Fins, Feathers, Paws

UNDERSTANDING NATURE'S BEAUTY

- Atharva Chaturvedi  (VIII B)

Mumbai University's Kalina campus ushered in the New Year by doubling up as a temporary shelter for chirpy exotic birds and a slice of acquatic life.  University officials organized an educational exhibition with the pet lovers association, Sanjeevan Trust from 3^rd Jan 2013 to 6^th Jan 2013.  Breeders from the city set up stalls with unusual pets from around the globe.  There were about 120 schools registered to attend this exhibition.  St. Joseph's High School (Wadala) was one of them.

Fifty-one students (representatives from Stds. IV to VIII) from our school were given an opportunity to take part in this exhibition.  At the site, the students collected an enormous amount of information on the exotic fishes and birds.  Everyone present there were amazed to see that majority of the birds there were not caged!  There was enough supply of food and food products for the birds and some of these were kept for sale too. 

We came across a variety of exotic birds - the long tailed fin, the lava sparrow, the sulphur crested cockatoo, the eclectus parrot, the blue and yellow macaw, the Goffins cockatoo, Barnard's parakeet, the great palm cockatoo and many more.

The variety of fishes were amazing – there were the eels, the tire track eel, the tiger fish, the flower horn, the black piranha, arowana, the golden Oscar, starfish, the black ghost, the feather queen… to name a few.

Aficionados of fins and feathers making a beeline to a pet shop or a park will find the brief information about the most viewed pets at the exhibition noteworthy:

1. The macaw: Originally from South America, colourful macaws are fruit and seed- eating birds.  There are 999 known species of macaws, and breeders admit that the birds find Indian weather conditions comfortable and conducive.  The military macaw is one of the largest birds in the macaw family.  They live in large flocks with a lifespan of 50 - 60 years in the wild.

2. The flower horn cichlids: This is an ornamental man-made fish that does not exist naturally and lives for about nine years.  Found in Taiwan they cost up to Rs. 30,000 each.  The male is identified by the nuchal hump, while the female doesn't possess the head bulge.

3. Golden Pheasant: Native to the mountains of China and despite their showy appearance, the birds are difficult to spot in their natural habitat.  Although they can fly in short bursts, they spend most of their time on ground.

4. Sun Conure:  Native to South America, baby birds will have green-tipped wings.  But as they grow, they twin predominantly yellow with hints of orange. 

5. African grey parrot: Found in rain forests of Africa, this species of parrot usually lives to about 80 years.  Compared to other parrots, breeders consider them to be the quick learners and say their IQ matches that of a five year old child.

6. Zebra Eel: Zebra morays are found primarily in rocky and coral reefs on the east coast of Africa to the Red Sea.  Unlike most other moray eels, it feeds almost exclusively on crustaceans, sea urchins and mollusks.  One of the most docile of eels, it is naturally reclusive staying hidden, emerging only when food is offered. 

7. Pouter: Pouter pigeons are found in the dessert region of America and live for an average of seven years. 

8. Cockatoo: Pet lovers call the cockatoo the most affectionate bird in the sky.  Native to Australia and Indonesia, the Goffin cockatoo is white in colour while the Moluccan Cockatoo is salmon-crested and the black variant is pitch black except for a red tail.  Gallah cockatoo is pink in colour.

The exhibition of Fins, Feathers and Paws proved to be an enriching educational programme filled with thrills and laced with a sense of wonder.  The mad rush among friends and companions to share notes of this visit is an indication of the excitement and exhilaration that follows a rewarding activity. 

Young Aditya Khilari hits the jackpot

Young Aditya Khilari hits the jackpot

St. Joseph’s High School,

Wadala,

10^th Jan. 2012

Art is his passion, and winning prizes is his habit.  Winner of a number of awards at different art events and competitions right from an early age, Master Aditya Khilari of Std. IV is once again the cynosure of all eyes, thanks to his brilliant performance in an art competition conducted by Artvilla.in.

