Ducks At A Distance

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Popular Wildlife Sanctuaries of India

Bestowed with a varied topography, India is home to a rich and varied wildlife. Known for its unique features, the wildlife of India attract wildlife enthusiasts and common traveller from all over the world. With the aim to save the wildlife of the country from poaching or other man-made destruction, government of India declared the wildlife areas as wildlife sanctuaries and inhabitant parks. Presently India is home to dozens of wildlife protected areas as long as natural habitat to wild species. One can spot massive elephants to fierce beast tigers to small hare in the wildlife sanctuary and inhabitant parks of India. Some of the well-known wildlife sanctuaries of India are as follows.

Bharatpur Bird Sanctuary (Rajasthan) : Also known as Keoladeo Ghana Inhabitant Park, Bharatpur Bird Sanctuary is a World Heritage Site. Situated in Bharatpur town of Rajasthan, Bharatpur Bird Sanctuary spreads over 29 sq km. Bharatpur Bird Sanctuary is home to more than 400 bird species including domestic as well as migratory birds. Though the bird sanctuary remain full of birds round the year, but during the chill season the migratory birds the caravan of local birds. The Siberian Crane is the special attraction of the park, the birds stay the park every chill in large number. Other foreign bird species visiting the park include Cranes, Egrets, Pelicans, Ibises, Ducks and Geese. If you want to delight in the bird watching at its best hire a cycle-rickshaw at the park gate and explore the every nook and corner without burning your calories much.

Sariska Wildlife Sanctuary (Rajasthan):Known for tigers, Sariska Wildlife Sanctuary is situated in Rajasthan. Sariska Wildlife Sanctuary in one of the protected wildlife areas of the country, where Scheme Tiger remained successful. Set amidst the Aravalli Hills, Sariska is full is covered with thorny deciduous forests. Besides tigers, you can spot a number of other wild animals such as leopard, wild dog, sambar, chital, wild boar, hare, nilgai, civet, four-horned antelope, gaur (Indian bison) and porcupine. Sariska is also home to ruins of the Kankwari fort, the ancient Shiva Neelkanth temples and a Palace of Maharajas of Alwar, now converted into a heritage hotel.

Ranthambore Inhabitant Park (Rajasthan) : One of the vital wildlife sanctuaries of India, Ranthambore Inhabitant Park lies in Rajasthan. The inhabitant park with an area of 392 sq kms is set at the junction of Aravali and Vindhyas mountain ranges. Indian tiger is star figure at the inhabitant park, in addition to this you can spot several other faunal species such as leopards, hyena, jackal, sloth bear, wild boars, gazelles, sambar and nilgai. Other attractions of Ranthambore include reptiles like snub nosed crocodiles, lizards, tortoise, cobras, kraits, turtles, Indian python, rat snakes and Indian chameleon.You can spot the bird species such as Indian horned owl, spoonbills, patridges, kingfishers, storks, ducks and the much sighted peacocks inside the park.

Sunderbans Tiger Reserve (West Bengal) : If you have a long desire to see the Royal Bengal Tigers, then Sunderbans is the right place for you. A UNESCO World Heritage Site, Sunderbans is situated at a distance from Kolkata. Sunderbas, the largest mangrove forest and delta of world is formed by the merging of rivers – Ganges, Brahhmaputra and Meghna. Sunderban Tigers Reserve has a core area of 1330.10 sq. kms and spreads over a run of thickly forested islands and saline water channels. In addition to tigers, the tiger reserve also encompasses more to satisfy your visual buffet. Here you can see Spotted Deer, Wild Pigs, Rhesus Monkeys, Herons, Kingfishers, White Bellied Eagles and much more.

Kaziranga Inhabitant Park (Assam) : A hundred year ancient wildlife sanctuary, Kaziranga Inhabitant Park is situated in Cetnral Assam. A World Heritage Site, Kaziranga Inhabitant Park is known for Fantastic Indian one-horned rhinos an endangered animal species. Kaziranga is also home to Wild Buffalos, Swamp Deers, Wild Elephants and over 450 species of birds. A stay to Kaziranga is once in a lifetime experience. Here alongwith wildlife viewing you can spot the mother scenery at its best on your own.

Manas Inhabitant Park (Assam) : Situated on the foothills of the Fantastic Himalayas in north-east disorder of Assam, Manas is known for its unmatched beauty. Once a hunting ground for royal families, Manas Inhabitant Park was declared a World Heritage Site by UNESCO in 1985. One-horned rhino is the major attraction of the inhabitant park which draws wildlife enthus from all worldover. Tigers, Leopards, Clouded Leopards, Elephants, Hog Deer, Swamp Deer, Sambar, Chital, Indian Bison, Sloth Bear, Gaurs, Capped Langurs, Golden Langurs, Slow Loris, Assamese Macaques, Hoolock Gibbons, Asiatic Wild Buffaloes and rare Black Panthers are other attractions of the inhabitant park. Manas also provides shelter to endangered species such as the Hispid Hare and the Pigmy Hog.

