Thursday, January 28, 2021

Monday, January 4, 2021

බොර මුගටියා [Bora Mugatiya]/Indian Brown Mongoose (Herpestes fuscus)

 Indian Brown Mongoose is a mammal inhabiting forest patches, well wooded home gardens, tea estates, and similar habitats throughout the western third of the island from northwest arid zone to higher hills. It is seldom to be found in heavy forests. However it can be also seen in urban and suburban home gardens, even within the heart of Colombo. It is usually seen as a solitary animal though mating pairs or mother-pups families occasionally encountered. Indian Brown Mongoose is a omnivorous and mainly preys on rodents, frogs, snakes, lizards, spiders, birds their eggs and young, worms, grubs, etc. It also eats berries and even flowers. Depending on the habitat, it is active both during the day and night but usually forages in the early mornings and late afternoons. Indian Brown Mongoose breeds mostly during the first few months of the year. Female Indian Brown Mongoose give birth to  three or four pups in a chamber dug into an anthill or an earthen bank usually by the mother. Three sub species of Indian Brown Mongoose are accepted as H.f. phillipsi from Central Province, H.f. rubidior from the Western Province and H.f. siccatus from the Northern Province mainly base on size and color.   

Sunday, January 3, 2021

Saturday, January 2, 2021

Pogostemon reflexus

An endemic semi-shrubby herb  in exposed or partly shaded rocky area of submontane and montane zones from 1700 to 2400 m elevations.
Rather common and flowering from October to March.

Friday, January 1, 2021

Taxillus sclerophyllus

An endemic half-parasitic shrub growing on branches of trees in high montane zone from 1200 to 2100 m elevations.  Flowering from March to June and fruiting from July to September.