Langur Monkeys Grooming and Family Life

Grooming Langur Monkeys -  (Semnopithecus entellus)

One of the most charismatic arboreal primates in wild India. Hanuman Langur is also known as  Gray langur an old-world monkey it is most common as well. It is large when compared to the rhesus macaque another primate found in the country among many.  

Closer to apes perhaps, the langurs exhibit a distinct behavior pattern and social life much like humans.  Grooming is common to this animal and often they can be seen caressing the fur and picking up lice and other insects from each other's bodies. The behavior stimulates the skin as well and keeps the body clean. 

The primates display a distinct character that points to an appreciable level of intelligence and live in troops which is a group shared by a clan. The monkey is known to give birth to a single baby which sticks close to the mother. This is a very positive relationship that continues after birth through continued weaning and nursing the baby. These animals live entirely on fruits and leaves and unlike the graminivores do not survive in the grass. They also eat insects, grubs, and termites often right from the anthill.  Rarely aggressive they have become a commensal of man and are sometimes in conflict due to the food-snatching habit. 

I was able to film various behavioral aspects of the gray langur at Kanha National Park in Central India.  

                                                     Drinking water at forest lake. 

 

Monkeys Grooming 

The primates are tolerant of man and are found in all forests of India, towns, cities, and villages. They are not killed as they are considered to be associates of Lord Hanuman.  The animal is preyed upon by the tiger, leopard, and on rare occasions by the jackals and python. Some primitive tribes kill and consume entellus meat but it is largely out of the human food chain. There are four races of entellus found in India. 

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Langur & Deer Symbiotic Relationship (Mutualism)

Survival in the dense jungles of India has led to the evolution of a symbiotic relationship and often the monkey is found feeding with the deer. The advantage goes in favor of the spotted deer with the monkey perched on top dropping leaves and fruits for the deer to feed. The primates also keep a lookout for the predators being perched on the top.  Thanks to their keen sense the chital or spotted deer keep alert of the ground level and warn if a predator approaches thus mutually benefitting each other. 

         

                                                 Langur Picking Off Lice from Each Other

                                                       Langur Eating Grub at Anthill    

During a troop takeover by rival males, there can be disturbing violence with babies being snatched from the females and killed. This is done to bring the mother into oestrus. 

These Videos have been made from an open jeep moving as well as stationary ones. In the tiger reserves of India, foot excursions are not allowed. Filming on a running jeep needs practice and steady hands to minimize shaking.  

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Uday Freelances as Naturalist in Central India. He is an avid birder and tiger enthusiast. He blogs on tigers, wildlife, and birds. He also writes about the environment and conservation.

Uday also provides SEO Services and Website Content in English. He teaches Digital Marketing in Jabalpur in Summer Holidays.
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Contact: pateluday90@hotmail.com
09755089323 

Integrated Online Marketing For Wildlife Lodges & Tour Operators

Online Marketing is the utilization of all platforms to promote brands and create a reputation through website/blogs and unique content. While many Digital marketers offer services as SEO experts in the topic there is one difference between just experts and those very familiar with an allied field.

Lodge Courtyard House Kanha National Park

Understanding Diverse Topics

Marketing becomes a potential weapon for traffic generation and brand promotion if an SEO has an understanding of diverse topics. I have!

Well, this comes about with long-term involvement with search engine optimization and social media marketing. Specialization in some fields accrues due to deep involvement in the subject on the ground as well. The added advantage of involvement in SEO is obvious. Hence I can provide a cohesive effort to promote the lodge website and tour operator website.

I have been associated with Indian Wildlife for many years as a freelance naturalist. I have accrued knowledge of lodge operations and management naturally after freelancing for more than ten years. I  am well aware of customer behavior, needs, and expectations from lodge owners and tour management. Well, this means I am perfectly geared up for providing online marketing services to the wildlife sector. I create my own content.

Indian Wildlife 

Get Bookings!

Exciting Safaris with Naturalist Interpretation & Heavenly Lodge Experience spells success! There are a few aspects of wildlife experience in India:

Focus on Tiger or Apex Animal 

Quality Birding  

Destination Experience 

In-depth Interpretation at Lodges

Tiger

If you are not willing to invest in these virtues then stay within budget...keep minimal tariffs and reduce package tour costs.

With Lodge Owners and Tour Operators, the need is to get bookings and recommendations that increase referrals. This happens whence you have a reputation online.

Hence a cohesive approach using integrated marketing is essential. Using various platforms a cohesive strategy can be chalked out using well-written content as the main tool.

Lodge/Tour Operators Website

In online promotions (mobile friendly) websites play a major role now...unlike earlier. Good link architecture, solid contents, and attributes with aesthetic design. But this is not all developing a good website with an appealing design is not enough for conversions. 

