Six-minute video on sounds inside Nagarahole gathers more than 53,000 views

Hunsur: One of the major celebrations at Nagarahole National Park in Kodagu and Mysuru district is the World Environment Day that is celebrated on June 5. This year, however, the celebrations went virtual and no-contact mode and as such it was destined to be a low-key affair. 

However, the online celebration sessions were made interesting by the Forest Department who shared the virtual safari tours on social media platforms, conducted virtual training and displayed splendid online videos through YouTube channel.

The video on Nagarahole that was shot mainly focussing on the sounds inside the thickets made by living creatures stole the show. 

The video ‘Experience Nagarahole at home’ has already generated more than 53,000 views and the number of viewers is increasing by the moment. More than 100 people have commented on the six-minute video and have said that it is indeed a ‘wow’ experience within the confines of their homes. 

Due to the pandemic and orders from the Ministry of Environment, Forests and Climate Change, there were no nature walks and bird watching sessions that are usually held as part of World Environment Day and the day this year was marked with virtual meetings and seminars organised by various Wildlife Divisions, Government Departments and NGOs. 

The theme for World Environment Day 2021 is ‘Time for Nature’ and Pakistan will be the host nation. 

The need of enforcing the guidelines issued by the United Nations (UN) every 10 years was stressed during the online sessions. The United Nations General Assembly has declared 2021-2030 as the UN Decade on Ecosystem Restoration.

While the officials from Nagarahole National Park released the six-minute video, officials from the Bandipur Tiger Reserve organised virtual seminars and sessions that focussed on information, awareness and training. Several participants spoke on resorting ecosystems and biodiversity hotspots where large-scale destruction is underway. More than 300 participants got on to the online sessions, said Nagarahole Project Tiger Director D. Mahesh Kumar. 

Interestingly, the authorities at Biligiri Rangana Tiger (BRT) Reserve organised a talk on Twitter where Directors of all Tiger Reserves in Karnataka interacted and underlined the importance of conserving tiger and also saving grasslands along with forest conservation. The officials discussed freeing up of Tiger Reserves from the clutches of invasive and dominant weed Lantana and give a fillip to the growth of grasslands.

A small event marking the greening of Antharasanthe Range was held where officials and villagers of Dammanakatte planted saplings. Metikuppe ACF Mahadev, RFO Siddaraju, Wildlife Wardens Krithika Alanahally and Jeevan Krishnappa and others were present.