Mandalpatti: A degrading paradise

Or, should I say, A lost paradise?

From a long time, I wanted to go with my friend to this place which I had visited last year and explore more flora. The place is full of orchids and a lot of other interesting flora. So we planned to go on a Sunday during the mid April. I had thought that because its summer time, not many people would visit the place. Later we discovered that I was completely wrong. It was full of people. It was discouraging to see so many people at the peak who had come there for sheer enjoyment. Some were ignorant about the environment and some others were helpless but to watch people spoiling the place. That there is a neat road all the way to the top of the peak, it is even more easier to reach the place. Last year they were widening the road and this year I saw it was completed and there were two other new roads that connected the main road to the peak. Earlier it was accessible only for jeeps and the 4X4s I guess; but now its easier for any vehicle to go to the top. 

Firstly I do not have any idea on why is there a need for the new roads? and secondly, why is government/forest department taking such destructive decisions? Just to collect 20 Rs per person at the forest check post on top of the peak, they create such facilities? I would say the cost of destruction to the habitat will be much more than the money they collect from tourism. Not just that, last year I had seen only one coffee/ tea shop on the way to the peak. It was actually a house but they were serving drinks and snacks. This year the number of small coffee houses/shops were 5. All of them were new and the old one had reformed itself to look like a neat restaurant. It was so disturbing to see them occupying the forest area and creating such facilities for tourists. Because of them, there will be so much litter; usage of plastic and tons of garbage at the peak. I'm sure that all of them are illegal shops and no one would've given permission for them. Or, a corrupt official would've given go ahead. Very soon, it will not be a surprise or a shock if we see a resort on the way to the peak!

We saw good number of orchids and a variety of flora and fauna. A wild hare jump-running was a beautiful sight for sure. The habitat around the peak was absolutely mind-blowing and those wilder patches of sholas were looking spectacular. I was recalling somebody saying that wherever 'tree ferns' are found, the habitat will be very rich. We saw some majestic tree ferns and some interesting trees at the peak. We did not stay for long at the peak because of too many people. 

Bulbophyllum fimbriatum 

Sholas at the peak

Viewing Kotebetta to the East

Tree Fern sp

Tree ferns 

Oberonia sp

Beautiful fern

Ferns

We thought of going near the river at the base of the peak and explore the place. When we reached there we were discouraged again by seeing the number of people. The stream was full of people having fun taking bath and playing in it. This was not the case when I visited last year. There were no people even during the weekend. I was totally shocked to see the rate at which number of people are visiting this place. Without wasting any time, we left from the place. 

Gardenia sp?

Elaeocarpus sp

Mandalpatti is such a breathtakingly beautiful place in the Coorg region of the Western Ghats. But its getting degraded everyday. Habitat is getting destructed everyday because of the sheer ignorance and much greed. Its also a part of the region that is considered as one of the biodiversity hot-spots. There are so many endemic species of wild flora and fauna that makes this place a special one in the globe. But still, its getting a fatal treatment from the humans around. One hardly realizes that enjoying nature and protecting nature has to go hand in hand. Destructing a paradise at the cost of one's pleasure is a coward act. Very soon we will realize that we have lost it all. And that we are a subset of nature, we will perish sooner if we do not care for it.  

For more pictures visit my flickr page here.

An act of evil is the death of wonder ~ Joe Meno
Srik

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Blissful Anashi Nature Camp

Ah, so I'm finally getting to write here about my latest (a month back already) trip to Anashi Tiger Reserve. That I was longing to go out of Bangalore and eagerly waiting for my first camp with my BNHS Field Botany course members, I now can say that it was doubly worth the wait. And yes, to all those learnings in the field out there and the good times spent with the like-hearted people left me in a serene awe. Hopefully I have captured some of the key highlights here. 

Ravee and I left from Bengaluru and joined the team lead by our Botany teacher Swapna Prabhu (I call her Boss) in Belgaum. She had a good company of her BNHS colleague Mirium as well.  We reached Anashi Nature Camp on the late afternoon of the February 25th, 2012. Strong fragrance of Ixora pulled us to them inside the camp. And hence our 4 blissful days of field botany camp started and ended within a blink. Boss had organized the whole trip so perfectly that the nostalgia has taken over all of us so quickly after coming back from there! 

Following are some nostalgic glimpses of our camp: (the below lists are only based on the key highlights; the rest are updated in my flickr album)

First day after reaching the Anashi camp, we set out for a short walk in the evening. The trail was no longer than 2km and it was a cool and breezy evening. For me, personally, it was a first time experience with the group of Botanists and Botany enthusiasts. I absolutely was thrilled and excited to be with the team and learn loads of stuff. We saw some interesting trees along the trail and took some notes as well. The following are some of the interesting sightings for the day. 

