest was just 10-years-old. [Arti Das, GT] 21st November 2007 Meatless Day tomorrow PANJIM: Sandhu Vaswani Mission will observe the "Meatless Day - Animal Rights Day" tomorrow, November 25, on the occasion of the birthday of Sadhu Vaswani, a messiah of bird and beast who pleaded for mercy to all living creatures. The Meatless Day campaign is a call to refrain from food of violence for at least one day and thus save the life of a creature, to whom life is as dear as it is to each one of us. [GT] 24th November 2007 5 cops hurt in a bid to stop bull-fights MARGAO: Five police personnel including a Police Sub-Inspector were injured, one of them seriously, when a nearly 1000-strong mob attacked them when they tried to stop bull-fights at Colva yesterday evening. The police have registered a case against Hubert Rodrigues of Colva, Sergio Rebello of Betalbatim and some other unidentified persons in this connection. All the assailants are still at large and the police are on their look out. The tension was whipped up at Colva at around 4.30 pm when a 10-member police team led by Colva PI Edwin Colaco went to the spot to stop "dhirios" organised in violation of the Bombay High Court judgment. On seeing the police some of the spectators tried to run away while, the others along with the organisers accosted them. [GT] 26th November 2007 Colva police foil bull fight at Varca MARGAO, Dec 5: Once beaten and outnumbered by bull fight fans, the Colva police this time took no chance when they rushed to Varca and foiled a planned bull fight in the village... Meanwhile, sources in the know say that a bull fight took place at Velsao-Pale in the wee hours of Wednesday. Though the bulls fought for quite some time, the men-in-uniform from Verna police station preferred to act as mere spectators. [H] 6th December 2007 Olive Ridleys hatched at Galgibaga beach CANACONA: The Olive Ridley conservation programme got an actual kick-start as the little turtles were hatched at the Galgibaga beach nesting site lately. Usually the nesting season begins in September and keeping that in mind, the Forest department had set up a site tent in early November. [GT] 6th December 2007 Leopard rescued from well BICHOLIM: A leopard was caught at Housing board colony, Bicholim, after it accidentally fell into a well belonging to Harichandra Naik on early Saturday morning. [GT] 10th December 2007 Bill to legalise bullfights in next session: MP MARGAO, Dec 11: South Goa MP Francisco Sardinha has said that he would introduce a Bill in the next session of Parliament to legalise bullfights in the state. "My Private Member's Bill will seek to bring an amendment to legalise dhirios in Goa," he said. [H] 12th December 2007 "The Benaulim Green Book" BENAULIM: Clinton Vaz will launch an environmental book titled 'The Benaulim Green Book' at his residence in Benaulim, today. "The Benaulim Green Book" aims at informing both the visitor as well as the local in Benaulim about eco-initiatives in and around the village. The book contains a wealth of local information and is the first attempt to introduce eco-tourism in the village. The Content chapters include Environmental History of Benaulim, Flora & Fauna in Benaulim, Birdwatching, Walks & Cycle trails, How to be a Green Tourist, alternatives to Plastic carry bags, Snake awareness, waste management, NGO's working in the village and a list of important and useful nos. A specially designed map connects all the dots with sites of interest, important landmarks and common utilities like recycling stations that most commercial maps miss. The 36-page publication printed in colour, and on recycled paper, is "copylefted" which would allow this idea to spread to other villages in and out of Goa. The project is supported by Goa Tourism (GTDC) as well as NGO's based in Sweden & Australia. The book is priced at 50 and will be available at 40 establishments in and around the village. The book release is scheduled between 5-7pm, Today, 12th December 2007 and is open to all those that are interested. For directions to the venue at Pulvaddo, Benaulim, kindly call 9890936828, 9860036828 or 2736828. [GoaNewsClips] 12th December 2007 Close shave for teacher: escapes from leopard's clutches MAYEM: A school teacher, who was returning home on Thursday night, had a harrowing experience, but escaped from the grasp of a ferocious female leopard at Bicholim. The school teacher, Prasad Umarye from Vathadev, Bicholim, who was returning home at around 9 pm, suddenly saw a female leopard with two cubs sitting on the road, just half-a-metre away from his motorcycle. Umarye, panicked and accelerated his motorcycle but to his bad luck the machine stopped. He