Mucking around in Mangroves

For session 2 of 'The Mangrove Life' with Pikiji Learning, Australia and The Pomegranate Workshop, we were to conduct a field trip to a mangrove. Because of its proximity to the school, we chose Batim, which is only a short bus ride away. When we did our recce of the place, we didn't expect to be as amazed as we were by the sheer beauty of the landscape 



We got ready on Tuesday evening with our pens, books, water bottles, observation charts and phone cameras. 13 students, Vishal, Elijah and I reached the spot at 4pm, a wonderfully pleasant time to be at any mangrove.


We began with a short introduction and explanation of the khazan farming system and sluice gates by Vishal. After this, we explored the vast expanse that is the Batim mangroves, and looked out for anything we found interesting.



Some interesting finds by the students:



Mangrove holly, telescope snail shells at various stages of disrepair and a large crab pincer, all observed by Mohammad from class 9



A crab, observed by Pratik from class 9



Still to be identified mangrove plants observed by Grishm from class 9


Vishal explained to us 2 two important trees that usually grow in these regions - Rhizophora and Avicennia.





Rhizophora (L) with stilt roots, and Avicennia (R) breathing roots/ pneumatophores


Rhizophora has a very interesting method of propagation - once the fruit has matured, the propagule grows from the fruit, downward toward the 'chikkol' (soft, wet mud). This ensures that when the propagule falls, it strikes the mud hard enough to plant itself there and grow into a new Rhizophora sapling.


Rhizophora propagules emerging from the fruit



Rhizophora propagule after falling into the chikol and growing into a sapling

We also spoke with some fishermen and asked them when they come to the khazans and what they catch.


On the way home we ate some yummy snacks and filled in our observation charts.



Observation charts from Grishm and Constancio


It was an eventful day!

I would like to leave you with a few landscape pictures captured and very creatively edited by Constancio:






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