INDIAN FLAP SHELL TURTLE (Lissemys punctata) RESCUED AND BROUGHT TO TURTLE CONSERVATION CENTER INITIATED BY MITHILA WILDLIFE TRUST, NEPAL

One Indian Flap shell Turtle is rescued by Mr. Vinesh Kumar Yadav, Forest Guard at Dhanushadham Protected Forest. Last week while Mr. Vinesh Kumar Yadav had gone to his village in nearing Dhanusha district boarder for some personal works, he saw a Turtle roaming on the road at late evening. He called Mr. Dev Narayan Mandal, Chairman, MWT through phone and asked whether to rescue or ignore. Mr. Mandal wanted the turtle to be there in its natural status and suggested to release nearby area. Mr. Yadav urged him that if we want to save life of this turtle we should take it to our center otherwise people will kill it to make curry. “Even I was doing same before coming in touch to MWT” He added. The Indian Flap shell turtle (Lissemys punctata) is not a common species of Terai region in Nepal. So, Mr. Mandal agreed it to be transported to Dhanushadham Turtle Conservation Center. The turtle is safe at the center now. It is very necessary to mention here that Mithila Wildlife Trust has initiated to start a Turtle Conservation Center where rare species of turtle will be rehabilitated and will be transferred to several protected and conservation area of Nepal. We strongly believe that it will help us to fight against the declining number of Turtle and will create awareness to visitor of the center for protection of the species. The turtle is usually killed in Terai region of Nepal to prepare curry. As it is very necessary to construct an enclosure to rehabilitate them, it is our humble request to the helping hands “kindly support our initiative with the possible amount from your side”. To the residents of Nepal: “A Turtle can never fulfill needs of vegetable for our family. So, kindly inform us at +977 9817629229 or mail us at info@mwt.org.np/index while you get a turtle in your area.” Show your humanity; Help us protect a life – for ourselves, for entire ecosystem and for our future generation!!!! Thank you in advance!!!

INDIAN FLAP SHELL TURTLE (Lissemys punctata) RESCUED AND BROUGHT TO TURTLE CONSERVATION CENTER INITIATED BY MITHILA WILDLIFE TRUST, NEPAL Read More »

TWIN-SPOTTED WOLF SNAKE / YELLOW SPECKLED WOLF SNAKE (Lycodon jara) RESCUED IN DHANUSHADHAM MUNICIPALITY AND BROUGHT TO DHANUSHADHAM PROTECTED FOREST

On 11th November 2014 (2071 Kartick 25) afternoon, while Dhanushadham Protected Forest Council -Working Committee was preparing for a meeting, Mr. Sanjay Kumar Mahto, a member from the same committee came with a snake. Though he didn’t touch the snake physically, he kept the snake in a plastic bottle with help of a stick and brought to the Dhanushadham Protected Forest where MWT chairman was also present. He handed over the plastic bottle with snake to him. One of the members asked him how he got the courage of it. He replied “Generally I used to kill the snakes within no time, but since the date I came in touch of Mithila Wildlife Trust, I use to leave them without disturbing. I had never seen this snake in my lifetime, so, I thought of brining here for confirmation.” The snake was confirmed as Twin-Spotted Wolf Snake which is also known as Yellow Speckled Wolf Snake. It’s a non venomous snake. MWT is grateful to him for his awesome work done to save a life.

TWIN-SPOTTED WOLF SNAKE / YELLOW SPECKLED WOLF SNAKE (Lycodon jara) RESCUED IN DHANUSHADHAM MUNICIPALITY AND BROUGHT TO DHANUSHADHAM PROTECTED FOREST Read More »

RESCUE OF COMMON COBRA FROM CHHATH GHAT

This Chhath Festival (a favorite festival of Hindu religion), while entire Terai region of Nepal was preparing for celebration of this awesome festival, The MWT team received an urgent rescue call at early morning. People had seen a cobra snake while cleaning the Chhath Ghat where the festival was supposed to be celebrated at night. MWT team reached to the site without taking much time and rescued the snake. The snake looks so cute and it has also moulted (also known as molting, sloughing and shedding) the skin at night in snake rescue box of Mithila Wildlife Trust, Nepal as it can be recognized in the photo. Snakes rub against rough surfaces to assist removal of their shed skin. The frequency of shedding depends on many factors like species, age, nutritional and reproductive status, the presence of skin parasites or bacteria, and ambient enclosure temperature and humidity. Younger snakes use to shed more frequently than adults and shedding often precedes mating and giving birth. The most common causes of improper or incomplete shedding are related to husbandry and nutrition.