restarted his motorcycle and was about to take off when the big cat pounced on him, but he narrowly escaped. As he sped away, the leopard chased him for a distance of about 300 metres and surprisingly gave up the chase. It is learnt that six to seven leopards have been moving around the village, keeping the villagers in constant fear of possible attacks. [GT] 15th December 2007 Boat for bird watching at Salim sanctuary launched PANJIM, Dc 16: As migratory birds are flocking to Chorao from the Siberian/Himalayan region, the Forest Department has launched a 12-seater boat for nature lovers to enjoy the mangrove flora and fauna besides bird watching at the Salim Ali Bird Sanctuary located at the western end of this island along river Mandovi. Some of the birds of Chorao include black-winged stilts, white bellied sea eagle, white breasted water hen, pintails, sandpipers, reef heron, march heron, etc. [H] 16th December 2007 Trapped leopard escapes from cage BICHOLIM, Dec 19: A leopard that fell into the trap laid by Mr Amrut Singh of Animal Rescue Squad at Kudchirem, in the wee hours, managed to escape after bending the steel rods of the case, thereby proving all attempts futile. Three member of the animal rescue squad, including Mr Singh, were injured when the leopard made attempts to escape. [NT] 20th December 2007 Big cats prowl at Bicholim BICHOLIM: The story of around eight leopards being spotted in the surrounding areas of Bicholim has instilled fear in the hearts of the villagers who now prefer to remain indoors or return home before dusk for fear of being attacked. The big cats have so far have injured around eight villagers while a number of dogs, goats and cattle reported missing. [GT] 22nd December 2007 Fighting for survival Today every thinking person agrees that in quest for a quick buck the coastal environment has taken irreparable damage. One of the casualties has been the nesting sites of Olive Ridley sea turtle that came to Morjim beach in North Goa, which till recently was the capital of turtle conservation.. so far only one turtle has laid eggs as compared to five in the last nesting season. In Galgibaga, one turtle has laid eggs while in Agonda there are three nestings till date. After the eggs are laid in the soft sand in an about 2 to 3 feet deep pit, it takes about 50 to 55 days for the hatchlings (baby turtles) to come out from the pit and start their journey to the sea only during night. The volunteer informed that the next hatchlings would crawl from the pit to the sea in Morjim, anytime in the lat week of December. [Govind Potekar, GT] 24th December 2007 4 newly born cubs spotted BICHOLIM, Dec 24: The Animal Rescue Squad on Sunday spotted four newly born cubs at Keri Ponda, after a large crowd was drawn to the unusual site. According to reports, one Rohidas Salmi from Nalemal Keri-Ponda spotted a creature resembling a leopard in the forest early morning. [H] 26th Dec 2007 No sign of migratory birds MAJORDA: Rare species of migratory birds which used to visit some of the lakes in Salcete taluka are yet to make their appearance. Bird watchers from Salcete are baffled over the fact that they haven't seen these rare birds such as cranes or flamingos which would visit lakes at Navelim, Benaulim, Curtorim, Majorda and Arossim. Sources in the know feel that these birds are conspicuous by their absence due to the pollution in the lakes. [NT] 3rd January 2008 Mad monkey terrorising life in Agonda CANACONA, Jan 8: A strongly built and dangerous looking mad money is on the prowl terrorising residents, mostly women and children, besides attacking domestic pigs, cats and domestic fowls of Agonda village for the last 15 days. [H] 9th January 2008 Mad monkey captured CANACONA, Jan 9: The rampaging mad monkey finally fell prey to the trap laid by the Forest Department at Agonda, but not before eating a dozen bananas kept as bait and outwitting the trap, since its auto-lock failed to operate. Another dozen bananas, however, did the trick and the monkey was trapped. [H] 10th January 2008 PETA chief locks horns with Sardinha over bullfights MARGAO, Jan 10: South Goa MP Francisco Sardinha has earned flak form the worldwide chief of the People for Ethical Treatment of Animals for his election promise to legalise bullfights in Goa. In fact, PETA's founder worldwide chief Ingrid Newkrik says it's a matter of shame for Sardinha to base his election campaign on the promise to legalise the banned bullfights. [H] 11th January 2008 Tourist flow at Galgibaga beach threatens endangered turtles POINGUINIM, Jan 10: The heavy flow of tourists, both Indian and foreign, to the Galgibaga beach has threatened an unusual