More at http://www.sanctuaryasia.com |In the Field
the freshly-laid eggs. When hatchlings
emerge, they must again deal with
the same predators that attack them
from land and air. And when they
reach the sea, they are fair game for
fi sh and sharks. As if not to be left
behind, humans add to their trials of
life by poaching and setting up artifi cial
lights along the coast, disorienting
the hatchlings.
Since sex determination of the
hatchlings is temperature-determined,
threats from rising temperatures are
leading to skewed sex-ratios.
ECOLOGICAL DEVELOPMENT
Stable mangrove ecosystems play a
crucial role in keeping human-wildlife
confl icts under control. As mechanised
fi shing boats overexploit the seas,
artisanal fi shers are forced to turn
to the mangrove ecosystems. This
is where ecological development
comes in. Sensitive tourism, alternate
livelihoods, the strengthening of fi shing
cooperatives and setting up self-help
groups (SHGs) have shown positive
results where social and environmental
groups are able to work in concert
to benefi t communities. The Coringa
Wildlife Sanctuary is one Protected
Area where this initiative works. The
park management looks upon people
ABOVE Mangrove regeneration often involves raising a nursery of mangrove plants in a specifi c type
of marshy soil and constructing channels in fi sh-bone patterns as can be seen here.
BELOW A jewel in the northern Eastern Ghats landscape is the Papikonda National Park, which
supports dry deciduous, moist deciduous and semi-evergreen forests, in addition to shola grasslands that
harbour truly rich faunal diversity.SRIKANTH MANNEPURISRIKANTH MANNEPURI