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RESCUE OF BLUE BULL/ NILGAI (Boselaphus tragocamelus) BY MITHILA WILDLIFE TRUST

MWT rescued a baby/calf of Blue Bull/ Nilgai (Boselaphus tragocamelus) from Kisanpur village of Dhanushadham Municipality. As we have already posted in our earlier posts, around 35 numbers of blue bulls have returned back to Dhanushadham Protected Forest but around Twelve Nilghais are still staying outside forest. They had started avoiding DPF as they were not able to get a secure habitat in the forest due to regular disturbance by the local villagers. Breeding occurs in late autumn to early winter. Nilgai use to deliver Twins in 50% of the cases, although births of One of Three do occur. People had seen around 4 calves in the group but suddenly the calves were missing. We started searching them with the help of DPF Council members and local communities. Mr. Gran Kumar Yadav, Treasurer, DPF Council and his nephew Mr. Shivshankar Yadav got information that some person have kept a calf in his house. We rushed to the spot and rescued it from there. The information we got from that gentleman was quite shocking to us. He informed us that some people had taken all other calves for beef. He had brought it to keep as pet animal. It is very necessary to mention here that Dhanushadham Protected Forest is the only patch of forest situated in Terai region of Nepal, where more than 40 Nilghai are still residing permanently. Nilghai is kept under “Least Concerned” Conservation Status of IUCN. The main threat to the species is habitat loss due to human encroachments. It seems very necessary for GoN, local government, local residence and all concerned to protect these beautiful animals. Please feel free to contact us on +977 9817629229 or info@mwt.org.np/index to help us reach such speechless innocent lives.

RESCUE OF BLUE BULL/ NILGAI (Boselaphus tragocamelus) BY MITHILA WILDLIFE TRUST Read More »

THE CRAZE OF PRIVATE PLANTATION in DHANUSHA, NEPAL

Around 2,200 people collected sapling for free from DPF Nursery this year. The free plant distribution programme started on 26.07.2014 ended on 18.08.2014, continued for 22 days. Six staff from DoF, Two from DPF Council and Two from Mithila Wildlife Trust was busy in distribution of the sapling and Two Lakh and Fifteen Thousand sapling were distributed during the period. This is the condition of a single nursery, where DoF, Dhanusha is having more than 10 Nursery including One in District Office. The craze of private plantation in Dhanusha district can be assumed from the situation as no plant remains in any of the nursery. DoF, Dhanusha has planned to expand the programmes in other places of the district. The changing trend in Dhanushadham municipality is quite positive and should be appreciated as the populations diverted to private plantation were depending on DPF to fulfill their need of firewood and timber products, which is impossible for a small patch of the forest. As per the records, 8,603 households are there in Dhanushadham where only 18,816 Nos. of trees are remaining in the forest. So, it is confirmed that substitute is required instead of depending on the existing forest. This is the one of the examples, which made to think DoF and MWT to protect this forest. The existence of the forest was in danger, but fortunately the regular interaction and awareness programmes of both DoF and MWT have solved the problems. Government of Nepal should encourage more private plantation throughout country, so that, the forest can be secured without any conflict with local community. We have experienced that community participation works best for such conservation.

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COMMON TREE SNAKE (Dendrelephis tristis) and GREEN KEELBACK/ GRASS SNAKE (Macropisthodon plumbicolor) SPOTTED IN DHANUSHA, NEPAL

