TRANSFORMATION.....

Only recently, in discussion with a friend, I learnt that the butterfly is referred to as Prajapati in Bengali.

While the names such as Fulpakharu in Marathi, Titli in Hindi, and our own Pako were well-known to me, this reference in Bengali to the Hindu deity Prajapati ( the Lord of Creation) got me thinking.

I presume it is the sheer beauty, the wonder of flight, and the transformation from the crawly caterpillar to a winged wonder that have evoked such admiration from everyone who encounters them.

The makeover of a caterpillar into a pupa, and then a butterfly, is one of the most amazing transformations seen in the living world.

 The image depicts the life-cycle of the Common Mime (Papilio clytia) on its host plant, the Cinnamon Tree (Cinnamomum zeylanicum). The pupa which attaches itself to the stem of the plant appears like a dry twig broken at one end, and is an excellent example of camouflage.

The adult butterfly exhibits two mimetic forms in both sexes. The dark form Clytia mimics the Common Indian Crow (Euploea core) while the striped form Dissimilis mimics the Blue Tiger (Tirumala limniace).

This mimicry termed as the Batesian Mimicry has evolved wherein a palatable species mimics an unpalatable species thus sending warning signals to a predator to stay away.

THE GOA THAT I KNOW, AND NEED TO KNOW

I am originally not a Goan, being a native of the neighbouring district of Sindhudurg and born in Kolhapur. 

I was always lovingly referred to as Ghanti by my friends, only to have realized over time that the Goa that I know, and have grown up to love, is far different from theirs. And I am more a Goenkar than many of my Goan friends who claim to be (with no ill will to them!!)

Having been brought up here, and traversed through the most remote nooks and corners of the State, very often on foot, I have grown to admire and love the incredible range of floral and faunal diversity more than anything else. It is a very special component of our heritage, which unfortunately is not appreciated as it should be. Worse, it is neglected.

Goa is unique in its geographic position, lying at the confluence of the Northern and the Southern Western Ghats. It exhibits floral and faunal assemblage that are distinctive of the both. Unlike the British, who conducted extensive studies on the biodiversity all around the rest of India, natural history was a neglected subject under the four and a half centuries of Portuguese rule, and has remained neglected since then except for a few sporadic studies.

I have had the opportunity to closely observe and study the faunal components, especially the lesser-known fauna. My emphasis has been on Avifauna, Butterflies and Odonates (dragonflies)

I have had to face very difficult odds, with very few experts in the field in Goa, and further very few interested in the subject.

More recently, there are more youngsters are taking to the field, and we are already seeing promising results. Lot more needs to be done, though.

Ultimately, the knowledge we earn through field studies needs to be made user friendly so that we can communicate with a broad audience. Education and awareness will always be the key to conservation success.

INTRODUCTION

The “Payvat” (beaten track) in the jungle, laid by both men and animals, has taken me to places not seen and experienced by many. They have opened my eyes to amazing diversity of life-forms, encouraged me to move on, instilled discipline and at times humbled me by making me lose my way. I have chosen to wander away from these tracks on occasions to explore the world beyond. The blog gives me a chance to bring to you the experiences gained on and off these “beaten tracks”.