set of tourists - the Olive Ridley turtles. The endangered turtles, which come to the shores to lay eggs from September onwards, have shunned Galgibaga beach and till date only one turtle turned up to lay its eggs. [H] 11th January 2008 Joint squads soon to combat leopard menace: Felipe Neri PANJIM: Forests Minister Felipe Neri Rodrigues yesterday stated in the Legislative Assembly that the forest officers will form joint squads with the NGOs and local villagers to combat leopard menace in some of the areas of the Bicholim taluka. Reiterating that the government will continue its efforts to contain the unprecedented problems of leopards in the villagers, he pointed out that the sensitivity of this protected animal and the wildlife regulation prevents taking extreme measures until and unless circumstances so warrant and all the possible remedies are exhausted. [GT] 15th January 2008 >From Benaulim to Mahadayi Titled 'Eco-Tourism for a Green Benaulim' is a booklet by Clinton Vaz which is priced at Rs.49. This booklet gives you Benaulim's history in a nutshell besides interesting facts about the village. Clinton's booklet also tells you about eco-tourism and responsible tourism. There are links to animal rights' organisations and a nice map showing the vaddos of the village sandwiched between Colva beach and Varca. This booklet proposes cycling or walking 'eco-tours' of Benaulim. More details from [EMAIL PROTECTED] or [EMAIL PROTECTED] or [EMAIL PROTECTED] Another booklet titled 'Mahadayee/Mandovi Nadeechem Khore' dealing with regional issues within Goa and eco concerns, deals with the campaign to dam the Mahadeyi river in north-eastern Goa. [Frederick Noronha, GT] 15th January 2008 Single proposal for eco-tourism project submitted: Filipe PANJIM: Although a few tourists visiting the state are interested in eco-tourism, only a single proposal for the development of eco-tourism or hinterland tourism has been submitted to the Central government by the state tourism department, was the reply of the Forests minister Filipe Neri Rodrigues, to a query posed by Sanguem MLA Vasudev Gaunkar, in the Assembly on January 15. -[GT] 16th January 2008 Forest, local squad to curb leopard menace in Goa PANAJI: Goa will form a joint squad of locals and forest department officials to curb leopard menace that has been haunting the rural taluka of Bicholim. - [TOI] 16th January 2008 SC permits bullfight in TN NEW DELHI, (PTI) Jan 15 : Tamilians received a Pongal gift from the Supreme Court today which lifted curbs on the 400-year-old tradition of Jallikattu, which involves bullfight as part of festivities, but asked the authorities to ensure that animals were not subjected to cruelty. Directing that the event slated to be organised in 12 districts have to be video recorded, a bench headed by the Chief Justice of India, Mr Justice K G Balakrishnan said the district authorities would take all precautions to prevent injury to spectators or animals. [NT] 16th January 2008 Rally against buffalo and bulbul fights GUWAHATI: Animal rights activists in Assam have prepared a blueprint to stop buffalo and bulbul fights held during Magh Bihu every year, which began on January 15. Sangeeta Goswami, chairperson of the State unit of People for animals, said, "Involving buffaloes and bulbuls in fights is punishable under law. More so, since these animals and birds are intoxicated to make them fight to death." 16th Janaury 2008 Cunchelim residents object to garbage dumping site MAPUSA, Jan 19: the Cunchelim Action Committee of Mapusa has strongly opposed the move to acquire a garbage dumping site in Cunchelim. The residents pointed out that the site selected serves as a natural habitat to various birds like peacocks, sparrows, kingfisher and other migratory birds besides a large number of animals. They also pointed out that there are various water bodies and also a spring nearby which will be affected by the decision. [NT] 20th January 2008 Peacock rescued POINGUINIM, Jan 19: The peacock, the national bird of India, has been sighted at many places in the Canacona taluka in recent times. Deepak Naik of Welvadda-Poinguinim found an injured peacock in his back yard. Deepak rescued the bird and later handed it to the Forest department at Canacona. [H] 20th January 2008 Leopard spotted PILGAO: The spotting of leopard on January 24 night at Pilgao has scared the villagers here. [GT] 28th January 2008 Bullfights: cops want to take it easy! MARGAO, Jan 28: Bullfight enthusiasts enjoy a virtual field day in coastal Salcete with the police top brass dilly dallying to beef up manpower at the Colva police station. And, a demoralised police force - still recovering