A&W Vol 2 issue 6 Jan 2018

A Prime Group publication

A Bi - Monthly Magazine on Travel & Tourism

Rs. 200

Adventure Special

* ATOAI - Celebrating 2018 as Year of Adventure Tourism * GETHNAA - General Thimayya National Academy of Adventure

Also Featuring

Climbers Special

Vol 2 | Issue 6 | Jan 2018 Vol 2 | Issue 6 | Jan 2018

* 4x4 Adventure Expedition Kashmir 2017 * Orangutan Rehabilitation

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Contents 08

Adventure Sports Expo Asia 2018

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GETHNAA - General Thimayya National Academy of Adventure

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History of Climbing Around Bangalore

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Personal Anchors for Climbing

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Knots for Climbing

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The Himalayan Club Annual Seminar 2018

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Adventure Rock Hill opens for visitors

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Friedi Kühne Free Solos 110 Meter Highline

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4x4 Adventure Expedition Kashmir 2017

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Aboriginal owners ban climbing Australia’s sacred red rock

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Road to London 2018

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Waging war on the poaching trade

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Mathsya Mela 2017

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A Kill in the Kabini!

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Wild Encounters - Bandhavgarh

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Sea lions unique adaptation in Galapagos coast

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Assam - Man-Animal Conflict increases

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Orangutan Rehabilitation at Samboja Lestari Orangutan Project

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Achievers Corner - Aanchal Thakur

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Wingsuit flying record in India

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Anshu Jamsenpa conferred ‘K K Handiqui

National Fellowship Award’

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62 Cover Photo Credits : Kopal Goyal

Printed and published by K R Narasimha Shastry (Dr. Simha Shastry), Proprietor, Prime Group, on behalf of Prime Group No.18, 2nd Floor, 80 Feet Road, 1st Block, Koramangala, Bangalore - 560 034 and printed at Triangle Print Communications # 378, 1st Floor, 8th Cross, Mayagappa Complex, Basaveshwaranagar Main Road, Industrial Town, Bangalore- 560 044 and published at Bangalore.

3 Vol |RIssue 6 | Jan 2018 Editor2 K Narasimha Shastry (Dr. Simha Shastry) RNI No: KARENG/2016/69034

From the Chief Editor’s Desk Dr. Simha Shastry Chief Editor & Publisher editor@adventurewildlife.in

Dear Adventure & Wildlife Lovers, It’s nice to hear that Adventure Sports is coming of age in our country, the first Adventure Sports Expo was held in Delhi, a large number of Adventure Professionals, Enthusiasts attended the event that was well supported by the industry and the Government of India.

Today youngsters are looking at Adventure & Wildlife activities as a profession with International bodies offering certifications to enhance their passion and take it up a notch higher by training and offering expertise in their specific activities, be alone Base jumping, Para-motoring, skiing, Himalayan expeditions, Off-roading and many other such activities.

The Ministry of Tourism (MoT) has announced 2018 as ‘The Year of Adventure Tourism’, the Adventure Tour Operators Association of India (ATOAI) will spearhead various activities across the country to promote adventure travel and celebrate the year of adventure tourism. Bangalore, being the rock climbing centre of India - it has a lot of history! My first stint was about 3 decades ago at Ramnagara, we have put together the history and some interesting facts.

The Tourism Ministry of both Madhya Pradesh and Kerala have focused on Adventure as their main tourist attraction for the coming year. Karnataka has been in the forefront of adventure and wildlife tourism for many years. GETHNAA - General Thimayya National Academy of Adventure and wildlife activities through Jungle Lodges & Resorts for over a decade now has been instrumental in creating many firsts in the country. I urge the Government of Karnataka to look at an Adventure Tourism and Operators Policy like the IT&BT Policy, which has been a barometer for other states to follow, however MP Tourism has an excellent Policy Document for Tourism which other states are following.

Tourism Departments of all states should look at Policy Document for Adventure, Wildlife, Nature and Heritage Tourism to ensure consistent quality of boarding & lodging facilities, upkeep of the various tourism sites of interest, involvement of local community with proper training to address tourist needs, safety standards, hygienic surroundings, landscaped waysides, which shall help attract more foreign tourists interested in visiting various states of our country and enrich their experiences.

Again our focus has been the wildlife straying into nearby villages and there has been a constant rise in Man-AnimalConflicts. Recently the Forest Minister of Government of Karnataka has put forth a plan to sterilize elephants, this is definitely not the way out. The Government should seriously look at relocating them or create parks. Again the sterilization shall lead to a big disaster in the coming years. The Government will remain clueless then! I urge the Hon’ble Forest Minister of Karnataka to relocate these pachyderms.

Wishing you all the best in 2018 - “The Year of Adventure!”

You can write to me at editor@adventurewildlife.in

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RNI No: KARENG/2016/69034 Vol 2 | Issue 6 |Jan 2018 Chief Editor & Publisher Dr. Simha Shastry Managing Editor Jugie Singh a.k.a Jagdeesh Laxman Singh Editorial Panel Akshay Kumar Past President - ATAOI

Nandakumar

Photographer & Traveller

K S Shashidhar,IFS Retd. - CCF

Ravi Shastri

Wildlife Photographer

Avirat Shete

Adventure Trainer & Photographer

Marketing Alpana Gopinath Sathish & Anand sales@adventurewildlife.in Design & Content Team Shankar Narayan Rajan Padmanabhan graphics@adventurewildlife.in Digital Marketing / Circulation S. Chandran circulation@adventurewildlife.in Accounts Kavya Shree B Office Staff Shankar Narayan Shetty A Raja Manju Sowbaghya Rahul All Information in Adventure & Wildlife Magazine is derived from sources, which we consider reliable. Information is passed on to our readers in good faith without any legal responsibility on our part.

The contents of this publication contain views of authors and are not necessarily the views of Prime Group. Similarly, opinions/views expressed by any party in abstract and/or in interviews are their own and not necessarily shared to reflect the opinion of Prime Group. All rights reserved throughout the world.

Reproduction in part or whole is strictly prohibited. The Material appearing in Adventure & Wildlife Magazine can be reproduced in part or whole with prior written permission only.

Publications reproducing without permission would face legal action in competent courts of jurisdiction of Bengaluru City, Karnataka, India or by an appointed arbitrator.

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ATOAI - Celebrating 2018 as ‘The Year of Adventure Tourism’.

On the behest of Adventure Tour Operators Association of Inda (ATOAI), the Ministry of Tourism (MOT) has announced the year 2018 as ‘The Year of Adventure Tourism’. The Association will spearhead various activities across the country to promote adventure travel to celebrate the year of adventure tourism. “The goal is to double the adventure travel in the country in the next two years.”

Said Capt. Swadesh Kumar - President ATOAI. For the past few years, the focus of ATOAI has created widespread awareness on adventure tourism being one of the important facets of tourism in our country and the need to promote India as one of the most popular adventure tourism destinations in the world. India as an adventure tourism destination has grown in popularity both in the domestic and international market. The celebration of 2018 as Year of Adventure Tourism will greatly help in achieving the goals which ATOAI has set.

ATOAI is aiming to have a series of events, roadshows and promotions in India and overseas, FAM trips for international adventure tour operators as well as travel media to mark the celebrations.

ATOAI has already given a wish list to MOT for holding the below events.

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India Adventure Summit in April 2018 Adventure Travel Trade Association

(ATTA)- AdventureNext at Panchmarhi,

Madhya Pradesh in December, 2018 3.

Pacific Asia Travel Association(PATA)

Adventure Travel Mart & Conference at Assam in February 2019

Shri. Alphons Kannanthanam Hon’ble Minister for Tourism - Govt. of India

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ATOAI has adopted two trails on the Himalayan sites for cleaning and maintaining * Stok Kangri - the ascent trail to Base Camp. * Gangotri Temple - trail to Gaumukh.

Both the above projects are in collaboration with the local communities. The purpose of these project is to preserve it for the past for future generations. The project aims to develop synergy among all partners involved.

ATOAI is making all efforts to increase Membership across the country from the present strength of 450 to 2000 by the end of 2018.

We are also coordinating with Adventure Tour Operators Associations in smaller towns, making them our Affiliate members and also reach to their members to come in the fold of ATOAI. ATOAI and its members have always been in the forefront when it comes to the safety of the participants.

Today there are many deaths annually due to negligent operators not operating within laid down guidelines. It is our responsibility to make sure that these accidents and fatalities are reduced to a minimal if not Zero. ATOAI team has prepared a version 2 of the Safety Guidelines for adventure tourism. MOT has circulated these guidelines to all states in a meeting that was held on 27th December where these guidelines were shared and discussed with the representatives of all Indian States. MOT has given them two weeks to come back with any changes/additions. After which the guidelines will be implemented and made mandatory across all Indian states.

Capt. Swadesh Kumar President- ATOAI

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Adventure Sports Expo - Asia.

ASEA - 2018

India’s first ever Adventure Sports Expo concluded its maiden edition at New Delhi.

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he Adventure Sports Expo Asia 2018, a first of its kind exposition witnessed a participation of over 60 brands and 5000 visitors at New Delhi. The three day long extravaganza roped in adventure enthusiasts from all over and took place from January 27th - 29th at Hotel Four Points - Sheraton. Many eminent dignitaries including the CEO of Niti Aayog Mr. Amitabh Kant, renowned cricketers Mr. Kapil Dev, Mr. Madan Lal, Mr. Murali Kartik, Member of Parliament Mr. Rajiv Pratap Rudy, the youngest woman to climb Mount Everest Ms. Malvath Poorna, as well as the first Indian mountaineer to climb Mount Everest Mr. Shekhar Babu did not only attend the event, but also spoke highly of the expo.

The expo received strong support by various 8

ministries and forums such as the Ministry of Tourism, Government of India, Incredible India, Air India (the official airline partner), ATTA (Adventure Travel Trade Association), UIAA (International Climbing and Mountaineering Federation), OTOAI (Outbound Tour Operators Association of India), IATO (The Indian Association of Tour Operators), ATOAI (Adventure Tour Operators of India), ADTOI (Association of Domestic Tour Operators of India), ESOI (Ecotourism Society of India) and WAS (World Adventure Society).

Shri. Amitabh Kant, the CEO of Niti Aayog said, “I would like to congratulate all the associations who joined together to start this wonderful adventure sports expo, with so much happening in the private sector, we need Vol 2 | Issue 6 | Jan 2018

to spread the good word of India being the goldmine of adventure tourism, around the world. The Ministry of Tourism should collaborate with ASEA to make it 100 times bigger and better in New Delhi. It’s a good opportunity and great initiative because I don’t think any country in the world has what India has in terms of adventure.”

Mr. Rishi Narain, the Asian Games gold medallist as well as the Founder and Managing Director of RN Sports Marketing Pvt. Ltd. said, “We are elated to see such an amazing response in the first edition of ASEA 2018 and we are already planning a bigger ASEA in 2019.”

He further adds, “India already has a huge potential as an adventure sports destination with so much diversity from mountains to rivers to deserts. ASEA 2018 has marketed India as an iconic destination for adventure sports for the entire world to see with the support of Adventure Tour Operators of India (ATOAI).

Adventure Sports Expo Asia 2018 has also recognized individuals, groups and companies in the field of adventure on the opening night of the show.”

The three-day expo acted as a one-stop meet for the adventure sports fraternity by hosting exhibitions, speaker sessions,

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adventure activities, workshops and an awards night. The expo aimed to catalyse the growth of adventure sports and responsible tourism by bringing in world-class gear equipment makers, expert trainers, best practices, and advancement in technology.

It also concentrated on building relationships between stakeholders in the adventure and eco-tourism industry by providing the ideal platform. This forum also strived to address the various challenges faced by exhibitors through sessions hosted by luminaries such as Mr. Shannon Stowell, the CEO of Adventure Travel Trade Association (ATTA), Mrs. Archana Sardana, India’s first and only woman BASE (building, antenna, span and earth) jumper, Mr. Jake Norton, a world-renowned climber, photographer, filmmaker, philanthropist, and inspirational speaker, Ms. Suzanne Al Houby, the first Arab woman to climb Mount Everest, Mr. Wade Campbell, an experienced trainer for delivering outdoor adventure and Mr. Mohit Midha, a certified advanced diver. The above all contributed to the spirit of the meet.

