Wild boar the most hunted animal

State has now allowed its killing in five districts on specific grounds

Perilous path: A government order permits anyone to shoot, with official permit, wild boars that pose danger to human life or property .

KOCHI: The wild boar, whose culling the State government has permitted recently, has been one of the most hunted animals in the State, official figures say.

Statistics available with the Wildlife Forensic Unit of Kerala Agricultural University show that of the 250 meat samples analysed by it to help detect wildlife offences during the past five years, nearly 45 per cent were of wild boars. The samples are brought to the unit as part of the prosecution procedures, P.O. Nameer, head of the unit, says.

After wild boar come the Sambar deer (15 per cent), the gaur (10 per cent), and the tiger (seven per cent) on the poaching list. DNA fingerprinting is done on the meat samples in cooked and raw forms and animal tissues to ascertain the species, he says.

The State government had ordered the shooting of wild boars in Wayanad, Malappuram, Palakkad, Idukki, and Pathanamthitta districts for a year, invoking provisions of the Wildlife (Protection) Act, 1972.

The Act prescribes that the Chief Wildlife Warden or the authorised officer may, if he is satisfied that any wild animal specified in Schedule 2, Schedule 3, or Schedule 4, has become dangerous to human life or to property (including standing crops on any land) or is so disabled or diseased as to be beyond recovery, by order in writing and stating the reasons therefore, permit any person to hunt such animal or group of animals in a specified area or cause such animal or group of animals in that specified area to be hunted.

An analysis has found that the most number of wildlife offences has been reported from the Pariyaram forest range near Thrissur.

This was followed by Sultan Bathery in Wayanad district, Kalady near Kochi, Kollengode near Palakkad, and Munnar in Idukki. Wayanad is among the districts identified by the government for the experimental killing of boars.

Statistics reveal that the number of wild boars has not jumped in the State. The wildlife census of 2002 found 60,940 of them as against 40,425 in 1997 and 40,963 in 1992. The 2011 census figures are yet to be released.

Confusion

Confusion is reigning supreme in the Forest Department regarding the implementation of the Government Order. Senior officials say the order lacks clarity on the delegation of powers for shooting the animals frequently raiding crops. Identifying the exact animal that is repeatedly causing crop loss will be an uphill task. Selecting the shooter will be another hassle, a senior functionary of the department says.

The department is planning to convene soon a meeting of the divisional forest officers and the range officers of five districts to discuss the modalities of implementing the order.

K.S. Sudhi

The report published in The Hindu dated 27-6-2011

Prasanth’s Birdwatching Report 26-6-2011

Today U visited Kadamakudy for bird watching from 9.15 am to 12.30 pm. I have seen the following birds,

1. Little Cormorant
2. Great Cormorant
3. Little Egret
4. Purple Heron
5. Large Egret
6. Median Egret
7. Indian Pond Heron
8. Black Bittern
9. Oriental White Ibis
10. Lesser Whistling Duck
11. Brahminy Kite
12. Western Marsh Harrier
13. Purple Moorhen
14. Bronze winged Jacana
15. Red wattled Lapwing
16. Black winged Stilt
17. Gull billed Tern
18. River Tern
19. Common Tern
20. Small Blue Kingfisher
21. Stork billed Kingfisher
22. White breasted Kingfisher
23. Oriental Magpie Robin
24. Streaked Fantail Warbler
25. Ashy Prinia
26. Purple rumped Sunbird
27. Baya Weaver
28. Grey headed Starling
29. Common Myna
30. Jungle Myna
31. Black Drongo
32. Ashy Woodswallow
33. Indian Treepie
34. House Crow
35. Jungle Crow

For some pictures visit,

http://www.drsprasanth.blogspot.com/

Dr. S. Prasanth

Western Ghats to be inscribed in world heritage list next year

No new IUCN missions to be sent to inspect the serial sites

Committee seeks additional information on management of sites

KOCHI: The serial sites of Western Ghats will be inscribed in the World Heritage List next year.

