Eaglenest Biodiversity Project

acknowledgements 

 by     Ramana  Athreya

One of the (few!) pleasures of writing a project report is the opportunity to publicly and indelibly acknowledge the many people who contribute towards its success. I wish to thank (in no particular order)

• Vidya and Aarushi  - "They also help who stay at home and wait" and the two did a lot of it! The time away from home was the only downside of an otherwise fantastic project. I can't thank them enough for bearing with my absences. Vidya's help with the project proposal considerably improved its looks!

• the Forest Department of Arunchal Pradesh for all their help. I should mention here specifically Umesh Kumar (ex-DFO Pakke & Eaglenest) for his encouragement and enthusiastic assistance in his office and in the field; Mr. Sajwan (aPCCF) and Mr. Mukhopadhyay (DCF) for help with the permits.

• Mr. Indi Glow and family of Tenga for their many kindnesses. To Indi babu should go half the credit for whatever we achieved during the course of the project, especially the bird tour.

• Mr. Pekyom Ringu (AP Forest Dept) and Mr. Omak Apang for their enthusiastic help in providing the perfect local contacts! This project took a major step towards completion in Mr. Ringu's office when he decided that my goals were feasible enough to warrant serious consideration and participation by like-minded Arunachalis. Apang took time off from his busy schedule to drive me from Itanagar to Tenga for the sole purpose of personally introducing me to Mr. Indi Glow - a 16-hour drive for 1 hour of work! The gesture went a long way in convincing Indi Glow and me of the seriousness with which the other viewed conservation of Eaglenest and related matters. It was an auspicious start to what I hope will be a long association with Eaglenest and the people of the area!

• Rufford Foundation for taking complete care of the financial aspect of this project. Even more than the money itself the simplicity of the process was of great help and thanks are due to the co-ordinator Josh Cole on this score.

• the referees, Mr. Naresh Chaturvedi (BNHS), Prof. Trevor Price (Univ of Chicago) and Dr. Aparajita Datta (NCF) for their generous letters in support of the proposal.

• Nima Tsering, Dorje Raptan and Jeta for unstinting enthusiastic co-operation in camp and field, from the first cup of tea in the morning till the last bucket of warm water at night and all the hours in-between!

• Sonali Ghosh for helping out in Guwahati on several occasions.

• Mr. Narbu, Mr. Krimeh and Mr. Thungon of Doimara for the hospitality they showed a complete stranger who stumbled into their corner of the woods, searching for a roof to shelter under and a vehicle to depart in!

• Mike Waite, Claudio Koller and Ray Ziarno for putting their money where my mouth was! A scope for Claudio is like a pair of binoculars for the rest of us. It was entirely in character for him to scope the wedge-billed wren-babbler we called out - what a magnificient view it was from less than 5m! The trip would have been poorer but for that and the heart-stopping scoped views of beautiful nuthatches! Mike Waite with his must-see list and a collection of calls perfectly complemented my knowledge of the area and its birds and Ray made sure that we did not forget it was a vacation! I could not have asked for a more understanding first-bird-tour party.

• My employer, National Centre for Radio Astrophysics (TIFR), for sanctioning my leaves of absence without a fuss.