About

Malabar Natural History Society (MNHS) is an independent non-governmental organization engaged in Nature Education, Research and Conservation in the State of Kerala. Founded in 2002 (Reg. No. 929/02 under Societies Registration Act XXI of 1860), the society has been making committed efforts to bring together people in the region who hold a genuine concern for our environment and the natural world. MNHS is based at Calicut (Kozhikode, Kerala) and has been an organization growing in patrons, thanks to its active role in the region’s nature education and wildlife conservation initiatives ever since its inception.

MNHS brings out a triannual
newsletter called the
"Malabar Trogon" since 2007.

Apart from the assorted rolling programmes held annually by the society (Find more information on Programmes page), its members, whose professions encompass various walks of life, also undertake environment-focussed citizen-inclusive awareness events in their neighbourhood or at work, of their own discretion..

In a nutshell, through a range of citizen-backed research/education activities and publications, MNHS has been able to facilitate dissemination of scientific information to the masses pertaining to the ecological significance of our natural resources and their conservation. The Society continues to be a keen supporter of the causes of sustainable utilization of natural resources and the welfare of our urban/forest biodiversity. To join in our above efforts and be part of an expanding group of like-minded individuals, please visit contact page...

Programmes

Photography Awards

MNHS and Calicut Birders Club (CBC) jointly organized a photography competition (NMPA2020) in late August 2020, in memory of our fellow MNHS and CBC member, Navaneeth Nair. The response received for this endeavour was overwhelming and the winners were announced on 28 August 2020, the first anniversary of Navaneeth’s passing. Renowned Nature and Wildlife Photographer Dhritiman Mukherji acted as the jury to select the winners from among the numerous entries. The winning photographs can be viewed here: #NMPA2020

Rain Camps

MNHS conducts rain camps during monsoon season to acquaint people with the life and biodiversity that have evolved, adapted and flourished in connection to this annual seasonal phenomenon. Madayipara in Kannur district, Mangarikunnu in Malappuram district and Kakkayam in Kozhikode district are the usual campsites and each camp accommodates around 40-50 participants. Anybody with a quest to experience monsoon and nature can participate. Field visits, slide shows, group interactions, etc., are the main features of the programme.

Turtle Walks

Turtle walks offers the opportunity to wildlife enthusiasts as well as students to witness the breeding behaviour of Olive Ridley Turtles along the Malabar coast between September and December. Camp sites visited for this activity include Thaikadappuram in Kasaragod district, Muzhappilangad beach in Kannur district, Kolavipalam in Kozhikode district and Muthiyam beach in Malappuram district.

Frog Watch

This is a programme started in the year 2006 to introduce people to the intriguing world of amphibians. During the southwest monsoon, which is the breeding season of the amphibians, we conduct Frog Watch at different locations like Kakkayam, Madayipara and Wayanad. The programme includes the thrill of going on Night Walks looking for amphibians and other nocturnal creatures using flashlights and sounds to guide us on. Slide talks and interactions with experts in the field are the other educational/interactive components during this programme.

Plant Identification Workshop

Another major nature education activity conducted by the Society is the Plant Identification Workshop. This provides people with a chance to study and appreciate plants in their natural habitats. Expert botanists offer in-class and in-field sessions with tips and tricks to identify plants. The major camp sites are Gurukula Botanical Sanctuary in Periya, Wayanad district and Madayipara in Kannur district.

Nature Camps

Every year residential summer and winter camps for students are held during school vacations in April-May and December. Overnight camps are also held through the year. The focus of these camps is to give on-hand experience for the participants and include a variety of indoor and outdoor activities.

Butteryfly Study Programmes

After the successful publication of the popular photo field guide entitled, ‘Butterflies of Kerala’, the society has been implementing variety of events in the field of butterfly studies. The 2nd All India Butterfly Meet (Butterfly India Meet 2005) was hosted by the Society at Aralam Wildlife Sanctuary from 14th to 17th September 2005. We regularly organize butterfly conservation programmes such as surveys, seminars, workshops and competitions among students and butterfly enthusiasts of the State.