Bandhavgarh Inhabitant Park (Madhya Pradesh) : Renowned for White tigers, Bandhavgarh Inhabitant Park is the place where scenery meets with history. Situated in the disorder of Madhya Pradesh, Bandhavgarh covers 448 sq kms area. Tigers have always been the prime attraction for visitors to the park. Besides tigers, the inhabitant park is home to faunal species like Rhesus Macaque, Porcupine, Langur, Golden Jackal, Indian Gazelle, Bengal Wolf, Fox, Sloth Bear, Indian Grey Mongoose, Small Indian Mongoose, Ruddy Mongoose, Small Indian Civet, Leopard, Wild Boar, Sambar Nilgai, Gaur, Indian Pangolin, Chital, Four-horned Antelope, Blackbuck etc. Bandhavgarh also provides natural habitat to about 150 bird-species such as Grey-headed Fishing Eagle, Malabar Pied Hornbill, Shahin Falcon and Auburn Fish Owl. Bandhavgarh Fort, Kalchuri Archaeological Remains, Baghel Museum, Ghapudi Dam and Bhamera Dam are other attractions in and around the inhabitant park.

Kanha Inhabitant Park (Madhya Pradesh) : Once the fund of inspiration for Rudyard Kipling’s all time fantastic classic ‘Jungle Book’, Kanha Inhabitant Park is one of the well-known wildlife sanctuaries of not only India, in fact the world. Situated in Mandla district of Madhya Pradesh, Kanha Inhabitant Park spreads over an area of 1,945 sq km. Established in 1955, Kanha provides shelter to a variety of wild animals and avian species including endangered species. You can spot wild animals like tigers, leopard, gaur or Indian bison, wild pig, antelope, black buck, barking deer, swamp deer, jackal, fox, nilgai, jungle cat etc. Bird species which you can spot in Kanha are green pigeons, rock pigeons, partridges, orioles, hoopoes, pond herons and much more. Kanha Museum is an added attraction at Kanha and don’t forget to stay the museum.

Gir Wildlife Sanctuary (Gujarat) : Situated in Gujarat, Gir Wildlife Sanctuary is the home of Asiatic Lions. Once the part of the former Junagadh disorder, Gir was declared a wildlife sanctuary in 1965. Gir Wildlife Sanctuary sprawls over 1412.13 sq km area, with core area of 259 sq.kms. One of the world’s rare wild species, the Asiatic Lions attract large number of scenery lovers and common travellers to the Gir Wildlife Sanctuary. Other wild animals found in the sanctuary are leopard, sambar, spotted deer, chowsingha, chinkara, nilgai, wild boar etc. Gir is also home to a number reptilian species like Marshland Crocodiles, Monitor Lizards, Pythons and a wide variety of snakes.

Periyar Wildlife Sanctuary (Kerala) : One of the largest wildlife reserves in India, Periyar Wildlife Sanctuary is situated in Kerala. Periyar Wildlife Sanctuary is set ammong the low lying Cardamom hills of the Western Ghats and centre of attraction here is the artificial lake. Periyar is known for tigers and huge populace of elephant. Other animals that you can spot are gaur, wild boars, sambar, deer, bison, barking deer, wild dogs, lion tailed macaque, the nilgiri langur etc. Delight in the boat ride crosswise the periyar lake and see the herds of elephants taking bath in the lake.

Myself, a Delhi based novelist, use to write on various topics. Whenever I got leisure time I use to some new destinations in India. Usually I express my personal experiences through words, that I will share with you all here. For more information about India and its tourist destination you can stay the site ITOPC

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An Introduction To The Latest Global Health Threat Called Bird Flu

The World Health Organization (WHO) recently sounded a global health alarm in response to a new threat that has been emerging in several regions, particularly Asia. This threat is the avian influenza, more commonly known as bird flu, which is an infectious diseases that affects only birds…until recently.

What exactly is bird flu?

Bird flu is an infectious disease caused by several subtypes of the Influenza A virus, which is known to change birds, particularly migratory birds, ducks and chickens. Bird flu is also reportedly known to change pigs and ducks although these animals only serve as carriers and are not known to exhibit symptoms of the disease. Migratory birds, in general, are equipped to handle the virus. They do not get sick but they have the ability to contaminate other birds in areas they migrate to. This is crucial factor in the apply of disease because migratory birds travel fantastic distances, often from one country to another.

