Seeking assistance for a Herpatologist

[Ananda Vardhana]

Hi Friends,

Please find enclosed a small writeup by Sharath on 
his work,
his plans for the future and what he needs now. I 
am his friend
from India and would like to help him to tour US as 
much as
possible in meeting experts from Ecology, forest 
conservation
and realted field. I am totally ignorant of all 
these. I am a 
machine bound software engineer. Please contact 
Sharath or me
if you can help him in any way financing his 
project in India 
or helping him out here in US to travel around and 
meet people.
He has slides and other related information to 
impart and would 
be more tham willing to participate in all relasted 
discussions 
to mutual benifit. He will be finishing his curent 
course by June 14th.
Than he will be spending a weeks time in Newyork 
Bronx Zoo. 
June 22nd he wants to travel out. In Portland, 
Oregon and 
Seattle, Washington all his local costs will be met 
by me. Transportaion,
boarding and lodging. Other palces even that will 
have to be financed.
We are looking at something to the tune of $500 at 
the minimum which 
will cover his west coast trip. A $500 grant for 
him would go a long way
in his US tour and understanding the ecology more. 
It could be arranged
with the Smithsonian to provide any reference 
needed to authenticate
the finance grant reasons.

yours sincerely

ananda vardhana
June 3rd, 1996
629-8764(Home)
264-2528(WOrk)

Sharath: 540-635-6528

PS: Since Sharth is in a vert remote area right now 
his email is not guranteed
to work always. His phone is also bit shacky.

*****************

I am here at the Smithsonian, in Front Royal, 
Virginia to 
participate in a course.  The course is to Measure 
and 
Monitor the Biodiversity.  Back home I just 
finished a 
project to develop methods to Monitor the 
Biodiversity of 
the Westen Ghats in South India.  At the moment I 
intend to 
set up a permanent Biodiversity Monitoring station 
in the 
Western Ghats.
     
Basicaly I am a Herpetologist studing the Snakes of 
India. 
We have 156 species of them and 94 of them are 
endemic to 
the Western Ghats. One family the Uropeltidae with 
6 genera 
and 46 speices are endemic to the Western Ghats.  I 
am 
particularly intrested in the conservation and 
study of 
these rare and endangered snakes.  These snakes are 
fosorial 
and play an important role in the soil ecology of 
the 
tropical rain forests.  At the moment I am looking 
for 
agencies to fund a conservation and study project 
targeted 
towards these animals.  I have also information and 
intentions in the long run to study the KING COBRA  
the real 
king of the forest in the Western Ghats.
     
A word about the Western Ghats:  The 1800 km long 
mountian 
North to South in South (Penincular) India is 
around 4000 ft 
on an average and is studded with high rising peaks 
of 
ranging from 6000 t0 8500 ft.  The vegitation here 
is 
basicaly Tropical Rain forests and is evergreen in 
nature. 
This region is classified by Meyer as one of the 
HOT SPOTS 
in biodiversity conservation.  It has a very rich 
biodiversity and is unique for its endimic speices.
     
My institution where I work has local base and is 
culturly 
and politicaly influencing the regional people.  
Apart from 
teaching Zoology here I also do a lot of education 
work to 
educate the rural folk and children the need for 
conservation of nature.
     
There is much more to elaborate if I had a chance 
to address 
people who are intrested in knowing and supporting 
such 
conservation work in the hot spot area of the 
tropics.
     
Thank you.
     
Sharath B. Krishna
<ic.simab at ic.si.edu>
****************************