The 36th session of the World Heritage Committee of Unesco in Bangkok will make the announcement, V.B. Mathur, Dean of the Wildlife Institute of India, told The Hindu from Paris.

Though the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) wanted the inscription to be postponed for three years at the current session being held in Paris, the Committee decided to inscribe the 39 serial sites of the Ghats next year, said Dr. Mathur, who is part of the Indian delegation canvassing for the heritage status.

Describing the development as a major step, Dr. Mathur said 18 nations of the 21-member committee supported India. The Indian delegation was also informed that there was no need for new proposals for the Ghats. The Committee has also decided not to send any new IUCN mission to India to inspect the serial sites.

The Committee banks on the technical evaluation report of the IUCN in deciding the status of the sites nominated by the countries. A two-member committee visited the serial sites last year as part of the assessment process.

It has sought additional information regarding the management of the serial sites and given directions to make the management system more effective. The Committee said it was waiting for the recommendations of the Western Ghats Ecology Expert Panel constituted by the Ministry of Environment and Forests for the conservation and protection of the Ghats. All the information sought by the Committee would be mailed to them shortly, Dr. Mathur said.

On the biodiversity impact of some dams in the Ghats region, the Indian delegation said they were built long ago and had no major environmental impacts. The IUCN also appreciated the high biodiversity value of the Ghats sites and its universal importance, he said.

Incidentally, the committee removed Assam's Manas Wildlife Sanctuary from the ‘world heritage in danger' list after taking into account the significant improvements made for its preservation. The sanctuary was inscribed on the danger list in 1992, seven years after Unesco declared it a world heritage site.

K.S. Sudhi

The report published in The Hindu dated 25-6-2011

Colour codes for Ghat regions

Vazhachal forest falls in red zone
Colours assigned on the basis of
biodiversity value

Each area assessed for eight ecological parameters

KOCHI: The Vazhachal forest of Kerala, along with other high-value biodiversity areas in the Western Ghats, will be categorised as red-zone areas by the Western Ghats Ecology Expert Panel.

The panel has finalised red, yellow, blue, and green colour codes for various regions of the Ghats based on the biodiversity value.

Each area was assessed for eight ecological parameters and those which scored above five were included in the red zone. All Shola forests will come under this zone.

The national parks and other protected areas will be in the green zone. In the yellow category, industrial activities will be permitted in a regulated manner.

While fixing the colour code, the views of the stakeholders were considered and available literature perused, besides the panel carrying out its own evaluation, panel sources said.

The panel assessed all the areas using a common yardstick and no special consideration was given to any area. It attempted to broadly categorise the zones leaving the finalisation job to the proposed Western Ghats Ecology Authority, a member said.

The expert team has reached a consensus not to permit any wood-based and polluting industries in the red zone. Projects that may cause serious ecological imbalances will not be allowed in the area. The projects that support the livelihood of tribal people and other local communities will be promoted in all the zones. The panel was guided by the philosophy that there should not be any relocation or eviction of people following the categorisation of the Ghats region.

Controversial projects

The panel will submit its views on the Athirappilly hydroelectric project in Kerala, mining activities in the eco-sensitive Sindhudurg and Ratnagiri areas of Maharashtra and Goa and the Gundiya hydel project of Karnataka, sources said.

The Union Ministry of Environment and Forest had earlier sought the views of the panel on these controversial projects following the ecological concerns raised by stakeholders and environmentalists.

Panel report

The panel's recommendations on these projects will be submitted to the Ministry before June 30.

A detailed report on these issues will be included in the final report to be submitted in August. Under the earlier schedule, the panel was to submit its report by June-end.

The views of the panel on the Athirappilly project have become more or less insignificant since Union Minister of State for Environment and Forests Jairam Ramesh had reiterated that the project could not be permitted considering its ecological impacts, a panel member said.

