Environment

Visiting the Alipore Zoo, Kolkata

Environment, India, Kolkata, Travel / By Nils / August 29, 2021 August 29, 2021

A few days ago, my cousin shared photos of my 1 ½ year old niece’s outing to the Hyderabad Zoo (Nehru Park). This brought back pleasant memories of the numerous times in my childhood when our whole family used to visit the Alipore Zoo in Kolkata. Times and circumstances change, but memories and experiences such as these never fade. A trip to the zoo is a must-do for toddlers, pre-tweens and tweens.

Childhood Memories – Picnic!

As a child, every year, my parents and I, along with my entire extended family – uncles, aunts, cousins – used to visit the zoo either on the New Year or Christmas Day, without fail. Despite going there so many times we, my cousins & I, never got tired of the annual trip. In fact, we really looked forward to it.

We used to carry homecooked food, plates, cutlery, blankets, and playing items like badminton racquets, shuttle corks, flying discs – a veritable picnic! Waking up early, packing all the stuff, getting dressed – everything was part of the fun. On reaching, spreading out the blanket under a shady tree and unloading our goodies – it was all so exciting. Then came the best part – actually going around the zoo and watching the animals!

Alipore Zoological Garden - Then

The Alipore Zoological Garden or, as we called it, the Alipore Zoo was filled with animals of abundant species, animals of all shapes and sizes. There were tigers, lions, leopards, hyenas, jackals on the one hand, and hippos, rhinos, and elephants on the other. Then there were giraffes, deer, zebras, chimps along with birds and reptiles!

The tigers were within an open enclosure with a cave to go into. We used to wait for them to come out and roam so we could catch a glimpse. The hippos too were in their own water enclosure where they had a gala time splashing around – or so it seemed to me at that age. The elephants were chained in an open space unfortunately, but we used to watch them being bathed and fed by their mahouts.

I used to love the special reptile house – it seemed to be dark and mysterious to me. Various species of crocodiles, snakes etc. were housed there. This is ironic because I’m deadly afraid of reptiles now.

There were oodles of park space with huge trees to provide shade as well as open space to play stuff like badminton etc. It was a nurturing environment.

The Zoo & Animals - Today

Today, the zoo has been revamped and smartened up. What some used to consider crusty old enclosure, park space, buildings etc. have been upgraded. There’s a lake and a restaurant. Many new species of animals have been brought in; there is now an aquarium, an aviary, better and more enclosures to create natural habitats for the animals. The basic structure of the zoo has remained the same but it’s an upgraded experience now which I’m sure children will love.

Inaugurated in 1875, the zoo today covers 46.5 acres of land and is home to over 1200 animals spread over 108 species. It draws 3 million visitors annually. (Source: Wikipedia)

Source of images: Alipore Zoo official website

Conservation of Animals

The Zoo has undertaken various programs for the conservation of animals and for their general well-being and maintenance. 5 ways in which the Alipore Zoological Garden is helping in maintaining the animal ecosystem:

- Animal Adoption – Individuals or institutions can “adopt” certain animals. The money paid for the adoption goes towards care of the animals. This develops a love of animals among the people.
- Zoo Education – Various events are organized to create awareness among humans and to educate them on the need for preservation of nature’s beings.
- Research – There are research conducted on animal behavior to help understand them and thus take care of them in a better manner.
- Conservation Breeding – This is done to conserve a particular breed or species and to prevent them from dying out.
- Rescue & Rehabilitation – To take in injured animals and help set up a home for them to recuperate.

What We Can Do

In our turn, we can take some steps to help the environment:

Keep the zoo gardens and park clean – Pick up rubbish after you have had your picnic and throw them in designated bins.
Do not disturb the animals – Let us not play loud music, tease & catcall at them or try to feed them. Let them be in their home in peace.
Let’s not use plastic – Help preserve the environment that is home to these animals by being environment friendly.

I am doing my bit by raising awareness through this post via Blogchatter’s Cause A Chatter campaign.

Fun & Learning for Kids

Not only is a visit to the zoo a fun outing for kids, it is also a learning experience – to educate them on various living beings, recognizing different animals and to be aware of the environment. I think it is a must visit for every child.