from the sudden and shocking attack from bullfights fans at Colva last year - are apparently taking things cooly. [H] 29th January 2008 Dead crows created bird flu panic in Caranzalem PANJIM, Feb 4: Though the bird flu epidemic may not have hit Goa yet, it did create a flutter on Sunday at Caranzalem where two dead crows were reported in a residential locality. [H] 5th February 2008 Two held for transporting wild boar meat PONDA, Feb 9: Ponda police on Saturday arrested Khajuri Rajappa (37) and Govind Anjilappa Haransita (20) from Jamkhandi in Balgalkot-Karnaaka on charges of transporting wild boar meat, at KTC bus stand here. [H] 10th February 2008 IRB fails to take bull by the horns MARGAO, Feb 10: The much-publicised announcement by Superintendent of Police (South) that a platoon of India Reserve Battalion would be deployed along Salcete's coastal belt to keep bullfights at bay has virtually turned out to be a farce. While a bullfight took place around 1.30 pm, at Benaulim, IRB personnel were resting at Nehru Stadium. [H] 11th February 2008 Panoramic to set up Jungle Resort in Goa PANJIM, Feb 11: Panoramic Universal, a small-cap hotel company with four hotels in India, five in the US and one in New Zealand, plans to spend over Rs.1,000 crore from 2009 to 2011, to take its capacity from 965 rooms to nearly 1,800 rooms. To achieve this, it plans to set up a jungle resort in Goa. [H] 12th February 2008 Goa may go beef-less soon BELGAUM, Feb 12: Goans would perhaps face acute shortage of beef in future if Shri Ram Sena headed by Pramod Mutalik implements its decision of stopping the supply of beef and animals to the State. Shri Ram Sena, which has intensified its campaign against cow slaughter, now decided that supply of beef to Goa - primarily from Karnataka and other States like Maharashtra, Andhra Pradesh and Kerala - will be stopped. [H] 13th February 2008 Maange Thaapni, the worship of crocodiles In the pristine village of Wadi in Talauli, Ponda, the maange (crocodile) is worshipped on the Amvasya day of Paush month. The villagers gather on a bund of their fields. All the gathered Bous (shareholders of the field) stand in a line and pass heaps of silt from the riverbed. This silt is then moulded in the shape of a crocodile with open jaws... A small hole is made in the neck to introduce a live chick. It is then covered with a coconut shell having an opening. Village elders call this as "Jeevan Daan". It is symbolism of introducing life in the silt crocodile to make it alive... The reason behind the ritual is still a question mark and it is difficult to arrive at one conclusion. [Rohit R Phalgaonkar, NT] 15th February 2008 Leopard trapped in Bicholim PANJIM: The residents of Bicholim and nearby villages heaved a sigh of relief with the leopard, which had been haunting them, trapped at Cudchirem yesterday. The leopard was trapped in a cage installed by the forest department early yesterday, and was immediately shifted to the Bondla sanctuary in the morning itself. [GT] 19th February 2008 Peacock killed for meat at Varca! MARGAO, Feb 20: Colva police rushed to Sernabatim area of Colva following a complaint that unknown miscreants killed a peacock this evening. Though the police returned back saying that the complaint was false, sources in the know say a peacock was indeed killed for meat this evening at Varca.[H] 21st February 2008 Dwindling interest in fruit farming It would make any true-blue Goan feel bad. Shop for fruits at the local bazaar and there is a profusion of variety to be had. Sadly, very little of it is from "amchi" state making the growing consumption of fruit to be a virtually externally supplied event... Our home grown fruits are chikoos, kokum, banana, papaya, pineapple and a rich variety of berries and, of course, the king of all fruits - mango. With agriculture losing its place in our economic activities, fruit farming has taken a back-seat among our cultivators resulting in a low quantity of domestic production. [NT] 21st February 2008 Bullfights on in Salcete despite ban BETALBATIM, Feb 20: On Monday last, a bullfight was organised in the paddy fields at Betalbatim, with the police patrol jeep arriving late as usual. Most of the bullfights in Salcete take place in Benaulim, Betalbatim, majorda, Colva, Nuvem, Cavelossim and Varca. [NT] 21st February 2008 Leopards continue to haunt Bicholim locals BICHOLIM, Feb 21: A leopardess attacked a motorcycle rider who was passing through a road at Naigini-Kudchirem on Wednesday night at around 8.45 pm. Her two cubs were also accompanying her. Two such incidents of attack by the leopardess on motorcyclists have been reported at Naigini village during