K.S. Sudhi

The report published in The Hindu dated 24-6-2011

Karnataka opposes World Heritage tag for Western Ghats

NEW DELHI: From rock carvings in Mongolia to the Sangha forests of Congo, from ancient German beech woods to the oases of the United Arab Emirates, the nations of the world are vying this week to have their historical and natural wonders honoured with the prestigious Unesco World Heritage site tag.

Karnataka, on the other hand, has been mounting a public, sudden, last-minute campaign opposing that tag for 10 sites in the Western Ghats, an acknowledged hotspot of biodiversity.

Warning that India risks “international embarrassment” due to Karnataka's stance, Environment Minister Jairam Ramesh has urged the State government to withdraw its objections.

On Sunday, June 19, members of the World Heritage Committee began their 10-day meeting in Paris to decide which of the 42 nominations will make it to the list of 900 cultural and natural treasures. While India started the process of getting the Western Ghats nominated in August 2005, the Karnataka government has chosen to voice its opposition only in this final week before the Unesco committee meets.

Karnataka says it is fully capable of protecting the Ghats on its own, and claims that forest-dwellers will suffer if the World Heritage tag prevents development work from being undertaken there. Environmentalists have been sceptical of the State's position, accusing the government of bowing to vested interests who want to exploit the natural resources of the region in the guise of “development work.”

In a letter to Karnataka Chief Minister B.S. Yeddyurappa on Monday, Mr. Ramesh said the State government was “needlessly alarmist” and warned that its “hasty action” was likely to lead to an “international embarrassment” for India. He pointed out that Karnataka — along with Tamil Nadu, Kerala, and Maharashtra, over which the Ghats are spread — had been actively involved through the entire process.

“When the 39 sites were initially identified, the State governments were fully in the picture. When the sites were submitted to Unesco, the State governments were again kept fully informed.

“Hence, I am completely at a loss to understand why all of a sudden only the Karnataka government is expressing objections and that too in a language that is unbecoming of a responsible government,” he added.

None of the other States has expressed any concern. Mr. Ramesh rubbished the fear that tribal populations and other forest communities would be displaced by the tag.

The report published in The Hindu dated 22-6-2011

Mechanism of proposed Western Ghats serial sites to be enhanced

The proposed Western Ghats Natural Heritage Conservation Authority
(WGNHCA) will likely strengthen the management of the serial sites
nominated for the Unesco's World Heritage List.

The country has been campaigning for the status for 39 sites of the
Ghats and the Paris session of the World Heritage Committee that began
on Sunday will decide on the list.

Earlier, the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN),
which assessed the sites, had observed that “there was no overarching
management plan for the nominated property.”

Responding to the criticism, the Ministry of Environment and Forests
said the sites had comprehensive management plans and were being
scientifically managed under a policy and legal framework.

“The serial properties are spread across Kerala, Karnataka, Tamil
Nadu, and Maharashtra and cannot be effectively managed under a single
or overarching management plan. Instead, the required synergy and
coordination for effective management would be provided by the already
existing Western Ghats Natural Heritage Management Authority.

The management activities will be further strengthened by the proposed
WGNHCA,” according to a document to be submitted to the Unesco.

Synergy, coordination

It was also communicated that the Western Ghats Ecology Expert Panel,
headed by eminent ecologist Madhav Gadgil, and the Western Ghats
Natural Heritage Committee, were established by an executive order and
an appropriate synergy and coordination existed between the two.

The Ministry said: “The nominated property duly meets the integrity,
protection, and management requirements as set out in the operational
guidelines of the [World Heritage Commission].” The boundaries of the
sites, it said, were well-demarcated both on the ground as well as on
the spatial database in the Geographic Information System domain.

A decision on the nomination was expected on June 24, said V.B.
Mathur, dean of the Wildlife Institute of India, who had been
coordinating the nomination process for the Ghats region.

