Date of Issue : 28 July2013
The Philatelic Bureau of Sri Lanka issued six new postage stamps in the denominations of Rs. 5.00, Rs 15.00, Rs. 30.00, Rs. 40.00 and Rs. 50.00 depicting six selected animals living in the Yala National Park to coincide with the completion of seventy five years of the network of Wild Life Reserves in Sri Lanka, as the fourth issue in the series of stamps on Sri Lanka’s National Parks.
As for the objectives of the Wild Life Reserves Network of Sri Lanka which has evolved for a period of seventy five years now since February, 1938, in addition to the long term protection of Wild Life resources, it contributes to a large extent to the national economy of the country as well.
1.Hawks-bill Turtle ( Eretmochelys imbricate)
Growing to about 3 feet in length, this member is one of eight species of sea turtles recognized in the world, and one of the five that inhabit the coastal waters of Sri Lanka. All turtles are considered globally threatened and live by feeding on sea weeds, grasses, jellyfish, corals etc. They come ashore to lay eggs in a nest dug in the sand with their flippers. A total of 20-40 or more nicely round white eggs are laid in the dugout cavity at night when they beach for nesting. The eggs are covered with sand using the flippers and pressed with body thumping. The nestlings hatch out in approximately 23-26 days and head out straight to sea. The yolk sac in the belly is supposed to provide the initial energy for the hatchlings to swim as far as possible to the reef areas. They do not come back to land until mature and ready to breed, the age of which has not yet been established. The nesting beach is believed to be the same area from where it left as a hatchling. The use of its carapace scales for ornamental accessories by humans is the biggest threat to its survival.
2.Swamp Crocodile( Crocodylus palustris )
Crocodiles are members of the reptilian group, and are considered to be in the direct line of evolution to birds. They possess a heart with a left aortic blood vessel like the birds and different from the other reptiles. Sri Lanka is blessed with two species – the marsh or swamp crocodile and the larger and more aggressive estuarine crocodile – Crocodylus porosus inhabiting generally the salt waters. The swamp crocodile grows to about 10 - 12 feet, with webbed fingers, dorsal nares and a nasal track separated from the mouth by a palate. They are efficient swimmers paddling with the dorso-ventrally flattened tail. Crocodiles build nests in dug-up cavities in the embankments of rivers etc. in which they lay eggs that are hatched by the addition of decaying vegetation. Crocodiles are very protective of their young and are most aggressive during the period when the young hatchlings are around. They are carnivorous and feed of dead carcasses or captured animals.
3.Elephant( Elephas maximus )
The largest animal on the Asian continent, the elephant is related to the African elephant in being in the same Family Proboscidea. The main feature of recognition is the presence of the prehensile nose or proboscis. An average animal can grow up to about 7-9 feet at the shoulder. They are herbivorous and need around 1/3rd their body weight in foliage per day. The Sri Lankan elephant feeds 70% on grasses and balance on vegetation plants of around 10cm in diameter at breast height. Thus it has been recognized as an “edge species” loitering and feeding in high densities in forest with heavy scrub, open grasslands and water. The cause for damage to property, crops and consequently even to human life is believed mainly due to this preference of food and a unique feature in its feeding biology. The grinding capacity of the molar teeth that replaces over the years fails to be effective and efficient in old age and a preference for softer lush “agricultural” food draws them to human habitation. The continued encroachments of their territory by humans have compounded the conflict further. The elephant tamed by us has become part of our culture and religious practices. Among the Asian elephant it is only the male that bears the magnificent tusks, a sad cause for its state of threatened status.
4.Black-necked Stork( Ephippiorhynchus asiatucus )
The tallest bird of Sri Lanka with a height over 5 ft. It inhabits coastal wetlands such as marshes, lagoons, estuaries and large water bodies. A bird that had a distribution in the North West and East of Sri Lanka is presently, sighted often in the wetlands of the Yala National Park Complex. There has been numerous sightings of birds caring sticks for nesting and juvenile birds, yet no documented nest has yet been seen in the country in the last 50 years or more. It is known to nest in tall trees away from the coastline in forests.
5.The Wild Boar (Sus scrofa)
An interesting member of the hoofed family - Artiodactyla, they live in small sires, numbering around 4- 5 animals. Moving through the soft earth, like a plough they dig up for yams and grub worms etc. The area left behind after a successful feeding bout is a completely upturned soil. They like to wallow in mud. The babies are lined with black horizontal marks and number up to even 10 in a pack. The male has a fairly large pair of tushes and the females too sometimes have smaller pairs. The adult animals are very protective of their babies and will not hesitate to take on even a leopard if it happens to stalk the babies.
6.The Spotted Deer (Axis axis)
The most common mammal is in the dry and semi arid forest in the country. Generally they are observed in herds of half a dozen to a hundred or more, of both sexes and all ages .
