Background

 

This overnight workshop is designed to introduce the wonderful world of frogs, herpetology as a hobby and to help you identify frogs that you are likely to see around the city. The course will delve deep into finer aspects, while helping you develop a wonderful hobby.

This course is well-suited to beginners, while adding value even if you are a little more familiar with the outdoors. If you are into wildlife photography, this course will increase your confidence in frog identification and help you add a better perspective to your skills. You will be guided in identifying frogs by sight and sound and learn about the ways they interact with the environment. You will also be introduced to basic scientific techniques that can prove to be invaluable for a more serious involvement. The course, though being very informative in content, will have a relaxed atmosphere to encourage interactions in the form of questions and discussions.

The course will have a fair mix of fieldwork, indoor sessions, and discussions that will help strengthen concepts. The indoor session will include an interactive slide presentation session to fill-in the gaps. The indoor sessions will also help review what was learnt. During the field trips, we will try to see and hear as many species as possible and learn about them.

 

When

 

The course has been scheduled for August 23rd and 24th, 2014. We will meet the participants at the turning towards the farm on Kanakapura Main Road at 5 PM on the 23rd of August and proceed to the farm. The workshop will come to a close at 9 AM on the 24th of August 2014.

 

Where

 

Ravagodlu, on Kanakapura Road. The course will be held within the premises of a private farm and its surroundings. The Suvarnamukhi River, which takes birth in Bannerghatta National Park, flows close to the farm. It is also surrounded by agricultural fields and forms an ideal habitat to explore for frogs. We will not be venturing into the forest. (Route map: http://goo.gl/t3rj9K).

 

Resource People for the Workshop

 

The workshop will be led by Seshadri K S, a doctoral student at the National University of Singapore. Seshadri has been captivated by the sheer beauty and complexity of nature. His fascination of nature grew when he started out as a bird watcher. Since then, he has spent much of his time being in “the field” and observing nature. He has studied several ecological systems ranging from dragonflies to epiphytes in the tall forest canopies in the Western Ghats biodiversity hotspot of India. In the recent past, his focus has been on amphibians and has been studying ecology, behavior and means to conserve frogs. For his doctoral thesis, he is working on the ecology and behavior of bamboo nesting frogs in South Asia.

Others naturalists who will assist on this workshop are

  • Mamlakatoi Haidarova
  • Karthik Kumar
  • Vidisha Kulkarni

 

What we provide

 

You will be provided with enough directions to easily reach the rendezvous point. Wholesome vegetarian food will be provided and will include dinner and breakfast. We will also provide tea and biscuits through the workshop to keep our chin up. You will also be provided a book suited for taking down field notes and a pen. Sleeping arrangements will be in shared dormitory rooms on ground mattresses.

A field notebook and pen will be provided, but you are welcome to carry additional materials.

We will be carrying field guides with us, but if you want to pick-up one we recommend the book below. As it is currently out of stock, the best bet will be borrow it from someone who owns it.

 

  • Pictorial Guide to Frogs and Toads of Western Ghats  by Gururaja K V

 

Food

 

Wholesome and simple vegetarian food will be provided and will include dinner and breakfast. We will also provide tea and biscuits through the workshop. Please do carry any additional food as required.

 

Cost

 

The cost for the Overnight Frog Identification Workshop, including food and stay, will be Rs. 1,200. Only 20 participants will be allowed for this workshop. Participation will be confirmed only against payment on a first-come-first-serve basis. On the spot registrations are not welcome due to the logistics involved for this workshop.

Please fill in the form below for us to send you the payment modes and other details.

Owing to the niche nature of this course, payments once confirmed cannot be refunded. You are always welcome to send in a friend or a relative, if you are unable to make it on that day for some reason.

 

Other Information

 

If you would like any more information about any aspects of the course or get in touch with us, do contact us at [email protected] or through the listed phone numbers below.