In Holy Varanasi, Get frogs married, pray for rain !

Varanasi : Following a delayed monsoon, locals in holy city of Varanasi organised the mythical marriage of frogs to please the rain gods on Thursday.

They prayed that the weather gods would open up the skies and bless them with ample rainfall.

The unbearable heat and no signs of monsoon had compelled them to organise the wedding of frogs to invoke divine powers of the rain gods.

At one of such venues, the local priest solemnised the marriage to the chanting of hymns from the Hindu scriptures during which he even applied vermilion on the forehead of the female frog. Read More................In Holy Varanasi, Get frogs married, pray for rain !

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TWO frogs 'married' to bring the rain

TWO frogs have been "married" in a ceremony in the western Indian state of Maharashtra to usher in the delayed monsoon rains, a report said today.

Residents in a suburb of Nagpur, 860km east of the state capital Mumbai, looked on as the groom, Raja, and bride, Rani, were joined in union in a solemn ritual at the weekend, the Times of India said. Read More................Hoppy couple to bring on rain

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Tree-frog inspires new super glue in India

INSPIRED by the toe pads of tree frogs and crickets, researchers in India have created a form of sticky coating that is both strong and reusable.

When conventional adhesive tape is pulled off a surface, cracks form on the tape, which also picks up dust and other particles, quickly losing its stickiness.

Writing in the journal Science, the researchers described how the toe pads of tree frogs contain 'microscopic channel patterns' that stop cracks from forming.Read more...........Tree-frog inspires new super glue in India

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Rare species of frog, snake in Orissa

Two highly endangered species, the crab-eating frog and the white belly mangrove snake, have been spotted in Orissa state in India. The rare species were seen at the river mouth of Dhamra, five kilometres from the Bhitarkanika national park in Kendrapada district, some 170 km from Bhubaneswar, as per Sushil Kumar Dutta, a herpetologist.

Dutta, a zoology professor with the North Orissa University at Baripada, and his team found the frog and the snake during a recent study.

“We stumbled upon this frog and snake while studying the area to prepare an environmental impact assessment report for Greenpeace,” Dutta said.

“They were properly documented and photographed before they were released again in the swampy areas of the river mouth. A team of researchers will again visit the area to search for more rare frogs and snakes,” he said.

The crab-eating frog, scientifically known as ‘fejervarya cancrivora’, is native to Southeast Asia. It inhabits mangrove swamps and is the only known modern amphibian that can tolerate salt water.

The white belly mangrove snake is scientifically known as ‘fordonia leucobalia’. It stays in mangrove swamps and tropical tidal wetlands from Southeast Asia to the coasts of Northern Australia.

The snake hangs out in crab-made holes, after eating its occupants. It is an estuarine species and has all the adaptations necessary for survival in a fully marine life.

From NewKerala

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