Begonia sps.

[Kiran Srivastava]

Once the monsoon settles in Mumbai these pretty white flowers of Begonia are seen growing in profusion on the bare rocks in Sanjay Gandhi National Park. Once such site was on the road climbing up to Kanheri Caves and these flowers were found amongst ferns and other plants. Which species are they please/

 

Cheers,

Kiran Srivastava

Mumbai

kir...@vsnl.net

 

[J.M. Garg]

Begonia grandis/Hardy Begonia ? See http://www.sustainable-gardening.com/Perennials/Begoniagrandis.php

--
With regards,
J.M.Garg
"We often ignore the beauty around us"
For learning about our trees & plants, please visit/ join Google e-group (Indiantreepix) http://groups.google.co.in/group/indiantreepix?hl=en
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[J.M. Garg]

Here is another link of Begonia grandis evansiana giving range & habitat etc.:http://www.pfaf.org/database/plants.php?Begonia+grandis+evansiana

On 8/4/08, J.M. Garg <jmg...@gmail.com> wrote:

Begonia grandis/Hardy Begonia ? See http://www.sustainable-gardening.com/Perennials/Begoniagrandis.php

On Mon, Aug 4, 2008 at 8:46 AM, Kiran Srivastava <kir...@vsnl.net> wrote:

Once the monsoon settles in Mumbai these pretty white flowers of Begonia are seen growing in profusion on the bare rocks in Sanjay Gandhi National Park. Once such site was on the road climbing up to Kanheri Caves and these flowers were found amongst ferns and other plants. Which species are they please/

 

Cheers,

Kiran Srivastava

Mumbai

kir...@vsnl.net

 

For my Birds, Butterflies, Trees, Landscape pictures etc., visit http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/Special:Contributions/J.M.Garg
 

[Pankaj Sekhsaria]

Apologies for cross posting.
Dear Friends,
Pasted below is the list of contents and the Editorial from the New
Issue of the Protected Area Update (Vol XIV, No. 4, August 2008 (No. 74))
If you want to receive any particular stories or the entire update as an
email attachment please write to me at psekh...@gmail.com

Thanks
Pankaj Sekhsaria
Editor - PA Update
C/0 Kalpavriksh

PROTECTED AREA UPDATE
News and Information from protected areas in India and South Asia
Vol. XIV No. 4
August 2008 (No. 74)


LIST OF CONTENTS
EDITORIAL
When elephants cross borders
NEWS FROM INDIAN STATES
ANDHRA PRADESH
-Opposition to sanctuary proposal in Srikakulam, Vizianagaram districts
ASSAM
-Orang tigers to be camera trapped
-Two elephants found dead within 24 hours
-Assam seeks tougher punishments for rhino poachers; army to help too
GOA
-Gaur population up in Goa
GUJARAT
-Gir gets award for eco-tourism
-Artificial water points in Gir for summer
-Increased vigil after anthrax outbreak around Gir
HIMACHAL PRADESH
-Demand to cancel approval for cement plant near Sundarnagar and Bandli WLS
JAMMU & KASHMIR
-Dachigam NP opened to public after 60 years
JHARKHAND
-Rs. 190 lakh Central assistance for wildlife protection to Jharkhand
-Elephants flock to Dalma WLS during summer
-Dalma WLS elephant and calf electrocuted
KARNATAKA
-Workshop held to sensitise judges and forest officers to provisions of
the WLPA.
-Traffic management centre in Bannerghata NP
-World Heritage tag likely for 12 sites
KERALA
-Newsletter on Vembanad
-Malabar WLS proposed in Kozhikode
-Diphtheria reported in Kani settlements in Peppara WLS
-FD to set up three biodiversity parks

MADHYA PRADESH
-Wildlife sanctuary proposed in Alirajpur district
MAHARASHTRA
-Lonar lake to tell the story of climate change
-Proposal to reduce Great Indian Bustard Sanctuary to 350 sq. kms
-PAs in Vidarbha, Aurangabad to be promoted for tourism
-No support from police to demolish illegal ashram in Tungareshwar WLS: FD
ORISSA
-FD files case against ZP member for blocking saline water ingress into
Bhitarkanika NP
PUNJAB
-Effort to develop Harike as a tourism site
RAJASTHAN
-Nokia – WWF India project for Ranthambhor
-Tigers re-introduced to Sariska
TAMIL NADU
-Elephant poached in Mudumalai after six years
-Protest against declaration of Mudumalai WLS as a Critical Tiger Habitat
-Tribals in Kalakad Mundunthurai TR face eviction for failing to stop
forest fire.
-Rs. 50 lakh project for Gulf of Mannar Biosphere Reserve
-Exotic algae invades Gulf of Mannar NP
UTTAR PRADESH
-Bird sanctuary proposed in Noida
-Tigers pushing out leopards from Katerniaghat WLS, Dudhwa NP
-Rhinos from Bardia and ShuklaPhanta move to Katerniaghat WLS, Lagga
Bagga forests
UTTARAKHAND
-Two conservation reserves for Musk deer in Pithoragarh
-Rescue centres for big cats, tuskers in Almora, Haridwar
-Severe staff shortage at Corbett
-Record earnings from tourism in Corbett TR
-Uttarakhand, UP to work together to curb poaching in Corbett TR
-No more elephant deaths by trains in Rajaji
-Rajaji tusker tramples nine, shot dead
-Rajaji NP grassland to be handed over for temple construction
WEST BENGAL
-Increasing human-elephant conflict along the Bengal-Nepal border
-Monkeys to prevent poaching, tree smuggling in the Sunderbans
-Workshop on Community Forest Governance in North Bengal
NATIONAL NEWS FROM INDIA
-Wildlife Bureau hit by staff shortage
-Corridors to alleviate elephant crisis in Eastern Indian states
-Disney Conservation Award to Shailendra Singh of the MCBT
-Whitley Award for Dr. Deepak Apte
SOUTH ASIA
-Steps to combat illegal wildlife trade in South Asia
BANGLADESH
-Tiger attacks on the rise in the Sundarbans
NEPAL
-Sherpa community creates the Khumbu Community Conserved Area
UPCOMING
29th Symposium on Sea Turtle Biology and Conservation
READERS WRITE
Declaration of the Khumbu Community Conserved Area


