ATREE’s WilD KidZ ‘wild camp 2019'

The camp site for ATREE’s WilD KidZ ‘wild camp 2019’ was Mundanthurai, a part of Kalakad Mundanthurai Tiger Reserve (KMTR), Tamil Nadu, India’s first Tiger Sanctuary declared in 1962. As a part of Agasthyamalai Community Conservation Centre’s (ACCC) Conservation Education Program, a 3 days and 2 nights wild camp was organized for the students of Grade 7 students from Pushpalata Vidya Mandir, Tirunelveli from August 29 to 31, 2019.

The main objective of the camp is to connect the campers with nature and to expose them to various phenomenon in the wilderness. The 20 campers (10 boys and 10 girls) along with 3 staff got this opportunity to explore the nature through presentations, activities, games and stories.  In the first day of the camp, the campers were introduced to the wild camp, Forest types of KMTR, Butterflying and Tree Tracking through powerpoint presentations, which helped them to get a clear overview of the camp and the camp site.

The second and third day activities such as the ‘Hike Puckles’ a 9 km nature trail encompass the dry deciduous, Gallery Forest and River Servalar, ‘xFLORA’ a basic study on plant morphology, ‘i B-scan’ an observation on animal behaviour, ‘Lives onRoad’ a 2 km walk to witness the impact of traffic on wildlife within the tiger reserve and a 3 km Butterflying trail not only ensured the campers to get connected with nature but also recollected the basic science taught in the school, enjoyed the drizzling, mesmerised by the picturesque sceneries of mountain ranges, reservoir, tribal hamlets, rivers, temple, etc. Some fascinating memories during the day time are the direct sighting of Sloth Bear (Melursus ursinus), Bonnet Macaque (Macaca radiata), Nilgiri Langur (Semnopithecus johnii), Tufted gray Langur (Semnopithecus priam),  Wild Boar (Sus scrofa), Bengal Monitor (Varanus bengalensis),  birds like Black Drongo (Dicrurus macrocercus), Indian Peafowl (Pavo cristatus), white-bellied drongo (Dicrurus caerulescens), fishes like barb, loaches, butterfly species such as Common Emigrant (Catopsilia pomona), Lime blue (Chilades lajus), Common Leopard (Phalanta phalantha), Common Crow (Euploea core), Common Pierrot (Castalius rosimon), Striped Tiger (Danaus genutia), Psyche (Leptosia nina), Lobed Beak (Libythea laius), Common Mormon (Papilio polytes), beetles such as Jewel Beetle (Sternocera sp.), Orange Blister Beetle (Mylabris pustulata), insect eggs, caterpillars and indirect evidences including poops of the Leopard (Panthera pardus), the Gaur (Bos gaurus), Asian palm Civet (Paradoxurus hermaphroditus) and many more made the campers to feel the wild in the wilderness.

The campers experienced the two dark nights with thrills and enthusiasm through night walk, safari and moth screen. They sighting of Green-keelback (Macropisthodon plumbicolor), Common Indian Toad (Duttaphrynus melanostictus), Common tree frog (Polypedates leucomystax), Geometrid Moths, Green Metallic Scarab Beetles, Longhorn Beetles (Hoplocerambyx spinicornis), Caddies flies, Winged Ants, Termites and Fireflies made the campers to appreciate the night lives.

The campers got trained in Single-rope Technique, heard stories about wonders of nature, played wild cards games, show-cased their talents in singing, dancing, took bath in cool streams, breathe pure air and so on. The campers had so much fun at camp they are likely unaware of all the valuable skills and lessons they are learning and the long-term benefits they are realizing. But in the meantime, they have stored up a lifetime of happy memories!

Acknowledgements

The ATREE’s ACCC team members Mathivanan, Saravanan, Thamizhazhagan, Thalavaipandi, Maria Antony and Vinod Kumar would like to specially thank the following persons: Mr.Kommu Omkaram, I.F.S. Deputy Director, KMTR for the permission and guidance to conduct the camp, Mr.Saravanakumar, Forest Range Officer, Mundanthurai, KMTR for providing accommodation and logistics, Mr. Ajithkumar & Mr. Sunilkumar, Anti-Poaching Watchers, Mundanthurai, KMTR for guiding the nature trail. We specially thank Mrs. Pushpalata Pooranan, Correspondent and Founder, Mrs. Pushpaveni Ayyappan, Principal and faculties for guiding and taking care of the students. Our Hearty thanks to the enthusiastic campers Harshith, Vijayakrishna, Abdul Hafeel, Sarvesh, Nithin, Gurulal, Rithick, Sabarisha, Suriya, Mohammed Ibrahim, Nivetha, Shreenee, Ananya, Akshitha, Mahalakshmi, Tanzeela, Sahana, Sherela Shree, Maushmi Subrata and Amirtha.