JODHPUR, July 3 -- In the arid and semi-arid stretches of Jodhpur, where satellite-based meteorology often fails to reach remote hamlets, nature has long served as the most trusted forecaster. The call of peacocks, the sudden emergence of rodents from their burrows, the quiet shift in reptile movements, and the low flight of swallows have, for generations, guided local communities in anticipating rain, storms, or droughts. However, a scientific study has reaffirmed that this deep-rooted traditional wisdom is far more than folklore. Conducted by the department of zoology at Jai Narayan Vyas University, Jodhpur, the year-long study has validated these ethological cues as reliable indicators of weather patterns, especially during the pre-monsoon and monsoon months. Dr Gemra Ram Parihar, head of the zoology department and co-author of the study, said, "These animal behaviours are not random occurrences. They are subtle, evolutionarily adapted responses to environmental changes that can help predict weather events with remarkable accuracy. What our rural communities have practised for generations is, in fact, a refined form of environmental reading." The study, published in the International Journal of Environmental Sciences, involved extensive fieldwork from June 2024 to May 2025 in various rural and semi-urban areas of Jodhpur, including Mandore, Balsamand, Soorsagar, and Luni. Researchers interacted with 60 local knowledge holders - elderly farmers, shepherds, bird watchers, and tribal residents - and documented behavioural observations of birds, mammals, reptiles, and insects known to respond to climatic shifts. Their testimonies were supported by direct field observations and photographic evidence. What emerged was a consistent pattern of weather-linked animal behaviour passed down through oral traditions and practised with quiet confidence....