When did bird flu start?

Bird flu is not a new disease. First exposed in Italy in 1878, it was initially called “fowl plague” because it largely affected chicken livestock. But, it was only in 1955 that the Influenza A virus is the cause of bird flu. Since then, several subtypes of the Influenza A virus has been exposed in about a hundred bird species.

According to research, wild waterfowls, particularly ducks, are the most common carriers of the disease. The ducks, but, do not get sick from it. It was exposed that gulls, waterfowls and shorebirds are natural “reservoirs” of the bird flu virus. These animals appear to have developed antibodies to fight against the virus. Other bird species, but, have not developed this immunity to the virus.

Symptoms of bird flu

Birds with mild forms of avian influenza can exhibit ruffled feathers and poor egg production. Birds with advanced or extreme forms of the disease may show signs of excessive shedding, respiratory infections and a swollen head. When the disease worsens, death usually comes within 48 hours. This is because bird flu not only affects the respiratory systems of birds but also other tissues and organs, causing major hemorrhaging.

History of bird flu outbreaks

In the 1980s, bird flu outbreaks in chickens and birds occurred in Scotland, England, Canada, Germany, United States, Australia and Ireland. Again in the 1990s the same countries, with the exception of Germany and Scotland, had outbreaks. This time, Italy, Pakistan, Hong Kong, the Netherlands and Chile joined them. But, these outbreaks were small-scale; and highly pathogenic outbreaks are rare.

Then in 1997, a major outbreak of bird flu occurred in Hong Kong, which left 18 public infected and six public killed. In response to the outbreak, the Hong Kong government killed Hong Kong’s entire poultry populace, which was estimated at 1.5 million. Many believe that this swift response to the bird flu outbreak was the best solution and helped avert it from becoming a endemic.

To determine if a bird flu virus is highly pathogenic, eight chickens between four and eight weeks ancient are inoculated with the infectious virus. If 75 percent of the samples (six chickens) die within eight days, the virus is considered to be very pathogenic. In addition, a highly pathogenic virus will show a distinctive sequence of amino acids located at the cleavage site, the HA part of the chain.

To learn about growing potatoes in containers and storing potatoes, stay the Potato Facts website.

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Shopping and Birding in Miami

South Florida and Miami in particular is a magnet that draws shoppers from South & Central America and the Caribbean. It seems as if at every neighborhood in the city there is a mall and there is variety in the malls. There are strip malls, regular malls, outlet malls. Shopping in Miami is year round but seems to reach a fever pitch on the 3rd Friday in November which is the day immediately after the American Thanksgiving holiday. Known as Black Friday because the hordes of shoppers are expected to guide retailers into the black (profit). Black Friday is a day of deep discounts that marks the start of the Christmas shopping season. At some malls shopping starts at midnight, while at others the shopping starts at 5am. As soon as the stores open the hordes descend.

South Florida is also a magnet for migratory and Neotropical birds. Located along the Atlantic Flyway, Florida is in the pathway of birds migrating from their summer breeding grounds in northern and central U.S.A. to their chill grounds in Central or South America and the Caribbean. For some species Florida is their chill home. An plenty of ponds, lakes and waterways means that Florida is especially excellent for waterbirds.

This dual magnetic force means that during Thanksgiving you can combine two passions; shopping and birding. Or husbands can accompany wives to the mall and while the wife shops the husband indulges in some bird watching. Dolphin Mall located on NW 12th Street off the Florida Turnpike is a excellent location. The Mall has a huge selection of stores with a wide variety of items. The mall also has two ponds along 12th Street next to the mall parking lot. Among the birds that can be seen in those ponds are Anhingas, Coots, Grey Herons and Snowy Egrets.

At other malls, the desire to introduce greenery into an asphalt and concrete jungle has resulted in trees around and within parking lots. These trees have in turn attracted various bird species. So simply wandering the parking lots gives you the opportunity to see different species of birds.

Even if you do not go near the malls on Black Friday, it is simple to indulge in bird watching in South Florida. The numerous lakes and ponds in residential areas attract birdlife particularly waterfowl. Among the most easily seen Florida waterfowl are Double-crested Cormorant, Pied-billed Grebe, Common Moorhen, Green (Green-backed) Heron and the most common waterfowl found in Florida’s suburban areas, Muscovy Ducks. The Intracoastal Shipping canal and other canals along the highways and roads are also excellent locations for spotting avian life and it is simple to stop at an striking spot. For the more dedicated birdwatcher South Florida has an plenty of disorder and inhabitant parks.

So when next you are plotting a trip to South Florida, remember, you can combine shopping and bird watching.