Highlighting the eligibility of the Ghats for nomination, the document
prepared by the Ministry said the IUCN had highly commended India for
its ongoing commitment to ensure a comprehensive approach to
conserving the globally recognised high biodiversity value of the
Ghats, noting the scale and complexity of the area.”

The technical evaluation team of the IUCN had reported on the species
richness and diversity of the Ghats. The whole region included some
5,000 vascular plant species, 228 freshwater fish, 179 amphibians, 157
reptiles, 508 birds, and 139 mammals. A large number of them were
endemic too.

“The property is key to the conservation of a number of threatened
habitats, such as wildflower meadows, shola forests, and Myristica
swamps,” according to the document.

“The sites fall under a number of protection regimes, ranging from
tiger reserves, national parks, wildlife sanctuaries, and reserved
forests. All these components are owned by the State and subject to
stringent protection under laws, including the Wildlife Protection
Act, the National Wildlife Action Plan, and the Forest Conservation
Act.

The sites belong to the same bio-geographic province and remain as
isolated remnants of previously continuous forest. The Ghats also
represents two Global 200 priority eco-regions not represented in the
World Heritage List.

K.S. Sudhi

The report published in The Hindu dated 20-6-2011

Farmers to be permitted to shoot wild boars

The Cabinet on Wednesday decided to grant special permission for killing of wild boars destroying crops.

Chief Minister Oommen Chandy told the media after the Cabinet meeting that farmers would be allowed to shoot wild boars attacking their crops subject to stringent conditions. Permissions for this would have to be obtained from the forest officials and the permits would carry clear stipulations. The carcasses of the boars should be burned and not used as meat.

The Chief Minister said that attack by wild animals caused losses of crops running into crores of rupees in the State. There were also threats to life of farmers living by the side of forests. A committee constituted by the previous government had recommended granting to permission to kill wild animals for the sole purpose of protecting crops.

Mr. Chandy announced that the Cabinet had sanctioned Rs. 70 lakh to provide compensation to fishermen whose nets had been damaged by puffer fish. The government would provide 75 per cent of the cost to buy new nets while the fishermen would have to bear 25 per cent of the cost. Attacks by puffer fish (with strong teeth capable of crushing its prey such as mussels) had been reported mostly from Alappuzha and Kollam.

The report published in The Hindu dated 16-6-2011

Long, non-stop bird-flight

Great snipes ( Gallinago media) that summer in Scandinavia fly to their winter habitat in Africa in just two to three days, according to researchers led by biologist Raymond Klaasen of Sweden's Lund University.

Writing in Biology Letters, Klaasen said the snipes not only flew over seas and deserts but also attractive rest and feeding grounds.

Little was known previously about the migratory behaviour of the shorebird, a relative of the common snipe. Klaasen's team captured 10 great snipes at their summer habitat in central Sweden and fitted them with tiny geolocating devices that recorded their flights.

The team recaptured three of the birds a year later and were able to reconstruct their migration. All three crossed the Baltic Sea, the Balkans, the Adriatic Sea, the Mediterranean Sea, the Libyan coast and Sahara Desert on their way to central Africa.

While other migratory birds take advantage of many possible stopovers en route to rest and feed, great snipes fly the distance almost nonstop, Klaasen said.

They also shun stops on the return trip. He said they reached speeds of up to 100 kilometres per hour — without assistance from tail winds, as meteorological data showed. — DPA

The report published in The Hindu dated 16-6-2011

Forest staff collar rogue elephant

KEEPING TABS: A group of forest veterinary surgeons led by V. Sunilkumar, forest veterinary officer, Konni, fit a collar telemeter on the neck of a marauding wild tusker at Thekkumpatta under the Sulthan Bathery forest range on Wednesday.

Radio-collared telemeter fitted on the elephant in the Wayanad forests

KALPETTA: Who'll bell the cat? The Forest Department seems to have hit on a novel idea.

