Cat Meets Scorpion - Kerala

Scorpions are predatory arthropod animals of the order Scorpiones within the class Arachnida. They have eight legs and are easily recognized by the pair of grasping claws and the narrow, segmented tail, often carried in a characteristic forward curve over the back, ending with a venomous stinger.

Scorpions are found widely distributed over all continents, except Antarctica, in a variety of terrestrial habitats except the high latitude tundra. The taxonomy has undergone changes and is likely to change further, as a number of genetic studies are bringing forth new information.

Scorpion venom has a fearsome reputation, but only about 25 out of almost 2000 species are known to have venom capable of killing a human being.

Dragonfly - Kerala

                                                           Odonata Picture - Kerala  ( Location: Vaalillapuzha , Areekode , Kerala , India )

Fauna in Kerala

 India has some of the world's most biodiverse regions. The political boundaries of India encompass a wide range of ecozones—desert, high mountains, highlands, tropical and temperate forests, swamplands, plains, grasslands, areas surrounding rivers, as well as island archipelago. It hosts three biodiversity hotspots: the Western Ghats, the Eastern Himalayas, and the hilly ranges that straddle the India-Myanmar border. These hotspots have numerous endemic species.

Kerala consists of wet evergreen rainforests at lower elevations and highland deciduous and semi-evergreen forests in the east, is subject to a humid tropical climate. however, significant variations in terrain and elevation have resulted in a land whose biodiversity registers as among the world’s most significant. Most of Kerala's significantly biodiverse tracts of wilderness lie in the evergreen forests of its easternmost districts. Kerala contains 9,400 km² of natural forests. Out of the approximately 7,500 km² of non-plantation forest cover, there are wild regions of tropical wet evergreen and semi-evergreen forests , tropical moist and dry deciduous forests ,  and montane subtropical and temperate (shola) forests . Such forests together cover 24% of Kerala's landmass. 

Ixora ( West Indian Jasmine ) - Kerala

Ixora is a genus of flowering plants in the Rubiaceae family. It consists of tropical evergreen trees and shrubs and holds around 500 species.  It is commonly known as West Indian Jasmine. Other common names include: rangan, kheme,ponna, chann tanea, techi, pan, santan, jarum-jarum, Jungle flame, Jungle geranium, and many more. The plants possess leathery leaves, ranging from 3 to 6 inches in length, and produce large clusters of tiny flowers in the summer. It is also a popular choice for hedges in parts of South East Asia, like in Thailand. In tropical climates they flower year round.

Red ixora flowers are commonly used in Indian folk medicine.

White-throated Kingfisher ( Kerala , India )

                                                                   Location: Valillapuzha , Areekode , Malappuram , Kerala

The White-throated Kingfisher (Halcyon smyrnensis) also known as the White-breasted Kingfisher or Smyrna Kingfisher, is a tree kingfisher. This is a large kingfisher, 28 cm in length. The adult has a bright blue back, wings and tail. Its head, shoulders, flanks and lower belly are chestnut, and the throat and breast are white. The large bill and legs are bright red. The flight of the White-throated Kingfisher is rapid and direct, the short rounded wings whirring. This species mainly hunts large crustaceans, insects, earthworms, rodents, snakes, fish and frogs. The White-throated Kingfisher begins breeding at the onset of the Monsoons. 

Wild Flower - Kerala

A wildflower is a flower that grows wild, meaning it was not intentionally seeded or planted.The term "wildflower" has been made vague by commercial seedsmen who are interested in selling more flowers or seeds more expensively than when labeled with only its name and/or origin.

Kerala's climate is very suitable for growing flowering plant. There are many type of flowers found in Kerala. Some flowers grown in home gardens and some are grown only on forest areas.

many flowers are common and some are very rare. Almost all type of flowers in south India are found in Kerala. 

Moon As Seen Through Coconut Leaves - Kerala

EXIF DATA

Camera Model: NIKON D3100

Exposure Time: 1/200 sec.

ISO Speed Rating: 1600

Metering Mode: Pattern

Exposure Program: Manual

Focal Length: 90.0 mm

Kerala is an Indian state located on the Malabar coast of south-west India. It was created on 1 November 1956.The state has an area of 38,863 km² (15,005 sq mi) and is bordered by Karnataka to the north and northeast, Tamil Nadu to the south and southeast, and the Arabian Sea on the west. The city of Thiruvananthapuram is the state capital. The city of Kochi and Kozhikode are other major cities.

Kerala (Keralam) the land of kera (coconut) is also known as God's own country. Beautiful beaches, kettuvallams over enchanting backwaters… monsoon showers, misty mountains of the Western Ghats, fairs and festivals.....

Kerala lies along the coastline, to the extreme south west of the Indian peninsula, flanked by the Arabian Sea on the west and the mountains of the Western Ghats on the east. The Western Ghats, bordering the eastern boundary of the State, form an almost continuous mountain wall, except near Palakkad where there is a natural mountain pass known as the Palakkad Gap.

There are 44 rivers in the state, of which 41 originate from the Western Ghats and flow towards west into the Arabian sea. Only three tributaries of the river Cauvery ( Kabani, Bhavani, Paampar ) originate in Kerala and flow east into the neighbouring States.

In the Midland Plains of central region, the hills are not very steep and the valleys are wide. The valleys have been developed as paddy fields and the elevated lands are converted into estates of rubber, fruit trees and other cash crops . Tea and coffee estates have cropped up in the high ranges.

The Coastal Belt strip is comparatively plain. Extensive paddy fields, thick groves of coconut trees and beautiful backwaters, interconnected with canals and rivers. Alappuzha an old sea port town of this region is known as the 'Venice of the East'.