Agumbe Rainforest Research Station
Encyclopedia
Agumbe Rainforest Research Station (ARRS) is an ecological research station situated in the rainforests of Agumbe
, Karnataka
, India
. It is situated on the crest of the Western Ghats
at about 640 metres (2,099.7 ft) above sea level. This area has been identified as one of the world’s Biodiversity Hotspots, and is part of the Agumbe Rainforest Complex, which includes the Someshwara Wildlife Sanctuary, the Kudremukh National Park, the Mookambika Wildlife Sanctuary, and the Sharavathi Valley Wildlife Sanctuary, and various other smaller tracts around Kundapur, Shankaranarayana, Hosanagara, Sringeri, and Thirthahalli.
The research station is eco-friendly and is not connected to the state's electricity grid. It uses solar power and a micro hydroelectric unit. The fencing around the station is of smooth wire designed to avoid injury to local wildlife. The station consists of two cottages for researchers and a refurbished farmhouse that serves as the hub. The station follows a three-pronged approach involving research, education and conservation. Staff from the center regularly visit schools to give students lectures and demonstrations on snakes and conservation.
in 1971 in which he witnessed his first wild king cobra
. Returning in 2005, Whitaker founded the station on a 4 acres (1.6 ha) plantation surrounded by rainforest (6 acres (2.4 ha) of which are now part of the station). The land came with an old farmhouse overlooking paddy fields, with an arecanut plantation in its backyard. The house had to be refurbished to become the first office and residence of the research base. Whitaker's colleague, Gowri Shankar, was the first ARRS Conservation Officer and he lived alone for months, functioning as education officer, field biologist, and liaison officer and assisting Whitaker in setting up the base.
Also in 2005, Whitaker was awarded the UK Whitley Fund for Nature, and used this to invest in basic infrastructure which grew into ARRS, a full-fledged forest research base.
s has set the stage for ARRS growth, development and reach.
The primary research activities of the station include:
Agumbe
Agumbe is a village located in the Shimoga district in the state of Karnataka, India. Lying in the Thirthahalli taluk and the Malnad region, Agumbe is among the places in India that receive very heavy rainfall earning it the sobriquet, "Cherrapunji of the South". It is also the home of the Agumbe...
, Karnataka
Karnataka
Karnataka , the land of the Kannadigas, is a state in South West India. It was created on 1 November 1956, with the passing of the States Reorganisation Act and this day is annually celebrated as Karnataka Rajyotsava...
, India
India
India , officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world...
. It is situated on the crest of the Western Ghats
Western Ghats
The Western Ghats, Western Ghauts or the Sahyādri is a mountain range along the western side of India. It runs north to south along the western edge of the Deccan Plateau, and separates the plateau from a narrow coastal plain along the Arabian Sea. The Western Ghats block rainfall to the Deccan...
at about 640 metres (2,099.7 ft) above sea level. This area has been identified as one of the world’s Biodiversity Hotspots, and is part of the Agumbe Rainforest Complex, which includes the Someshwara Wildlife Sanctuary, the Kudremukh National Park, the Mookambika Wildlife Sanctuary, and the Sharavathi Valley Wildlife Sanctuary, and various other smaller tracts around Kundapur, Shankaranarayana, Hosanagara, Sringeri, and Thirthahalli.
The research station is eco-friendly and is not connected to the state's electricity grid. It uses solar power and a micro hydroelectric unit. The fencing around the station is of smooth wire designed to avoid injury to local wildlife. The station consists of two cottages for researchers and a refurbished farmhouse that serves as the hub. The station follows a three-pronged approach involving research, education and conservation. Staff from the center regularly visit schools to give students lectures and demonstrations on snakes and conservation.
History
ARRS has its origins in a visit to the area by herpetologist Romulus WhitakerRomulus Whitaker
Romulus Earl Whitaker is a herpetologist, wildlife conservationist and founder of the Madras Snake Park, The Andaman and Nicobar Environment Trust , and the Madras Crocodile Bank Trust....
in 1971 in which he witnessed his first wild king cobra
King Cobra
The king cobra is the world's longest venomous snake, with a length up to 5.6 m . This species, which preys chiefly on other snakes, is found predominantly in forests from India through Southeast Asia to the Philippines and Indonesia...
. Returning in 2005, Whitaker founded the station on a 4 acres (1.6 ha) plantation surrounded by rainforest (6 acres (2.4 ha) of which are now part of the station). The land came with an old farmhouse overlooking paddy fields, with an arecanut plantation in its backyard. The house had to be refurbished to become the first office and residence of the research base. Whitaker's colleague, Gowri Shankar, was the first ARRS Conservation Officer and he lived alone for months, functioning as education officer, field biologist, and liaison officer and assisting Whitaker in setting up the base.
Also in 2005, Whitaker was awarded the UK Whitley Fund for Nature, and used this to invest in basic infrastructure which grew into ARRS, a full-fledged forest research base.
Activities
ARRS works to reach out to a number of audiences, including school and college students, forest officials, women self-help groups and villagers, to create awareness about conservation. Liaison with the Forest Department, collaborating with other research stations and partnering with national and international universities and non-governmental organizationNon-governmental organization
A non-governmental organization is a legally constituted organization created by natural or legal persons that operates independently from any government. The term originated from the United Nations , and is normally used to refer to organizations that do not form part of the government and are...
s has set the stage for ARRS growth, development and reach.
The primary research activities of the station include:
- Radio telemetry of king cobras
- Photographic inventories of flora and fauna
- Ecology of Draco dussumieriDraco dussumieriThe Southern Flying Lizard Draco dussumieri is an agamid lizard capable of gliding from tree to tree found in the Western Ghats and hill forests of southern India.-Description:...
(Flying lizards) - Amphibian population dynamics
- Canopy access studies
- Tree surveys
- Agriculture at the station
- Creation of educational material