Photos: courtesy S S Davidson © 2012 Tribal Foundation (Nagercoil)
The Hindu, Nagercoil, March 25, 2012
An environmental education programme was conducted in Keeripparai hills on Saturday. [...]
Addressing the students, environmental educator S.S. Davidson detailed on the flora and fauna of Western Ghats — the animals, rare medicinal herbs, orchids, avifauna and reptiles, including king cobra, ferns, and mushrooms.
He also urged the students to be guardians of the rich environmental heritage of the forest.
Forest Department personnel spoke on the rich biodiversity of the forest, highlighting the concept of biological hot spots since Kanyakumari forests formed part of a hot spot as they were at the tail-end of the Western Ghats.
The students were also taken on a trek into the forest [...] to spot birds such as as paradise fly catcher, golden oriole, tree pie, wood pecker and jungle fowl and animals like such as bonnet monkey, green lizard and Malabar giant squirrel The students witnessed the flowering of bamboo, which flowers once in 40 to 60 years. They spotted some hill stream fishes, a host of butterflies of various hues and sizes in the forest.
Earlier, World Water Day was celebrated at Government Adi Dravidar Welfare Higher Secondary School at Valayathuvayal, situated in the Keeripparai hills.
It was organised by the Tribal foundation. J. Jacob Robert Singh, Managing Trustee of the foundation, said that water should be consumed after purifying it. Clean and potable water was an indicator of better health. Further water availability had been dwindling owing to decreasing level of rainfall and hence water should not be wasted. [...]
To mark the occasion, a painting competition on the theme of water was conducted and prizes were given to the winners and certificates to all participants.
Source: The Hindu : NATIONAL / TAMIL NADU : Students learn about environment protection
Address : http://www.thehindu.com/todays-paper/tp-national/tp-tamilnadu/article3222219.ece
Date Visited: Sun May 20 2012 13:24:13 GMT+0200 (CEST)
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