Reports of man-animal conflicts have been pouring in from various parts of the State almost on a daily basis and it has remained an arduous task for forest officials to counter the menace of wild elephants in human settlements near forests. Now they have successfully fitted a radio-collared telemeter on a rogue elephant — arguably the first time in the State — at Thekkumpatta in the Sulthan Bathery forest range falling under the Wayanad Wildlife Sanctuary on Wednesday. The 40-year-old pachyderm, a regular crop-raider in the area, will now be closely watched. And marauding wild elephants now have to better watch out.

According to V.K. Sreevalsan, wildlife warden who led the operation, the animal was located by forest officials in the Arakunji forest area at 6.30 a.m. After studying the suitability of the animal for collaring and the stability of the terrain, the first tranquilizer dart was administered by a group of veterinary surgeons at 8.50 a.m., followed by the second at 9.45 a.m. Soon the animal ran onto a paddy field adjacent to the sanctuary, crossed a river at Kallur and NH 212, and entered the forest. A group of forest personnel followed it and nearly half an hour later the animal began showing signs of weakness and it finally lied down at 10.40 a.m.

Soon a group of veterinary surgeons took biometrical measurements of the animal and fixed the radio-collar on its neck. After a reversal drug was administered, the animal got up and moved into the forest at 11.10 a.m. The device emits signals and this would help track the animal, Mr. Sreevalsan said adding that if the animal is found heading towards human habitations or farms, the residents could be forewarned. A team of 50 personnel, including officials of the Forest Department and a group of forest veterinary surgeons led by V. Sunilkumar. took part in the operation.

E.M. Manoj

The report published in The Hindu dated 16-6-2011

Dhoni adopts Mysore zoo tiger

Protecting Animal Rights:Agasthya, the tiger adopted by Indian cricket skipper M.S. Dhoni.

Gives a cheque for Rs. 1 lakh for the adoption

Mysore: Indian cricket captain Mahendra Singh Dhoni has adopted nine-year-old tiger Agasthya at the Sri Chamarajendra Zoological Gardens (Mysore zoo) for one year from Wednesday, executive director of the zoo K.B. Markandaiah said.

A communication to this effect was made by the former cricketer, Javagal Srinath, on behalf of Mr. Dhoni from Bangalore to the zoo authorities.

Agasthya was zoo-bred, Mr. Markandaiah said adding Mr. Dhoni had given a cheque for Rs. 1 lakh for the adoption.

With this, all the eight tigers in the zoo have been adopted. The list includes Karnataka Chief Minister B.S. Yeddyurappa and cricketer Zaheer Khan.

Brahma, which was captured and brought from Kodagu, has been adopted for lifetime by yoga guru B.K.S. Iyengar.

“Tiger, our national animal, needs protection. I'm adopting Agasthya to endorse and encourage our people to love animals and to stand for the cause of animal rights and conservation. Live and let live,” Mr. Dhoni has said.

The report published in The Hindu dated 16-6-2011

KCA may have to pay up to restore mangroves

Under a cloud: The proposed site for an international cricket stadium of the KCA at Pampayimoola near Edakochi.

Penalty will be decided as per the Environment (Protection) Act, 1986

KOCHI: The Kerala State Coastal Zone Management Authority will soon impose a penalty on the Kerala Cricket Association (KCA) towards the expenses required for restoration of a 23-acre (9.3-hectare) mangrove-rich site identified for setting up an international cricket stadium at Edakochi.

The move is part of the follow-up action being initiated by the authority after Union Minister of State for Environment and Forests Jairam Ramesh made it clear on Monday that his Ministry would not give clearance for the stadium project.

Sources in the authority said the penalty would be decided as per provisions of the Environment (Protection) Act, 1986 after assessing the extent of damage inflicted by the association on the site. The final decision on the exact fine to be collected will be announced next week.

The authority will prepare an action plan on how to bring back the site to its original condition.

