Monsoon Croaks

The monsoon is back! The chill and the music of rain is always a pleasure to live with. Let's make this Monsoon productive and help the science nerds with some frogging! The Monsoon Croaks is a community-driven project dedicated to documenting and studying amphibian diversity and distribution across Kerala. By joining this initiative, your contributions might help researchers, scientists, and conservationists make informed decisions to protect these fascinating creatures. As a volunteer frog mapper, you will learn to identify various frog species, document their calls, observe their behaviour, and record essential ecological data. Your inputs will aid in building comprehensive databases that support ongoing research and conservation efforts. All you need to do is observe your surroundings, take photos of frogs you find or record their calls, and upload them to the iNaturalist platform. Join us today and make a difference for our amphibian friends!

The Fruit Bat Project

In the wake of zoonotic disease outbreaks such as Nipah and COVID-19, attitude towards bats and their roosting sites have undergone significant change. Unfortunately, this has resulted in the displacement of many bat populations across Kerala, disrupting their natural distribution and putting their populations at risk. To ensure the conservation and management of bats, it is crucial that we understand their ecology, including their roosting sites and feeding grounds. That's why we've launched the Fruit Bat Project, aimed at identifying and mapping the roosting sites of the Indian Flying Fox (Pteropus medius), a common fruit bat species found in India. These fascinating creatures can often be spotted roosting on tall, wide trees in disturbed habitats.By participating in the Fruit Bat Project, you can help us gather vital information about their roosting patterns and contribute to their conservation. Click here to learn more and join the project.

Invasion watch India

The loss of natural habitats to invasive species is a global issue, and India is no exception. Species such as Lantana camara and Giant African snails are rapidly taking over and causing irreparable damage to our ecosystems. To effectively manage them, we need to monitor their spread. The Invasion Watch India project aims to map the distribution of invasive species across India.By participating in this project, you can help us track the trends of invasive species spread with which we can develop local and species-specific management plans. Simply record any sightings of invasive species from anywhere within the country.Join us in the fight against invasive species and contribute to the protection of our natural habitats. Click here to learn and join the invasive species mapping project.

Pollinator count

The loss of pollinator diversity is a critical issue that threatens both our ecosystems and the world economy. Rising temperatures, agriculture intensification and habitat destruction make our insect populations increasingly vulnerable.

Although we may have already lost many pollinator populations, the lack of scientific data makes it difficult to understand the extent of the problem. To prevent further decline, it's crucial to examine the impact of climate change on the population and distribution trends of key pollinator species.

Join the Pollinator Monitoring Project and be part of the solution. Our goal is to understand the relationship between pollinators and native plants, the population and distribution status of key species, and the challenges they face. Help us protect our pollinators and preserve our ecosystems and economy. Stay tuned for more updates!

Forest Biodiversity database

Tropics are home to some of the world's most diverse ecosystems, including the rainforests. However, these habitats are impacted by anthropogenic activities and climate change making these habitats and their denizens highly vulnerable. On the other hand, documentation of the biodiversity of these habitats are still underway. Therefore, it is essential to develop biodiversity databases for these habitats for regular monitoring and management.

This project aims to develop a biodiversity database for each of the protected and reserved forests of Kerala by collating citizen generated data, regular biodiversity surveys and bioblitz. These local databases will help identify hotspots and preserve vulnerable species and their micro habitats. Stay tuned for more!

Institutional-Biodiversity Databases

Biodiversity in agriculture and urban habitats are often overlooked and understudied, leaving us with limited data on local biodiversity and thereby their ecosystem functions. The natural patches in agriculture landscapes, sacred groves and the campuses of institutions in the human-scapes are known to host a good share of biodiversity. Knowledge of them is key in their conservation and sustainable use. We aim to develop biodiversity databases for such habitats in collaboration with the local self-government institutions. By participating in this project, you can help us identify hotspots of urban biodiversity and develop effective management policies. Your observations and data will contribute to a valuable resource for the protection of biodiversity outside protected areas.

Contact us to join and document the biodiversity in your area.

Riverscape Ecosystem Database

Rivers provide ecosystem services, infrastructure for human activities and habitat for aquatic organisms, but conflicting demands can alter their function. It's vital to understand river ecosystems and their response to changes to support these resources. Mapping of the flora and fauna and regular monitoring of the environmental parameters are key for the scientific management of the riverscape ecosystems. As a first step, this project aims to document the biodiversity of the riverscapes of Bharathapuzha, Chaliyar and Chalakkdy and will be expanded to all the riverine systems of Kerala. Stay tuned for more updates!