Saturday, January 16. 2021What is Rann of Kutch famous for?
The Wild Ass Sanctuary spans nearly 5,000 sq km. in Gujarat's Little Rann of Kutch. Home to the third largest population of these animals in the world, the area is believed to be nurturing at least a few thousands of these mammals. Usually moving in large groups, these animals can be spotted throughout the year in this region. Due to its proximity to the Rann of Kutch and the variety in the region's vegetation, the sanctuary hosts more than 30 species of rare and endangered animals, and over 90 species of invertebrates. In fact, the sanctuary also lies on the migratory route of several hundred birds that travel from as far as Europe, Russia and Egypt. Wildlife More than 350 species of birds can be spotted in the region, and these include ducks, geese, quails francolins, flamingoes, grebes, doves, pigeons, sandgrouses, nightjars, swifts, coucals, malkohas, cuckoos, koels, crakes, cranes, bustards, storks, pelicans, herons, egrets, ibises, cormorants, thick knees, plovers, lapwings, godwits, sandpipers, pratincoles, gulls, terns, kites, eagles, buzzards, vultures, owls, woodpeckers, bee-eaters, rollers, kingfishers, falcons, parakeets, orioles, drongos, shrikes, flowerpeckers, sunbirds, weavers, pipits, wagtails, buntings, larks, prinias, warblers, swallows, martins, bulbuls, starlings, flycatchers and wheatears. In addition to the wild ass, the place hosts several other animals, including chinkara, nilgai or blue bull, black buck, wild boar, Indian wolf, jackal, striped hyna, desert hare, desert cat, pangolin, porcupine, Indian fox, mongoose, and jungle cat. There's good news... In 2015, the census of the wild ass showed that the total number of these ungulates was a little short of 4.500. A similar exercise conducted in March 2020 showed that the Umber stood at a little over 6,000 - showing a spike of 30 % in just five years. This is particularly encouraging, considering the species had a worrying history. Due to the outbreak of diseases, the number of these mammals had fallen to a mere 700 back in the 1960s. The population today points to a successful and concerted conservation effort over decades. It also points to the need to be mindful of the continuing threats faced by the wild ass, found in the wild only in this part of the country. ... but threats persist While a growing population is comforting to hear, the threats that these animals face remain a concern. Since the paths of these animals cross those of domestic livestock that herders take out for grazing, the chance of a disease outbreak and the animals contracting it are high. Further, water carrying pesticide and fertilizer from farmlands outside the sanctuary enter the region, with potential to harm animals that could drink the polluted water. The increasing number of salt pans and illegal mining in the region are additional threats to the sanctuary.
Picture Credit : Google Saturday, January 16. 2021What is the polar vortex?
Scientists have wanted that a weather phenomenon called the polar vortex could bring frigid temperatures and stormy weather to the Northern Hemisphere this year too. The phenomenon is a fairly Common occurrence and meteorologists keep a dose watch on the stratosphere for signals on potential Arctic air invasions and predict their severity, The polar vortex is a large area of low pressure that consistently overlies the North and the South poles. They are called vortexes because of the mass of cold, dense air that spins counter clockwise like a hurricane. Sometimes during winter in the Northern Hemisphere, this vortex becomes weak and expands, sending the Arctic cold air southward into the United States, Europe and Asia. Ironically, the cause of this chill is a sudden heat seeping into the whirling currents. That is, the temperature surge in the stratosphere, the layer of the atmosphere, which is located between 10 and 50 km above the ground leads to the weakening of the polar vortex. And it wobbles off the pole. The polar vortex is capable of delivering subzero temperatures for several days together In the recent past, the 2014 polar vortex is remembered as it gave rise to record low temperatures which lasted until March. Some scientists suggest that warming in the Arctic and climate change could make the polar vortex unstable in the coming years, leading to potentially serious consequences.
Picture Credit : Google Saturday, January 16. 2021What type of structure is the Burj Khalifa?
There are few buildings in the world that share the kind of popularity that the Burj Khalifa enjoys. A towering skyscraper in Dubai, United Arab Emirates, the Burj Khalifa's total height is 829.8 m and its roof height (excluding antenna) is 828 m. That makes it the tallest structure and building in the world, since its official launch ceremony in January 2010. The spider lily Such a massive structure is naturally an engineering Marvel. What makes it even more special is its design. The Burj Khalifa has a triple-lobed footprint, an abstraction of the Hymenocallis flower. The Hymenocallis or spider lily is a regional desert flower from which the architects drew inspiration for the iconic tower's design. While this beautiful choice maximises window viewing, the architects didn't go for it purely for Aesthetic or ornamental reasons. This design ensures that the tower is composed of different features that are arranged around a central core. This provides for an inherently stable configuration, vital for super-tall buildings. Biomimetics The modular, Y-shaped structure has setbacks along each of its three wings and affords lateral bending resistance. The central core, which emerges on top and culminates in a sculpted spire, provides strong torsional resistance. The Burj Khalifa thus serves as a great illustration of biomimetics or biomimicry - the science or art of emulating systems and elements of nature in order to solve complex human problems.
Picture Credit : Google |
|
