Flying foxes, lion tails & purple frogs, | #173
+ who now owns the East India company?
Hello friends,
There are many continents present in the sub-continent of India. This is reflected in the diversity of its food, culture, language, flora, fauna and more.
In this week’s newsletter we dust off the binoculars to gaze into the fascinating world of indigenous fauna from the sub-continent. In a list that includes the majestic Bengal tiger and the stunning Snow Leopard, here are some creatures which are found #OnlyInIndia (yes, that’s a self-reference)
Things we learnt this week 🤓
India is home to well… the Indian flying fox. If you think a fox can fly, then you are wrong. Flying foxes are bats with a huge wingspan that happen to resemble foxes, hence the misnomer. Unlike many bat species that feed on insects or even blood, the Indian Flying Fox is frugivorous, meaning it consumes fruits like figs, mangoes, and bananas. These bats play a crucial ecological role by dispersing seeds from the fruits they consume. This helps in the regeneration of forests and maintains biodiversity. Not all superheroes are batman, some are flying foxes.
There is a species indigenous to the Western Ghats called the Purple Frog - which is as exotic as it sounds. This bulbous, somewhat comical-looking amphibian spends most of its life underground. The tadpoles were first described in 1917, and its adult version was first described only in 2003. The scientific name "Nasikabatrachus sahyadrensis" blends elements from various languages: Sanskrit's "nāsikā" (नासिका) meaning "nose", Greek's "batrachos" (βάτραχος) signifying "frog", and "Sahyadri", the local name for the Western Ghats, where this unique frog naturally resides. An interesting fun fact is that its closest known relative is said to be a species of frog native to Seychelles. An absolutely ribbitng piece of info that!
With a luxurious mane reminiscent of a lion and a tail ending with a tuft of hair, the Lion-Tailed Macaque is one of the most endangered primates in the world. What is fascinating about them is that they have one of the most evolved modes of communication across social structures within a herd. From loud cries to subtle facial expressions, these primates use a wide range of signals to converse with each other. This is a monkey baat we’d like to understand.
From IWTK, with love 💌
A scary incident at the Savoy Hotel narrated by Rudyard Kipling inspired Agatha Christie’s first novel. Know more here.
The East Zone finals of the Brand Blitz quiz featuring Tista Sen and Sumanto Chattopadhyay which includes an amazing story about how an Indian today owns East India Company. Watch the episode here
Only In India 🇮🇳
A Jawan-derful message about Cyber Security awareness from the Nagpur City Police. Atlee-ast it is original.
Stay hydrated,
❤️ IWTK