 

 

 

Brian Ramsey is the author of , Learning the Birds of Trinidad and Tobago, and operates the web site , Outdoors Trinidad. For a free subscription to his monthly magazine Caribbean Outdoor Life, which features outdoor actions in the Caribbean plus advice on recreational actions, stay his site, Caribbean Outdoor Life

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Guide to Raising Ducks – Quack 101

Many animal raisers are now choosing ducks over the well loved counterpart, the chicken. This is because duck meat now also receives an equal number of consumers with those of chicken meat. This is a guide to raising ducks, a bird species with 20 million of them life raised in the United States alone.

Ducks are primarily raised because of their meat. The most well loved breed for food in the US is the Pekin duck, a breed that originated from China. The Pekin duck matures quick and they lay more eggs compared to other breeds. A fully mature Pekin duck, 4 to 7 months ancient, can weigh up to 11 pounds. The mature Pekin duck also can lay up to 200 eggs per year.

A variety of guide to raising ducks include meticulous protein levels that should be fed to ducklings until they mature. In the end, all they say is that the duckling stage of 3 weeks since hatching is the most crucial for growth, so they must be fed with starter feeds with 22% protein. After that, protein levels may be decreased.

This guide to raising ducks like most others would recommend that most breeds of ducks should be grown for their meat, not for the eggs since ducks consume 75 percent more laying feeds than chickens do. Eggs are usually not harvested for selling but for food or hatching. The ducklings are then sold later.

Duck shelters need not be expensive. The shelters can be made up of assembled bamboo or wood. The key thing is that the shelter should be kept dry so that bacteria will not grow and cause diseases. This can be done by covering the flooring with layers of rice or peanut hulls and corn cobs. 3-4 square foot space in the shelter should be agreed per duck.

It is also advisable for the shelter to be situated near a spill so that the ducks can swim and exercise. It is better if the body of water is moving freely. If it is a closed pond, the droppings of ducks can make it green and soil in just 2 weeks so the water must be replaced regularly.

Ducks should be fed with multivitamin feeds. At least once a year, they should receive insect killer spray so that they will not be attacked with mites, free or worms. This is just a quick overview guide to raising ducks. If you want to learn about the feeds and the medical supplies for ducks, agricultural and farming agencies can give you meticulous information.

In the end, a guide to raising ducks is no longer necessary the second time one will take care of them. They are simple to handle and keep healthy. Most of all, it is not just a profitable endeavor, but a lot of fun too. If you would like more tips on guide to raising ducks, please stay http://www.howtoraiseducks.com

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Would it be advisable to hand raise any of these bird species?

I am interested in keeping some of these birds some time in the prospect, and was wondering if they would get on, and if hand raising would make them better pets. I have hand raised a duckling before with excellent results.
These are the types of birds I’m interested in:
geese, swans, turkeys, chickens, peacocks, quails, ostriches, ducks, phesants, guinea fowl, doves ect
at the second peacocks intrest me the most.

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A Visit To Pallikarni Lake, Chennai

On 2nd February, the day which is celebrated as Wetland day throughout the world, we students along with our teacher paid a stay to Pallikarni Lake, Chennai. There we saw a lake which has been transformed to a garbage dumping area over a long period of time.
The lake was filled with reeds and garbages and there was no proper place for watching the lake, where a large number of birds migrate from other countries.
Terrible smell has tainted the marshland and public became unaware about its importance. Since it is a wetland, we can find many kinds of bird species there. It was incredible that birds come here; even it was neglected and abandoned by human. The condition became of poorer quality, after the construction of roads.
Some of the birds we saw there were BLACK WINGED STILT which is found in Australia, Central and South America, Africa, Southern and South eastern Asia, Eurasia etc… We have also seen MOORHEN, which breeds in UK, England. NORTHERN PIN TAIL DUCKS, which breeds in Europe, Asia, PIED CUCKOO which breeds in Africa and POND HERON which is found in Myanmar, South Iran and Sri Lanka, was also found in this Pallikarni Lake. PELICAN were also found here. These species get attracted to this tainted wetland because they find more food and comfort. But it is not sure that they are healthy.
Pallikarni Lake is an vital place in Chennai. If this place is properly cleaned and protected, it is sure that this lake will be transformed to a gorgeous tourist place and also attracts even more birds. This place is a good bird watching center and it can encourage public to learn more about birds.
Through public awareness, support from government and through strict laws against dumping of garbage, here, this lake can become a paradise for the migrating birds in our country.

I am a girl, who like prose and reading. I have written many articles on social issues to newspapers both in India and Botswana. I have participated in many essay contests. I believe in God and hardwork.

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