the last three months. [NT] 22nd February 2008 The island of Chorao As an itinerant or what I would call myself a tramp, as a first, I am bestowing description of the station which in my reflection is one amongst the best and that is the Island of Chorao, hitherto known as "Ilhas de Fidalgos". To arrive at Chorao, one can embark at two if its ferry points, one being from Ribandar to cross River Mandovi and the other from Pomburpa, traversing River Mapusa. Or if one is adventurous enough he/she can avail of the bridge which links Chorao to Bicholim taluka. Geographically, with 93 sq kms, the island os Goa's second largest island. [Caetano de Abreu, Herald] 22nd February 2008 Steady decline of animals at Bondla zoo PONDA, Mar 5: The Bondla zoo that once boasted of having many species of animals is steadily losing its charm, with eyebrows being raised over the steady decrease of animals at the zoo. Six animals, including a fox, a peahen, a jackal, and a leopard have died in the last few months, according to zoo sources. [NT] 6th March 2008 Sardinha swears by bull fights MARGAO: South Goa MP Francisco Sardinha reiterated his decision to move on amendment in Parliament regarding the legalisation of bull fights (dhirios) which have been banned by the High Court in the state. Sardinha also assured to follow up all pre-election promises that he had made to the electorate, Gomantak Weeknender 9th March 2008 Trek to Manali from May 16 by Durgadas Parab PANJIM: Zhep Parivar, an adventure group from Pune/Goa, will organise a trek at the scenic Deo Tibba Base in manali, Himachal Pradesh, which rises to about 11,000 feet. The trek will be held in association with Indian Mountaineering Foundation. Persons working in Govt/quasi Govt offices or banks are eligible for special leave to attend the trek. The trek is open to anyone with a spirit of adventure from 8 years to 80 years. Those who wish to participate in the trek should meet at the Kala Academy lawns on March 11 at 6 pm. Contact: Durgadas V Parab, tel 9422445444. [GT] 10th March 2008 Crocodile rescued from well BICHOLIM, Mar 18: A local who went in search of a turtle in an abandoned well at Tariwada-Marcela on Tuesday was startled to find a crocodile in the well. The Animal Rescue Squad at Bicholim later rescued the 2.5-metre female crocodile. [H] 19th March 2008 Trek On! Durgadas For those who enjoy the great outdoors, trekking could be the sport. "This basic level trek requires no special expertise, except that one must be fit," says Durgadas Parab, convenor of the trek to Manali. The trek has received fantastic exposure, although, for the last four years, people were reluctant to join. "This year, a hundred people from Goa have made inquiries. At the moment, I have confirmed, approximately twenty raging-to-go people. In fact, we have already surpassed the minimum of 15," informs Parab. [Emylou D'Souza, GT] 22nd March 2008 Rains in march signal climate change If I happen to spot activity of two bio-indicators of monsoon - the fireflies and the common brown millipede - this month then we may have to rewrite our ecology textbooks. The Arabian Sea is spewing out its "anger" at us. The eco-meteorological models could not predict the short term drastic temperature changes and such massive disturbances. If the Arabian Sea continues to heat up it would be dangerous for south India and especially ecologically fragile Goa which has a large part vulnerable to flooding. Between March to May, the heating of Arabian sea may create conditions ripe for cyclones... We need to depend on experienced scientists like NIO's Dr Rajiv Nigam and Dr PS Parameshwaran or Dr Joaquim Goes in USA to understand what to expect in future. Already reports of damages are being received from many parts of Goa. [Nandkumar Kamat, Glipses-GT] 30th March 2008 Leopards on the prowl in Chandor, Paroda CHANDOR: Leopards are once again on the prowl in the hills bordering the villages of Chandor and Paroda. In the latest incident, a pedigree dog was rescued by a youngster from the jaws of the leopard. Parkash Ooli from Nepal, working for John Douglas Coutinho in Chandor, had taken the five Weimaraner dogs for their regular exercise on the hillock, when a leopard lurking in the bushes grabbed one of the dogs. The young Prakash pelted stoned at the leopard and subsequently hit it with a wooden staff. [GT] 7th April 2008 Cobra captured in Canacona CANACONA, Apr 8: The residents of the Cotigao wildlife sanctuary, Canacona, captured a four-and-a-half feet long cobra today morning and handed over the reptile to the Forest department. [NT] 9th April 2008 The last crops of Chun'nam (wild berries). Chun'nam or the midly