Spotted deer spends much of its time grazing upon various grasses and herbs in open areas in the forests. They browse on the leaves of bushes, saplings and scrub vegetation also. They are also very fond of the fruits and flowers that fall from the forest trees.
The main predators of this beautiful animal are leopard and crocodile. Their vision and hearing are exceedingly acute and their sense of smell is very well developed. These adaptations help them to escape from predators.
New Stamps from Oman
Omani crafts Day 2013 !!
: Pradip Jain – Patna
Date of Issue : 3 July 2013
India Post issued a Commemorative Postage Stamp and Centenary Souvenir to mark the 100th Anniversary of the establishment of the Delhi Gymkhana Club on 3rd July 2013.
The Imperial Delhi Gymkhana Club was established on 3rd July 1913 at Coronation Grounds, Delhi for use of the ruling elite comprising of officers of the Indian Civil Service, Armed Forces and Civil Residents of the then Delhi.
Courtesy : Indian Philately Digest
New Stamps from Germany
Date of Issue : 1 July 2013
German post issued two stamps within the series “Wild Germany” on 1st July 2013. The first one is dedicated to Berchtesgarden National park, and the second one depicts the Lower Saxony Wadden Sea.
Berchtesgaden National Park is located in the German-Austrian border, southeastern corner of Bavaria, and is the only alpine national park in Germany. Although it wasn’t officially proclaimed National Park until 1 August 1978, the region has a long tradition as a reserve. In 1910 the area of today’s national park was designated as “Berchtesgaden Alps”, in March 1921, it became extension to the “Koenigssee nature reserve”.
Considerations to develop a cable car in the region led the German Nature and Environment organization to call for the establishment of a national park in 1953. In July 1972 the Bavarian state parliament decided to plan a park in the Koenigssee Bavarian Alps Nature Reserve. Since 1991, the National Park Berchtesgaden was recognized by UNESCO as a biosphere reserve core zone.
The Lower Saxony Wadden Sea was three times designated as a special area. On the basis of the German nature conservation law, it is since 1986 part of a national park, where different protection zones of category I to III were set. In 1993, it was also recognized by UNESCO as a Biosphere Reserve. Since 2009, the Lower Saxony Wadden Sea is also a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Together with the German Wadden Sea National Park Schleswig-Holstein and Hamburg and the Dutch Wadden Sea Conservation Area, the Lower Saxony Wadden Sea is one of the largest and most important tidal wetlands of Germany.
Slovak post Pofis and Korean post have jointly issued a set of two stamps dedicated to the 20th anniversary of countries’ diplomatic relations and depicting national dance and chant traditions of both countries – Lucnica art ensemble (Slovakia) and Pansori epic chant (Korea).
The Lucnica art ensemble is a representative of this cultural heritage. With its activity, artistic craftsmanship and fantasy, inspired by folk tradition, it creates dance and music scenic images with professional art charge while at the same time maintaining the originality of own national culture. During the ensemble’s 65 years of history (first public appearances are dated as far as 1948) more than 2.500 young people, mostly university students, have become its members. Lucnica with its top-class art, beauty, youth and hot temperament has dazzled audience both at home and abroad. A dancing young Slovak couple dressed in a ceremonial folk costume from the Central Slovakia area of Podpolanie represents a motif of the stamp. It is a hand-embroidered folk costume, made by a special technique, so-called “crooked needle”. The folk costumes come from the dance “Zapocinka”.
Pansori is a Korean genre of musical storytelling performed by a vocalist and a drummer. This popular tradition, characterized by expressive singing, stylized speech, a repertory of narratives and gesture, embraces both elite and folk culture. During performances lasting up to eight hours, a male or female singer, accompanied by a single drum, improvises on texts that combine rural and erudite literary expressions. The term Pansori is derived from the Korean words pan, meaning “a place where many people gather”, and sori meaning “song”. Pansori originated in south-west Korea in the seventeenth century, probably as a new expression of the narrative songs of shamans.
Since November 7, 2003 Pansori is a part of the world cultural heritage UNESCO as “Masterpiece of the Oral Tradition and Intangible Heritage of Humanity”.
New stamps on Nature Reserve from Czech Republic
Karlstejn National Nature Reserve
This is the largest protected karst area in Bohemia. It stretches across an area of almost 16 km on the left bank of the Berounka River from Karlštejn and Mořina to Šanův kout and the valley of the Kačák rivulet near Sedlec. Rocky ravines and the Berounka canyon alternate here with rounded and rocky knolls or places of old karst plains.
Remains of fauna from the former sea have been preserved in the limestone and shale, particularly the well-known trilobites. The karst processes have created a complex of caves. The travertine caves at Saint John Under the Cliff are particularly unusual – although not open to the public, they are archelogically valuable. The reserve also contains abandoned quarries which provide a home to many protected or endangered species of plants and animals. The region belongs among one of the most attractive districts of the surroundings of Prague as well as all of Bohemia.
