Nature's Beckon

An orientation program on Wildbird conservation and bird watching by Nature's Beckon, Assam

Nature's Beckon is an environmental activist group from Northeast India. It was established in 1982 by Soumyadeep Datta, an Ashoka Fellow^[1] and got registration in 1991 under the Registrar of Societies Act, India. Its head office is located at Dhubri, Assam. Since its beginning, the organization has been doing some wonderful jobs in the field of conservation of wildlife, awareness creation, environmental education, scientific research and documentation, and socioeconomic development for the rural masses of the northeastern part of India.^[2][3]

Objectives

• Preservation of the forest and wildlife through people’s participation.
• Afforestation and conservation of the bio-diversity of the 'Hot-Spot' areas along with the cultivation of traditional food plants of Forest Villagers.
• To create environmental awareness among the people in general.
• To impart Environmental Education to students and youths for developing trained manpower for the conservational works.
• To work for Social Justice.

A poster of Nature's Beckon, Dhubri, Assam

Mission statement

"The mission of Nature's Beckon is working with the people to conserve, protect and increase wildlife, plants and their habitats for the continuing benefit of the people."

Achievements

Nature's Beckon claims the discovery of the Golden Langur (Trachypithecus geei) in the forest of Chakrashila Hills Reserve of Dhubri District.^[4] In fact, Nature's Beckon played a lead role in raising the status of Chakrashila to a Wildlife Sanctuary. Apart from Golden Langur, the activist group has successfully identified and conserved many endangered species of animals and birds in the forest and wetlands of the North East India.^[4]

Publications

The Nature's Beckon has published a number of books in English and Assamese as well as research papers and thousands of popular articles by members of the organization in national and international forums.

A bird handbook published by Nature's Beckon

Some of the Assamese books and monographs are listed bellow:

Title: Chakrashila Wildlife Sanctuary
Author: Soumyadeep Datta & Mridupaban Phukan.
Language: English

Title: ASOMOR ABHAYARANYA AARU RASHTRIYA UDDYAN
Author: Soumyadeep Datta & Mridupaban Phukan
Language: Assamese

Title: ARANYAR SAA POHOR
Author: Soumyadeep Datta
Language: Assamese

Title: PRAKRITI ARU AMI
Author: Debendra Nath Sharma
Language: Assamese

Title: DHONESH
Editor: Bikash Bordoloi & Tushar Saikia
Language: Assamese

Title: ASOMOR PRIMATE
Author:Soumyadeep Datta
Language: Assamese

Title: PRASANGA PRAKRITI
Author: Rupam Barua
Language: Assamese

Title: UDGIRAN
Author: Soumyadeep Datta
Language: Assamese

Title: PRATIBAD AARU PRATYASHA
Author: Soumyadeep Datta
Language: Assamese

Some notable research papers published by Nature's Beckon:

(Contributed by Rakesh Soud, Nature's Beckon, Bongaigaon Cell)

1. Soud, R. and Das, R. 2005. Some observation on Polypedates leucomystax (Gravenhorst, 1829) (Anura: Rhacophoridae) in Urban areas. Cobra (Vol.62) 29-30pp.
2. Soud, R. and Das, R. 2006. Observation on the courtship of Bamboo Tree Frog Polypedates leucomystax (Gravenhorst) (Anura: Rhacophoridae) Cobra (Vol. 63) 16-18pp.
3. Soud, R., Sutradhar, S. and Talukdar, S. 2006. A note on the occurrence of Copper-headed Trinket snake Coelognathus radiatus (Boie, 1827) in Western Assam. Cobra (Vol. 64) 11-12 pp.
4. Soud, R. Sutradhar, S., Roy, B.C. and Talukdar, S. 2006. Extend distribution of the spectacled Cobra Naja naja (Linnaeus, 1758) (Family: Elapidae) in western Assam, India. Cobra (Vol. 64) 13-14 pp.
5. Soud, R. and Mazumdar, K.J. 2007 observation on the movement of a Red-necked Keelback Rnabdophix subminiatus (Schlegel, 1837) Cobra (Vol. I, Issue I ) 10-11 pp.
6. Talukdar, S., Soud, R. and Deauti, K. 2007 Range extension of the Assam painted Frog kaloula assamensis (Anura: Microhylide) to western Assam. Cobra (Vol. I Issue I) 18-20 pp.
7. Soud, R., Mazumdar, K.J. and Gupta, A. 2007. Notes on the Feeding of White-Lipped Pit Viper Trimeresurus albolabris Gray, 1842 Family: Viperidae Boie, 1827 in Captivity. Cobra (Vol. 1, Issue 2) 37-38 pp.
8. Soud, R. 2007. A Study on the Diversity and Species Composition of Herpetofauna in Different Forest Landscapes in the Assam University-Dargakona area, Cachar District, Assam, India. (M.Sc Thesis) Assam University, Silchar, India.
9. Soud, R., Mazumdar, K.J., Gupta, A., Mahony, S. and Talukdar, S. 2007. Observation on the Courtship of Fejervarya Cf. Limnocharis (Gravenhorst, 1829) (Anura:Ranidae). Cobra (Vol. I Issue.3) 12-14 pp.
10. Soud, R., Das, R., Deauti, K. 2007. Range Extension of Chirixalus simus Annandale 1951 (Anura: Rhacophoridae) J. Bombay Nat. Hist. Soc., 104(2), May-Aug 2007, 26-27 pp.
11. Soud, R. 2008. Diversity and ecological status of Sarpent fauna of Degraded Forest Habitat of Bongaigaon District, Assam. pp. 13-19. In: B. Raghvendra Rao, S. Narendra Prasad, C. Srinivasulu and P.Judson (eds.), Biodiversity Conservation and Human Well-Being, Department of Zoology, Osmania University, Hyderabad, Andhara Pradesh. xviii+137.
12. Mazumdar, K.J., Soud, R. and Gupta, A. 2008. Assessment of anthropogenic threat faced by Phayre’s Leaf-monkey Trachypithecus phayrei in the degraded forest habitat in and around Assam University Campus, Cachar district, Assam pp. 135-140. In: B. Raghvendra Rao, S. Narendra Prasad, C. Srinivasulu and P.Judson (eds.), Biodiversity Conservation and Human Well-Being, Department of Zoology, Osmania University, Hyderabad, Andhara Pradesh. xviii+137.
13. Soud R., Mazumdar, K.J, Gupta, A. 2008. Preliminary observations on the amphibian assemblage within the forest and tea agroecosystem of Cachar district, Assam. Cobra (Vol II, issue 4). 10-13 pp.
14. Gogoi, L., Wange, P., Dutta, P.K. and Soud, R. 2008. High-altitude records of the House Crow Corvus splendens in Western Arunachal Pradesh, India. J. Bombay Nat. Hist. Soc., 105(3), Sep-Dec 2008, 339 pp.
15. Soud, R. 2010. Notes on a rescue of a Burmese Python Python molurus bivittatus Kuhl, 1820 (Family: Pythonidae) from an urban area of Bongaigaon District, Assam. Reptile Rap, Volume. 9, January 2010.

References

1. ^ Ashoka International Website
2. ^ Nature's Beckon Homepage
3. ^ Authority involved in illegal wildlife trade: Nature's Beckon; Assam Times, India, 05 Feb. 2008.
4. ^ ^{a b} Achievements and activities of Nature's Beckon