Adventure Sports Expo Asia also created a special speaker session in association with Sheroes, for women in adventure sports. The main motto of this panel discussion was to create awareness and motivate women to take

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part in adventure sports along with creating more opportunities in India. This women-led session witnessed the presence of luminaries such as Mrs. Archana Sardana, India’s first and only woman BASE (building, antenna, span, and earth) jumper, Dr. Neharika Yadav, a renowned superbike racer and dental surgeon, Ms. Suzanne Al Houby, the first Arab woman to climb Mount Everest, Ms. Malavath Purna, the youngest girl to have reached Mount Everest’s summit. This power-packed panel was moderated by Ms. Avani Parekh, the Director of Empathy, SHEROES (Women in Adventure Sports).

ASEA 2018 also exhibited a vivid collage of the exhibitors and buyers. While the exhibitor profile dealt with all adventure gear manufacturers, whole-sellers and retailers along with adventure and eco-tourism tour operators all over Asia; the buyer profile Vol 2 | Issue 6 | Jan 2018

consisted of government bodies such as the Army, Navy Force, Para-Military organizations, travel enthusiasts, potential investors from the hospitality industries and people from the countries of USA, UK, Australia, South America, Asia and Europe. The Expo has exhibited the new trends that are currently running in the adventure sports and tourism industry.

Mr. Ajeet Bajaj, the Padma Shree Awardee and Managing Director of Snow Leopard Adventures Pvt. Ltd stated that, “The timing was just right for the Adventure Sports Expo in India to bring the entire fraternity together, but what’s more important is it has educated and sensitized potential partners on the benefits of this wonderful industry. Our primary motive was to create a unified global networking platform that would facilitate the growth of adventure sports and responsible tourism”.

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GETHNAA

General Thimayya National Academy of Adventure Mission The ‘General Thimayya National Academy of Adventure’, is helping in developing a spirit of adventure amongst the people of Karnataka.

They provide sports related activities at various centres around the beautiful state. This enables great ways in which people can understand the environment, experience what nature has to offer and satisfy their inner adventurist!

GETHNAA currently has four centers.

Badami – Rock Climbing Centre Situated at a distance of 510kms from Bangalore, Badami has around 200 climbing paths, and is the number one rock climbing destination in Karnataka. It has natural rocky structures which make climbing much more interesting. Climbers from around the world have created the routes by inserting climbing anchors for others to benefit from.

Ramanagar – Terrestrial Activity Centre Only 50kms from Bangalore, Ramanagar is a scenic town and has a wealth of rocky terrain.

All enthusiastic hikers, climbers and trekkers will enjoy the sports such as rock climbing, trekking, bird watching and target jumping, offered at the this centre. The incredible beauty of its surroundings adds to the experience, making your adventure memorable.

Vani Vilasa – Aqua Sports centre The General Thimayya National Academy of Adventure centre at Vani Vilasa is located at a distance of 180kms from Bangalore, near 12

the oldest dam in the state, the Vani Vilasa Sagara. The stillness of the water provides a calmness that makes all the activities of mountain biking, wind surfing, kayaking, white water rafting, speed boating, jet skiing, canoeing and fishing, easier to master.

Barpole – Rafting Camp Amidst the south of Coorg at about 80 kms from Madikeri is the scenic paradise. The rafting here starts during the first week of July and ends on the second week of October, as it depends on the monsoon. The rapids are exhilarating and truly thrilling.

Apart from the above centers GETHNAA also offers special summer camps for children and parents to instill a sense of adventure.

GETHNAA

General Thimayya National Academy of Adventure 3rd Floor , Department of Youth Empowerment, and Sports State Youth Centre Nrupatunga Road, Bengaluru, Karnataka 560001 Phone: 080 2221 0454

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History of Climbing Around Bangalore

Typical KMA workshops from early 1980s. With backs to the camera, Dr. Venkatesh Thuppil & Usha Ramaiah

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he history of Bangalore’s Rock Climbing tradition can be dated back to the 1960’s.

The early pioneers Govind Raju from Mysore, establisher of the Deccan Mountaineering League and Usha Ramaiah co-founder of the Karnataka Mountaineering Association, set the foundation for rock climbing. To climb difficult routes, technical climbing gear is critical. The acquisition of this gear, although still expensive, was prohibited in those days.

EVOLUTION OF TECHNICAL ROCK CLIMBING However, in the 1980s, a co-operative movement driven by clubs such as KMA (Karnataka Mountaineering Association) and it’s offshoots SPARK (Society for Propagation of Activation of Rock Klimbing), The Climbers, KINS (of the) ROC, Hill Top, Mountaneering Club, Anveshak (MES College Club) and to some extent the BMSCE Mountaineering club, went underway. These clubs acquired ropes, harnesses, and rock protection gear including nuts,pitons, and spring loaded camming devices. The luxury of having technical 14

climbing shoes could only be afforded by few in those days.

The evolution of climbing truly began in the 1980s with climbing gear being available, and new routes being put up. This meant minimal gear placements in the available cracks, flakes or hip belays in good stance (using the belayer’s body weight as the anchor). But, the harder routes still required appropriate modern gear.

Many local and international climbers in the 1980’s and 1990’s played a key role in the introduction of advanced climbing techniques.

They not only established new routes, but pushed the limits by using advanced gear.

Amongst the earliest trad lines that were technically hard, two cracks, namely the Scott’s crack in Savandurga and Ramanagara were put up in 1985 by the renowned British climber Doug Scott and KV Mohan. The ‘Mezzanine Roof’ at Mayanganahalli Betta was Vol 2 | Issue 6 | Jan 2018

first climbed by Goonda Srinivas in 1986.

When two visiting French climbers Philip and Domic opened a route in Handi Gundi, a rock climbing destination at 50kms from Bangalore. In 1989, the first bolted route was established. Subsequently they established the first sport routes in Kabbal Durga situated at 80 kms from Bangalore as well, apart from opening the first pitch of Louvre, a classic 5.9+ crack at the Banyan Tree Pillar.

Jean-Francois Hagenmuller and KV Mohan opened the five classics: Namaste, Shanti, Beladingalu, Simple Monkey Day & Super Deluxe, in Ramanagara within the span of a month in 1990. Climbing at Shanti and Super Deluxe are not allowed anymore, as they come under the Ramanagara Vulture Sanctuary.

Even the routes on Savandurga are unsafe to climb due to the aging bolts.

From the 1980’s to the early 1990’s KV Mohan was an active climber. However, he was said to be appointed as a Liason officer with the IMF for visiting foreign climbers in the late 1980’s.

He then leveraged his position to introduce Bangalore to many of the international climbers, visiting the Himalayas, including Doug Scott and Jean Francois Hagenmuller. Along with Rukmangda Raju, KV Mohan went on to set up various other trad lines such as the

Prana Chimney and a few lines on Savandurga as well. By the late 1990’s he became less involved with climbing and more frequent at Guru Freddy’s Ashram on Kankapura road. In 1995, he passed away in an avalanche accident, while climbing in the Himalayas. ‘Mohana’ the classic route in Savandurga was named in his honor by Dinesh Kaigonhalli (Dini) , Krishnan Narayanan and the KINSROC group.

The KINSROC club was extremely popular in Bangalore during the late 1980s until the mid 90s. After the 90s, the individuals in this group simply dropped out of the club, but continued climbing. The climbs by the KINSROC members were accomplished on routes such as the Flesh Trade (Dini and Mohit Oberoi at Savandurga), High Lonesome (Dini, Shyam, Ajay Thambay and others at BM Betta), Darkness of Dawn, Ramanagara (Dini), and the classic trad routes around the Banyan Tree Pillar (Mohit Oberoi, Dini, Seema Pai, Aveek Ghosh and other members).

KINSROC and its associated members are responsible for establishing over 60 routes around Bangalore, including the newer areas of Senapathy, Achalu wall, Mother Wall, Vanakkal Betta, Rainbow wall, and Kabbaldurga.

In the mid 2000s, Gerhard Schaar a visiting Austrian climber collaborated with Pranesh Manchaiah and other local climbers to

KV Mohan, pioneered many classic routes in the 1990s in collaboration with folks like Doug Scott, Hagenmuller, and Rukmangda Raju.

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Bouldering in Turahalli. Look Ma, no Crashmats!

‘Dynosaur’ at Turahalli in 1990s.

An image from Kamalesh’s archive. Circa 1980s

The Climbers setting up a traverse pitch at Ramanagara, circa 1980s. From Kamalesh’s archives

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Dinesh Kaigonhalli

pave over a dozen routes around Bangalore as part of the ‘Bolts for Bangalore’ project.

Gerhard and Prani were also responsible for introducting150 bolted lines around Badami, which is set amidst the ancient Chalukyan Temples and red sand stone gorges. This is now the sport climbing ‘Mecca of India’.

Pranesh Manchaiah or Prani is one of the strongest climbers Bangalore has seen.

Since the early 2000s he has been prolific in contributing towards new routes in areas such as Varlakonda, Atrani Gudda, Prana near Savandurga, Mayanganahalli Betta (Rasta Cafe area), Mother Wall (in collaboration with Dini), and Badami.

Balaji SR, a national level climber in the 2000s, successfully opened routes in the areas of Pond wall (where climbing is not allowed anymore unfortunately), Freaky Flake (at Gowda’s farm), Vani’s Wedding (an airy 5.11b climb, now inside the Ramanagara Vulture sanctuary and prohibited for climbing), etc.

It was not just the contribution towards new routes that defined the evolution of the Bangalore climbing community.

The sustenance of the established routes was also necessary. While many significant groups and clubs took up this responsibility, Ravi, currently a National Outdoor Leadership School, India official is remembered for the energy he brought to GETHNAA (General Thimayya National Academy of Adventure, a setup from 1989 by the Government of Karnataka to promote adventure sports) during his Vol 2 | Issue 6 | Jan 2018

Naveen Tater at Badami, mid 1990s

leadership. He organized effective workshops to introduce new people and helped them in advancing their climbing skills.

Keerthi Pais the mentor and coach of climbers taking part in competitions, helped make Bangalore a popular destination for climbing competitions in the 2000s.

He is also responsible for the routes around Rasta Café (on Bangalore - Mysore Highway) Gethna, Magadi road, and Varlakonda.

In the early 2000s, the Gethna climbing wall was introduced at Kanteerava stadium. It initially helped professional climbers such as Balaji SR and Pranesh Manchaiah to train for outdoor climbing . However, the Wall began to satiate the climbing energy of many others as well, and thus came a cleavage between the outdoor climbers and climbers at the wall.

The energy exhibited in outdoor climbing seemed to slip and sputter during the late 2000s. Many of the expert climbers seemed content with climbing the wall and rarely ventured outdoors with the energy they had in the previous decades.

Since 2014, there has been a revolution in Bangalore’s outdoor climbing, as climbing initiatives are being made by Dinesh Kaigonhalli, Pranesh Manchaiah, Keerthi Pais and others. They are responsible for over 90 new routes with a spread ranging from 5.6 through 5.12s, including trad, sport and multi-pitches.

Overall, an average of 130 pitches has been added in the last three years alone.

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Personal Anchors for Climbing

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personal anchor system allows you to secure yourself at the anchor stations during single pitch climbs or multi pitches. While using a PAS (Personal Anchor System) you can secure yourself by building a SRENE (Strong Equalised Redundant Efficient No Extension) anchor quickly and safely. Subsequently, you can remain attached to the main anchor system, or clean a route before exiting.

There are many types of personal anchor systems, some of which you can build, and other that are pre-rigged by the manufactures.

An efficient PAS will be Easy to use- You need to be able to deploy and rack it away quickly, failing which it is an inefficient PAS. Adjust-ability- The distance to the first piece in the personal anchor system needs to be adjustable for the best stance.

Rack-ability- It should conveniently rack on your harness, without snagging on your knee or creating bulk on your harness gear loop while climbing.

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Bulk and weight- The olden day lugging boom boxes need to stay behind us.

Simplicity- Unless the climbing gear or system has unique advantages, use one that is simplest to function.

Safety- Some PAS may be unsafe to use in case of an accidental fall. For instance, rope based anchors or Nylon webbings perform better in case of a fall, versus Dyneema or Spectra.

Versatility- Your PAS must be used for rescue, or to make an addition draw when you run out of runners as well.

Cost- This is a minor factor, but a hideously expensive PAS is not suitable for beginners.

There are various schools of thought on PAS, ranging from the use of climbing rope to cordage based tethers to slings to proprietary anchor systems that are marketed by different brands.

Knotted Sling PAS/Rope Anchor mix Sometimes a 60 cm sling is used, but a 120 cm or Vol 2 | Issue 6 | Jan 2018

provides redundancy, and is extremely safe.

