Vetal Hill: A Natural Paradise in Peril

It was a rainy night in 2015. Tip-tap, tip-tap, the drizzle continued. The night was abuzz with the cacophony of crickets and frogs. I stood still in the dark, with only a torch, at a pond in the stone quarry of Vetal Hill in Pune city. The heart of this hill complex is a biodiversity spot teeming with life, and the rainy season is an excellent time to observe its herpetofauna and insects. Suddenly, I heard a splash in the water. I swung my torchlight in the general direction of the sound. What could it be? Was a bullfrog heavy enough to generate that noise? Or a slithering reptile on a hunt?

To find out, I moved closer to the source of the sound and voila! I was amazed to see a striped snake with a bulge near its mouth. A closer look revealed it was a wolf snake gobbling a huge toad. This was just one of many amazing natural history moments I have been lucky enough to experience while wandering through Vetal Hill over the years.

In the urban heart of Pune

Vetal got its name from the Vetal Temple, a century-old temple dedicated to Betal or Vetal (Bhairav), situated on the hilltop. The other name for the hill is ARAI Hill, derived from the Automative Association of India Headquarters located nearby.

Situated in the hustle and bustle of western Pune, Vetal Hill is a spur of the Western Ghats. This hill complex in Pune city covers a large region, starting from Kothrud in the west and extending to Chatushrungi in the northeast. Vetal Hill traverses Pune’s Panchwati, Fergusson College, and Law College areas and marks the tallest point in the city at 702 m above sea level. It is popular with naturalists and joggers, and the “tekdi” (Marathi for hill) is busy with human activity in the mornings and evenings. For naturalists like me, it is a slice of heaven. Of all the creatures found there, Vetal tekdi is known for its birds. According to the eBird website, with a whopping 253 species, Vetal Hill has the second-highest bird diversity of any site within Pune city limits.

Originally a grassland-scrubland ecosystem, some parts of Vetal Hill have now been converted into plantations (some by the Forest Department and others by environmental NGOs). This grassland-scrub ecosystem (the native ecosystem of the hill) is known for being home to many interesting birds. Though I started active birdwatching only in 2022, I have managed to see almost 100 bird species in the Vetal Hill area — a testament to the variety and diversity present here.

Four habitats

Vetal Hill can be divided into four main habitat zones: 1. the quarry; 2. the grasslands flanking each side of it; 3. the slopes covered in thick vegetation; and 4. the plantation area from the main ARAI entrance to the area adjoining the quarry. Each of these habitats harbours a distinct community of birds. The old quarry is a favourite with people visiting the tekdi as it offers a relaxing place to enjoy nature. Initially a stone quarry, the spot became a natural wetland after excavation was banned on the hilltop. The wetland gets its water from the seasonal monsoon downpour. Thanks to its isolation from any sewage runoff, the water is relatively clean. 

Birds of the quarry

Nestled between the two grassland areas is the quarry, which boasts numerous wetland birds. Commonly sighted birds include the white-throated kingfisher, little grebe, spot-billed duck, red-wattled lapwing, cattle egret, little egret, and Eurasian moorhen. A lucky birdwatcher may even see the much rarer cousin of the white-throated kingfisher, the pied kingfisher, during the summer months. This bird is known for its distinct feeding behaviour. Unlike other kingfishers, which perch on trees before diving into the water, this species hovers in the air before striking its fish prey from mid-air — quite a feat! The “Near Threatened” Alexandrine parakeet is often seen here in transit, with its characteristic loud calls as it soars into the dense vegetation surrounding the quarry. A winter visitor from southern Russia and parts of China to the quarry is the Baillon’s crake, a brown, waterhen-like bird.

Grassland specialists

Once we move to the grassland on the left of the quarry, many grassland specialist birds greet our eyes. Grassland specialist birds live and thrive almost exclusively in grassland habitats. The zitting cisticola, bay-backed shrike and Eurasian hoopoe are frequent in the grassland areas on this side of the quarry. The right side of the quarry is an open scrub area with short grass and scant tree cover. Ground-dwelling birds like the ashy-crowned sparrow-lark and rufous-tailed lark are often sighted here. Hopping on the ground to find their favourite seeds, they typically forage in the morning and evening or all day when the skies are cloudy. Walk a little further through this grassland to the right side of the quarry, and you will see a grassy area surrounded by a barbed wire fence. This fence separates the grassland from the plantations on the slopes. In this grassland, you usually find pipits like the paddyfield pipit and tawny pipit. These birds sift out insects from the grass. Being fast runners, they are adept at living on the ground. Two other species regularly spotted here include the yellow-wattled lapwing (endemic to the Indian subcontinent) and the Indian roller — both are considered grassland mascots. The roller has a creamy brown throat that contrasts beautifully with a combination of aqua and dark blue wing feathers, making it unmistakable and a sight to behold when in flight.

Raptor Point

Perhaps the most famous of Vetal Hill’s birding spots is the self-explanatory “Raptor Point,” situated on the upper edge of the slopes, behind the right side of the quarry. The landscape of dry, bare trees on the slopes provides good perching spots for several birds of prey. The Peregrine falcon (shaheen subspecies), the fastest bird in the world, is a resident here and frequently seen at this point. Other raptors include the booted eagle, the Eurasian hobby, and the Eurasian sparrowhawk, all regular winter visitors. The latter is a small striped hawk known for darting flights to home in on its prey.

Vetal Hill is an excellent place for birding and exploring nature to understand western Maharashtra’s unique biodiversity. Other creatures you’ll see are butterflies, odonates, and reptiles. The most coveted butterfly species spotted here is the plain blue royal butterfly, photographed here in 2020. Before that, it was only photographed once in Pune. Other grassland/scrub specialist butterflies sighted here are the black-spotted Pierrot and common gull. Various reptiles recorded here include garden lizards, rat snakes, and saw-scaled vipers. The quarry area also has a few dragonflies like blue-tailed green darner, scarlet skimmer and wandering glider.

Threats to the landscape

One of the biggest biological threats to this haven is the increase in exotic plants promoted by enthusiastic citizens, NGOs, and even the Forest Department. Invasive trees like Gliricidia threaten the natural grass-shrub growth of this grassland. Since the 1980s, there has been a consistent decline in native plants in the Vetal Hill complex. These patches of invasives hardly harbour any bird diversity. The other massive ongoing threat stems from developmental activities. The ruling administration’s decision to build a road passing through the Law College section of Vetal Hill has invited the ire of citizens and environmentalists. These roads will disturb Vetal Hill and significantly damage the ecosystem.

Recently, protesting citizens joined hands to protect the tekdi from rampant, haphazard development plans which will irreversibly damage its rich ecosystem. It has been a haven for naturalists and joggers alike, providing great animal sightings, mental peace, and ecological services. The greenery of the hills helps in local heat mitigation, as the city boils at temperatures above 40 degrees C in summer. Vetal Hill was here long before we inhabited Pune, but will it remain the same natural hotspot Punekars know and love? That depends on administrative decisions and the efforts of concerned citizens to save their beloved tekdi.