New stamps on Karlstejn National Nature Reserve will be issued on September 4th in the Czech Republic with above cancellations.
Courtesy : Mr.Slavomil Strnad,Semily, Czech Republic and Wolfgang Beyer, Vice Chairman of the German Philatelic Collector Group ARGE Zoologie.
email : Wolfgang.beyer1@aol.de Orders from philatelists for this issue are welcome.
Modern Pictorial meter cancellation from Germany
Modern METER featuring a scene of Evolution based on Darwin’s theory .The METER is from the Zoological Garden of the german town Rostock.
Courtesy : Mrs.Margitta Drohla, Rostock,Germany and Wolfgang Beyer, German Collector Group ARGE ZOOLOGIE. email : Wolfgang.beyer1@aol.de
My recent cover
Courtesy : Wolfgang Beyer - Germany
Date of Issue : 8 May 2013
Nuuksio National Park
Finnish Post issued a stamp from the series “National Parks”. The current issue’s subject is the Nuuksio National Park, located in the southernmost part of Finland. Established in 1994, the park spreads over an area of forests and lakes in Espoo, Kirkkonummi and Vihti.
The name of the park is derived from the Nuuksio district of Espoo. Nuuksio can be reached by public transportation from Helsinki and Espoo. The Park comprises the westernmost part of the so-called Nuuksio lake highlands. Dozens of endangered or near threatened species of animals, plants and fungi are known to live in the area; for instance the Siberian Flying Squirrel, the European Nightjar and the Woodlark.
The stamp features the marvelous landscape of the Nuuksio National Park, as well as its location on the map of Finland marked with a red dot.
The Bothnian Sea National Park
Last year on 7 May 2013 Finnish Post issued a stamp on “The Bothnian Sea National Park ”
World Conservation Congress Jeju 2012 - stamp from South Korea
The South Korean Post has issued a stamp to commemorate the "World Conservation Congress", the environmental Olympics of the global village, which was held for 10 days from September 6th to 15th, 2012 on Jeju Island, Korea's ecological repository.
The World Conservation Congress is a forum where experts from various sectors such as government organizations, NGOs, academia, corporations, media, etc. convene to contemplate and confer about solutions to major environmental problems facing the earth where we live.
This round of Congress held on Jeju Island, was participated by approx. 10,000 people from approximately 180 countries.
Korean post has issued a commemorative stamp featuring green sprouts and the Congress emblem.
Manuel Antonio National Park of Costa Rica
Date of Issue : 6 July 2012
The Correos de Costa Rica has issued a stamp within the international series titled "National Parks 2012". The stamp is dedicated to the Manuel Antonio National Park of Costa Rica.
Manuel Antonio National Park is a small National Park in the Central Pacific Conservation Area located on the Pacific coast of Costa Rica, just south of the city of Quepos, Puntarenas, and 132 km (82 mi) from the national capital of San Jose. Established in 1972 with an area enumerating 4,014 acres (16.24 km2) (the smallest of any Costa Rican national park), it is the destination of as many as 150,000 visitors annually and well known for its beautiful beaches and hiking trails. In 2011, Manuel Antonio was listed by Forbes among the world's 12 most beautiful national parks.
Nature Park- Dromling
Thanks to Mr Wollfgang Beyer of Germany !
Nature Park- Dromling
The Drömling is a sparsely populated depression on the border of Lower Saxony and Saxony-Anhalt in Germany with an area of about 340 square kilometres (130 sq mi). The larger part belonging to Saxony-Anhalt in the east has been a nature park since 1990. The former swampland was transformed by drainaged from a natural into a cultural landscape in the 18th century under the direction of Frederick the Great of Prussia . Today the depression, with its waterways, the Mittelland Canal and the rivers Aller and Ohre is a refuge for rare or endangered species of animal and plant. Most of the area is now made up of nature reserves and protected areas.
Club News
National Stamp and Coin Fair at Kolkata from 5-7 October 2012
From Neil Patel, CA – USA
Grand Teton National Park is a United States National Park in northwestern Wyoming. Approximately 310,000 acres (130,000 ha) in size, the park includes the major peaks of the 40-mile (64 km) long Teton Range as well as most of the northern sections of the valley known as Jackson Hole. Only 10 miles (16 km) south of Yellowstone National Park, the two parks are connected by the National Park Service managed John D. Rockefeller, Jr. Memorial Parkway. These three protected areas in conjunction with surrounding National Forests constitute the Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem, which at almost 18,000,000 acres (7,300,000 ha), is one of the largest intact mid-latitude temperate ecosystems in the world. Read More…
Thanks Neil for this beautiful Cover with nice golden cancellation http://usapostman.blogspot.in/
From Charlie Jensen – Florida (USA)
Thanks Mr Jensen for the cover with nice Souvenir sheet of Civil War 1861.
