Unique Features of the college (Institutional Distinctiveness)

Government college Kodanchery is blessed with many peculiarities that distinguish the college from other institutions.

Situated in an ecologically fragile area on the eastern side, on the slopes of the Western Ghats, Government College Kodanchery lies in close proximity to Thusharagiri water falls and Geerakappara Reserve Forest. Of the total area of 20.1 acre, the college  proudly flaunts 3 acres of biodiversity reserve, adjacent to the college main building. This extensive area rich in a diverse array of flaura and fauna is a regenerating mixed Deciduous Forest designated as the Bio-diversity park. Established in 1992-93, having sought the blessings of the eminent Malayalam poet and staunch environmentalist Smt. Sugathakumari, the college has taken the vow to preserve this Sanctum Sanctorum with utmost devotion.

At the induction programme organised annually for freshers, great care is taken to convey the gravity of nurturing the forest and the need to guard its pristine quality and to leave it unhampered, with least human intrusion. Accordingly no student or staff member is permitted entry into the park without prior permission from the Head of the Department of Zoology, who acts as the custodian of the reserve. Accompanied by a staff member of Department of Zoology, students are taken on a guided tour through the forest only once in their student period.

Green book:

  • The college diligently maintains a Green book which is a manifesto of our Bio-diversity reserve, record of wide variety of flora and fauna.
  • This Bio-diversity reserve harbours many indigenous forest trees, shrubs, grasses and other exotic and endemic species. Assistance of professional Botanist have been sought to classify the tree species and to allure the students to assimilate the forest culture. Mass afforestation drives are initiated annually and new saplings are planted in the reserve to enrich the floral wealth.
  • The faunal treasure has also been studied and classified which include ants, bees, centipedes, odonates, acquatic insects, butterflies, mantids, spiders, fishes, amphibians, reptiles, birds and mammals. Nine sub families of ants have been identified. Taxonomy of Apiformes have been studied and ten species of bees have been identified in the Bio-diversity reserve which have been listed in detail in the Green Book. Seven families of centipedes have been identified.  Twenty four odonates were recorded. Fifteen species of acquatic insects and insect larvae were identified. Sixty two species of butterflies, seven species of mantids, thirty two species of spiders, twenty five species of fresh water fishes, twenty one species of amphibians , twenty seven species of reptiles, eighty seven species of birds and eighteen species of mammals were identified.

Studies triggered by the Bio-diversity reserve

Dr. Jobiraj, Department of Zoology.

  • Co-investigator of AICOPTAX- MOEF project (Rs,47,23,980) on Pollination and Taxonomy of bees
  • Participated as Resource person in the National seminar on Insects and Environment sponsored by directorate of collegiate education, Govt of Kerala held at the Department of Zoology, Government Brennen College Thalassery on 7th and 8th November, 2018.
  • Delivered a lecture on Introduction to the World of BEES, their diversity and life on 10th January 2019 at Zamorin’s Guruvayoorappan College, Kozhikode.
  • Attended one day National seminar on right wing formulation of education sector organized in connection with 61st annual conference of AKGCTA at Maharajas College Ernakulum on 22nd March 2019.
  • Participated and presented a paper on bee taxonomy in the day national seminar on modern practices in animal taxonomy organized by PG and research department of Zoology, Maharajas College Ernakulum under the sponsorship of DCE, Govt of Kerala on 25th and 26th November 2019.
  • Delivered a lecture on Biodiversity. Climate change and sustainable development held at research department of Zoology, Government College Kasargod on 18th and 19th November 2019.
  • Presented a paper on   Introduction to the bees of the world of Bees on 12th November 2019 at Baithul Izza arts and Science College.
  • Participated as a Recourse Person , the two day National Workshop on Taxonomic Identification of Bees, organized by ENVIS Centre on Biodiversity(Fauna), Zoological Survey of India with center for Pollination studies (University of Kolkata),University of Agricultural sciences (Bangalore )and National center for biological sciences (Bangalore) on 2nd and 3rd march 2020
  • Thesis submitted under the supervision of Dr. Jobiraj T based on the bees of bio-diversity

Mrs. Manjusha K .T,  Department of Zoology

  • Was awarded Ph.D. on Biosystematics of Bees (Apoidea: Halictidae: Nomiinae) of Kerala, India. -Bharathiar University Coimbatore under the      supervision of Dr. Jobiraj T

Seminars and Projects based on Bio-diversity reserve:

  • Three day national workshop on Pollination ecology Jan 14-16, 2016.
  • Two day national workshop on butterflies and moths Jan 6-7, 2020.
  • Almost all UG projects of Department of Zoology are based on the Bio-diversity reserve.

Recent findings:

Five new species of bees reported from Kodanchery college campus

  • Halictus ramani sp.nov
  • Halictus shona sp.nov
  • Halictus zammorini sp.nov
  • Leuconomia kodencheriensis sp,nov
  • Leuconomia stellaesp.nov

Extension activities:

  • 4322 students 2384 others visited the Bio-diversity reserve during the Shasthrayaan – Open house
  • Residential Camp for school students was organized based on the Bio-diversity was conducted by Department of Zoology.
Other attractions of the college are the following
  • Green and clean campus
  • Student friendly campus
  • Healthy relationship between teachers and students.
  • Presence of Student Rapid Response Force
  • A college clinic in the name of ‘Sanjeevani’
  • Peaceful environment etc

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