EDITORIAL


WHEN ELEPHANTS CROSS BORDERS

Following are some interesting cross-border news nuggets gleaned over
the last few months.

a) Wild elephant migration from Karnataka to Goa and Maharashtra is
termed ‘unnatural’ and Goa seeks Maharasthra’s help to drive the animals
back. When Goa starts the operation it finds that its efforts to drive
back the elephants have been hampered by trenches dug on the Maharashtra
side to prevent the entry of the animals into that state. Goan
authorities are asking Project Elephant authorities to intervene and ask
Maharashtra to behave.
b) Elephants that had ‘strayed’ from Orissa into Andhra in late 2007
were termed ‘rogue’ and huge efforts were made to force them to return.
Two of animals were even darted and drugged and carried back to their
home state. One died almost immediately, most likely because of an
overdose of the drug used on it.
c) Bangladesh wants India to ‘take back’ her 100 odd elephants that
have moved across the international border from Meghalaya. They have
threatened that the animals might otherwise be killed; and
d) (As you will read below) The Nepalese government is reinforcing
the border with India in North Bengal with low-voltage electric wires to
prevent herds of elephants from crossing over along their traditional
migratory routes.

Reading news like this is to experience a tragic-comic drama being
played out across elephant territory in the sub-continent. How else can
one explain a country asking another to take back ‘its’ elephants, or
one minister complaining to a counterpart in the neighbouring state that
his elephants are causing trouble.
No one will argue that the situation on the ground is a simple one.
The case of human-elephant conflict is an extremely protracted and
complex one. Large populations of rural and tribal people undoubtedly
suffer huge depredations because of elephants; and the pressure on
administrators, politicians and forest staff to deal with the problem
must be undeniably huge.
It needs to be remembered at the same time that elephants don’t
have it easy either. Increasing encroachments, dam construction, mining
projects and infrastructure corridors have, over the years, ruthlessly
destroyed elephant habitat and snapped traditional migratory routes. Not
only are the elephants being denied what was traditionally and
rightfully theirs, but terms like ‘straying’ herds, ‘rogue’ animals and
‘unnatural’ habitat are used without thought to hold them responsible
for a problem they are not responsible for at all.
Borders created by human beings for their own kind are turning
tragically problematic, even fatal for the pachyderms in ways that can
only be considered bizarre.
The largest mammal on land deserves better than being shot,
electrocuted or drugged for crossing our borders. The animal that is one
of the most venerated in our cultures and histories can surely be
treated with more respect and tolerance. We, humans, can at the same
time, certainly do better than blaming neighbours and demanding that
‘their’ animals behave or be taken back; it is the best way to ensure a
solution will not be found. A little common sense and pragmatism in
dealing with the issue will certainly do no one any harm.
It might, in fact, be a good starting point to find some meaningful
resolution and long lasting answers.

------

PROTECTED AREA UPDATE
Vol. XIV, No. 4, August 2008 (No. 74)
Editor: Pankaj Sekhsaria
Editorial Assistance: Wrutuja Pardeshi
Illustrations: Madhuvanti Anantharajan
Produced by: Kalpavriksh
Ideas, comments, news and information may please be sent to the
editorial address:
KALPAVRIKSH, Apartment 5, Shri Dutta Krupa, 908 Deccan Gymkhana, Pune
411004, Maharashtra, India. Tel/Fax: 020 – 25654239.
Email: psekh...@gmail.com
Website: www.kalpavriksh.org
Production of PA Update 74 has been supported by Foundation for
Ecological Security (FES), Anand.


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[Sunjoy Monga]

If I am right, I remember the ones near Kanheri are Common Begonia (Begonia crenata) and these look like the same.

 

cheers- - sunjoy monga

2008/8/4 Kiran Srivastava <kir...@vsnl.net>

[J.M. Garg]

Looks like Common Begonia (Begonia crenata) as stated by Monga ji & as seen in the link (but both this link & Shrikant ji's book state it to be pink, while these are white):  http://www.flowersofindia.net/catalog/slides/Common%20Begonia.html