Daisy Chains: Daisy chains are meant for aid climbing, and their stitched loops are recommended only for a 2 kn breaking point. It comes with the risk of not being clipped in correctly, and thus when the stitches come off, you may not be clipped into any personal anchor system at all.

a 48 inch sling with knots at two equal intervals is preferable for flexibility, reach and versatility.

It is attached to the harness by a girth that is hitched between the waist loop and leg loop.

A clip is equipped at the end with a HMS (Halbmastwurfsicherung) type large locking carabiner. It racks through the gear loop either to the left or right, depending on the situation.

The large carabiner allows you to easily clip into the anchor point. A non-auto locking carabiner also requires less effort while clipping in.

On sport climbs it is better to get to an anchor station and clip into one of the hangers. You can then set up the complete anchor, and clove-hitch the climbing rope into the master point. Now, there is a ‘two-point’ personal anchor; with the PAS attached to the hanger, and the climbing rope attached to the master point of the main anchor system.

In case of a trad anchor setup, put in a piece, and clip the rope directly into it. You can then proceed to build the anchor. If the primary piece feels inadequate, add one more piece, clip the rope into one and then knot the sling PAS into the other, before setting up the anchor.

An additional advantage of the knotted sling is that you are still clipped into one of the hangers while exiting. You can therefore setup the rappel, with the belay device attached to the sling, and remove it before rappelling.

This system provides the flexibility and adjustability that is required, racks away easily,

Using the climbing rope alone: This is the cheapest system as it requires no additional gear. You can clip in a spare quick draw at the anchor station and attach your climbing rope with a clove hitch, or you can use a spare alpine draw and clip it in directly into your belay loop. The rest of the anchor can then be built and the climbing rope can be reattached to the master point.

While it works in simple cases, there are many downsides to it. Clipping into an anchor piece with a rope is a two-step process, rather than the single step process of the personal anchor system. While climbing at the hardest grade can be a bit unnerving and inefficient, it is recommended to have a separate personal anchor that provides more flexibility in rescue situations. For more complex setups this method uses an extra length of rope, which is not ideal for longer routes.

Rope lanyards or rope based proprietary anchor systems or home-made solutions:

Rope lanyards used for personal anchor systems are made of 8 or 9 mm dynamic ropes.

They have a tie in and clip in point. An example of this is the Beal Dynaclip or Simond La Vache.

These lanyards are strong, but they aren’t adjustable, and add bulk around the belay loop area. Even, racking them can be a challenge.

Their positioning and relevance as a PAS relies on whether the tape slings are manufactured with Nylon or Dyneema. They have higher impact forces and can fail during high falls.

Although, rope lanyards are useful, there is the risk of falling on the anchors. They are extremely useful for rope courses, where you have to protect yourself from fall forces and durability concerns.

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However, during most types of rock climbing, you will be loading the anchors rather than going above them or falling on the anchors. If you are in a situation where you may be going over the anchors, then there maybe something wrong with what you’re doing.

strength unlike the knotted sling.

The examples of this include the Metolius PAS 22 and BD Link PAS. Although, brilliant to use, they cost two to three times more than a knotted sling, apart from being heavier.

The Simond La Vache has the additional problem of only attaching around the belay loop, and not through the waist or leg loop due to the length of the attachment loop. The wear on the belay loop that is hanging can degrade a harness quicker than normal.

However, if you prefer Rope Lanyards, you can create one with an old climbing rope.

The below image is an example, using a 10 mm old climbing rope, but a 9 mm or smaller diameter would be preferred to keep the bulk down. The illustration uses the Purcell Prusik principle for a climbing rope lanyard, to incorporate adjustability.

Purcell Prusik: Purcell Prusik is a cordage based personal anchor system, and has many advantages. It is usually made with a 10 feet cordage of 6 or 7 mm diameter with a minimum rated breaking strength of 7.5 kn.

It is versatile, flexible, safe and relatively inexpensive to make. However, it is bulky to rack, and not as quick to adjust during hard sport climbing situations.

Other interesting solutions: The Petzl Connect Adjust Lanyard is a nifty solution that adjusts quickly between 15 cm to 95 cm, and is an improvement compared to the rope lanyards. The diameter of this is 9.5 mm and it costs about INR. 3850.

Proprietary ‘personal anchor’ systems made of looped webbing This system is similar to the knotted sling, except for the looped webbing which retains its full 20

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Basic Rock-Climbing equipment Rope The climbing rope is the main component of a safety system. Modern nylon climbing ropes use a ‘Kernmantle’ design, meaning they have a thick ‘kern’ or core, providing most of the strength, plus a thin ‘mantle’ or sheath, to protect the core.

Webbing Webbing is a strong fabric woven as a flat strip or tube of varying width and fibres, often used in place of rope.

It is a versatile component used in climbing & slacklining.

Climbing Shoes A climbing shoe is a specialized type of footwear designed for rock climbing. Typical climbing shoes have a close fit, little if any padding, and a smooth, sticky rubber sole with an extended rubber rand.

Helmet The climbing helmet is a piece of safety equipment that primarily protects the skull against falling debris (such as rocks or dropped pieces of protection) and impact forces during a fall.

Belay Devices Belay devices are mechanical friction brake devices used to control a rope when belaying. Their main purpose is to allow the rope to be locked off with minimal effort to arrest a climber’s fall.

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Carabiner Carabiners, or often called, D-Rings by military professionals, are widely used in rope-intensive activities such as climbing.

Chalk Chalk is used by nearly all climbers to absorb problematic moisture, often sweat, on the hands. It is stored as a loose powder in a special chalk bag designed to prevent spillage, most often closed with a drawstring. It is then hung by a carabiner from the climbing harness or from a simple belt worn around the climber’s waist.

Hexes Hexes are the oldest form of active protection.

They consist of a hollow eccentric hexagonal prism with tapered ends, usually threaded with cord or webbing.

They are frequently placed as a passive chock.

Quickdraws Quickdraws (often referred to as ‘draws’) are used by climbers to connect ropes to bolt anchors, or to other traditional protection, allowing the rope to move through the anchoring system with minimal friction.

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Knots for Climbing

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nless you’re an expert who gets off on the knowledge of ‘thousands of knots’ and hitches, knowing a handful of them will suffice for your entire rock climbing career. The important factor is to understand the appropriate application of knots and hitches, rather than knowing a wide variety of them.

The essential knots required and its use in specific scenarios has been listed below, for avid rock climbers and adventure enthusiasts.

Tie in knots

Tie in knots come in handy when you need to tie the rope into your harness.

variations of it such as the ‘Double or Water Bowline’ which makes it more reliable. Its main disadvantage is that it isn’t much of an improvement after the figure of eight follow through. Comparatively, the Doppelter Bulin or the Bowline on a Bight (BOAB), is an incredibly reliable knot as it provides tremendous redundancy and overcomes all the attendant issues. It is also surprisingly easy to inspect and is rather easy to untie after hanging on the harness.

Friction knots

Figure of eight follow through

This is the standard knot and the first knot that is taught most often. It is simple to tie, easy to inspect, and is incredibly strong. A six inch tail is mandatory to ensure that the knot does not untie under cyclical load.

Bowline on a Bight or Doppelter Bulin

Friction knots for backup during rappelling, for ascending or other rescue applications.

Friction hitches or rope grabbing hitches can be used as rappel backups, for ascending and other rescue applications. Depending on the requirement and circumstance there are four varieties of it as listed below. Each of the hitches, provides a certain degree of friction and is easy to use.

Prusik

The original Bowline has the dubious distinction for untying itself under cyclical loading in normal circumstances. However, there are 22

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The Prusik is most commonly taught. However, this should only be used when a higher degree of friction is needed, in a rescue situation or for ascending.

A prusik loop is typically created with a 4-6 feet of 6-7 mm cordage, connected by a double fisherman knot. The 7mm diameter provides excellent friction, the required margin of strength and redundancy in rescue operations.

Autoblock

It can be used while ascending as it is easy to release under load and to slide up.

However, it is important to remember not to grab the carabiner while ascending, and must only be used to slide the friction hitch up.

Connecting two ropes for rappels

There are only two knots that are generally necessary for connecting two ropes for rappels, and the one recommended by experts is the Euro Death Knot.

Flat Overhand Bend or the Euro Death Knot The EDK or Euro Death knot is used for attaching two ropes of different diameters, while leaving tails of 14-18 inches.

It is also known as French Prusik or Machard Tresse, and is similar to Klemheist. However, the ends of the wrapped loop are simply clipped into a carabiner. Autoblock has a lesser degree of friction that is sufficient to act as the brake backup for a rappel, and is the simplest and the quickest to setup.

Caution: Do not use autoblock in wet conditions.

It is recommended for the first one to be lowered and the subsequent people to be supported via a fireman’s belay.

Caution: Leaving tails that are too long has sometimes accidently caused climbers to use the tails while setting up the rappels.

Double Fisherman

Klemheist

This is generally preferred for rescue activities, or when a higher degree of friction is necessary on thinner ropes.

Bachmann

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It is used to connect two ropes and accounts for one of the strongest connector knots.

However, the knots profile allows it to snag on the rocks surface extrusions, especially when the ropes are being retrieved from the anchor, post-rappelling. For this reason, even while the Euro Death Knot may be weaker as compared to the Double Fisherman, it is supremely superior for rappelling.

Connecting two ropes or webbing for other applications Double fisherman is one of the strongest connector knots out there, as it tightens up further when the ropes are pulled apart.

Double fisherman is the preferred way to connect ropes while creating Prusik cordage, or for anchoring cordage. For Kevlar/Technora cordage that is used in slinging nuts or hexes, the use of Triple Fisherman is suggested, which requires one more wrap before threading 23

back the rope on each side. While creating a cordlette for anchoring or the Prusik Loop, it is important to leave tails of 3 to 5 cm.

Ring bend or Water knot

Bowline In case, of tying a rope or cordage around a tree, or a rock, the bowline (refer previous page) is most useful one.

Knots for Anchor Master Points Big Honkin Knot

This is the only recommended knot, while using a length of webbing for runners or anchors.

Anchors Anchors are a complex subject.

A wide knowledge of various elements such as knots, skills, an ability to recognize specific gear and knot requirements, is necessary for non contemporary situations that may arise in climbing (outside of double bolted anchor stations). Below, is a list of some of the most commonly used knots.

This is the most common and strongest way to set up an anchor master point, whether it is for a top rope or for a cordlette based anchor system.

Double Figure Eight Loop or ‘Bunny Ears’

Clove hitch

When short on rope, this knot is useful for top rope anchors. It is beneficial for equalizing the load on two anchors as it uses lesser rope than the Big Honking Knot.

This is a reliably strong and adjustable hitch. It is quick to tie in to anchors, and easy to adjust.

Figure of Eight on a Bight

It is very similar in profile to the Figure of Eight follow through, with the tying method being quicker and simpler. This is the preferred knot for clipping into a carabiner.

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Knots & Hitches useful for rescue situations Munter Hitch It is also known as the Italian Hitch, and was popularized by a group of Italian guides in the 1950s as a reliable mode of belaying. It is a key skill to have, if the belay device is accidentally dropped.

There are variations of this that make it more interesting for various other situations.

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For eg, the Auto-blocking Munter Hitch can be used to bring up a second more securely.

Mule-Overhand backup

Stopper knots This refers to a family of knots that are useful in tying off the end of a rope. The most commonly used ones are the Double Overhand and the Figure of Eight.

Slip knot on a sling

This refers to the method of locking off a belay device in a manner, that even under load it can be released.

Munter-Mule-Overhand

When trad climbing, one may come across a chicken head. This knot is a useful skill in order to use that chicken head or other similar protrusions (bolts without hangers) for protection.

Alpine Butterfly or Butterfly knot

It is useful for the releasable tie-off of the climber, or if they need their hands to be free, or need to belay directly off of the anchor.

Mariner’s hitch/knot

It is especially useful when the rope has to be loaded in both directions or to isolate a damaged section of the rope.

Overhand knot This can be a good limiter knot on cordage which is used for anchors or personal anchors, for master point clip, or on a bight with a closed loop.

Chocking knots

This load-releasable knot is useful for rescue situations, and to escape belay.

Other Knots & Hitches Girth Hitch

It is also known as the Lark’s foot hitch. It can be applied in case of attaching a personal anchor to the harness.

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When climbers need to protect themselves using nothing but the slings or ropes, they can jam or chock them in the constricted cracks. Reliable stopper knots such as Double Overhand or Stevedore can work very well for these situations.