The authority had used time-series satellite images compiled by the Centre for Earth Science Studies (CESS) to assess the ecological damage on the mangroves in the area, which comes under the Coastal Regulation Zone-1. In its report, scientists at CESS pointed out that the area consisted of filtration ponds and ‘pokkali' fields. The extent of mangroves increased significantly from 0.9 hectare in September 2001 to 1.7 hectares in December 2005 and to 5.2 hectares in January 2010.

Photographic evidence showed thick mangrove vegetation in early September 2010, most of which was seen removed by the end of that month. The authority found that the site proposed for the stadium consisted of inundated areas subjected to tidal action. Experts said that it was located on the western bank of the Edakochi Kayal, part of the Vembanad backwater system (one of the Ramsar sites in Kerala).

On a Ramsar site, reclamation and any construction of permanent nature, except boat jetties, within 50 metres of the mean flood level is prohibited as per the Wetland (Conservation and Management) Rules formulated under the Environment (Protection) Act.

G. Krishnakumar

The report published in The Hindu dated 15-6-2011

Prasanth’s Birdwatching Report 12-6-2011

I have visited Devaswam padam pokkali paddy fields on 12-6-2011 from 4.45 pm to 6.30 pm. The time was of high tide, so there was less number of birds. I have seen the following birds,

1. Little Cormorant
2. Purple Heron
3. Large Egret
4. Median Egret
5. Indian Pond Heron
6. Lesser Whistling Duck
7. Brahminy Kite
8. Western Marsh Harrier
9. Purple Moorhen
10. Black winged Stilt
11. Whiskered Tern
12. Stork billed Kingfisher
13. White breasted Kingfisher
14. Ashy Prinia
15. Common Myna
16. House Crow
17. Jungle Crow

Dr. S. Prasanth

No-go for Athirappilly, Edakochi projects

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Union Minister for Environment and Forests (MoEF) Jairam Ramesh said here on Monday that even though the state government had made a brave attempt at getting the Athirappilly power project cleared, it cannot be given the green signal as he firmly believed that the project would not be in national interest.
With regard to the 240-MW Pooyamkutty project, he said the ball was in the state’s court and that the project has to be first examined and cleared by the state Forest Department. Also to get an absolute ‘No’ was the cricket stadium at Edakochi, which Jairam Ramesh described as a closed chapter. “They were not playing cricket with a straight bat. There were serious violations of the CRZ rules and there was rampant destruction of mangroves. The gameplan was to remove all the mangroves and get it classified as CRZ II instead of CRZ I,’’ said Jairam Ramesh.
“Kochi can think of a cricket stadium elsewhere,” he added. The Union Minister was briefing reporters after a three-hour-long discussion on various projects with Chief Minister Oommen Chandy, Forest Minister K B Ganesh Kumar, Industries Minister P K Kunhalikutty, Ports Minister K Babu, Water Resources Minister P J Joseph, Transport minister V S Sivakumar, Chief Secretary P Prabhakaran and Shashi Tharoor MP.
One major decision arrived at during the meeting was setting up Kerala’s own authority for environmental clearances, namely the State Environment Impact Assessment Authority (SEIAA) and the State-level Expert Appraisal Committee (SEAC), which would enable the clearing of projects at the state-level rather than them getting bogged down at the Centre.

The report published in The New Indian Express dated 14-6-2011

Red list of birds brings joy and agony

KOCHI: The Red list of birds released by the International Union for Conservation of Nature has brought joy and agony alike for Kerala.

The conservation status of birds prepared by Birdlife International has downgraded the risk faced by Lesser Kestrel, a small falcon species, whereas it has raised the risk level of Nilgiri Pippit, a species endemic to Kerala.

Four vulture species — White-rumped, Indian, Slender-billed, and Red-headed — of Kerala remain on the ‘Critically Endangered' category this year too. The vulture species are mostly found in Wayanad. Those in the Critically Endangered category are the ones that are facing the high risk of extinction.

