The Monsoon Bash 2018 event has initiated to explore the Frog and Bird diversity of M S Swaminathan Botanical Garden. It an event to enhance Scientific, Educational and Recreational facet of MSSBG. The programme started with the nocturnal nature expedition camp to experience and familiarise with natural history, the habitat and breeding of the frog species. Team observed around 15 species out of 21 commonly found species at MSSBG campus. Rachophorus lateralis, Polypedates pseudocruciger, Pseudophilautus waynadensis, Raorchestes nerostegona, Raorchestes ponmudi, Raorchestes anili and Hylarana intermedia were among a few species which raise the excitement of the tourists, students and the naturalist in the event.
Birding started with an introductory session of Mr. C. K Vishnudas on Bird diversity and started the journey spotting Malabar Grey Hornbill, an endemic of Western Ghats right in the campus. Asian Fairy Bluebirds, Brown Fish Owl, Blue winged parakeet, Small Sunbird were a few interesting birds among 32 species spotted though its monsoon, in this 3 hours and 30 minutes trail and trekking.
Ms. Neelam Chaudhary from Uttar Pradesh mentioned that her outlook of these tiny species, frog has changed through the event and she told its an inspiration to conserve its habitat. Ms. Bhuvana from Karnataka has mentioned that this is her first experience in the ‘field watch’ at night and amazed with the schedule on educational trekking and frog watching experience.
The tour programme was organised with the prominent support of Dr. N Anil Kumar ,Senior Director, MSSRF and Dr. V Balakrishnan , Head, MSSRF CAbC with an active MSSBG Team including Dr. Smitha S. Thankappan , Senior Scientist and communication strategist, Mr. Jithin M M , Garden Manager, Mr. Jayesh P Joseph ,Plant Taxonomist , Mr. Nandakumar M K , Ecologist and Mr. Sateesh K T Gardener and Naturalist. The resource persons for this event was the naturalist and researcher, Mr. Aravind, Dr. Anil Zachariah and Mr. C. K Vishnudas with their longterm experience in the frog watching and Birding trail respectively.
The team of tourists and naturalist of the first batch consists of Ms. Neelam Chaudhary from UP, Ms. Prantika Karmakar from West Bengal, Ms. Anandi from Chennai, Ms. Bhuvana C from Karnataka, Ms. Gayathri Chadrasekharan from Thiruvananthapuram, Kerala and Mrs. Sobha from Wayanad, Kerala and Master Sharon D’Silva from Wayanad, Kerala.
Ms. Sobha Chandrasekharan being a housewife she thanked the opportunity that MSSBG provided to know more on her passion on bird diversity.
The Weather aligned with the event Monsoon Bash 2018 with raindrops, songs and colour of birds, splash of streams and evergreen canopy of M S Swaminathan Botanical Garden.
The event has planned in five consecutive batches as 21-22 July, 28-29 July, 4-5 August, 11-12 August and 18-19 August 2018.