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The Himalayan Club Annual Seminar 2018 Celebrating 90 years

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he Himalayan Club will hold the Annual Seminar on Saturday, 17th and Sunday, 18th February 2018. It is open to all members and guests. Leading mountaineers, explorers and writers will be presenting audio visuals and illustrated talks on various topics. Renowned mountaineers, like Mick Fowler, Catherine Destivelle, David Breashears, Maya Sherpa and Mark Liechty will be attending The Himalayan Club’s 90th year celebrations.

Highlights:  Inauguration, Lighting of lamp and Inaugural Address by the Chief Guest.

Book Award (2017) for his book Far Out: Counter-culture Seekers and the Tourist Encounter in Nepal.

 Mark will also share his view The Himalayas in the Western Imagination. Mark’s argument is that much of Himalayan/ Nepal tourism is driven by a long history of western projections onto the Himalayas with people coming in search of things they  Honouring Harish Kapadia for receiving the Piolet’s D’Or, an annual mountaineering hope to find, as much as for what is actually there. award in Asia for Life Time achievments, and inauguration of the Book Legendary  Maya Sherpa is a three times Everester from Maps of The Himalayan Club by the Nepal and has summited K2, Cho Oyu, Ama Chief Guest.

Dablam, Pumori and several others. She will talk on her quest for the high peaks  Harish Kapadia, Editor Emeritus of The Climbing in the Himalaya.

Himalayan Club, will speak about 90 Years of The Himalayan Club.  David Breashears is an accomplished filmmaker, explorer, author, mountaineer  Kaivan Mistry Memorial Lecture will be delivered by Mick Fowler. Mick Fowler is one and professional speaker. He is also founder of Glacier Works, a non- profit of Britain’s best known British mountaineers organisation that uses art, science and and authors. He will talk about the first ascent of the North Face of Sersank that he adventure to raise public awareness about made with his friend and reminisce about his the consequences of climate change in the Greater Himalayan Region. climbs and is sure to amaze and inspire!

 Jagdish Nanavti Award Ceremony: The Chief Guest will present the JCN Award for Mountaineering Excellence and the Garud Gold Medal for Sterling Support Staff.

 Mark Liechty will receive the Kekoo Naoroji 26

 Vineeta Muni, one of India’s leading Vol 2 | Issue 6 | Jan 2018

mountaineers, has traversed the Himalayan range from east to west. She will talk on growing up in the lap of the Sahyadris and delve into her fascinating adventure lasting over 35 years and going - A Life of Adventure.

 Catherine Destivelle is Europe’s most adventurous and exciting female rock climber and mountaineer. Her daring accomplishments as a solo climber in scaling the most difficult and dangerous peaks without the use of safety ropes, support or back-up, are legendary. She will present a Film screening and talk.

 Mick Fowler will present a lecture Ups and Downs of Himalayan Climbing. In this talk, Mick will contrast the dismal failure of his first  All the mountaineering fraternity is hereby Himalayan trip with the elation experienced invited for a panel and open discussion. when it all goes right - his successful climb of the Prow of Shiva.

Come one, come all to our annual extravaganza! With top-notch mountaineers, visual treats and an enthusiastic crowd, it’s sure to be a good time.

Venue: Swatantryaveer Savarkar Auditorium, 252 Veer Savarkar Marg, Shivaji Park, Dadar West, Mumbai 400028.

Timings: Saturday, 17 Feb 2018 - 03:30 - 07:30 PM; and Sunday, 18 Feb 2018 - 10:15 AM - 06:00 PM Registration: Rs. 300/- per person. (for 2 days, including tea and snacks) For more details of the seminar and the speakers, please download the circular here.

The Himalayan Club - Annual Dinner will be on

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17th February 2018 at 08.30 PM. It will give us all an opportunity to interact with the speakers and members of the HC. It will be a contributory dinner for Rs. 1,000 and venue will be notified to those who wish to attend.

Kindly register your names at The Himalayan Club office either by Email, or through phone, or by paying online through our website or in person. Let us meet on the 17th February 2018 and make this programme a success!

Nandini Purandare Hon. Secretary - The Himalayan Club 314 Turf Estate, Shakti Mills Lane, Off Dr. E. Moses Road, Mahalakshmi, Mumbai - 400 011 India.

Tel : +91 22 2491 2829 | 4973 0738 E-mail: info@himalayanclub.org

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Adventure Rock Hill opens for visitors T

he ‘Adventure Rock Hill’ at Jatayupara Nature Park, Kerala’s first build operate transfer (BOT) model eco-tourism project rechristened as Jatayu Earth’s Center, is now open for travellers and visitors. It covers four hills at Chadayamangalam in the Kollam district, and the park will be fully operational by April 2018.

This Rock Hill will be open for groups of 10-100 people, with an entry fee of Rs 3,500 per person.

This adventure zone provides over 20 different games including paintball, archery, laser tag, rifle shooting, rock climbing and rappelling for visitors.

country, which is a result of an entire decade’s sustained dedication,” said Rajiv Anchal, the Concept Designer, Chairman and Managing Director of Jatayu Earth’s Center. He added that ‘jatayu’ symbolises an era when humans and other living beings cared for each other and lived together peacefully.

The tourism department has always been extremely keen to promote adventure tourism in order to attract vacationers from all corners of the world.

Spread across 65 acres, the Jatayu Earth’s Center, once fully operational will include special activities such as camping, trekking, 6D theatre, a virtual reality museum, and an Ayurvedic Cave Resort.

Mr. Kadakampally Surendran, the Tourism Minister, said “The government will promote more such projects across the state.

Following this unique concept of responsible tourism, these initiatives also offer support to the local community and promote concepts like renewable energy and rainwater harvesting.”

“The center is considered to be an example of sustainable and eco-friendly tourism in the

According to Mr. P. Bala Kiran, the Tourism Director of Kerala, the newly-opened center

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Image source: Wikipedia

will cater to the needs of a wide range of tourists including adventure enthusiasts, families, young travellers and couples.

He said, “The visitors will have refreshing experiences while exploring the natural beauty of the place.”

Source: timesofindia

Jatayu Earth’s Center

Jatayu Junction, Nature Park Road, Chadayamangalam, Kerala - 691534 Mob: +91 9072588703 Off: +91 474 2477077 email: info@jatayuearthscenter.com Website: www.jatayuearthscenter.com

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Friedi Kühne Free Solos 110 Meter Highline Michael Levy

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he year 2017 has been quite an year for free soloing. On September 19th, just a few months after Alex Honnold completed the first free solo climb of El Capitan, the German slack liner Friedi Kühne set a new record for the longest free solo highline ever recorded by walking a 110-meter long line suspended roughly 200 meters above the ground in the Verdon Gorge, he beat all records in the South of France. To set the new benchmark, Kühne had to best the previous world record of a 72 meter highline over Hunlen Falls, in British Columbia, Canada—of which he was also the holder.

While walking without leashes on a 100 plus meter highline has been on his mind for a while, Kühne says, “Free solo highlining is still something that is kind of spontaneous and in the moment sort of thing for me. I don’t usually travel somewhere to specially do it, it’s just something that happens when the line is perfect and you’re in 32

a good spot. The line we were at, in Verdon and the people I was with was just perfect. It kind of led up to the moment.”

That being said, he prepared meticulously in his own way. “I basically told myself if I can walk the line back and forth ten times without falling or losing control, then I will be ready. So I did that on the several days before the walk.”

When I stepped onto the line without a leash, any trace of fear that remained, disappeared entirely.“The mindset is like a trust fall,” he explains. “Except you play it with yourself, you’re the other person catching you. The better you know yourself, your own limits and your own skills, the more ready you are for free soloing.”

In a video of his prior world 72-meter free solo over Hunlen Falls, his calmness and mastery are on full display.

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on a highline with a leash that are lots of fun,” he says. “But some people, like me, want to free solo.

I do it because I enjoy it. But, I’m not encouraging anyone to do the same thing unless you find out for yourself what’s right.”

Source: outdoorjournal

Image credits: outdoorjournal

Inspite of enjoying free solo highlining, he knows that continuing to push the envelope is a risky business. It’s not something he plans to do all

the time: “100 meters is a very magical mark in slacklining. With this free solo record, I honestly think this one will stand for quite a while. I’m not actively intending to push it anytime soon.

I’m not saying I definitely won’t, but for now I feel quite satisfied and don’t think I’ll do a big solo anytime soon.”

to set his new 110 meter record, it was magic. He could see at least 700 meters of exposure to the valley on one side, with a sheer wall of rock out of the corner of his eye on the other. “It felt very good as I was in control, but I had to give it more [than the other free solos I’ve done in the past],” Kühne says.

That Kühne broke his own free solo record speaks to how few individuals there are pushing this most dangerous of games.

“There are millions of other things you can do Vol 2 | Issue 6 | Jan 2018

Friedi Kühne

image credit: oneinchdreams 33

4x4 Adventure Expedition Kashmir 2017 Sanjay Razdan

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ashmir Expeditions & Events organized the 4x4 Adventure Expedition, a first of its kind, followed by a Snow AutoCross Race. It roped in 4x4 enthusiasts from in and outside the valley as part of the glorious event. Having commenced on December 23rd it continued till December 26th, as announced at the press conference held at Hotel Comrade Inn, Rajbagh in the presence of: Mr. Sanjay Razdan – An avid car racer, a leader of cross country rallying, winner of the 19th edition of Raid de Himalaya held on October 2017 in the 1300 cc category and 1st Runner-Up of the overall category.

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Ms. Bani Yadav - The fastest lady driver in India and winner of several laurels in the rally sport.

Mr.Amanpreet Ahluwalia – An avid car racer, leader of cross country rallying and representative of India at the Asia Gymkhana Competition held at Korea.

Mr.Tofail Khan, Mr.Kaiser Kawosa, and Mr.Hashim Zargar - the organisers of the expedition.

The event organized by Kashmir Expeditions & Events, received support from Jammu & Kashmir Tourism, Kashmir Chamber of Commerce and Industries, J&K Bank,J&K Traffic Police and Gulmarg Development Authority.

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some mesmerizing and tricky trails with the final Autocross Race held at Gulmarg. The participants were keen to compete against time, race on the snow and win cash prizes, champion trophies as well as exciting gift hampers.

The cash prizes of Rs. 60,000, 40,000 and 20,000 were handed out to the first, second and third place winners. The winner of the first place also received the Champions trophy, while the second place winner, third place holder and best female driver won hampers.

Mr. Sanjay Razdan thanked the organisers for making the event possible. He diligently spoke of the importance of such events in creating a pathway for the rally enthusiasts in Kashmir apart from boosting Motorsports in the valley.

Event Itinerary: December 23rd: Off-road snow expedition to Doodhpathri (The Valley of Milk), a bowl shaped valley in the Pir Panjal Himalayan range, located 42 kms from Srinagar at an altitude of about 9,000 ft above sea level.

The off-road trail ran along the beautiful alpine valley, covered with snow clad mountains and green meadows of Pine Fir and Deodar.

December 24th: Off-road snow expedition to Yousmarg (The Meadow of Jesus), a pristine meadow located on the peaks of the Pir Panjal Sub Himalayan range, about 47 kms south of Srinagar, at an altitude of about 7,900 ft.

December 25th: The Srinagar city tour included a convoy drive to Hari Parbat, also known as Koh-e-Sulaimaani, a hill overlooking Srinagar. This was followed by lunch and a drive to Gulmarg.

It was sponsored by TCI Max, Saifco Cements Fat Panda Restaurant, Rockwool, Hotel Comrade Inn, Hotel Alpine Ridge, Shuhul Mahindra, Peaks Auto, Greater Kashmir,Spectrum Advertising and 92.7 Big FM. The expedition also received whole hearted support from the Moto Explorers Club, Kashmir.

The event was made possible due to the support of Jammu & Kashmir Tourism and The Civil Administration of the State in order to promote Kashmir as an all-weather and all-sport destination.

A workshop on driving and technical guidance for the participants was conducted by Mr. Sanjay Razdan, who shared his enthusiasm for the four day fun-packed event. The expedition covered Vol 2 | Issue 6 | Jan 2018

December 26th: The day of the Snow Autocross race at Gulmarg, followed by the closing ceremony and award function.

Sanjay Razdan

An avid car racer, leading Cross Country Rallyist and winner of 19th edition of Raid de Himalaya held in October 2017

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Doodhpathri lies in a bowl shaped valley in the Pir Panjal Range of the Himalayas,42 kms from Srinagar,at an altitude of about 9,000 ft above sea level.

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Aboriginal owners ban climbing Australia’s sacred Red Rock (AYERS Rock) David Whitley

Image courtesy : Uluru Kata Tjuta National Park

A

s the first rays of sunlight hit Uluru, Australia’s most famous rock of sandstone glows a deep scarlet red against the orange-blue sky.