Five species, including the Egyptian Vulture, Lesser Florican, Nilgiri Laughingthrush, Nilgiri Blue Robin, and White-bellied Blue Robin continue on the ‘Endangered' species list this year also. Eleven species, including Lesser Adjutant, Nilgiri Wood-Pigeon, and Broad-Tailed Grassbird stay on the ‘Vulnerable' list whereas 19 others remain on the Near Threatened category.

Risk level of Lesser Kestrel was reduced to ‘Least Concern' from Vulnerable considering the improvement in its global population. The species underwent rapid decline in western Europe, South Africa and parts of its Asian range earlier. However, recent evidence indicated a stable or slightly positive population trend overall during the last three generations.

In Kerala, the species was reported from the Eravikulam National Park and the Periyar Tiger Reserve and 35 individuals were spotted at Thekkady during a bird census in 2008, said P.O. Nameer, South Asian coordinator, in situ, Conservation Breeding Specialist Group, Species Survival Commission, IUCN.

Nilgiri Pipit, a species endemic to the Western Ghats of Kerala and Tamil Nadu, faced increased risk of survival and has been classified as Vulnerable. Earlier, the status of the species was assessed as Near Threatened.

According to Birdlife International, the grassland habitat of the species is gradually being converted to plantations of tea, eucalyptus, and wattle. Livestock grazing and frequent fires also pose threats to the species. Disturbance may be increasing as even higher resorts are being constructed in the sholas that border areas of grasslands.

As the species often occupies habitat at the very top of hills, it is potentially threatened by the effects of climate change. Its present population is estimated to be between 2,500 and 9,999 mature individuals, according to the report.

In Kerala, the species is found in high altitude areas including the wildlife sanctuaries of Neyyar, Peppara, Shendurny, Chinnar, Aaralam, and the Periyar Tiger Reserve. Its presence has also been reported from Ponmudi Kallar and the hills of Munnar, Nelliampathy, and Siruvani, said Dr. Nameer, who is also a coordinator of the Indian Bird Conservation Network. Vulnerable status was accorded to the species as it had a small range in which its habitat was severely fragmented and declining in extent and quality.

K.S. Sudhi

The report published in The Hindu dated 14-6-2011

Great Indian Bustard facing extinction

KOCHI: The Great Indian Bustard, a bird species once found in abundance across the grasslands of India, is facing the risk of extinction.

The 2011 Red List of birds, released by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN), has enlisted the bird in the Critically Endangered category, the highest level of threat. The population of the species is estimated to be just 250.

Hunting, habitat loss and fragmentation have reduced the number of this species, which was found in large numbers in the grasslands of India and Pakistan. But their population is now restricted to small and isolated fragments of remaining habitats, says the Birdlife International, which prepared the list.

The BirdLife International “coordinates the categorisation and documentation of all bird species for the IUCN Red List.” According to the 2011 assessment, 1,253 species are considered threatened with extinction. These include albatrosses, cranes, parrots, pheasants, and pigeons. The larger-bodied species and those with low reproductive rates are more likely to be threatened, the report says.

The Bustard species has been classified as critically endangered “as it has undergone an extremely rapid decline owing to a multitude of threats, including habitat loss and degradation and disturbance. It now requires an urgent acceleration in targeted conservation actions in order to prevent it from becoming functionally extinct.”

The birds have unmistakable, large, brown-and-white body with black crown and wing markings. The males have whitish neck and under parts with narrow black breast-band. The females are smaller, with greyer neck and typically no breast-band. The population of the bird was estimated to be around 300 in 2008. The population viability analysis lends some support to a predicted decline of over 50 per cent of the species in the next 47 years if no additional conservation actions are taken, the report cautions.

In India, the bird is now restricted to Rajasthan, Gujarat, Maharashtra, Andhra Pradesh, and Karnataka. Earlier it was distributed from Punjab east through Orissa and south to Tamil Nadu, says P.O. Nameer, South Asian coordinator, in situ, Conservation Breeding Specialist Group, Species Survival Commission, IUCN.

