Episode 084 – Omkar Dharwadkar & Parag Rangnekar | Naturalists, Wildlife photographers, & Partners at Mrugaya Xpeditions
Mrugaya Xpeditions is a nature-based experiential tour company based out of Goa, India. Sign up for day trips, personalised excursions, and study tours to discover the myriad flora and fauna of the Western Ghats.
See their website
Follow them on Instagram
Like their Facebook page
Watch their YouTube channel
*******
Omkar Dharwadkar is a naturalist and wildlife photographer. He’s the also the President and Founder Member of the Goa Bird Conservation Network (GBCN).
Listen to his journey from growing up in Goa, and spending time alone in the forest, to now sharing his knowledge as a ‘Bird Magnet’ with discerning guests.
Along with local filmmaker Kabir Naik, Omkar has been creating a video series on the wildlife of Goa. They have covered the monsoon, amphibians, odonates, butterflies, and camouflage in the state. Watch their videos to learn more about the native flora and fauna.
*******
Parag Rangnekar is a naturalist and wildlife photographer. He’s also the Founder Member of the Goa Bird Conservation Network (GBCN). Parag has specific interest in dragonflies and butterflies.
Listen to his journey from growing up in Goa, and spending his holidays exploring the forests of Amboli in Maharashtra, to now rejuvenating his ancestral house into a nature retreat, and offering a platform that showcases the region’s natural wonders.
Parag is also part of several clubs, societies, non-profits, and organizations including the Mineral Foundation of Goa, and the Goa State Biodiversity Board.
*******
Aangan Village Stay is a homestay in Verlem,, set within the hinterland of Goa, India. Managed by the Verlem Eco Tourism Cooperative Society, you can immerse yourselves in the culture, cuisine, and community here.
See their website
Like their Facebook page
Jungle Trails Homestay is a quaint accommodation located in Talde village, on the fringes of Bhagwan Mahavir Wildlife Sanctuary in Goa, India. You can explore the surrounding forests and 14th century heritage sites on nature trails with expert local guides.
See their website
Like their Facebook page
Mrugaya Nature Retreat is a bed & breakfast nestled amid the lush wilderness of Amboli, India. This eco-conscious accommodation features rustic interiors and offers three guestrooms with private sit-outs. You can head out on nature trails to spot birds, reptiles, and amphibians in the forests around.
See their website
Like their Facebook page
*******
Goa Bird Conservation Network (GBCN) is a non-profit society that promotes birding, and serves as an excellent resource documenting the various species of birds in Goa.
See their website
Like their Facebook page
Join in for their bird walks that happen on the first Sunday of every month. GBCN conducts regular surveys and also organises events that help in bird conservation.
*******
Also mentioned in this episode
All Goa Water Bird Census – Amboli – Asian Water Bird Census – Beach Fashion Week – Bhagwan Mahaveer Sanctuary – Birding – Bird Atlas – Dr Salim Ali – Dr Salim Ali Bird Sanctuary – Dragonfly – Dragonflies South Asia – eBird – Fauna of Goa – First Nations – Foundation for Environment Research and Conservation – Goa Gap – Heinz Lainer – India Bird Conservation Network – Inle Lake – International Dark-Sky Association – Invertebrate Conservation and Information Network of Southeast Asia – Jim Corbett – Kenneth Anderson – Kerala Tourism – Limits of Acceptability – Mahabaleshwar –Matheran – Matoli – Meat Eater – Mineral Foundation of Goa – Moken – Naitik Jain – Nilesh Cabral – Nirmal Kulkarni – Quiet Parks International – Rahul Alvares – Responsible Tourism Collective – Savio Fonseca – Serendipity Arts Festival – Shivdas Dessai – Shraddha Rangnekar – Spirit Bear – Tambdi Surla – Uttrakhand birds – Velips – West Bengal birds – Western Ghats – WWF – Zoological Survey of India
Timestamps for reference
03:25 Uniqueness of the Western Ghats
05:40 The Goa Gap
06:35 Documenting the natural history of Goa’s Western Ghats
09:09 Heinz Leiner & Birds of Goa
13:07 Amphibians in Goa
14:48 Surveys about birds
19:28 Operations of GBCN
20:20 Monthly bird walks
21:39 Birding hotspots in Goa
22:21 Interest of birding in Goa from a tourism perspective
24:30 Possibility of spotting 150 species of birds in Goa over a three day trip
28:58 Infrastructure in natural spaces
32:56 Pricing and carrying capacity of natural destination
36:15 Community-based tourism as a double-edged sword, and Aangan project in Verle
44:03 Spirit Bear & First Nations
46:15 Jungle Trails Homestay
49:03 What’s the intent behind Mrugaya Xpeditions
51:36 Story of Mrugaya
55:05 Hunting, foraging, and harvesting from forests
01:03:24 Different organizations that Omkar and Parag are part of
01:06:06 Making the best of the beach in Goa
01:07:29 Can Goa accommodate more small-group experiences responsibly?
01:12:55 Brand of destination Goa, and new approaches
01:17:49 Personal journeys and influences of Omkar and Parag
01:22:12 The Mollem issue
01:41:26 Government websites are so outdated in India, an IT hub
01:43:34 Goa Bird Festival
*******
Show cover jingle courtesy of Icons8
Music by Nordgroove from Fugue
Episode background tunes courtesy of YouTube Audio Library
First Class by DJ Williams
Song of Sadhana by Jesse Gallagher
Sonic by Lish Grooves
All photographs by Omkar Dharwadkar, Parag Rangnekar, Aangan, Jungle Trails Homestay, Mrugaya Nature Retreat, and Mrugaya Xpeditions, unless otherwise stated.
