wildlife (3)

World Environment Day - June 5th, 2016

3839120846?profile=originalJune 5th, 2016 is "World Environment Day" ! The theme this year is "fighting against the illegal trade in wildlife"  that is driving several species to the brink of extinction - upsetting ecosystems and economies! The environment is everyone's concern - so much so that no one can afford to say "it's not my business"!

Read through this report :http://greeniesglobe.com/world-environment-day.html

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For all those who are interested in environment and wildlife documentaries and filmmaking - please spread the word -

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CMS VATAVARAN announces its Call for Entries for the 8th competitive edition of CMS VATAVARAN - Environment & Wildlife Film Festival and Forum 2015 from Indian and International filmmakers.

Films produced on or after January 01, 2013 are accepted in the CMS VATAVARAN 2015 film festival scheduled from October 9 - 12, 2015 at New Delhi. Entries can be submitted in 11 categories.

CMS VATAVARAN is respected widely for the high standards it has set in the judging of films - the impartiality of the process and involvement of eminent personalities from across a wide spectrum.

http://vat2015.cmsvatavaran.org/call-for-entry-2015/

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A tribe of Snake catchers

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Amidst the rich paddy fields on the outskirts of Tumgaon village near Mahasamund, Chhattisgarh lays a small hamlet of Snake catchers belonging to a sub-caste of Gond tribe, called the Saur Gond’s. There are around 40 households and each of them has snakes more than the number of members residing in it. It’s been named Jogidera after the former chief minister of Chhattisgarh Mr. Ajit Jogi.

During my recent visit to this hamlet, I came across some traditions followed by this tribe. As it was a quick trip, I had very less time to spend with them and learn more about it. Yet there are few which I found interesting to share with you all.

In this tribe, for example, during marriage instead of giving in kind or in cash for dowry, the bridegroom is gifted with 21 snakes. They believe 21 to be a holy number and it’s been practiced since ancient times in their culture. After receiving all these 21 snakes, the bridegroom’s family leaves it back to the jungle. They keep a few of them to show to people during festival season like Nagpanchami, during which they travel all across Chhattisgarh.

3839118576?profile=originalThey teach their children the tricks of handling snakes at a very young age and instead of toys they have it to play with. Through syringe the catchers take out the venom and then teach them about it. They also use wild herbs if bitten by snake and before going to any place to catch venomous snakes, they take it as a precaution medicine.

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When I visited this hamlet there were hardly any men, as most of them do labor work and were out of the hamlet during day hours. The kids showed me some of the poisonous snakes including spectacled cobra, krait and common sand boa (non-venomous) which are shown above.

I hope to visit this hamlet in future again and document more about it.

More on www.marvelnature.com

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