Landscapes from Girwa river,Katerniaghat wildlife sanctuary,India.

Enjoy the pristine beauty of River Girwa.




View from the river bank.




A panaromic view of the river.





Cruise view along the river.




Near pontoon bridge





Motorboat ride on the river.

Its boomtime for Ghariyals In Girwa river,Katernia ghat sanctuary.

The mother Ghariyal


These days the banks of Girwa are abuzz with activities with the hatching of Ghariyal eggs a large number of hatch lings of Ghariyals can be spotted on the banks of the river Girwa.About two days ago on the recent trip to Katernia ghat wildlife sanctuary while boating on the river a pleasant surprise awaited us while passing through the banks we spotted a group of large number of recently hatched Ghariyals lazing on the banks of the river in late afternoon sun with a huge female guarding them.It was a pleasnt sight to watch.



Newly hatched Ghariyals in Girwa river,Katernia ghat wildlife sanctuary.

Its a major success story for the conservation of Ghariyal (Gavialis Gangeticus)Which is on the red list of critically endangered species, In Katernia ghat wildlife sanctuary, uttar pradesh,India which has a running Ghariyal conservation project and a breeding centre,being run by UP Forest department,it is a praiseworthy effort and a great effort has been put up by the authorities there to breed and conserve the Ghariyal population there.



Newly hatched Ghariyals with egg shells.

This effort needs special mention as in UP the other sanctuary i.e.Chambal has seen rapid decline in the Ghariyal population in recent years and there dwindling population has been a cause of major concern for conservationists and wildlife lovers.
Ghariyals contribute a lot in maintaining the ecological balance in the river system and are an integral part of it.Therefore the efforts of the park authorities deserve kudos for the same.

Expectation from the new Government in India

After a long period a government is going to take over the reigns of power in India which is enjoying the full support of the electorate and is free from the pulls and pressures of the coalition Politics.This is significent as this arrangement has ample scope for the new dispensation to pursue its policies independently without the influence of external pressures.
Now It would not be unreasonable to expect some major policy initatives from the Government related to Wildlife protection and protection of the Country's rich Bio- diversity.This has long remained a neglected area of the successive governments where long overdue decisions have remained suspended on grounds of political expediency.
It is my ardent wish that a highly qualified individual heads the enviornment ministry who has an enviable track record in matters of wildlife conservation and protection.Some major issues that require the urgent attention of incumbent govt. are -
-A new policy related to Tiger conservation and major overhaul of 'Project Tiger'.
-Creation of new wildlife corridors in the country to facilitate the unhindered movement of endangered animal species, to eliminate the possibility of them straying into inhabited areas.
-Recruitment of trained wildlife staff in the various sanctuaries and parks as many posts are lying vacant.
-New technologies and practises to be adopted in the matters of wildlife conservation.
-Updated training programmes to be conducted for the existing staff so that they are more aware of the latest conservation techniques.
-Speedy clearances to be given to pending proposals for creation of new wildlife sanctuaries and were proposals are cleared steps to be taken to expedite their implementation at the earliest.Latest example being the case of Pilibhit Tiger reserve in UP.
I hope someone in the new dispensation is listening.

portraits from Katernia

A Panaromic view of Girwa river, Katernia




Darter on Girwa River.




A herd of Cheetals in Katernia.

Reaching katernia

In the last few views I have observed that there are quite a few viewers who are looking at the route options to reach katerniaghat sanctuary.This is a mistake on my part I should have first taken up this issue before blogging on various facets of katernia.The nearest place before starting for Katernia is one should reach Lucknow the capital of Uttar pradesh from here it is linked by transport corporation buses and narrow gauge trains.But in my view the best option is to hire a Taxi or book a tour through UP tourism the tourism guys will make all your lodging and tour booking arrangements. I think this is the best option available for out of state and foreign tourists as it will save you from lot of hassles.The Telephone No.s for making bookings are as follows-
DFO Katarnia-09451172650[Mob.],0525-2232498[Off.]This No.s are for only making bookings in forest department rest houses.
UP Tours- 522-2615005,2612659,[Mob.No.9415013041] This are for making bookings for complete tour packages.

Great Indian Hornbill

The bird was photographed in Katernia ghat sanctuary.The Great Indian Hornbill is a huge bird, belonging to the Bucerotidae Family. It is known by a number of other names also, like Great pied hornbill, Large pied hornbill, Concave-casqued hornbill.

Kingdom : Animalia
Scientific Name : Buceros bicornis
Common Names : Great hornbill, Great Indian hornbill, Great pied hornbill, Large pied hornbill, Concave-casqued hornbill
Class : Aves
Order : Coraciiformes
Family : Bucerotidae
Genus Species : Buceros (big horn) bicornis (two horns)
Height : 100 cm to 120 cm (40 inches to 48 inches)
Average Wingspan : 150 cm (5 ft.)
Average Weight : 6.5 lbs
Average Length of Tail Feathers : 36 inches
Diet : Mainly fruits
Incubation : 25 days to 40 days
Clutch Size : 1-2 eggs
Lifespan : 35 years to 50 years
Natural Habitat : Evergreen and moist, deciduous forests
Status : Listed in Appendix I of CITES and also listed as 'Lower Risk/Near Threatened' by USFWS

this is a bird hunted for its meat in the Indian hinterland and is a threatened bird and needs action to preserve its survival.

Citrine wagtail at Katernia ghat sanctuary.

Also known as yellow hooded wagtail is a local bird found in Himalayas and is found in plains in winter time.Was able to photograph it in the sanctuary near a waterbody.