Artvilla.in Creations LLP is a group that is taking massive steps to raise the art industry in India, and the members of this group want educational institutes to act as Art propagators.  It was at a chance meeting that the authorities of the school stumbled upon this creative group promoting art.  They urged the school to encourage the students to participate in one of their ambitious ventures, ‘Artdom’, an event  advertising bumper prizes for the winners of the art competition, and an opportunity to exhibit their art if found creative and innovative.  Some of the parents took it forward and got their students enrolled for this novel competition. 

Master Aditya came out trumps winning the first prize in Innocent Stars (Grade 1^st to 4^th) for Artdom 2012, and winning a cash prize of Rs. 25,000/- for his effort.  Further, his art will be exhibited at the prestigious Nehru Centre from 19^th Feb. 2013 to 25^th Feb. 2013.  Indeed a proud moment for all Josephites and art lovers! 

NCC cadets' certificate examination

Drilled and grilled – NCC cadets’ exam

St. Joseph’s Wadala

8^th January 2013

24 students of our school who form the school NCC cadet troupe were tested for their knowledge, skill and discipline.  These our NCC cadets answered their certificate examination on 7^th Januaray 2013 at the hands of the external examiners, Mr. S. K. Singh, P.O., and Mr. M. S. Dunge, L.R.O.  The initial round of examination consisted of drills and orals conducted by these examiners for our cadets, after which our students answered the written examination.  The examiners found our cadets prepared, skilled and disciplined, and commended the hard work and efforts put in by the NCC chief in the school, Mr. Raj.  A great future lies ahead for our promising NCC cadets, and we wish them success and a great year ahead. 

Silver in inter school gymnastics

Yash strikes silver in gymnastics

Our budding gymnast Yash Pardeshi from Std. V is in the news yet again. In the recently concluded 15^th edition of the MSSA organized inter-school gymnastic competition, Master Yash struck silver with his agile performance in the u-12 FX category.  Yash has already won accolades for the school at different levels of the competition in gymnastics at the state and National tournaments.  This year too he has been selected to represent the state of Maharashtra in the Nationals.  We wish him a rolling success in this event and the events to follow. 

Six of our young students excel at Homi Bhaba Science exam

Six bright sparks at the Homi Bhaba Science Examination

Six of our young bright students made it to the Practical level of the prestigious Homi Bhaba Science Examination conducted by the State to identify talent and promote scientific temper.   Of the twenty eight students from our school who appeared, six were from Std. IX and the remaining twenty-two from Std. VI.  Seventeen ( of these, two were from Std. IX) of these were selected for the certificate, while five of them (all from Std. VI) excelled to make it to the Practical examination level. The five students appearing for the practical exam are:

1.  Anirudh Bhattacharya

2.  Darshit Trevadia

3.  Karan Das

4.  Nishant Sarang

5.  Vedang Thakur

6.  Kshitij Kadam

Congratulations to these our students, and we wish them success that will take them to the next stage that involves the Action research project. 

A visit with the GreenLine team to the Sanjay Gandhi National Park

'AN ENCOUNTER WITH THE WILD'

- Nodiyal Jaikishan and Arokia Eliyas (Std. IX)

26th November 2012 was an experience-filled day for us. The hustle and bustle of the Diwali vacations did not stop the many nature lovers and enthusiasts from the different schools of Mumbai visiting the Sanjay Gandhi National Park – a trip made possible by the Greenline Team!

Earlier known as the Borivali National Park, Sanjay Gandhi National Park is one of the major national parks existing within the Mumbai metropolis limit and is one of the most visited parks in the world! Its rich flora and fauna attract more than two million tourists every year. The 2400 year old KANHERI CAVES sculpted out of the rocky cliffs which lie within the park are a visitor’s delight. It is said that they were sculpted by Buddhist residents starting in the first century! The undulating green lands of the park have a natural environment where people love to retreat to for moments of quiet meditation. The great view of the forest hills, lakes and green areas have a therapeutic effect on the mind, body and soul. The park is nestled in the hill ranges around the suburbs of Borivali, Mumbai. It occupies most of the northern suburbs. To the west lies the township of Goregaon, Malad, Kandivali, Borivali and Dahisar. To the east lie Bhandup and Mulund. To the south lies the Aarey Milk Colony. To the north reaches of this forest lies the Thane district. The park is naturally blessed with two lakes, the Vihar Lake and the Tulsi Lake which meets parts of the city's water requirements. 