1. Anashi camp was full of Oberonias in bloom.
2. Luisia macrantha
3. Entada rheedii
4. Terminalia trees
5. Dilinia Indica
6. Holigarna arnottiana
7. Cinnamomom trees

Holigarna arnottiana leaf appendages

Luisia sp

Oberonia sp

Second day was a trip to Ulavi which was about 25 km from our camp. As we started from our camp, first stop that we could not miss was when we saw the Flacourtia fruits. They were absolutely delicious and that set the right mood for the day. We had some amazing sightings and a great experience. It also ended in some fun that caused an hour of delay in getting back to the camp. Ulavi forest is very dense with huge evergreen trees reaching to the higher canopies. The tranquility of the place is at its best.  Back in the camp, evening was very pleasant and we all took a walk towards the Anashi village. The moment we saw the huge fig tree, we all tried to hug the same. It took 8 people to hug its trunk completely.  The following are some of the highlights of the day and amazing sightings:

1. Colebrookea sp
2. Artocarpus trees
3. Tree ferns
4. Southern Birdwing butterfly
5. Flying lizard (Draco). Was in trance observing it for a while.
6. Xylia xylocarpa
7. Flacourtia montana fruits
8. Drosera burmannii
9. Rotala sp
10. Wallichia (Palm) sp

Colebrookea sp

A viewpoint at Ulavi

The draco

Asclepias sp

Entada rheedii

Flacourtia montana fruits

Artocarpus fruit

After a serene early morning walk on the third day, we were taken to the place called Syntheri Rocks which was about 30 km from the camp. Kaneri was gorgeously flowing through the rocks and it felt heavenly  just to look at it flowing (although it was very hot). It was a beautiful day and we had a lovely time at the rocks. We returned back to the camp and were soon went into the classroom mode. Boss took us the 'typical' classroom session on different aspects. Leaf morphology was the highlight during the session. We were given some exercises to perform and all of us were very excited and best behaved like good students. After the session, we went out on our usual walk. It was a very long and absolutely enjoyable walk in the dark wood. Some highlights on the day three are as under:

1. Paradise flycatcher early in the morning.

2. We saw honeybees everywhere and it was yellow spots all over every place and everyone of us :)

3. Bombax malabarica and Bombax insigne trees.

4. Red ant nest

5. Fungi with fur like material all over the tree

6. A session on Bryophytes and Epiphytes

7. Sighted many Bulbophyllums on the rocks. Thanks to Ravee, we had some good learning on Orchids as well.

A dried stream behind the Anashi camp

Kaneri river at Syntheri rocks

Bulbophyllums on the rock

Fungi and fur like substance?

Habitat around Syntheri rocks 

Mirium and the honeybees 

It was supposed to be a five day camp; but Ravee and I could not get too many leaves and hence we decided to get back to Bengaluru after the 4th day's trail. We missed out on the morning walk on the fifth day. Fourth day we all reached the Kulgi nature camp and the plan was to do 2 trails around the camp. While we were on the way to Kulgi, we were surprisingly welcomed to a small water body where we sighted many interesting things. It was a beautiful small lake full of Nymphaea lotus and Nymphoides. After a nice short session on the aquatic plants at the lake, we headed out to Kulgi. Here are some of the key highlights of the day:

1. Disappointed to see the ash all over the forest and the leaf litter was burnt out completely because of the fire. 

2. Nymphaea lotus and Nymphoides hydrophylla.

3. Malabar giant squirrels.

4. Greater flame backed woodpecker couple.

5. Cassia grandis

6. Acacia (shikakai)

7. Bracket fungi and Fruticose lichen (small talk about them)

8. Multiple orchids species on every tree. Acampe predominantly on most of the trees.

Silhouette of a giant squirrel 

Nymphaea lotus

Cassia grandis

Paradise flycatcher

Tall trees of Kulgi

It was a blissful Anashi Nature Camp expedition for sure. It was absolutely fun learning for me - mixed with a great fun loving team and the serenity of Anashi - Dandeli forest area. After our second trail in Kulgi, Ravee and I headed back to Bengaluru in the night. 

Tents at the Anashi Nature Camp

Dining hall

Walking in the woods

The energetic team

For more pictures of all the Flora and Fauna sighted, please visit my Flickr link here. 

Srik

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Mandalpatti

It all happened in a day, Including the one that caused me a week of house arrest. It was a place that I wanted to visit since a long time and there was that opportunity on that day to be there, serene, wild and weathered. 

Mandalpatti  is a magical beauty and an absolutely scenic place in Coorg. Stands mightily at 30th km from the place Somawarpet. The only disappointment and the only concern for all of us who care for nature is that there is a road till the peak. But the access to it, the canopy and the woods through which we pass through is unbelievably wild.

A lonely tree stands impressively welcoming all those and more.

One can see the whole range of the Western Ghats of Coorg

When it is about to set, It doesnt matter where we are, we will be blown away anyway

And I so much liked this view! 

One can camp here if they take permission from the forest department in Madikeri. We were lucky enough to get the permission and experience the wild in the night. The wind, like a monster consistently tried to knock us down the peak; but, it could not sustain the force when the other side was heavy enough with 5 hooligans. 

Just before the sunrise. 

Sun peeking out over the Kotebetta - the 3rd highest peak in Coorg. 

It is an absolute joy to see the woods in the early morning

It looked as if it was lit up with the golden flames of the morning sun.

 The flora and fauna were abundant. Many forms, many varieties. Some of which I had seen, and some were absolutely new. Whatever form they were in, they looked stunning when they were in full bloom. 

The forest office at the peak. The road connects till this point.

Colorful forest with tall trees, some in bloom. Some not. 

One of those wild flowers in full bloom.

Some orchids looked breathtakingly beautiful (Coelogyne sp)

Some more beautiful epiphytes (Dendrobium sp)

some wild flowers in style. (Sida sp)

It may look beautiful, mind you, dont play! 

One of the beautiful riverbed I have seen, One can stay here for any long!

If one wishes to go, take prior permission, take huge responsibility on your shoulders, not to spoil the place and not to be harmful for anything in Nature. Keep it clean, natural and beautiful. 

Srik

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