Efforts to document the campus fauna were initiated in September 2004 and the work of documentation of all campus life; Birds, Insects and other Arachnids, Fungi Amphibians, Reptiles, Mammals and other Invertebrates has been an ongoing project ever since. Apart from photographing live specimens, field notes have been gathered in order to aid the scientific identification of species. Very special thanks to our own Chairman Mr. Keshub Mahindra for donating a Nikon D70 SLR. This has been invaluable for building up a photographic catalogue of the flora and fauna on campus.
Fauna
Insects
Grasshoppers, Crickets, Katydids, Mantids, Walking-sticks, Beetles, Cicadas, Hoppers, White flies, Aphids, Scale insects, Earwigs, Ants, Antlions, Bees , Bugs and Wasps, Dragon flies, Damsel flies, Moths and Butterflies.
We have documented approximately 110 species of moth to date. The campus is home to the Atlas moth, the world’s second largest moth and in addition the beautiful Moon Moth, Silk moths, Emperor Moths, Hawk Moths, Owl Moths, Tiger Moths, Burnet Moths, Tussock Moth and a variety of Geometrid Moths to list a few.
The number of butterfly species is increasing; so far we have identified 80 different species. Thanks to the effort of several students and faculty members we have created an open butterfly garden by planting host plants that attract varieties of butterfly. We are also studying the life cycle of both butterflies and moths.
Snakes and other reptiles
The campus is home to five of the most venomous snakes found in India; the Indian Cobra, the Russell’s Viper, the Saw-Scaled Viper, the Common Krait and the Green-pit Viper. In addition to the venomous snakes, we have documented 20 non-venomous snakes. These include endemic snakes such as the Dumeril’s Black headed Snake and the Phipson’s Shield tail. In addition to snakes the campus also houses several reptiles like the Forest Calotes, the garden Calotes and a variety of lizards and geckos yet to be identified.
Avifauna on campus
The campus has a rich biodiversity of birds, which comprises residential species as well as local migrants. We have so far identified over 100 species of bird. Theses include the Eagles, Owls, Hawks, Kites, Egrets, Herons, Pheasants, Quails, Partridges, Parakeets, Cuckoos, Pigeons, Doves, Swifts, Kingfishers, Bee-eaters, Rollers, Hoopoes, Woodpeckers, Pittas, Larks, Swallows, Shrikes, Orioles, Drongos, Mynas, Magpies, Jays, Fly-catchers, Ioras, Leaf Birds, Bulbuls, Babblers, Thrushes, Warblers, Sparrows, Tits, Pipits, Wagtails, Flowerpeckers, White eyes, Weaver Birds, Sunbirds and Finches.
Amphibians
Amphibians are very sensitive to any changes in ecosystems and therefore are considered to be excellent indicators of the quality of the overall environment. Amphibians are a class of vertebrates that include Frogs, Toads, Salamanders, Newts and Caecilians. On campus the documentation of Amphibians has only recently begun. It is a sign of the health of our environment that two of the most vulnerable endemic species of the Western Ghats, the Knobbed Handed Shrub Frog and Rough Skinned Shrub Frog both of which are listed by the World Conservation Union (IUCN) and the Global Amphibian Assessment (GAA) as vulnerable species. Apart from frogs and toads, we have also found Blind snakes (Caecilians) on campus. The presence of blind snakes is a further indicator of a clean and healthy environment.
Mammals
Photography of mammals has not yet begun however from the opening of the college in 1998 we have documented the diversity of mammals in and around the campus. So far we have recorded Wild boars, Mouse deer, Spotted deer, Barking deer, Striped Hyena, Wild dogs (Dholes) , Jackals, Fruit and Grain eating bats , Small Indian Civet, Jungle cats, Rusty mongooses, Indian Hares, Shrews, Indian Porcupine, Striped Squirrels and many different types of rodent such as mice, rats and Bandicoots. There are probably many more species yet to be documented.
In addition to the above we have documented different types of Centipedes, Scorpions, Mushrooms, Caterpillars and Spiders, and efforts are now being made to have them identified by experts.
Apart from cataloging species, the biodiversity team tends to injured birds and animals on campus. A group of security guards along with the team are also actively involved in rescuing snakes that get trapped occasionally in residential areas. The snakes are caught and re-located in the wild without harming them. Snake awareness sessions are held during orientation week during the beginning of every academic year. Information about different types of Snakes, Centipedes and Scorpions that inhabit the school campus are shown to students as well as faculty. They are also given information on how to co-exist with snakes on campus and what to do if they spot one.
The Biodiversity team is working on the production of a catalogue of all the photographs and is gathering information on the organisms found around campus. The long term goal of the team is to publish handbooks of the flora and fauna found on campus that can be used by guests, research scholars, faculty and students so that they can enjoy and learn about the rich diversity around us.
Sindhu Ramchandran
Teacher, Environmental Systems
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