This park houses various species of animals, birds and exotic plants. Some of the birds found here are woodpeckers, kingfishers, sunbirds, etc. The beautiful peacocks can capture anyone’s heart with their lovely bright colours. The park boasts of many varied animals and reptiles. These include spotted deer, wild bear, sambar deer, Hanuman langurs, etc. Snakes like the cobra, monitor lizards, pythons, are also found here. The Tulsi Lake houses a number of crocodiles that makes an interesting site in the park. The park is home to a number of endangered species of flora and fauna. The forest area of the park houses over 1000 plant species, land and water birds, mammals, reptiles, butterflies and fish. The Golden Orioles, rocket tailed dronges, robins, sunbirds, peacocks and woodpeckers are the amazing birds that find shelter in the park.

An ambitious nature lover can view the wild animals from a close range through the Lion Safari and the Tiger Safari!  The Lion Safari is a 20 minute ride through a fenced forest in one of the park's green buses. There are a total of about 25 lions and lionesses. We saw two lions up close from inside the caged buses! There are four tigers that are kept semi-confined in fenced areas that are toured by the buses. Besides the safaris, there are several public walking trails in the park. A boating facility with a two person pedal-powered boat on rental provides further recreation for the visitors. There is also the famous Jain temple, Trimurti that provides solace to the searching soul.

 A day at the Sanjay National Gandhi park was indeed an enriching and memorable one for all of us. We learnt that nature, with its flora and fauna, is indeed a blessing for each us, and we need to respect and nurture this gift.

    

A visit to Ruia College

A Visit to Ruia College – Annual Festival ‘KINGDOM PLANTAE’

-Siddharth Mohanty and Parth Tawde (Std. VII B)

On 18th December 2012, the students of Std. VII B were given an opportunity to visit Ruia College for its annual festival ‘KINGDOM PLANTAE’.  Organized by the Department of Botany of this college, the Exhibition and Poster competition at this festival was a tribute to the ‘Oxygen Donors’. 

The students and the two teachers accompanying them were accorded a warm welcome by the college professors.  After the brief preliminaries by the professors, we were introduced to the different exhibits by the students of the college.  The presentations at the exhibits were informative, creative and appealing.  The presentations covered varied topics:

·         Unity in Diversity (Biodiversity)

·         It’s all in the genes (Plant genetics)

·         Playing with the Gene (Genetically modified plants)

·         The Green Cleaners (Phyto remediation, waste management)

·         Green Fuel

·         Environmental Botany ….

Cautioning us about global warming, the students explained that the excessive use of air conditioners, refrigerators, etc.  is harmful since they release harmful ultra violet rays that are harmful to human beings. The gas chloroflurocarbon produced by them spreads diseases of the skin such as skin cancer, rashes on skin, etc. Their slogan was ‘Save Earth by making it green’.  There were various methods to save our earth from becoming a desert. 

We were given a lesson in roots and their types – knee roots, plank root, etc. as well as in ‘bonsai’ plants.  We were quite eager to learn about the natural herbs present in cosmetics, and the difference between natural cosmetics and chemical cosmetics.  On a historical note, they reminded us that mangrove trees were in abundance in Mumbai many years ago. These trees had the power to extract salt from the sea and prevented natural calamities such as Tsunami and floods.  Now-a-days mangroves are becoming scarce due to architectural designs and growing industries.  A demonstration was given to us in the extraction of oil from the plant of Jatropha, and some samples displayed of squashes and pickles of different fruits.  

Young that we were, the explanation of genetic engineering fascinated us. The nucleus contains chromosomes.  Chromosomes bear DNA.  DNA holds the genes.  These genes can be changed according to our characteristics.  Another practical input at this exhibition was that that of ‘Terrerium’ – a desert that could be prepared and kept at home too! It is made up of different layers of soil consisting brick powder, sand, moisture, etc…in that order.  Rangolis prepared with flowers by the students were attractive and added color and variety to the exhibition. 

We returned back to the school having learnt much at the exhibition. We enjoyed the exhibits very much but were sad about the destruction of nature as is happening today.  It’s time for us all to join hands and put together the broken pieces for a better world.