This beautiful monolith has visitors from all over the world coming to climb its pinnacle. However, from October next year climbing the big red rock, that has become the global icon of the Australian Outback, is said to be banned.

The decision to impose such a ban was taken unanimously by the Board Members of Uluru-Kata Tjuta National Park. The outlawing of this climb is mainly to mark a shift from the previous policy of begrudging toleration and strongly-worded appeals to discourage climbing it, out of respect for indigenous wishes.

If it were left up to the Anangu people, a 38

group of the local Aboriginal tribes that are the traditional owners, no tourists would have even been allowed to climb it. This rock has been a long standing sacred site in the Anangu culture, for reasons not explained by them to uninitiated outsiders.

The Anangu people were given back the control over the monolith, formerly known as Ayers Rock in 1985. But, the tradition of climbing Uluru had been established from even before then, against the wishes of this tribe. In 1948, an access road was constructed, while the Ayers Rock National Park was established in 1950. Visitors came all the way from Central Australia to climb the apex of the magnificent rock. The banning of the climb has instilled a fear of losing a major source of income among Vol 2 | Issue 6 | Jan 2018

the local indigenous communities.

In 1985, the Anangu people leased the Uluru-Kata Tjuta National Park to the Australian parks and wildlife service for 99 years, on the condition that the public would have continual access to it. This led to 75% of visitors climbing Uluru, thus keeping it open throughout.

Over the years, a twin strategy has been established to bring that percentage lower.

The first pillar of this was active discouragement with signs being put up, requesting the visitors to respect the Anangu’s wishes by not climbing the sacred rock. The second was concerted

efforts towards making travel agents and tour operators to ask the visitors not to climb it.

This has been combined with an initiative to ensure that there were more interesting things to do at Uluru, other than panting all the way to the top of the rock. A 10.6 kilometre walk around the rock has given a fascinating opportunity for tourists to see Uluru’s many rich wonders such as its gullies of vegetation, cave like overhangs, giant pockmarks and strangely compelling rounded bulges.

Source: adventure.com

On a visit to Uluri there are myriad ways to learn about the sacred rock and the land that surrounds it, from traditional owners of the land to storyboards at the base of the rock.

Photos: Parks Australia

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Road to London 2018

A

fter the tremendous success of our epic Road To London 2017 journey, the launch of Road To London 2018 has taken place due to popular demand. On this overwhelming drive, you will cross multiple international borders every few days. You will take offbeaten tracks, dirt roads, mountain passes and the smooth tarmacs of expressways. You will have breakfast in one country and dinner in another. You can experience varying cultures and languages within a just few miles. You will drive through the 46 Iron Bridges in Myanmar, meet Giant Pandas in China and drive the ancient Silk Route throughout Central Asia. You will become the rarest of travellers to enter Russia by road and stand at the Red Square in Moscow. The charming city of Vilnius, the thrill of driving on the smooth Autobahns of Germany and the taste of Belgian waffles await you.

Feel like a champion when you cross the finish line in London as travellers like you are what legends are made of.

HIGHLIGHTS Distance Covered: 16,000 Kms Date: 15th April 2018 – 2nd June 2018 Duration: 48 Nights / 49 Days Terrains: Mountains, Deserts, Forests, Highways and City Driving Countries: India, Myanmar, Thailand, Laos, 40

China, Kyrgyzstan, Uzbekistan, Kazakhstan, Russia, Latvia, Lithuania, Poland, Czech Republic, Germany, Netherlands, Belgium, France, United Kingdom Time Zones: 8 Cost: INR 20 Lakh Per Person WEEK 01 India, Myanmar.

Sit behind the wheel of your car and start driving towards the Tamu – Moreh border, before you cross into Myanmar. Enter a world that is unexplored and visit a country that was closed to foreigners for a long time.

Once you cross the border and enter Myanmar, get ready to encounter some dust as you see the 46 iron bridges all within a distance of 100 km on the road to Kale. Go for a temple run in the city of Bagan, dotted with 4456 pagodas.

Keep driving and join a rare group of travellers by entering China by road.

WEEK 02 Thailand, Laos, China Drive through the off-beaten tracks in China. Discover villages and towns that may not be found even on maps. Feel like Columbus on this road as you re-discover all that you thought you knew of this great empire. Witness the beautiful landscapes, Vol 2 | Issue 6 | Jan 2018

mountain ranges, lakes, and monasteries as you reach the largest stone Buddha in the world.

If you’re a wildlife enthusiast, then mingle with the endangered Red Pandas, all in their natural habitat at Chengdu, one of the most important cities of China.

WEEK 03 China Visit the Iconic Great Wall of China. The first and the greatest pass under heaven, Jiayu Pass, is the key waypoint to the ancient Silk Road.

Along this prominent route, you will reach the caves of the thousand Buddhas in Mogao, which is also home to multiple manuscripts and relics of the ancient Oriental culture.

Continue driving westwards through the rugged mountains, gorgeous landscapes and remote terrains of China. Cherish every minute of your time here, because you are one of those rare travellers who will be taking the road less travelled WEEK 04 Kyrgyzstan, Uzbekistan Cross the border and enter Kyrgyzstan in Central Asia along the Silk Road, the ancient trade route between China and the

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Mediterranean. Geographically isolated by its high mountainous terrain, it is mystical and exotic with its busy bazaars in the millennia old city of Osh. The scenery on the route from Sary Tash is just spectacular and undoubtedly one of the most beautiful sights of the entire journey.

Expect snow, high altitudes, basic facilities and almost no civilization for hours and hours.

Eat a raw leg of lamb, take rest in local yurts and explore the unique culture of the Kyrgyz people. Continue driving west and enter Uzbekistan where you can spend some time along the city of Tashkent, in its emerald green parks, gardens and crystal imbued fountains.

This elegant city is an amalgamation of the medieval Oriental architecture and modern skyscrapers.

WEEK 05 Kazakhstan, Russia.

By now you may be familiar with Central Asia and border crossings. But, be prepared for a surprise as you cross the border and enter Kazakhstan, the ninth largest country in the world. Get captivated by the sheer vastness of the lake dotted steppes in this Goliath state and drive through the long stretches of lonely deserts with terrains that are bare and eroded for miles on end.

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You will have horses for company in Kyrgyzstan.

Now get ready to have camels for company.

Prepare yourself for some tough and terrific driving between the stretches of Aralsk, Aktobe and Samara. Don’t miss out on a bowl of horse milk and camel milk during the journey.

The next stop is Russia. Reach the nation that has overwhelmed the imagination of the world for centuries with its traumatic and volatile history. Be careful while driving on the highways especially when you see the highway police who are always looking to penalize foreign vehicles for traffic violations. Drive through the vast stretches of Russia and reach Moscow, the world famous capital. Be awed by Moscow as you find yourself standing at the Red Square, staring at the mind boggling architecture of St Basil’s Cathedral. This city is sure to delight you with its huge parks, cycling tracks and heritage sites. Try not to be surprised if you run into beaming brides and grooms, on these sites, while they visit to pay their respects as per Russia’s unique tradition!

WEEK 06 – 07 Russia, Latvia, Lithuania, Poland, Czech Republic, Germany, Netherlands, Belgium, France & London Cover ten countries in just 14 days. Does a road trip get any better than this? In the last two weeks, you will literally have breakfast in one country, lunch in the second and dinner in the third. Brace yourself for a roller coaster ride in which you will be in the driving seat.

After crossing the world’s largest country, Russia, get ready to drive through the border of Latvia. You will now enter the Schengen area where you can drive through the smooth tarmacs of the legendary German autobahns.

Explore the quirky capital of Lithuania and take in the lights, strolling musicians, and the oldworld charm of Prague. Start your day with a hearty breakfast in Czech Republic, enjoy your lunch in Germany, evening tea in Netherlands, and dinner at Belgium. Zip through France and Brussels as you give yourself a pat on the back before you cross the English Channel and reach the city of dreams, London.

TOUR INCLUSIONS • All Hotel stays on twin sharing basis • All Meals (Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner) • Route Planning and Research • Activities to make the experience truly memorable • Local guidance and support from experts • All inner line permits for restricted areas • Limited stock of chocolates, snacks, water and soft beverages for every vehicle 42

• All Permits & permissions according to the norms & regulations applicable in all countries en route • All Visas and Visa Fees • Carnet de Passage for your vehicle • Border crossing assistance • Lead vehicle in local countries wherever mandatory • All local permits, government permits, ministry approvals, custom and immigration clearance • Adventures Overland merchandise.

• Back up team with a crew vehicle equipped with GPS, oxygen cylinders, emergency food supplies and first – aid kits • Road books, maps and wireless radio sets for every vehicle TOUR EXCLUSIONS • Vehicle • Your own international or domestic passenger flights • Meals and drinks not mentioned • Fuel l• Alcoholic beverages • Insurance and documentation costs such as travel insurance • Vehicle servicing, repairs, traffic fines or parking penalties • Any cost arising out of unforeseen circumstances like ill- health, vehicle breakdown or repairs, damage accruing from land blocks, bad weather etc.

• Additional accommodation charges due to unforeseen delays in the journey.

• Any Medical expenses incurred during the trip • Any charges for carrying video camera or still camera • Any hotel, subsistence or other costs incurred prior to the official start date of an expedition and after the official end date of the expedition • Vehicle shipment from UK to India • Return ticket from UK to India source: adventuresoverland

Russia

Vol 2 | Issue 6 | Jan 2018

India’s Largest Adventure Travel Association Working Towards Safe & Honourable Travel Four Pillars of ATOAI •Safety Pillar •Sustainability Pillar •Ethics Pillar •Standard Operating Procedure Pillar ATOAI Vision: •To help India become the best and the largest adventure travel destination in the world.

•To be inclusive and grow membership to 1000 responsible members.

•To help India become a12 month tourism destination through adventure travel.

•To help members operate in all 7 continents.

ATOAI Conducts: •Seminars & Workshops •Group discussions •Course of studies •Cultural meetings •Annual conventions •Promote adventure tourism in India.

•Take necessary steps for promoting, encouraging and assisting in the development of Adventure Tourism throughout the country.

•Communicate with Govt. & Non Govt. Bodies in India for issues related to adventure tourism.

To apply for ATOAI membership, please get in touch with ATOAI Admin Office at

ADVENTURE TOUR OPERATORS ASSOCIATION OF INDIA 304, Shivlok House - II, Karampura Commercial Complex, Karampura, Opp. Milan Cinema, New Delhi - 110 015 India. Phone – 011 45132007 Email - atoaiadmin@gmail.com; atoaioffice@gmail.com, Website – www.atoai.org

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Waging war on the poaching trade Skydiving has become an important addition to the arsenal of anti-poaching methods, especially useful as a rapid response in remote and inaccessible areas.

H

ero dogs skydiving 7,500 ft out of helicopters into danger zones to snare hunters slaughtering elephants and rhinos in the African bush. Sounds right out of a script from Hollywood, doesn’t it?

Conservationists waging war on the multimillion pound poaching trade have employed a new breed of operatives to help them catch poaching criminals.

Equipped with goggles, harnesses, muzzles and earmuffs, dogs are being trained to skydive from 7,500ft into danger zones and snare poachers.

Giant, Killer, Venom, Arrow and Alpha are highly-skilled and fearless members of the Paramount Group Anti-Poaching and Canine Training Academy in South Africa.

Described by their trainers as ‘the Bear Grylls of the K9 world’, ‘Arrow’ the German Shepherd became the first dog to skydive - earning him a place in the Guinness World Records - while 44

Belgian Malinois ‘Killer’ has snared 115 groups of poachers and received a Gold medal from Prince Harry for his contribution to conservation.

A spokesperson for the academy told newspapers that ‘The most critical element for a successful dog and handler is the bond between the two. The bond is critical and you cannot break it. Only highly driven dogs with an exceptional attitude, mindset and passion to please (their handlers) can be used for activities like rappelling and sky diving.’

Poaching is a lucrative and ever-growing industry run by highly-organised criminal networks.

The last seven years have seen the elephant population fall by almost a third - with 100 killed every single day for their ivory.

Rhino poaching has reached epidemic proportions with around 1200 rhinos being killed Vol 2 | Issue 6 | Jan 2018

in 2014 and 2015 in South Africa alone.

So conservationists are fighting back and taking increasingly drastic measures to counteract poaching.