Details To Know For A Visit

Timings: The Zoo is open on all days except Thursdays. During the Xmas holidays, it is open on all days. Operating hours are 9 AM – 5 PM.
Ticket Prices: Rs. 5 for kids upto 5 years and Rs. 30 for others.
Location: 2 No. Alipore Road, Kolkata 700 027, West Bengal, India
Do’s & Don’ts: Check them here.

Stopping by the Woods – Muir Woods, California

Environment, San Francisco, Travel, USA / By Nils / August 2, 2021 August 2, 2021

“The woods are lovely, dark and deep” – Robert Frost

Muir Woods epitomizes this quote. I visited this U.S National Park in 2019 when I had taken a side trip to San Francisco after my work trip to Houston. From SF, the Muir Woods tour was arranged as a half day trip. When I had planned the trip I had no idea how fulfilling this experience would be, how enriching a sojourn. This is a must do trip from San Francisco – everyone out there and not just nature lovers.

Reaching the Woods

I booked the Muir Woods Tour via Tower Tours which included a shuttle bus ride to the woods and back to SF plus the entry ticket to the Muir Woods itself. It also included a tour guide for the shuttle ride part. I compared this with the Big Bus tours – this was cheaper, and the pickup point was much more convenient.

Tip: You can also drive or bike there but parking there is limited and from what I gleaned on the internet, its better to take this shuttle. Know more here.

Cost for the tour was $69 at that time (all inclusive) but do check the latest prices here.
Starting point of the shuttle bus is the Tower Tours office near Fisherman’s Wharf.
Tour guide gives commentary as we drive through the city and to the woods.

The 30-minute drive to the woods is over the Golden Gate Bridge and through the lovely town of Sausalito – my trip to which I have previously shared. I was treated once again to the wonderful views of the Pacific Bay and the iconic Golden Gate. It was a typical San Francisco foggy morning and the drive was an enervating one.

Once there, I was free to enter and wander as I wished but had to return within 2.5 hours for return trip.

Muir Woods National Monument

The woods are officially called the Muir Woods National Monument. It is an isolated canyon filled with ancient coastal redwood trees (Sequoia sempervirens) which are native to the Pacific Coast. It is a United States National Monument and is under the National Park Services. Congressman William Kent donated the land to protect the redwoods from the logging industry boom and insisted it be named after naturalist John Muir.

The redwoods are over 1000 years old and tower to heights of 260ft!! These are some of the oldest sequoias of California which are sustained by the region’s famous temperate marine fog.

“This is the best tree-lovers monument that could possibly be found in all the forests of the world” – John Muir

Hiking Trails

The entire forest is laid out in numerous hiking trails of various levels of difficulty but with different views and experiences. There is a map at the entrance to indicate all the trails and their routes. At various points where there are branch offs for a new trail, there are markings and a map indicating the trail start. The map also includes information on the estimated time required to complete that particular trail and the difficulty level of the same.

The main trail is the Redwood Creek trail which covers the main area of redwood alleyways interspersed by creeks at ground level. One can cut off at various bridges – Bridge 1/2/3/4 – and loop back to the start.

Some of the other notable trails:

- Bohemian Grove Trail
- Hillside Trail
- Ben Johnston Trail
- Dipsea Trail
- Bootjack Trail
- Canopy View Trail

I took the main Redwood Creek trail right upto the Bridge 4 which took about 45 minutes. From there I returned to the main trail via the Hillside Trail which is where I climbed above the main ground level of the forest and hiked along the lower edges of the mountains. This took about an hour.

The hikes provided good exercise and I could feel my adrenaline pumping as I explored the trails and went up and down the hilly paths. The weather is cool and pleasant and is very embalming and invigorating.

Tip: Do carry a jacket with you at all times of the year since it gets chilly inside due to all the tree cover.

Towering Beauty of the Redwoods

The hike through the woods was an amazing experience. The lofty trees soaring into sky was a stunning sight to behold. Here and there were some small streams intersecting the dense forest and adding to the beauty of the scenery. The dense redwoods were sometimes grouped into groves, sometimes they stood like sentinels guarding the inner secrets of the forest. Along the base of the trees were shrubberies crowded with such pretty flowers!

