March 1, 2003

 

The students of Sir Sultan M. Aga Khan School recently visited the Ramsar Site at Haleji Lake in Thatta district. There are at least 27 species of water fowl and thirteen kinds of waders and shore birds who come here to feed and recoup after their three thousand-mile-long migration from the cooler areas of Russia. The students were taken around on a whirlwind tour of the lake by Syed Fazal Shah, the game officer, who is in-charge of the lake, and water fowl that are housed in a small pond, covered with mesh to restrict them from flying away too soon. Basking in the sun on the platform made for them specially over their six-feet deep pond, were the marsh crocodiles. When the heat gets unbearable for them, these crocodiles retire to their pond. Reptiles such as snakes and crocodiles are cold blooded animals. During winter they expose themselves to the sun in order to raise their body temperature. This helps them digest their food and also activate their vital organs such as the heart and lungs to increase the breathing frequency and blood supply which do tend to slow down due to the lack of energy because of the low body temperature. It was the students’ first excursion to a wildlife sanctuary. They enjoyed the refreshing atmosphere where the pure air carries a pleasing aroma. Later they were shown the stuffed birds and reptiles on display at the museum. The hues and colourful feathers of the migratory ducks places them in the most attractive category. Their list is long just like the list of waders. But the most common ones encountered in this sanctuary are: Mallards, Pintail, Shoveller, Teals, Spotbill, Pochard, Pelicans, Ruddy shell duck (Surkhab), Widgeon, Gadwall, Gargney and Tufted ducks. Amongst important waders are: White breasted waterhen, Purple moorhen, Pheasant-tailed jacana, Blackwinged stilt, Avocet, Grey heron, Egrets, Plovers, common cranes with a pleasant call. In reptiles apart from the threatened marsh crocodiles are the Cobra, Russel’s viper, Krait, fresh water turtle, water snakes, rat snake, Monitor lizard, and calitis which we know as ‘Girgat’, spotted so often in our lawns, parks and hedges.

Here’s to a better environment “Because we can’t use a human heart to show you the effect of vehicular pollution, we’re making do with a frog,” said one of the two young biology students wearing a lab-coat and plastic gloves as he gave the tiny dissected frog an electrical shock to show the heart rate before and after it was given a dose of carbon monoxide. The heart rate was recorded on a contraption borrowed from the science lab. “See the effect on the frog and imagine what it must do to our lungs and heart.” I was left rather nonplussed. This was at one of the stalls at the recent environment exhibition put up by the students of St. Patrick’s School Cambridge section. I must confess, it was quite amazing, the way the students went about explaining their various projects. They were eloquent and confident and the use of computers had made their presentations convincing. In fact, the exhibition could have been a refreshing change for policy makers, who sit for hours around the table brainstorming for solutions to decelerate global warming, protect the mangroves, and our endangered animals. There was a rocket launch, which the boys termed was made from material that was environment friendly. I missed the solar car, which the senior class had come up with. Some seniors had also constructed a three-person rickshaw that moved at 5km/hr and ran on one 12V battery, which could go on for five hours. A video showed how they assembled the various parts. “We did everything ourselves, only for welding, we sought professional help.” It was heartening to see a stall put up by some students explaining economic repercussions on the Pakistani economy by smoking, which was linked it to the environment. This anti-tobacco campaign seemed relevant, specially for a generation, which though well aware of the hazards of smoking, gets lured into the habit. Some students launched their website E-nvironment.com. It would be a good idea to cover the environment exhibition in it. Some children had taken up the much-talked about renewable energy as their project and through the use of attractive models explained how wind and water energy can be used instead of fossil fuels. While this was well received, one felt that there could have been some mention of the burgeoning garbage problem, its separation, its recycling and the fact that the same generation is turning more towards a disposable and throwaway culture. No one talked of the effects of untreated effluent going into the sea and causing havoc on the marine plants and animals etc. No mention was made of the hazards of solid waste when it is burnt, the reuse of needles, plastic and its non-biodegardable quality. But then there is always a next time! Zofeen T. Ebrahim

CD for preschoolers The first interactive bilingual CD-ROM for two to four year olds, “Know your body”, was recently launched in Karachi by Professor Anita Ghulam Ali. Developed by Karachi-based Enabling Technologies, the CD is a first of its kind for preschoolers that can be viewed, read and interacted with in Urdu or English. The CD is interesting, cute and fun. Attractively designed, “Know your body” takes a child through four different levels. It tells the child what the different parts of the body are and also explains the meaning of the five senses. There are simple tests built in at each level to test the child’a understanding. Animation and voiceovers have been used to relay the concepts but text has been included also as a guide for parents and teachers. The CD is priced at Rs100 each.

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