• K9 Security Canine Training Academy in South Africa trains dogs to hunt elephant and rhino poachers • Dogs are equipped with a harness, goggles, muzzle and earmuffs before skydiving 7,500ft out of a plane • They search large areas for snares, bush meat and firearms and can also hunt poachers in the darkness • Every day 100 elephants are killed for their ivory, and last year over 1,000 rhinos were killed for their horns

Poaching hotspots are often in remote locations or dense bush and the dogs skydiving skills enable them to reach areas quickly and track skilled poachers using advanced counter-tracking techniques.

The dogs are capable of searching large areas for snares, bush meat and firearms and are able to hunt at night when human trackers are unable to track due to limited visibility.

The two most commonly used breeds in conservation are Bloodhounds and Belgium Malinois.

While Bloodhounds are used to track scents older than 24 hours, the Malinois are used as a rapid reaction and for ‘multipurpose’. K9 is capable of tracking and searching for ammunition, rhino horns and ivory and for arresting suspects.

The academy breeds the dogs before gauging their personality and matches them to suitable roles-from tracking to skydiving.

The academy spokesman added ‘You need an expert eye, someone with ‘dog whisperer’ capabilities and decades of working and training dogs to ensure you get it right.

Not all dogs are good at tracking, not all dogs are excited by the sight of a helicopter.

Arrow and Giant ‘go mad with excitement’ when they are shown their jump harnesses and cannot wait to get into the helicopter.

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‘In Arrow and Giant’s case they go mad with excitement if you only show them their jump harnesses. They cannot wait to get into the helicopter.

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A dog handler and their K9 in their Ghillie suits which the handler has to make themselves as part of the training, for camouflage and ambush purposes.

Alpha is part of the team of hero hounds

Two-year-old Arrow made his maiden jump with handler Henry Holsthyzen

The rapid response anti-poaching unit using a helicopter to drop dog units into a dam and follow a poacher.

The dogs are taught to parachute out of helicopters and into danger zones in a bid to stamp out illegal poaching.

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Dog handler Henry and Arrow the dog - wearing his protective goggles and muzzle - landing safely after another successful sky dive.

The Paramount group showcases an integrated anti-poaching operation involving helicopters, ground vehicles and K9 units.

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Henry and Arrow on their very first sky dive. Each dog is individually assessed as a puppy to find the role best suited to them.

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‘You can tell by their reaction that they are keen and willing, and when you see them in action you can tell that they excel at it.’

Skydiving has become an important addition to the arsenal of anti-poaching methods, especially useful as a rapid response in remote and inaccessible areas.

Initially met with some resistance from those who failed to see dogs useful in the war against poachers, the first K9 was introduced to Kruger National Park in South Africa in December 2010 to help fight poaching.

Now almost all big reserves have a K9 unit assisting their AntiPoaching Units (APU) and since the launch of Paramount Group’s Anti-Poaching and K9 Academy there has been a rise in national parks and private reserves establishing K9 units in parks across Africa.

And in another shot to the arm of the group, Arrow the German Shepherd dog has been recognised as the world’s first sky-diving anti-poaching dog by Guinness World Records.

Dogs are bred by the academy and their personality gauged at an early age - to find out whether they would be suited to tracking, or jumping from helicopters.

Two-year-old Arrow made his maiden jump with handler Henry Holsthyzen at the Waterkloof Airforce Base on the outskirts of Pretoria, South Africa.

Arrow was specially selected as a puppy for his temperament and trained to descend from a helicopter by rope, strapped to Holsthyzen, and finally, to skydive.

Arrow’s entry to the Guinness World Records came after months of intense preparation. Since Arrow was a puppy he and Holsthyzen have eaten, slept, and worked together in order to develop the inseparable bond needed to carry out the high-pressure antipoaching tasks together.

Holsthyzen said: ‘With my knowledge of Arrow - knowing 48

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him, and knowing his personality - it gave me a very good idea of what to expect and he acted accordingly. He’s a natural born skydiver and an adrenaline junkie - I was more scared than he was!

‘I jumped out of the helicopter and it was just natural for him to follow me. I rely on him and in turn he relies on me. I’m willing to go into battle with him because I trust him. Trust forms the basis of our relationship and that enables the handler and the K9 relationship to excel’.

Eric Ichikowitz, Director of the Ichikowitz Family Foundation added, “In some cases we have to insert the canine into a difficult situation with the poachers or a challenging environment, such as a forest or mountainous region. The parachute helps engage them quietly.”

“At any one stage we have a large number of K9’s at various stages of development enabling us to develop on each K9’s unique capabilities as identified and tracked from infancy through adolescence. The large pool enables us to select optimal pairings between handlers and dogs, and to experiment with combinations.

The training protocols have been developed through experience gained in operational environments,working in close conjunction with a number of National Parks special operations units. The training school is a custom developed anti-poaching facility developed to train anti-poaching rangers into specialised K9 handlers and to engage the handlers in the protocols of working with dogs in a wildlife environment.”

source: dailymail.co.uk

Poachers, look out! Several dogs from the unit and their handlers practice doing bite work training.

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Mathsya Mela 2017 - Bangalore An Exhibition of Ornamental Fish & Accessories

Ornamental Fish display at Mathsya Mela

In conversation with Dr. T Mahesh, Deputy Director and Dr. Ramacharya, Joint Director, Dept. of Fisheries, Govt. of Karnataka. at Mathsya Mela 2017 held at the Kanteerava Indoor Stadium, Bangalore.

A&W: What is the purpose of having an ornamental fish exhibition?

transfer on the best practices, breeding techniques, etc.

Dr. Mahesh: In this age of stress caused by work pressures, traffic, pollution and competition, people need to have ways to relax. Having an aquarium at home is a great stress buster as spending time in front of an aquarium and taking care of it feels very relaxing. It soothes the mind and reduces tensions accumulated during the day.

A&W: How difficult is it to rear ornamental fish at home?

The purpose of having this exhibition is to commemorate the Department of Fisheries, Govt. of Karnataka as it completes 60 years. The exhibition is being conducted to encourage hobbyists, promote pisciculture, spread knowledge about fisheries, and to generate more revenue for the people involved. It also helps promote knowledge 50

Dr. Mahesh: It is quite easy to rear fish at home; we train people who are interested in learning how to rear fish. We have a week or fortnight long training programmes in Bhadra project at Shivamogga, Bethamangala at Kolar and at KRS in Mysore. You can contact the department for further details.

A&W: Which are the toughest and best fish for rearing?

Dr. Mahesh: I would say it is the Catla fish also known as the ‘Indian Carp.’ They are easy to breed but tough to rear as survivability is a Vol 2 | Issue 6 | Jan 2018

challenge for the species although they are endemic. These are important freshwater fish species preferred by consumers.

A&W: Which ornamental fish are suitable for Indian climatic condition?

Dr. Mahesh: I think it is ‘Carp’, rather the ‘Gold Carp’. There are different varieties of it such as the ‘Lionhead’, ‘Veiltail’, ‘Black Telescope’, ‘Fantail’ which are all adaptable to Indian conditions. Even the ‘Guppies’, ‘Tetras’ as well as ‘Gourami’ adapt and survive easily.

A&W: What are the most popular ornamental fish around the world and in India?

Dr. Mahesh: The fish that are popular in India are ‘Catla’, ‘Rohu’ and ‘Mrigal’ which are crop fish.

And among the Ornamental fish it would be the ‘Arowana’, ‘Gold Carp’ commonly known as ‘goldfish’, ‘Gouramis’, ‘Guppies’, ‘Tetras’, ‘Betta Splendens’ or the ‘Siamese fighter fish’ and ‘Angel Fish’ are also a favourite. The ‘Gold Carp’ & ‘Arowana’ which is known as ‘Vaastu Fish’ nowadays are most popular.

A&W: What are the foods given to the fish, and what vitamins are essential for them?

Dr. Mahesh: The food that is given to the fish must contain balanced nutrients with approximated composition of proteins & vitamins. In their natural habitat, the fish feed on planktons which provide necessary nutrition, and hence there is no need for supplements. But in a controlled environment, we give artificial feed which contain formulated nutrients to mimic Dr. T Mahesh - Deputy Director (Right) Dr. Ramacharya Joint Director (Left) Dept. of Fisheries - Govt. of Karnataka

Gold Carp

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Fishing nets & Techniques displayed at the expo

nature. A balanced diet ideally consists of 2530% protein, 3-4% fat, and minute quantities of vitamins for both Ornamental and Crop Fish. Mainly vitamins E & C are essential for reproduction and resistance to infections respectively.

A&W: What are common ailments that the fish suffer from?

Dr. Ramacharya: Viral infections, bacterial infections, fungal infections and worm infestations are common ailments amongst the fish. All these can arise due to poor living conditions such as poor water quality, overcrowding and stress by incompatible species, creating conditions that can lead to destructive outbreaks of infections.

They have to be identified and treated before it spreads.

The Dept. of Fisheries, Govt. of Karnataka has established a quarantine facility, the first of its kind in India for ornamental fish at Hesarghatta, near Bengaluru. The fish imported are quarantined and screened for infections and treated if required. This is set to be opened within two months as a central govt. team has visited the facility and suggested improvements to enhance it.

When the fish are quarantined, we can analyse if they are healthy or infected, and also whether the fish can adapt to the local conditions. The facility can simulate all aquatic conditions like Marine or fresh water eco52

systems, the temperature and even the pH value of water.

The Imported fish can be screened properly in the facility to prevent any outbreak of disease and also to ensure their survivability in the long run.

A&W: Where does the Indian market import ornamental fish from?

Dr. Ramacharya: The imports are mainly from South East Asian countries like Thailand, Vietnam, Cambodia and the surrounding countries.

They can even be brought in from as far as Australia.

A&W: Which are the ornamental fish in India?

most

expensive

Dr. Ramacharya: The ‘Arowana’ is one of the costlier fish as they are considered to be the ‘Vaastu Fish’ that bring good fortune to the household.

A&W: What is the market size for Ornamental fish and what is the annual growth rate of the market?

Dr. Ramacharya: The market is essentially scattered and we have to put a proper structure in place to get the exact numbers in the state.

But according to reports the ornamental fish market globally is a multi-billion dollar industry.

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Since 1985 the value of international trade in exports of ornamental fish has grown at an average rate of approximately 14 % per annum.

Ornamental fish-keeping was initially considered as an attractive hobby practised in the developed countries. But, recently it is gaining impetus in developing countries too, as they now constitute for about two thirds of the global export value .

islands, Andaman and Nicobar islands, the Okha -pin tan, the Gulf of Kutch complex, the coast of Kerala, Cape Comorin, the Gulf of Mannar and the Palk bay have an abundance of highly attractive species of ornamental fish.

India has recorded at least 150 commercially important ornamental fish species and trades mainly in indigenous freshwater species collected from rivers.

Overall it is the growing interest in aquarium fish that has resulted in steady increase in aquarium fish trade globally. The whole industry, inclusive of non-exported product, wages, retail sales accessories and fish feed, has been estimated to be worth around US$15 billion.

Prominent among the fresh water Indian ornamental fish are Loaches, Eels, Barbs, Catfish, and Goby . About 90% of ornamental fish is traded from the Kolkata port followed by 8 % from Mumbai and 2 % from Chennai.

Around 2000 species and millions of its specimens are traded annually in the ornamental fish market but only around 30-35 species of fresh water fish dominate the industry.

In India the hobby is nearly 70 years old and dates back to the pre-independence era.

India’s overall ornamental fish trade was about 1.06 million US$ during the year 2009. The lagoons and coral reefs of Lakshadweep and Minicoy

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However, the new regulations announced by the Environmental Ministry might affect the Rs. 300-crore domestic ornamental fish trade industry which is poised for a phenomenal growth. Its effect will also be felt in the growing export sector which has been marked as an area of focus in the marine sector though India is still a marginal player in the $3.5 billion global trade. India’s ornamental fish export touched Rs 9.5 crore in 2016, marking almost a 40% increase from a year earlier.

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A Kill in the Kabini!

Sheshadri Vasan

Nature lover & photographer

Image credits: Sheshadri Vasan

I

t was a morning during the monsoons, the best time to drive through the lush green forest. This season is very challenging for a big cat sighting. Yet, just 30 minutes into the drive, we spotted a calm, young and healthy leopard sitting by the track. A few scars of territorial fights were visible on his face and neck, as he looked very focused and was unperturbed by the presence of humans.

The foliage with the leopard amidst the greenery, gave us a great opportunity to take excellent habitat shots. Just then, our driver mentioned that the leopard could possibly make a kill. We were unsure of this luck being graced upon us and continued to keep our focus on the big cat.

