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Nature Walk

Kaapi 2006 hopes to bring you one step closer to discovering the local riches: appreciating nature and its infinite treasures, starting this year with the Nature walk, scheduled for 6: 15 am on the 28th.

A nature walk in the Guindy National Park hopes to give you an insight into the scenic beauty of the tropical dry evergreen forests of which the IIT campus itself was a part not too long ago! And ecologically, still is!

One of the best ways to explore the culture, wildlife and natural bounty that the campus has to offer is to get out and actually explore it, and the nature walk by Thyagarajan from Madras Naturalist Society promises a refreshing and insightful glance at the wildlife and birdlife of the Guindy Park.

The trees one can find here include Borassus, date palms, Banyan, other figs and cassias. The shrubs include glycosmis and euphorbias. Climbers like cissus quadrangularis and parasitic plants are noticed in these areas. The animal life is rich.

Some 200 kinds of birds have been seen here. So participants should plan to bring binoculars with them. They might like to bring drinking water along. Birds that might be seen include rare birds such as the red-winged crested cuckoo and the black crested baza.

There are mammals such as the blackbuck and spotted deer, which appear to be declining in IIT. Apart from these there are bonnet macaques, palm squirrels, jackals and mongooses here. There are many species of reptiles and insects to be observed. So go ahead, spend the day hitting those scenic trails, and get shutter-happy.

Contact hospi desk in the festival and register for the nature walk in advance, if you’d like to have transport arranged in advance! Or send a mail to arjun@saarang.org