Recently, during free plant distribution by Department of Forest, Dhanusha at Dhanushadham Protected Forest, our chairman spotted a Common Tree Snake (Dendrelephis tristis) in the nursery. It is about 3.5 Ft. long. According to Indiansnakes.org and a book written by Herpetological Society of India, it is found only in Peninsular India. So, it’s quite exiting for our organization to find the snakes not to be the habitat in this area. This is the Second species of the snakes; first one was a pair of Forsten’s Cat Snake (Boiga forsteni) which was also spotted last time in the forest.   The rescue was assisted by Mr. Dhirendra Nepal, from Talk Nepal Pvt. Ltd. who is the project incharge for plantation of 33 Hectare forest land inside Dhanushadham Protected Forest, funded by NCell. He also mentioned that he had spotted a Green Keelback/ Grass Snake (Macropisthodon plumbicolor) inside the forest during plantation. Again, this is the species which is not to be native relatives of the area. As we have already mentioned in our previous posts, Dhanushadham Protected Forest is the only forest situated in Terai region of Dhanusha district. Due to our day and night service to the forest, the 95% problems to the forest (i.e. overgrazing, land encroachment, community made fire, illegal tree logging, wildlife poaching, and heavy trespassers) have been shorted out. Together Mithila Wildlife Trust and Department of Forest with help and participation of local community, the conservation programmes are being carried out successfully. We are in need of donors and supporters who can support us in measure developments for the sustainability of the conservation and restoration of the forest. Please contact info@mwt.org.np/index or dev@mwt.org.np/index if you are interested in the projects.

COMMON TREE SNAKE (Dendrelephis tristis) and GREEN KEELBACK/ GRASS SNAKE (Macropisthodon plumbicolor) SPOTTED IN DHANUSHA, NEPAL Read More »

RESCUE OF BANDED KRAIT SNAKE (Bungarus fasciatus)

Mithila Wildlife Trust rescued a Banded Krait (Bungarus fasciatus) from Bhoyl village, Dhanusha. The snake was roaming nearby the Temple where Shivcharcha (a Special worship for Lord Shiva) was going on, so, people were misguided to superstitious beliefs. They hit the snake with a stick, the snake couldn’t move due to pain and they kept the snake in a steel drum. People coming to the temple were paying a minimum amount and they were praying the snake too. A gentle man from the village called Mr. Suresh Sharma, AFO, Dhanusha and Mr. Sharma had called our rescue team for the rescue and treatment of the snake. The call was attended by Mr. Dev Narayan Mandal, Chairman MWT and he with help of Mr. Santosh Rajak rescued the snake. The snake is under treatment inside Dhanushadham Protected Forest. MWT thanks all the gentle people supported us to give the snake a new life.

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MONOCLED/MONOCELLATE COBRA (Naja kaouthia) IN DHANUSHA

  MWT team rescued a Monocled/Monocellate Cobra in Mithileshwar Mauwahi, Dhanusha. The snake was hiding under steel tank using as Rice storage tank inside living room. The house owner saw a snake entering inside the house at late evening but suddenly it was disappearing. It took around 2 hours to search the snake inside the living room. This is our first rescue of this particular species extra than Naja naja, the most common venomous snake rescued. As always, we had explained the importance of snake in environment and ecosystem and took it to Dhanushadham Protected Forest. The rescue of Monocled cobra in Dhanusha is a live evidence that it is found in Dhanusha district of Nepal. Moreover, it is a juvenile. Thanks to the community people supporting us to save the life of this speechless lovely creature of the nature.

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TWO DAYS AWARENESS TRAINING PROGRAMME ON CLIMATE CHANGE AND REDD+ TO THE MEMBERS OF DHANUSHADHAM PROTECTED FOREST MANAGEMENT COMMITTEE

Two days awareness training programme of “Climate Change and REDD+” to the members of Dhanushadham Protected Forest Management Committee was organized by Range Forest Office, Dhanushadham and facilitated by Mithila Wildlife Trust. The programme was divided in Two days and Eight session which was delivered by Assistant Forest Secretary, Mr. Ram Asheshwar Mandal and District Forest Officer, Mr. Birendra Sah. Around 30 participants were trained. Two days training on Climate Change and REDD+ is not enough but it added an extra spirit to the members to convince their own society with extra reason to protect Dhanushadham Protection Forest. The members are so enthusiastic that they were asking to organize such programme every month. Due to certain limitation we were unable to gather more participation but with help of recently trained members we are planning to organize such training programme in entire buffer zone communities. MWT along with DPF Management Committee members wish to thanks Mr. Ram Asheshwar Mandal and Mr. Birendra Sah for their valuable training and easy to understand training tools. It will definitely support us to reduce the Green House Gases Omissions and the negative impact of Climate Change.

TWO DAYS AWARENESS TRAINING PROGRAMME ON CLIMATE CHANGE AND REDD+ TO THE MEMBERS OF DHANUSHADHAM PROTECTED FOREST MANAGEMENT COMMITTEE Read More »