Site Report: Varanasi

Ganges River, Varanasi

Bank Myna (Acridotheres ginginianus)

Common Kingfisher (Alcedo atthis)

Checkered Keelback Snake (Xenochrophis piscator)

water buffalo (Bubalus bubalis)

Shikra (Accipiter badius)

Varanasi is the holy city of the Hindus and also very important to Buddhists. Ecologically, this city is stretching the human imprint to the maximum. It is very densely populated, There are barely trees around here, and sewage and dead bodies are dumped into the river.

Visits

2006-01-14: Barbara and I stayed a night here near the river.

Species Seen

Kingdom: Animals (9 records)

Phylum: Chordates (9 records)

Class: Birds (4 records)

Order: Hawks, Eagles, Kites, and Allies (1 record)
- Family: Hawks, Eagles, and Kites
- Shikra (Tachyspiza badia)

Order: Kingfishers, Bee-eaters, Motmots (2 records)
- Family: Kingfishers
- Common Kingfisher (Alcedo atthis)
- Pied Kingfisher (Ceryle rudis)

Order: Perching Birds (1 record)
- Family: Starlings and Mynas
- Bank Myna (Acridotheres ginginianus)

Class: Mammals (4 records)

Order: Cetacea (1 record)
- Family: Platanistidae
- Ganges River Dolphin (Platanista gangetica)

Order: Even-toed Ungalates and Cetacean (1 record)
- Family: Bovids
- Water Buffalo (Bubalus bubalis)

Order: Primates (2 records)
- Family: Hominidae
- Human (Homo sapiens)
- Family: Old World Monkeys
- Hanuman langur (Semnopithecus entellus)

Class: Reptiles (1 record)

Order: Lizards and Snakes (1 record)
- Family: Snakes
- Checkered Keelback Snake (Fowlea piscator)

Lifelists

Trips

India