On trail in Maloli, 40 students see forest in all its glory

KERI: Keen on sensitising students about how vital forest ecosystems are for wildlife conservation, the Vivekanand Environment Awareness Brigade of Keri held a jungle trail for 40 students in the forests of Maloli, Sattari.
While Vitthal Shelke shared tips on how to identify the presence of wild animals through pug marks, scratches and scats, Suryakant Gaonkar explained the diversity and abundance of floral wealth and helped the students take in the beauty of wild flowers in the Sahyadris. They also saw limestone caves and were told by Subodh Naik that they provided crucial shelter for bats, birds and other wild animals.
The group was then taken to the sacred grove of Nirankarachi Rai of Maloli, where they witnessed first-hand an ecosystem dating back 140 million years completed with a perennial spring.
"Through the trail, we got an up-close view of the forest ecosystem and also saw varied elements of biological wealth. It strengthened my bond with the jungle and eliminated many misconceptions about snakes," Assama Muzawar, a participant from Velguem, said. Her thoughts were echoed by Mapusa resident Arjun Sutar, who called for more jungle trails. "During vacations, there is a need to take us away from routine school work by exposing us to forests and wildlife and encouraging us to unearth the secrets of nature," he said.