We often find trails of leftover snake skins as we venture inside shade grown eco-friendly coffee plantations. A closer look at the skin reveals many interesting facts. Many Coffee Planters are of the opinion that skin shedding is something common in snakes, the fact of the matter is that, it is not entirely accurate. In […]
Importance of Rat Snakes in Coffee Plantation Ecology
The Indian rat snake (Ptyas mucosa), also known as the oriental rat snake is a common species of colubrid snake and are non-venomous. Rat Snake ( Ptyas mucosa Linnaeus, 1758 ) Geographic Range Rat snakes are found in all coffee Agro climatic regions irrespective of variation in elevations ranging from 800 feet MSL to 5500 […]
Migratory Visitor. The Eurasian Spoonbill
Introduction The Coffee Forests are gifted with various bird species both resident and migratory. This article throws light on the migratory Eurasian Spoonbill which visits Shade grown ecofriendly coffee Plantations during the winter months, preferably December to January. This brief article on spoonbills, also provides a glimpse of the bird that breeds in Karnataka State […]
The Elusive Leopard Cat
Introduction Shade Grown Eco-friendly coffee forests adjourn a number of wildlife sanctuaries and in some States like Karnataka, coffee forests are an integral part of the Nilgiri biosphere reserve. Since most species of wildlife undergo seasonal migrations in search of food, one can witness wildlife from Game sanctuaries crossing over into coffee forests and vice […]
Why Use Phosphate Solubilizers in Coffee-Cultivation?
Phosphorus as an essential element The Coffee Agro Forestry Ecosystem is associated with multiple crops (Coffee, Pepper, Areca, Cardamom, Oil Palm, Citrus, Ginger) and different species of herbs, trees and shrubs. The energy needs of various biotic partners, especially Phosphorus is limiting because of a number of reasons. First and foremost phosphorus is an essential […]
Slender Loris inside Coffee Forests
We have trekked the dense Western Ghat forest range for over three decades and have recorded the flora and fauna present in Coffee forests, for the benefit of future generations. This amazing stretch of forests has been designated as one among the 8 mega biodiversity hotspots of the world. The Western Ghats comprises less than […]