By IUCN CEM South Asia, on 15 February 2020.
A student on seeing a picture of two birds in a frame asked a pertinent question – “Why one bird was white in colour while the other bird had pink colour in beak, neck and the wings”.
Such probing questions were asked by school kids and students says S. S. Davidson while they witnessed the Wildlife Photo Exhibition held at KJ Mcilroy Matriculation School, Neyyoor in Tamil Nadu, India. The question of the student related to the different colour shades of the Greater Flamingo between a juvenile and a matured bird.
A Wildlife Photo Exhibition by Davidson Sargunam, a wildlife photographer and Environmental Educator, also a member of IUCN CEM, was among the various stalls of the Science Exhibition held on February 10 and 11, 2020. The photo Exhibition showcased local and migratory wetlands birds. The migratory species included Garganey, Northern Pintail, Bar Headed Goose, Red Shank and Green Shank. Other local birds were the polyandrous Jacana, Greater Flamingo, ground-nesting birds such as Black-winged Stilt, Indian Courser, Yellow wattled Lapwing and Spoon Bill, Black Ibis, White Ibis, Glossy Ibis, Comb Duck, Painted Stork and Spot-billed Pelican.
Among mammals included four species Monkeys as Bonnet monkey, Common Langur, Nilgiri Langur and Lion-tailed Macaque, which is on the vulnerable list of IUCN with a population of about 1,500 confined to the Western Ghats.
Wild animal photos consisted of the Asian elephant, Indian guar, Indian monitor lizard, Malabar pit Viper and Olive Ridley turtle. The rich biodiversity of mushrooms in the Bio-hot spot Western Ghats also formed part of the exhibition.
About 4,500 students from 22 schools and 1,000 people from the local communities participated.