Goa, May 21 -- The silent nature of reptiles and amphibians

As an ecologist and researcher working with reptiles and amphibians, Nirmal Kulkarni stresses that living in harmony and coexistence with these lesser known biodiversity species is a need of the hour. "We often take ecological services rendered by frogs, lizards and snakes for granted due to their silent nature of going about their own lives. But remember, these important lesser known fauna keep rodent and insect populations in check and thus help keep vector borne diseases at bay. We have always had a reverence for all life forms and this is our culture. However in recent times, tolerance for reptiles from snakes to crocodiles and monitor lizards is dwindling due to lack of awa...