The Dance of the Sarus Essays of a Wandering Naturalist

by Baskaran, S. Theodore

• ISBN13: 9780195649666
• ISBN10: 0195649664
• Format: Hardcover
• Copyright: 2000-03-30
• Publisher: Oxford University Press

Summary

This intriguing book brings together short essays on various aspects of India's wildlife and birds. Set in diverse geographical locations, from the alpine landscape of Arunachel Pradesh to the scrub jungles of Madurai, from the Rann of Kachch to the hills of Assam, this collection includes animated pieces on the pelican, the sarus cranes, the ibis, leaf monkeys, hoolocks, white tigers, rainforests, trout, and so on. The Dance of the Sarus spans a wide range and contains observations on little known creatures of the north-eastern hills; it documents the bird mystery of Haflong; and it contains interviews with conservationists like Salim Ali, George Scheller, and Ravi Chellam. Author Theodore Baskaran beautifully highlights important landscape details, including sights and sounds that captivate him. And the book is well illustrated with pictures that are interspersed throughout the text. Celebrating the unique fauna and breathtaking landscape of the country, these evocative essays will appeal to the amateur naturalist, bird watcher, conservationist, and all those with an interest in India's rich natural history.

Author Biography

S. Theodore Baskaran, who retired recently from the Indian Postal Service, is an Honorary Wildlife Warden and the south India representative of The International Primate Protection League. He is currently the Secretary of MOZHI, a resource development centre in language and culture, Chennai.

Table of Contents

Introduction	xiii
THE BIRDS	1	(88)
The Dance of the Sarus	3	(3)
A Haven for Bustards	6	(3)
One Morning in Ranganathittu	9	(5)
An Evening at Lake Nakuru	14	(4)
Sporting Seasonal Plumage	18	(3)
The Survivors	21	(4)
Mauritius: Birds in Trouble	25	(7)
The Flamingoes of Porbandar	32	(3)
Private Life of a Purple-rumped Sunbird	35	(3)
You Came a Long Way, Baby	38	(3)
The Haflong Phenomenon	41	(4)
Driven to Extinction	45	(3)
The Dipper	48	(2)
Mimic in the Woods	50	(3)
A Creature of the Rain Forest	53	(3)
Birds of Adyar Estuary	56	(4)
An Unusual Congregation	60	(3)
The Pope of Ornithology	63	(3)
Saving the Pelican	66	(4)
The Ibis: Devoted Family Birds	70	(3)
A Threatened Sanctuary	73	(6)
The Pleasures of Birdwatching	79	(4)
An Interview	83	(6)
Salim Ali
THE MAMMALS	89	(44)
The Liontailed Macaques of the Anamalais	91	(5)
The Black buck of Bannari	96	(4)
Back From the Oblivion	100	(3)
The Sangai On the Brink	103	(3)
Man-Elephant Encounter	106	(10)
Hoolock: The Ace Acrobat	116	(3)
The Leaf Monkeys of Tripura	119	(3)
The White Tigers of India	122	(3)
Protecting the Wolf	125	(3)
The Slender Loris: A Primate in Darkness	128	(5)
THE HABITATS	133	(38)
The Men who Planted Trees	135	(3)
The Rain Forests of Tamilnadu	138	(4)
A Silent Summer	142	(5)
The Grass Hills	147	(3)
This Delightful Country ...	150	(4)
Nalsarovar: A Paradigm for Wetland	154	(4)
The Monpas of Himalayas: In Harmony with Nature	158	(6)
Grassland as a Habitat	164	(3)
When the Hills Turn Blue...	167	(4)
THE ISSUES	171	(42)
Hunting in British India	173	(4)
To Shoot or Not to Shoot	177	(3)
In A Well of Despair	180	(5)
The Economic Impetus to Conservation: The Kenyan Story	185	(4)
To Catch a Trout	189	(6)
Conserving the Tiger: Interview with George Schaller	195	(7)
The Lions of Gir: Interview with Ravi Chellam	202	(7)
Noah's Ark: How safe?	209	(4)
THE DOMESTIC	213	(20)
Indigenous Breeds of Cattle in India	215	(4)
India's Canine Heritage	219	(7)
The Donkeys of the World	226	(7)
Index	233