Butterfly Migration Study

The butterfly Migration Study has been among the most popular of the various programmes undertaken by the society. It offers the opportunity to witness the marvelous phenomenon of Butterfly Migration in the Western Ghats. Organized every year in January/February, Aralam WLS is the base camp for the butterfly migration study in the State. A network of butterfly enthusiasts volunteer to track the migration of butterflies throughout the Western Ghats. Four major migration flights have been recorded - Mixed Danaine Migration, Emigrant Migration, Lime Butterfly Migration and Albatross Migration.

Breakfast with Butterflies

This is a capsule programme for students and butterfly enthusiasts in which 30-40 members generally participate. Our regular campsites are at Madayipara in Kannur district, Thusharagiri and Kakkayam in Kozhikode district. This one-day programme includes slide talk, a short field trip and a quiz on butterflies.

Waterbird Monitoring

Wetlands are important ecosystems having very high priority in biodiversity conservation. Unfortunately, various anthropogenic factors have made these critical habitats extremely endangered in Kerala. Waterbirds are considered to be indicators of the quality of wetlands and waterbird monitoring is, in effect, wetland monitoring itself. MNHS has undertakes a waterbird monitoring programme for the wetlands of north Kerala. This involves two components viz. waterbird Census and Heronry Census.

Waterbird Census

MNHS, in association with Kerala Forest & Wildlife Department, has been organising a census on waterbirds in north Kerala since 2006. The census is undertaken in January, with the cooperation of birdwatchers, who are members of MNHS. The first census was done in January 2006 and the second in April 2006 and the third in January 2007. Most of the wetlands of the area north of Purathur (Malappuram district), covering Malappuram, Kozhikode, Kannur, Kasaragod and Wayanad districts were covered under this initiative. The programme has thus facilitated to identify the important wetlands of the region where migratory and resident water birds congregate. The report of the Waterbird Census 2006 has been published in our quarterly newsletter, Malabar Trogon Vol.3 (4).

Heronry Census

Heronries are communal nesting places of waterbirds. Not much is known about the breeding behaviour and nesting habitat requirements of water birds in Kerala as well as the population dynamics and species composition of the heronries within the State. Many anthropogenic activities threaten the existing heronries. Hence to gather data on these various facts, MNHS organises a census of the heronries in association with Kerala Forest & Wildlife Department. The census is conducted from May to October, with counting done monthly between May and October. The first heronry census, Heronry Census 2006 was organized in July 2006; the report of this census has been published in Malabar Trogon Vol.5 (1).

Since 2007, we have been organizing this census throughout the state of Kerala, thus documenting the various wetlands and heronries across the time (long-term monitoring). Bird watchers who are willing to participate in the above surveys can download the Heronry Census Data Sheet and the Waterbird Census Data Sheet.

Bird Atlas

Kerala is on its path to becoming the first State in India to have its bird diversity documented. Named Kerala Bird Atlas, this massive effort is being undertaken by a large team of volunteer birders from various organizations such as the MNHS, academia, etc., alongwith the cooperation and support of the Kerala Forest & Wildlife Department. This citizen science initiative began in 2015 and is planned to reach its completion in 2020, thus creating a baseline data on the State’s bird diversity which can then be utilised for long-term monitoring. More information can be found here: Kerala Bird Atlas.

Bird ID Workshop

MNHS Jointly with Kerala Forests & Wildlife Department and Zoological Survey of India (ZSI), organized a bird identifcation Workshop at Zoological Survey of India , Kozhikode on 8th March 2017. 55 bird watchers attended the Programme. Shri. E. Pardeep Kumar, Additional Principal Chief Conservator of Forests, (Northern Region) inaugurated the Programme. Shri. C. Sashikumar, Sathyan Meppayur and Dr JaferPalot handled various sessions at the Workshop.

Outreach Programmes

To spread the word of nature conservation far and wide within our society, MNHS regularly holds thematic audio-visual shows and workshops in schools and colleges. Nature camps and campaigns are also held in different National Parks and Wildlife Sanctuaries. Short field trips and walks to different ecosystems such as Sacred Groves, Mangrove forests, Estuaries, Sea coasts etc., are also organised.

Special Events

Annually occurring Environmental Days and Wildlife Week are celebrated through activities for students. Public events such as seminars, workshops and photo exhibitions on various themes/subjects like environmental laws, wetland conservation, water conservation, animal and plant diversity are also arranged.

Elephants

Snakes

Frogs

Hornbill