Besides the Bustard, the list has enumerated 15 species from India as critically endangered and 16 as endangered ones. There are 55 vulnerable ones and 65 near-threatened bird species in the country. Some of the critically endangered Indian varieties include the Himalayan Quail, Pink-headed Duck, White-bellied Heron and Christmas Island Frigatebird. The vulture species found in India namely the White-backed, the Indian, the Slender-billed and the Red-headed are also in the critical list, says Dr. Nameer.

The list has classified 189 species worldwide as critically endangered, 381 as endangered with very high risk of extinction and 683 as vulnerable with high risk of extinction. It has also listed 843 species as near-threatened. A total of 2,096 species were treated as global conservation priorities. The threat status of 62 species could not be properly assessed following deficiency of data.

K.S. Sudhi

The report published in The Hindu dated 13-6-2011

CNHS Annual Report 2010-2011

Dear members,

We welcome you to the First Annual General Body meeting of our Society.
Our society was formed and registered on 13th January 2010 under the Travancore-Cochin Literary, Scientific and Charitable Societies Registration Act, 1955)and with Reg. No. ER 18/10 of 2010 .The Society was formed by seven like minded individuals interested in the study and conservation of the biodiversity of the region .We have now grown by adding more members and have fifteen members on our rolls now. We are in the process of enrolling more like-minded persons. The Society is formed with the broad aim of exploring, studying and protecting the rich biodiversity around us.

I. OFFICE BEARERS FOR THE REPORT YEAR:
1. Dr. Dilip K.G President
2. Mrs.Smitha.K.Komath Vice President
3. Mr. Vishnupriyan Kartha K Secretary
4. Mr. Ginu George Treasurer
5. Mr. Jai .P.Jacob Joint Secretary
6. Mr. Manoj P.G. Joint Secretary
7. Mr. Anil. N.S. Member
In the past year we have undertaken various activities along these lines. We have listed below the details:
1. Our Society conducted an intensive Bird Survey in Pampadumpara region of Mankulam Division along with the Kerala Forest Department to search and to locate a single species of bird – Nilgiri Laughingthrush (Trochlapteron cachinnans cachinnans) - which was believed to be present in the region. The effort was also a humble attempt to add to the existing faunistic wealth of the area.

2. Our society successfully organized the Kerala Bird Race 2010 along with Kerala Birder and HSBC Banking Corporation. Around 140 enthusiastic bird watchers including our members participated in it, and the Chief Guests of the concluding ceremony were Hon. Minister for Transport Adv. Jose Thettayil and Dr. B S Corrie Addl. PCCF of Kerala Forest Department. Both of them congratulated the participants and enlightened us on the importance conservation of nature and the need to encourage people, to get actively involved in bird watching and other such nature study activities.

3. House Sparrow Monitoring Project (ongoing project).

Recently there has been several reports of on a possible decline on the numbers of house sparrows from all over .To build up a bench mark data of the House sparrows in our locality, our President Dr. Dilip K G initiated an ongoing study on the sighting and monitoring of the sparrows from our region .It is an ongoing project and all our members are earnestly requested to contribute to this study by recording sightings of the House Sparrows on our Blog.

4. Mission Woodcock (ongoing project).

This is an exploratory mission to find an elusive and sporadic straggler to the lower plains -Woodcock. The Woodcock (Scolapax rusticola) has been sighted for several days at Kodunganur, (lat. 80 30’ 56.58” N., long. 770 23.05” E. 22 mts. MSL) Trivandrum in November 1988, in a nutmeg plantation! Our society endeavours to locate this bird in similar habitats adjacent to Periyar in Ernakulam and Karamanayar in Trivandrum from November 2009 onwards, following the hunch that the bird may be visiting similar habitats during the season. