Practical Ecology Lessons for High school students at Bandipur

Haritha Shaji the author of this write up

Pictures by Chethan Prasad M S

There could not have been a better class on Human Evolution 

Amrita Vidyalayam, Mysuru had recently arranged for an educational workshop on Ecology at Bandipur National Park. In fact, an in-house workshop on DNA technologies was planned earlier which was supposed to be carried out by an external agency from outside Karnataka. Since the agency could not make it, the school felt that the enthusiastic students should not be disappointed. The students were given a choice between molecular biology and ecology. The students unanimously voted for ecology! The school wholeheartedly provided an opportunity for the students to learn in outdoors, amidst nature.

The teacher and her taughts 

Excerpts from a girl’s dairy-

 I was very lucky to be one among the students who were taken to Bandipur National Park. We learnt about the evolution and were fascinated to know how we evolved from creatures like Chimpanzees. The fact that baby chimps keep up with human kids in intelligence and learning until they are two year and then start falling behind in development, also mesmerized  me.

Some lessons in Gaja Shashtra

The visit to the interpretation centre which had lot of pictures of Wildlife of Bandipur with some text was really informative. There were relief maps of the sanctuary that gave a realistic picture of the location of Bandipur- wedged between the three southern states of Karnataka, Tamilnadu and Kerala. The extension of the forests of Bandipur across the river Kabini to its North into Nagarhole and to the Biligiri Rangaswamy Temple Sanctuary to the South west has made it into a healthy habitat of populations of Elephant and the Tiger.

This huge stretch of forest continues with the Wayanad forests of Kerala and that of Mudumalai in the south. All the forests put together is protected as a Biosphere. This was named as the Nilgiri Biosphere reserve and declared protected in the year 1986. It was all fine to realize the undisturbed stretch of forests set aside for the tigers and were known to contain more than 250 of them.  Bandipur alone was said to have 105 tigers, unfortunately we could not see any during our Safari….., well the existence of prey species suggests the existence of predators.

There weather was pleasant during our stay and we enjoyed the cool breeze. The lush green grass and abundance of lively deer on them filled joy in our minds. Manu sir told us told us the importance of Nature and he revealed the interdependence of various animals in it. 

Children inspecting the skull of an Indian Wild Pig.

He vividly explained about pollination and pollinating agents; trees, their seed designs and their dispersal agents. They all have evolved to live in unison and cannot isolate themselves now. Unfortunately I had no clear idea about pollination and dispersal and had thought them to be the same!

After having a delicious course of meal and playing with a pretty cat that enjoyed the comfort of the kitchen, we were divided into four groups and set for a group discussion. 

Students engaged in some group discussion with Manu K

The important factors for the depletion of wildlife and preventive measures that are to be taken up was the topic and we had four different stations to visit for inputs and complete the task. Each of the stations had a different resource person and was from different backgrounds and view points.

Raviraj's station : Students are given a different opinion on the same issue

 Mr. Raviraj highlighted the immediate threats to the wildlife like the road kills and the Man-Animal conflict, Geetha madam highlighted the issues related to invasive species and the devastating effects they have left behind upon native species and Manu sir threw some light on the deterioration of wildlife populations due to Climate change. Later on we were all made to sit upon the lawn and present our findings in groups.

As we were all engrossed in the presentations we witnessed a juvenile monkey being killed by a wild boar. The unfortunate monkey was taken unaware by a young female boar and her two younger cousins(?). They literally tore the primate apart and carried it far away dodging every one who tried to hush up the kill. There was a chatter of unrest and helplessness among other monkeys who were safe upon the tree. We felt sad for the monkey and angry over the boar.

Wild pigs taking taul of an unwary bonnet monkey. 

But there is nothing wrong in it, if we think logically that is how Nature works. Manu Sir explained the interdependence of species and the relationship between prey and their predators. A predator is a necessary factor to keep the prey population fit and healthy.

In the evening we went out for a safari ride through the forest. As the bus went through the forest upon an unbeaten track, we could see bushes of all sorts running parallel to the forest path. Sir explained it as invasive species which have infested the forest in the recent years. We saw several deer, peahen, Indian Gaur and a couple of Common Langurs. I think the tigers were not in a mood to see us. We were eager to see them but couldn’t see any. 

Black mushroom with tar like spores

In the evening we had a documentary session where we saw two movies. One was about the origin of life and the diversification of life forms.  It revealed many truths about DNA and the deviations it takes. The second documentary was about the trade of Wild animals and their products. The cruelty to the animals seemed endless in the south-east Asian countries, in the name of medicine, vanity and   livelihood. 

Mushroom associated with Elephant dung.

Between the two sessions we had a dinner break. We had to walk a little distance for the dining hall across a field. In the night of the dark we could see a thousand eyes shining against a beam of torch light. We had a splendid time watching them graze and lol about in the safety of human settlement.

Early in the morning we went for a nature walk and collected many evidences of the animals that lived in the forest. From droppings to dropped antlers and seeds to feathers we learnt a lot. We were taught to identify the calls and find meanings from it. To me this nature walk was the best of the sessions as I learnt many many things about nature.

All set to go back with a difference.....