sweet, pulpy white to pinkish fruits which appear as pearls in big attractive bunches on thorny branches of the Zizyphus rugosa trees, are on their way out. Within next five years the fruits may be rarely seen in Tiswadi taluka. Chun'nam is one of the most prized wild berries of Goa. It stands next to Kan'nam/Karonda in the wild fruit basket of Goa. [Nandkumar Kamat, NT] 9th April 2008 Funny Bone Questions: What is gray? A melted penguin. Why do birds fly south? Because it is too far to walk! What is a bird after he is five days old? Six days old! Why does a stork stand on one leg? Because if he took the other leg off the ground he would fall on the ground! *** WildGoa Friday Meet ............................ Information Regarding Saving the Frogs Campaign Last Thursday we met at Kala Academy and talked about various issues from Snakes, to Turtles to Frogs, and of all this issues.. members present, felt that we ought to work on saving the frogs, as the monsoons are soon upon us. Thanks to irresponsible humans resulting in Climate Change, we have already had unseasonal rainfalls, and can no longer predict the exact arrival of the monsoon. The Frogs too have had a hard time, some coming out of hibernation in early April. While we are unable to remedy that phenomenon now, we can still work out a strategy to save the frogs that come out when the monsoons arrive. This Friday, we will meet to chalk out an action plan for systematic awareness by use of material provided by the Goa Forest Department. We shall also volunteer time to create out own articles, information, video awareness and ensure that all this material gets out in time though the Press, Local TV stations and the Internet. Besides generating awareness, we shall also ensure that the Forest Department goes tough on those that catch frogs in spite of the Ban. We shall also demand that all restaurants suspected of serving frog meat be issued warning notices before the arrival of the season. Greenpeace will also be a part of the meeting, to briefly discuss the issue of Olive Ridley Crisis in Orissa. Tata is building a port close to one of the biggest olive ridley nesting sites in the world, where thousands of turtles nest every year. Some of you might have written to Ratan Tata already, asking him to shift the port. Join us as we try sending them an even more concrete message by telling tata to stay away from turtles. As before, we start on the dot of 4.30pm so please be there early or on time. Date: Friday, 25th April 2008 Time: 4.30 pm 5.30pm Meeting venue: Kala Academy Canteen Lawns, Kala Academy, Campal, Panjim Participation Fee: Free to everyone. Contact Person: Clinton Vaz (9890936828) or Aaron Pereira (9923269797) *** WildGoa Birdwatching Event ....Rediscovering Donna Paula's Birdlife We meet once again for a morning of birdwatching and getting to know one of the forgotten birding sites in Goa... Dona Paula Plateau. Local resident Jason Kieth Fernandes will take us around along with Rajiv D'Silva to the proposed IT Park Habitat and surrounding areas to have a look at the birdlife of the region. Look out for the Oriental Skylark giving their distinctive buzz-like call, or the Yellow-wattled and Red-wattled Lapwings giving its distinctive 'did-you-do-it' call. You might also see the family of White-bellied Sea Eagles that live nearby or groups of ashy-crowned sparrow larks in the area. In the past, this site has produced sightings of birds like the Brahminy Starling, Oriental Skylark, Malabar Lark, Long-tailed Shrike, White-browed Bulbul, Indian Robin, Purple Sunbird, Yellow Wagtails, Tawny Pipit, Paddyfield Pipit, Ashy Prinia, Plain Prinia, Blyth's Reed Warbler and more.. Participation is open to all ages. Bring along scopes, binoculars and a bird-book if you have one. Cameras are optional. Date: Sunday, 27th April 2008 Time: 7.00am 9.30am Meeting venue: Entrance Lobby to Goa International Center, Dona Paula-Bambolim Road, Talegao Participation Fee: Rs. 100/- Contact Person: Clinton Vaz (9890936828) or Jason K Fernandes (9764324074) - end of newsletter - This is publication for WildGoa, a free online community of Wildlifers and Nature enthusiasts in Goa. To join or know more, visit http://groups.yahoo.com/groups/wildgoa Created by Clinton Vaz using free open source software. Thanks to members that contributed content to this newsletter as well as to Aaron Pereira who helped with some of the compilation. We need your assistance to sustain these efforts. If you liked this newsletter and would like to help with content, assistance on line or offiline, or financially, contact Clinton at <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> or +91 9890936828