After a while, the leopard got up, stretched and walked along the track before disappearing into the jungles. Our hearts sank as we thought the act for the day was over. We asked the driver to move ahead

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hoping to spot a tiger or an elephant.

He suggested that we wait, as he had observed the leopard focusing on a herd of spotted deer in the surrounding bush, indicating the possibility of a hunt.

The deer moved in closer and we weren’t sure where the leopard had disappeared to.

The herd remained calm and there were no alarm calls sounded by the birds or langur in the surrounding, so we felt that the leopard had returned to the forest. Just when we were dejectedly discussing the lost opportunity, our driver told us to look at the direction of the wind. He went on to explain that the leopard could still be close by, and the wind was blowing away from where the deer were grazing, they wouldn’t have caught the scent of the leopard.

As we noticed this, our hopes were renewed.

In our hearts we knew this could be one great safari if luck was on our side.

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Image credits: Sheshadri Vasan Vol 2 | Issue 6 | Jan 2018

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Image credits: Sheshadri Vasan

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Image credits: Sheshadri Vasan

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Many minutes had passed since the leopard moved into the lantana as we patiently waited. We suddenly heard one quick alarm call and the rest of the deer echoed the same filling the forest with the calls. In a flash the leopard came charging out of the bushes with the caught prey. The camouflage was so perfect that it took us several seconds to realize the hunt that happened right in front of our eyes.

The leopard held the massive sized doe by it’s throat as the rest of the herd alerted the entire forest with their loud alarm calls. The calls still ring in my ears sounding like the bells from a hallowed place.

The leopard latched on to the jugular of his prey as we watched the doe struggling to escape, until it finally gave up. Once the leopard was certain that it’s prey was dead, he started to drag it towards the bushes. As the catch was quite heavy, the leopard changed his position and dragged the kill into the foliage.

Just before he disappeared, he stopped and turned around for a few seconds as if he was giving us one last glimpse of his victorious hunt.

For us, watching the eyes of the prey and predator together ‘one victorious and the other hunted’ was definitely one of the best moments in our wildlife experiences. The stronger of the two had survived and Darwin was proven right again.

I have been visiting the forests for more than a decade now and have never come back disappointed, as each time we learn something about nature and our connection with it gets deeper. While, this experience was definitely the best, We had learnt to be patient in the jungles as it is critical to take clues from nature. The naturalists and drivers who have spent most of their lives in the forests have abundant knowledge and we as urban humans need to respect them and must be willing to learn from them.

Image credits: Sheshadri Vasan Vol 2 | Issue 6 | Jan 2018

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Wild Encounters - Bandhavgarh Bindu Gopal Rao

T37 or Bamera’s son

W

hen I was invited recently to be a part of the Madhya Pradesh Travel Mart, I had a tough choice to make – to visit any one of the two famed National parks of the state – Bandhavgarh or Kanha.

I finally decided on the former and soon I found myself outside the Park on a chilly morning on the last day of October. In spite of having been on numerous safaris for the last 13 years, tigers had still remained elusive to my sight.

The safari I did before this in Madhya Pradesh’s Pench was a no show as far as the tiger was concerned. However being someone who enjoys the jungle for all its sights and sounds, I was excited once again to venture into the wild.

Our safari was from Gate 2 or the Magadhi gate and our guide Mohan Singh was an old hat with close to 25 years of experience.

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Image Credit: Bindu Gopal Rao

Our first sighting was of the Sambhar and Mohan started giving us anecdotes on how they are considered the most foolish animals in the jungle.“Well they are an easy prey for the tiger as they keep lying down in the water or on the ground and if they sense the tiger, they check if one is around by walking a few steps in that direction. Also when they are being chased, they actually keep looking back and fall prey.”

While that generated a round of laughter, ten minutes into the safari, Mohan suddenly stopped the vehicle and said the magic word “tiger” and my first reaction was, “Where? I cannot see anything.”

As I looked around in the thicket, I could see nothing. As Mohan navigated the vehicle to a vantage point, I could suddenly see it walking magnificently at a distance through the haze which was making it difficult to spot.

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“Don’t worry he is coming to drink water,” assured Mohan and sure enough, the tiger suddenly disappeared while all the safari jeeps clamoured together to make the most of the moment.

However the king of the jungle decided to take his own time to quench his thirst and after a few minutes rose out and majestically walked past all of us (we were in all close to 50 people in different vehicles).

While all of us aimed our cameras at him, T37 or Bamera’s son as he is called could hardly care less as he nonchalantly walked past giving all of us a thrilling start to the game drive.

In fact for me, this was the first sighting of the tiger in the wild and to watch the most beautiful animal in its home turf is awe inspiring.

You simply cannot take your eyes off the tiger and for good reason – no wonder he is the king of the jungle! The bright stripes of the tiger make for a striking contrast against the dull green grass. And as he walks past his packed audience who cannot stop taking pictures, he hardly seems to notice.

With a start like that, we headed further into the beautiful jungles that has mostly sal trees close to 70 percent of the jungle and bamboo trees as well. Soon enough, came our next treat a wild boar that however decided not to pose for any pictures.

Going ahead, we also spotted a family of Nilgai (a rare species of the Sambhar family) that decided to sprint past our jeep and seeing the five of them in different sizes was a wonderful treat indeed.

The topography of the forest was varied and there are 250 bird species across 53 families with 138 resident, 26 local migrants and 86 migrants species. Naturally being a haven for birds we were lucky to spot a whole lot of them including the Crested Serpent Eagle, River Ducks, Indian Rollers, Crested Hawk Eagle, Indian Roller

Fact File • Best time to visit is between Oct and June. The summer months are best for tiger sightings but the weather is hot.

• The nearest airport is at Jabalpur about 180 km away.

•There are several accommodation options and the Hotel White Tiger Forest Lodge run by the MP Tourism is a good choice being located close to the park.

• Safaris need to be booked online and in advance. Ensure you have this with you before you arrive as the safaris run full at all times.

Kingfishers, Jungle Barbets, Indian Longbilled Vultures. Of course the jungle is full of spotted deer and peahens and peacocks too.

Interestingly this is also the time to spot several kinds of spiders which spin huge webs. It is a visual delight and a photographer’s must take photo. Specifically we also saw a lot of funnel spider webs that are said to be a poisonous variety as they instantly suck in little insects that come near them.

The flora and fauna of the jungle is most amazing and we saw a parasite plant that twists itself around a healthy one eventually killing the latter. Even the beautiful orchids that grow over huge trees are a must see. While they were not flowering, Mohan tells us that the orchids are beautiful when they bloom.

The forest here is known to have a high density of tigers and hence spotting one is easier here as compared to the other forest in Madhya Pradesh. Apart from this, the leopards are also present in large numbers so are the barking deer, sloth bears, wolves, fox and sambhar too! The park has three main zones Tala, Magdhi and Khitauli which form the core jungle where game drives are allowed. The buffer zone covers Umaria and Katni. The forest is filled with a white coloured grass that gives it a magical feel as well.

In fact, that is where the true beauty of the jungle lies – where else can you experience nature abound and untouched by pollution but here! So when you head out into the wild, keep an eye open and see everything, you never know what you will see.

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Sea lions unique adaptation in Galapagos coast

Credit: Richard Wollocombe / BBC

A

stounding footage of the Galapagos sea lions hunting was perhaps the highlight of the latest Blue Planet II. For the first time ever, these marine mammals were filmed working as a pack to drive tuna fish in to shallow and rocky waters where they could be caught. The Yellowfin tuna generally possess the ability to swim faster than most predators, except the fastest sharks and the marlins. However, the much slower sea lions were able to outsmart them thanks to an amazing display of movement and co-operation.

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The video observed the most fascinating aspect of these creatures, their whiskers. This feature not only makes them great hunters, but enables three of their key adaptations.

Superb sensing One of the things that can be clearly seen in the footage is just how quickly the sea lions respond to the movements of the fish. They are able to sense exactly where the fish are and react almost instantly, in order to herd them towards the shallow waters.

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through the whiskers.

use

of

their

Most mammals have facial whiskers which, when cut in cross-section, are circular.

But, the whiskers of sea lions are uniquely oval. Research has shown that this is the best shape to sense the speed and direction of the wakes, while minimising the vibrating ‘noise’ created by the sea lions own swimming.

At a length of 30 cm, they are the longest whiskers among all mammals. Sea lions can move them backward and forward.

They can also sweep their whiskers over objects to feel their size, shape and texture, much like humans use their fingertips.

These skills signify that they can find the biggest and tastiest fish, just by touching them with their whiskers.

Sea lions communicate using various ‘barks’ grunts and growls, especially when they are hunting as a group.

They have ears that are able to pick up sounds both above and below water.

However, their ears are very small, so they can still be super streamlined in water.

Sea lions have keen senses that allow them to detect fish, even in murky underwater environments. Similar to other predators, their eyes point forward so that they can easily focus on the prey. They can also open their pupils really wide to let abundant light in, which helps them see clearly underwater.

Quick moving This streamlining means that sea lions are able to move quickly and efficiently through the water. Their front flippers are used to push their bodies along, while their back flippers are used for steering. They are able to chase fish at a speed of around 25 mph, but still remain flexible enough to quickly change direction.

However, sea lions aren’t always blessed with the clear waters of the Galapagos coastline. In really murky environments, their vision is not good enough. For this reason, sea lions primarily rely on their sense of touch by using their super-sensitive whiskers to feel exactly where the fish are in the water. When the fish swim around they leave little waves, or wakes, behind them.

Sea lions are able to detect from these wakes and follow them

Sea lions use their whiskers to guide these fast changes in the desired direction. For example, captive sea lions have learned to balance balls on their noses and are known to move their

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Credit: BBC NHU 2017/Rachel Butler

whiskers ahead of their heads to sense and control the ball. While swimming, they move their whiskers ahead of a full turn in order to constantly scan the space that their head and body are about to move in to. This also means that the whiskers constantly face the direction of the fish that they try to catch.

Clever cognition Sea lions are extremely clever and display 64

behavioural patterns similar to humans. For instance, they are the only animals that can bob their heads to a musical track. They are also very quick to learn new behaviour, which is why they are common in zoos and aquarium displays.

The footage indeed shows that sea lions are not simply reacting to the fish, but acting out a complex series of well thought out behaviour Vol 2 | Issue 6 | Jan 2018

patterns. Hunting together can increase their chances of making a kill when there are large schools of fish. Usually, sea lions herd the fish in to tight balls. They then hunt them together by picking off the fish from the edges.

They also know that hunting together works only when the prey is abundant, and tend to hunt individually when the prey is scarce. Their whisker-sensing strategies, quick Vol 2 | Issue 6 | Jan 2018

acrobatic movements, and clever cognitive abilities as seen in the footage shows how fantastic they are at hunting speedy fish like tuna.

Source: theconversation

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Assam - Man-Animal Conflict increases

Villagers stand near the carcass of two elephants that were electrocuted in a paddy field at Kuruabahi village in Nagaon district.

D

ata collected by conservationists has revealed that 40 elephants have died in Assam in the last 100 days. All of them have been killed due to unnatural causes, with the primary reason being mowing down by moving trains, electrocution, poisoning and accidental falls in ditches especially near tea garden areas.

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Since back in the day, herds of elephants have been regularly invading human settlements in search of food, thereby damaging houses and crops in the process. As a result, incidents of man-animal conflict are steadily on the rise. “Elephants are considered to be a problem as they damage crops and property during the harvest season. Also, unlike rhinos or tigers, Vol 2 | Issue 6 | Jan 2018

elephants are not a state or national animal.

Therefore, they evoke less public sentiment when they die.” said an anonymous conservationist. He also added that while public reaction is almost spontaneous in case of rhino deaths which are followed by strong condemnations and demands for exemplary punishment, the death of elephants fails to produce the same level of public outcry.

“Unfortunately, We don’t get an out-pour of sympathy and public support for elephants,” he said.

Bibhab Talukdar, the secretary general of Aaranyak, an NGO that works on biodiversity conservation, said, “It is very unfortunate that more than 40 elephants have died in the last 100 days. It clearly shows that elephants are not getting priority when it comes to conservation of animals.”

While rhinos in the state are confined to national parks and wildlife sanctuaries, an estimated population of 500 elephants in Assam have their habitats spanned across all reserved forests. The state has five elephant reserves covering an estimated area of 10,967 sq km. Only a small portion of these reserves are in protected areas, in the form of national parks or wildlife sanctuaries, while the rest are reserved forest areas.

Conservationists pointed out that elephant reserves in the state do not enjoy the same level of protection as national parks. They fear that large-scale deforestation of elephant habitats, which lie outside protected areas, has endangered their survival.

