Fig Wasp: Fig cann't survive without them!

I am amused to learn about fig wasp (from Karthik Teegalapalli) and its 80 million years association with fig tree. The fig wasps has a species specific relationship with fig trees. Their life is only around figs!!

The female fig wasp enters the fig flower, lays eggs and dies. The eggs (already fertilized) then develops into wasps and male fig wasps emerge before females. The wingless male then fertilize the female and chew open the closed fig flower for the females. Then all the females with fertilized eggs and pollens from the fig flower venture out looking for exactly same species of fig to lay eggs and pollinate.

This cycle goes on. Imagine what if we continue using pesticides and chemicals that are harmful to fragile insects like these, what will happen to the fig trees in the nature. Fig trees are known to support several species of animals with its fruits and leaves though their flowers are pollinated by just one species of fig wasp.

This is a wonderful association of plants and animals I have learnt today. Thanks to Karthik.

Interested to know more? Read here as well http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fig_wasp

Education as a tool for species conservation in India.

My friend Kishore Rithe (of Satpura Foundation) and myself had been talking about holding an environmental education training programme for young professionals of India. This was on since we attended the same programme since 2004.

Finally it was organized at Amravati, near Melghat Tiger Reserve of Maharastra state India. Kishore invited me to attend the programme and share our experiences. This also included a talk at the Amravati University, on any conservation success story from Assam. Well what else than Rhino conservation in Assam.

My presentation on rhino conservation was well taken by the audience and there were lots of questions coming from them. It was nice to talk to such a smart gathering.

That's not all. I had to give an extempore presentation on environment education activities and achievements of Aaranyak at the training hall. This groups is comprised of participants from Thailand, Bangladesh, Nepal and India including one of my colleague, Jayanta Pathak.

I still remember this training and what I learned during Thailand course. I always recommend people interested/involved in EE to this training. It is a must if you had not been through a formal training on Applied EE. Go for it next time where ever it is. I wish this be hold in Northeast India next time.

Ed McCrea, the principal resource of this training has a long experience in EE around the world.  More about EECG and Ed http://www.eecg.org/home.htm

Good to meet all the participants and friends.

Thanks to Kishore and Ed for making me a part of this.

Firoz

Indian, Arunachal, India.. & China

Have you been to Arunachal Pradesh? You should go there as an ordinary Indian, not as VIP/VVIP realize what I am writing below.

Any Indian visiting Arunachal Pradesh require ILP (Inner Line Permit), which is OK to get from a few (http://arunachalpradesh.nic.in/enter_ap.htm) in the country. I happen to be from Guwahati, Assam and very often go to Aruachal for Research on wildlife. It takes a day or even two to get an ILP in Guwahati!!

The Arunachal Govt also gives an Annual ILP, better for frequent/regular visitors. This is though where a visitor feels the pain, usually a genuine citizen of the country. I tried to get it (annual ILP) few times but failed They ask document like voter list (copy) or permanent resident certificate which is not available with me as I never had them. However, being an Indian citizen by birth, I have the Indian Passport, and that is not 'good' for the officials in Arunachal Political Department!!

Why is this? Why not the passport be a valid document of permanent residence or citizenship in this important office in Arunachal, which I have used to travel to several countries around the world?

I feel like Arunachal itself is a 'country within a country'. No wonder why China claims Arunachal and did not give visa to a top official of the state.

My suggestion would be that record the passport information (whoever carries it) at the entry point into Arunachal Pradesh and let the person get in rather than pushing the visitors to go through the long and cumbersome process of ILP.

I wish the concerned people will be aware about this.

Let us kill this (ILP/RAP) this Dussehra...

Firoz

The beginning...

Today, the 17th September 2009, I have created this blog to share with other what I see, think and feel about what is around me on this earth.

I wish to blog regularly...

here will talk to you...

firoz