We started from the Turtle resort (Baratang Island) at 9am in the morning. Traversing through the village of Sham Nagar, we arrived at Jol Tikri the home to Mud Volcanoes which are one of the natural wonders of India. Mud volcanoes are not true (igneous) volcanoes as they produce no lava. Any point, at which over time, the earth continuously exudes a mud-like substance, may sometimes be referred to as a "mud volcano.
hese are active volcanoes that spill out mud. There are two active mud volcanoes in entire Andaman and Nicobar region. One is found at Diglipur and the other is located at Baratang. Watching a live volcano today is certainly one of the most fascinating sights. Somehow it also made me happy to realize that our beautiful A&N Islands boast of rich, creamy beaches, beautiful Islands, lush green forests and even rare volcanos!
In entire India, active volcanos exist only in A&N Islands in Baratang, Barren Islands and North and Middle Andaman.
Students carried out experiments for data collection to get information on Mud Volcano for their respective coursework: the geography students carried out a survey on Mud Volcano with respect to the village communities which continue to live in areas of active natural hazards. The Global Perspective students found more about the social impact of tourism in Sham Nagar. The Environmental Systems and Societies students carried out a Lab on the temperature and the pH value of the soil of the Mud Volcano.
Following this, we visited a Primary School near the Mud Volcano in village Jol Tikri which had only 08 students and 01 teacher on roll. We had a beautiful interaction with the students and the teacher of that school. We learnt how the life of the islands’ citizens begins and ends here as they do not have the resources or the money to explore the rest of the world! The students from both the schools performed which broke the cultural barrier between them. In fact, the Pathwazians and the students from the village school came together to sing the national anthem. We were delighted to gift the students of the school with school bags and some stationery which we had planned for and carried from Gurgaon.
On our way back from the Jol Tikri to Diglipur, a truck broke down on the way which made it impossible for us to cross the road. However, being Pathwazians, we turned this obstacle in our way into a memorable experience by helping in removing the stalled vehicle from the road. We also saw the unique ‘touch-me-not’ plant. Later we relaxed on the bank of a river and also took up this opportunity to conduct further experiments and more extensive research on the river bed. The ESS students tested the change in temperature of the river between various points which were five meters apart.
We were back in the hotel. We had dinner and were set for a rather early start… to go to the Kalipur Turtle Nesting ground. Kalipur Beach is a famous turtle-nesting ground in Diglipur. Some 20 KM off Diglipur town centre, Kalipur is a great bet for nature-lovers and turtle walkers. It was an exciting experience. This post is about the babies that have come out of the eggs.
This beach is the only place in the world that boasts of nesting by four types of sea turtles viz., Leatherback turtle, Olive Ridley, Green Turtles and HawksBill. The nesting usually goes on from December to February. Here, after the turtles lay their eggs, forest officials pick the eggs and bury them in a safe place for hatching so as to avoid any kind of damage to the eggs. Once the eggs are hatched, which usually takes 45 days time, a person on duty collects the baby turtles and leaves them into the sea! The picture below captures such a scene though in a blurred sight.
Once the turtle lays the eggs, the forest officials uncover the eggs from the earth and bury them in a safe place where they keep track of these eggs. These baby turtles are then released into the sea. Here is an interesting thing. These many turtles are released on the beach next to sea. The officials just pick them out from the bucket and place them on the beach. But from their instincts, these one day or may be just few hours born turtles know where they have to go.
We were briefed by the chief Mr Micah, a Nicobarese who has been at this endeavour tirelessly for years to conserve these turtles that are now being affected by human and climate impacts. One wonderful thing that the guard told us about these baby turtles was that when he put all the turtles on the ground.. none of them traveled towards the beach! And we could see it. Somehow all of them knew that they had to go into the water.. to their permanent habitat and that the water was downwards..!
Mother nature is great. We all are born with some instincts. God gives us those instincts and they become our guiding lights.
After a rather long day, we retired to our hotel only to realize that we had to leave the resort at the crack of dawn, the next day!!!
Text : Abhinav Adlakha & Nainika Kumar