Source: timesofindia.indiatimes

An excavator places the carcasses of two elephants, who according to forest officials were electrocuted early morning in a paddy field. Their burial was executed at Kuruabahi village, in Nagaon district, Assam-India.

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Orangutan Rehabilitation at Samboja Lestari Orangutan Project Kate Helliwell

Volunteers at Orangutan Project in Borneo

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arlier this month we received news that five orangutans were going to be released into the wild from the Samboja Lestari Orangutan Project in Borneo. The releases were found to be successful as the resident volunteer coordinator Kate was on scene to witness the whole release process. Kate has written about her experience on the release, so let’s see what happened!

The five orangutans to be released are all the ones that I am familiar with in some way or another and many volunteers from the past and present have met them either on the islands or in the enclosure areas. It is therefore very interesting to see how they will react to their new home!

The Build Up To The Release

On the journey I felt very proud to be part of such a unique operation and kept on reminding myself that I wasn’t just on a road trip across Borneo, but on a journey that would change the lives of these 5 orangutans forever.

Having worked alongside the Borneo Orangutan Survival Foundation (BosF) for the last 2 half years at Samboja Lestari where I have waved goodbye to many orangutans who have been released back into their natural habitat, I have finally had the chance to join one of these releases and accompany the 5 orangutans on their journey back into the wild.

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The Loooong Journey Begins‌

The convoy arrived early into the district of Wahau, and here the orangutans and humans were able to take a few hours of rest before the final leg of the trip. This area has a huge palm oil industry and a lot of the forest has been Vol 2 | Issue 6 | Jan 2018

destroyed, but we were heading to an area of the forest that is protected by BosF. We left at 6 A.M. and begun our 2 hour journey to the release site.

On the way the destruction of the other areas of land was evident but it was at least good to know that without BosF protecting their 86,000 hectares of forest it would have a similar fate as the rest of the now non-existent forest. BosF had to purchase the forest in order to secure it for many years to come. This forest is very beautifully remote and once you start driving through its hills, valleys and soaring trees you start to really understand why it’s so important to save it like BosF. It’s something you can talk about again and again but it doesn’t quite hit you until you are smack in middle of it all.

We soon reached the edge of the BosF forest land when we were met by a breath-takingly large river only crossable by boat. Here the orangutans had already been transferred over to the other side by the time we had arrived as we were in a trusted, but slower highlander car that encountered a sudden heavy rain that slowed us down.

Eventually we did cross the river and walked

up the hill of the release site where the individual oranguatans were being placed at their release spots.

We were all wearing plastic football shoes for the mud and long blue socks for the leaches making us look like a misplaced football team in a rainforest. Needless to say this uniform although secure; still managed to allow leeches though.

It was finally time for the actual release: at 11 A.M. on the 5th of December. First to be released was the 7 year old Santa, as she had been rescued by BosF when I first started working at Samboja and was very wild and scared of humans. I found that she was actually rescued a couple of hours away from the release site but the forest she was born in is now long gone. After spending 2 years in the forest school she was finally ready to be released.

When her cage was opened she ran out and immediately scaled up a large tree, climbing all the way to the top. Later that evening ,when the post release monitoring team arrived they informed us that she had travelled 500m from her release site and had also been foraging for

One of the Orangutans being transported to release site

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food and had made a nest to sleep in. This was the best outcome we could have asked for and everyone was extremely happy.

The next in line for release was Tiny. He was released close to Santa’s release spot and they were later observed to be travelling together for more than 4 hours. He even nested close to her that night.

Ingrid and Ivan were then released. Since they had previously been on one of the islands that we volunteered to help refurbish, I got the pleasure of opening both their cages. The orangutans climbed up a tree and took in their surroundings; both looking shell shocked as they did so. The now quite large Ivan was hanging onto to his mother for comfort. However, after a few moments they realized they were safe and started to explore the area cautiously. We were later told that they also foraged for food before they nested in the trees.

Finally it was time for Yuni to be released. She had a keen interest in humans so we all stayed far back from her release. Even when she did decide to return to us; we all quickly evacuated

the area and left her with the post monitoring team. Later she had been observed to be exploring and sleeping in the trees. She had not yet eaten anything when the team checked on her, but apparently this is common on the first day.

After the release we all headed to the monitoring camp which was a 30 minute walk from the release site. It is from here that the entire monitoring team go out every day to track the orangutans that have been released.

The team wake ups very early, even before the orangutans, and seek them out in trees they left them in the night before. They then follow them all day until the orangutan nests and sleeps once again. This happens intensively for 3 months before the frequency of visits gradually decreases in 18 months.

The camp is on a beautiful large river and here we ate and relaxed for the rest of the day enjoying the peace of the forest.

The next morning after a good night’s sleep in the open forest, we set off early back to our vehicles to begin the long journey home. This

Volunteers securing the Orangutan cages for transit 70

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Rehabilitated Orangutan in the forest canopy

Through the Jungle road!

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Volunteers at the release site

entailed another river crossing and then a two hour drive to the base house. We later set off on the 12 hour journey back to Samboja over night and we arrived at 3.30 A.M. on Thursday morning.

The amount of time money and manpower to release and track orangutans back into the wild is marginally large and BosF are standing Vol 2 | Issue 6 | Jan 2018

alone as the only NGO that manages to successfully achieve this goal. The amount of care and attention a single orangutan needs from entering the sanctuary upto release is huge and BosF have hundreds of animals currently under their care, making the job even harder. source: thegreatprojects 73

Achievers Corner

‘Aanchal Thakur’ - India’s 1st International Medal Winner in Skiing

Image Credit: Sportswallah

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he 21year-old, Aanchal Thakur clinched the bronze in the coveted Alpine Ejder 3200 Cup Federation International Ski Race (FIS) at Turkey in January. She won the medal in the Slalom race category.

Secretary General of the Winter Games Federation of India (WGFI), was elated. “This is a breakthrough for the sport in India and the entire skiing fraternity is proud of her achievement,” he said.

“Months of training have finally borne fruit. I started well and managed to take a good lead, which helped later in getting the third-place finish,” Aanchal told the press from Turkey. Her feat is special given that there is no culture or even infrastructure for winter sports in India. Also, those participating in winter sports in India get negligible support from the Union Sports Ministry.

Although India’s favourite sport is undoubtedly cricket, for Thakur and her family it is skiing that has always come first. Thakur’s father is Secretary General of the Winter Games Federation of India (WGFI) and her brother, Himanshu, is the country’s top ranked skier.

He has already represented India at an Olympic Winter Games - Sochi 2014 - and is currently competing for Pyeong Chang 2018 qualification. The two have a close relationship and Thakur says that the support of her brother

Roshan Thakur, father of Aanchal and the 74

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Image Credit: The Week

Image Credit: Scroll has been crucial to her development.

“There is no rivalry, I must say, because he is always helping me with technique, always supporting me and motivating me,” said Thakur in an interview with the Press. “Now he is so close to the Olympic Games. He was pushing me also. I will make sure that I will be there with him in 2022.”

“This medal will be a turning point for sking and Winter Sports in India. I can see a bright future for skiing in India,” Thakur said. “I think the government will support us and there can be nothing bigger than getting praised by Prime Vol 2 | Issue 6 | Jan 2018

Minister Modi. So I think that everybody is aware of skiing now.

India has had only one female representative at the Winter Games in its history: Neha Ahuja competed in the women’s slalom at Turin 2006. Currently, the WGFI is not even recognised by the nation’s sports ministry, and Thakur has had to rely on funding support from the International Ski Federation (FIS) to train in Austria and Switzerland. However, attention will now turn to Ms. Thakur, India’s reigning national ski champion, to blaze a trail for snow sports. Prime Minister Modi is a winter sports fan and Thakur’s medal could be the trigger for a new wave of popularity.

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Wingsuit Flying Record in India

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n Indian will attempt a High Altitude Wingsuit Flight from an altitude of 20,000 feet and fly as far & as long as possible till he opens his parachute at 4,000 feet.

He will use a Hot Air Balloon to reach the altitude of 20,000 feet and DRDO is supporting by provisioning High Altitude survival equipment (Oxygen system) through Defence Bio-Engineering and Electro-Medical Laboratory (DEBEL).

This, first of its kind attempt in India, will establish four new Asian records in Wingsuit Flying.

• Longest Horizontal Distance flown on a Wingsuit. (10 Kms) • Longest duration Wingsuit flight (5+ Minutes) • Highest altitude Wingsuit Jump (20,000 Feet) • Longest Absolute Distance flown on a Wingsuit (12 Kms) When and Where ?

On the morning of 1st Feb ruary2018 at Phalodi, Rajasthan.

What is Wingsuit Flying ?

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Wingsuit flying is the sport of gliding through the air using a ‘wing-suit’ which adds surface area to the human body to enable a significant increase in lift. The wing-suit creates a surface area with fabric between the legs and under arms.

A wingsuit flight normally ends by deploying a parachute, and so a wing-suit can be safely flown from any point that provides sufficient altitude for flight and parachute deployment. The wing-suit flier wears parachute equipment specially designed for skydiving.

About Satyendra Verma Lt. Col. Satyendra Verma (Retd) a 48 year old.

Army Veteran, is a Skydiving Instructor, B.A.S.E Jumper and Wingsuit Pilot.

In recognition to the contribution in the field of Adventure sports Lt. Col. Satyendra Verma (Retd.) was awarded the Tenzing Norgay National Adventure Award (Equivalent to Arjuna Award) for Year 2014.

Born on 24th August 1969, Lt. Col. Satyendra Verma (Retd.) has researched and trained in Unique Adventure project in Skydiving, BASE Jumping and Wingsuit Flying and performed Vol 2 | Issue 6 | Jan 2018

hen-Where: On the morning of 01st Feb 2018 at Phalodi, Rajasthan. ps://goo.gl/maps/JMe1Z8eZtfN2

hat is Wingsuit Flying? This is the sport of gliding through the air using a wingsuit which rface area to the human body to get lift. More Here https://goo.gl/v8pWc8

About Satyendra Verma. An Army Veteran, 48 Yrs Lt Col Satyendra Verma (Retd) is a Skydiving Instruc Lt Col Satyendra Verma, Wing-suit Pilot receivingB.A.S.E Jumper and Wingsuit Pilot, Awarded Nation Tenzing Norgay National Adventure Award from Adventure Award (Equivalent to Arjuna Award) in 2 President Shri Pranab Mukherjee in 2014 More Here https://goo.gl/jBPKaQ them safely. He has excelled in adventure sport of skydiving and achieved distinction at national and international level. He is the first Indian FAA qualified senior Rigger for skydiving.

During his skydiving career, he has carried out more than 1,400 freefall jumps from different types of aircraft/helicopters, using different types of parachutes across the entire length Vol 2 | Issue 6 | Jan 2018

and breadth of the country and abroad.

Lt. Col. Satyendra Verma (Rtd.) is an active Skydiver and ais fully devoted to Aerosports.

His vast knowledge in this sport will contribute towards promotion of a adventure in the country and to bring about peerless achievements at national and international levels.

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Anshu Jamsenpa conferred ‘K K Handiqui National Fellowship Award’

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r. Jagdish Mukhi, the Governor of Assam presented the Krishna Kanta Handiqui National Fellowship to mountaineer Anshu Jamsenpa at a cultural function organised at the Pragjyoti Cultural Complex, Guwahati. The award consisting of citation, a blazing trophy and cash rewards which was humbly accepted by Anshu Jamsenpa as she thanked KKHSOU for the award. She also reiterated

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that accurate policies in mountaineering & adventure sports were the need of the hour, while announcing in the august house that the year 2018 has been declared as the ‘adventure tourism year’ by the Government of India which is likely to give a big boost to its awareness and promotion throughout the county.

Source: Arunachal24

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ADVENTURE & WILDLIFE

A bi - monthly magazine

RNI No: KARENG/2016/69034

For associations and enquiries, contact below: Strategic Partnerships: Srishti Bhatia - 9810035669 Brand Showcase: Kiran Makhija - 9769000294

Printed and published by K R Narasimha Shastry (Dr. Simha Shastry), Proprietor, Prime Group, on behalf of Prime Group No.18, 2nd Floor, 80 Feet Road, 1st Block, Koramangala, Bangalore - 560 034 and printed at Triangle Print Communications # 378, 1st Floor, 8th Cross, Mayagappa Complex, Basaveshwaranagar Main Road, Industrial Town, Bangalore- 560 044 and published at Bangalore. Editor K R Narasimha Shastry (Dr. Simha Shastry) RNI No: KARENG/2016/69034

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