Even though most of the trees are redwoods, the view never got boring or repetitive. Each tree seemed unique in its own right and had its own personal charm – some were knotted, some bent double, some with double trunks, some with mini caves at their base; the diversity was unbelievable.

Be One with Nature

The woods are so calm and serene that it pervades your soul and brings that sense of peace in you. The tinkling sound of flowing water along with the occasional chirping of birds were the only sounds and it was such melodious music to the ears.

The strength of the trees provided proof of the longevity of nature and inspires one to help preserve the redwoods as they are. There were few trees which had been struck by lightning and literally burnt to the ground some time back. From those scorched remains, the trees grew back and ascended to their true glory. Nature is resilient but we should never take that for granted. Care and love are much needed by them.

Due to dense population of the trees, there is not much wildlife in the forest – but that’s how nature works and its a wonderful ecosystem.

Café and Shop

Near the entrance gate are the woods’ café and shop. The café boasted of delicious cookies and other food which I unfortunately had no time to taste. The shop sells pretty curios and mementos – magnets, Tshirts, keychains etc. Do check them out and buy one memento of this beautiful monument. I got a cute magnet.

This post was written as part of Blogchatter Half Marathon and Blogchatter’s Cause A Chatter campaign.

Cockrell Butterfly Center, Houston Museum

Environment, Houston, Travel, USA / By Nils / May 23, 2021 July 21, 2021

A visit to the Houston Museum of Natural Science yielded a wonderful surprise. During my sojourn to my company headquarters in Houston, Texas, I used my free weekend to visit one of the most interesting sightseeing places there – The Museum of Natural Science. While I was superficially aware of its attractions, the Butterfly Center coupled with the Hall of Entomology was like an exciting find – a wondrous hidden gem.

A Specially Designed Natural Habitat

The butterfly conservatory is a 3-story glass structure which has been built to emulate a tropical rainforest. It is home to thousands of butterflies of varied species, which are all allowed to grow and thrive in their natural habitat. The butterfly museum, called the Cockrell Butterfly Center, boasts of a central display of a 50-foot-high waterfall and numerous tropical plants and flowers.

Upon entering, my senses were hit with an explosion of colours and movement. Unlike zoos or other museums, these butterflies are live ones and roam around freely in the simulated forest. The innumerable brightly coloured creatures are a delight to watch. I spent ages going around the place, watching these butterflies and their vivid patterned wings, observing the jewel like insects fluttering about or landing on the leaves or flowers. There was also an iguana!

Entomology Hall

The Brown Hall of Entomology precedes the Butterfly Center; it is located on the same floor as the entrance to the latter. The entire floor is dedicated to a large plethora of insects and their study. The experience is an interactive and educating one. From introducing me to new species and hitherto unknown insects to informing me about the sounds they make to their food habits and their life cycles.

There are both live insects as well as preserved specimens The exhibit also contains an area for cocoons from where butterflies actually hatch out! That is something to look out for. There is another play area for further interaction and games with these arthropods. I did not visit that because it was more for kids.

Cocoons…some have metamorphosed!

Tip: Learn more here –

Education and Conservation

While this is mostly an educational experience, this museum does its part in conservation of nature. Breeding new insects, creating a natural, sustainable environment for them goes a long way towards preservation of nature as it was meant to be. Bringing about awareness and knowledge leads to appreciation of God’s creatures which in turn help the next generation carry on the job of environmental preservation and enhancement.

I am doing my bit by raising awareness through this post with the aid of Blogchatter’s Cause a Chatter campaign.

Other Exhibits of Interest

The Houston Museum of Natural Science has various other highly interesting exhibits and shows. Notable ones are:

The Paleontology Exhibit – let’s face it, dinosaurs are always interesting!
Foucault Pendulum – mimicking the Earth’s rotation.
Hall of Gems and Minerals
The Planetarium – the Black Holes show is very interesting, and I highly recommend it.

Tip: The museum is full of interesting attractions, you may want to check out the various offerings online to help plan your visit. The HMNS.

Tip: Entry tickets are for $25 while the special exhibits and shows require extra tickets. Butterfly Center (including Entomology Hall) is ~$9.

Check current prices here – https://www.hmns.org/visit/hours-and-pricing/. Also check out the safety policies and precautions: https://www.hmns.org/visit/health/