Interactive Approach

You need to converse with the visitors and be contemporary. The former can be done using a chat window or an email but this will not be enough. You need to publish the latest happenings on the website. So create an interactive window to publish the latest tours along with photos and safari experiences as they were executed on weekly basis.  All this has to be real-time besides the testimonial page. If you do this you will rid of being a static or cardboard cutout website which discourages conversions.

Integration of a blog is an ideal tool to converse with online visitors by highlighting recent tours and safari experiences.

Accreditations

It is important to register your company with a known association or Government if possible. These and other accreditation will increase your conversions tremendously.    

Social Media

Being Active on Social Media and creating a reputation is also a prerequisite. SM can provide with immense reach and enhance conversions and inquiry levels.   

Advertisement

If you have the resources to enroll in PPC like Google Adwords with a fixed budget for greater exposure.

If you have a good database highlight your activities and new introductions using Email Marketing. Or keep in touch with past clients as well for future business and convincing referrals...

Online Marketing requires constant involvement and resource planning. The best is to hire an Online Marketing Service/Content Writer and Quality Web Designer.

Are You Serious About Your Business?

Survival would be difficult without an online presence.  

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Tour Operator Website

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Uday works as a freelance naturalist/birder in India. He also provides SEO (Online Marketing Services) and Website Content.

Contact: pateluday90@hotmail.com

Mobile: 9755089323 

Commercial Forestry & Research in India

In need of environmental protection, and protecting niche habitats for other forms of life, it becomes imperative to keep an eye on the commercial exploitation of our forests. During the British Raj German-born Dietrich Branids was appointed as the first Inspector of Forests.    

Later on, in the year 1864 went on to establish the Indian Forest Service, and subsequently the Indian Forest Act in 1865. Water protection and wildlife also came under the purview of this act. The Indian forests were then classified as  Protected, Reserved, and Village Forests. The amendment Act 1927 adds another category to the listings namely Private Forest.    

Under the Act unauthorized quarrying, poaching and illegal tree felling were punishable by fine or imprisonment. 

The Forest Research Institute at Dehradun in Uttarakhand was set up in 1906 as Imperial Forest Research Institute by the masters. This Institute has been at the forefront of scientific study and development of forestry in India.  Through the Indira Gandhi National Forest Academy training is provided by its forest officers.  

In 1988 Indian Council of Forest Research under MOEF was established. This is an umbrella organization for various training institutes and research centers in India.  In 1991 FRI was accorded the status of a deemed university. 

The Indian Forestry Act was the beginning of the organized exploitation of timber in India during the Raj. There was an urgent need for Sal and Teak woods for various commercial purposes hence tree felling by villagers was prohibited in the reserved forests. This era also witnessed mushrooming of tea and coffee plantations at the cost of precious ecosystems.     

In spite of the formation of organized structures and scientific research exploitation of forest wealth (read timber) has continued unabated and could be termed as reprehensible. The single-species plantation and clear felling point out to severe lack of understanding of ecosystems and the fragile web of life. Overpowered by greed, the plunder of our forest wealth continues to this day. Commercial felling constitutes one of the major environmental disasters that the country is facing. 

Albeit recent reports in India point out to marginal growth of area under forest cover the effect is nowhere visible. FAO estimates a forest cover of twenty-two percent in India, but do the surveys point out to the status of the forest cover?

In order to classify as a healthy ecosystems, the forest crown cover should be robust. Some of the tiger reserves and protected areas in the country stand out as fine examples.      

In 1953 the government nationalized forests and minor forest produces bringing in complete control over what is termed as a National resource. It was during this period that large-scale clear felling and takeover of forest and niche habitats like grasslands for agriculture and settlements for fast-growing populations took place.  

As the disastrous impact of denudation dawned upon me, the greater impetus was placed on afforestation. Eventually, social or community-based forestry was introduced in India.  This was not only to prevent deluge and soil erosion but it was also aimed at fulfilling the huge demand for wood and wood-based products in India. 

Although there was significant success in community-based forestry in some states these were pure of commercial interest and had no impact on the improvement of the environment, and could not sustain wildlife altogether. This merely resulted in the industrialization of forest produce as a result of mass-scale production - this certainly is not conservation by all means.    

Thankfully, the clear feeling has been halted in the country and is replaced by felling selected ones which are classified as old or degenerate. There is under the purview of local state governments. 

Nevertheless, the country strives for increasing the forest cover and an amount tantamount to a staggering 6 billion dollars plus has been assigned for this purpose in the year 2015. The bill has been tabled as Compensatory Afforestation Fund Bill.    

The approach may sound sincere, but there are many hurdles that afforestation faces. There is a lack of a comprehensive mechanism for the implementation and supervision of the whole exercise. This is further aggravated by the misutilization of funds, corrupt practices, efficient methodology, prevalent lethargy, and lack of sincerity.  

The exercise could be meaningful if the forest lands affected in the past, and those diversified for alternate commercial interest are brought under the purview. The country has faced abject failure as far as compensatory afforestation is concerned.   Read CAG Report.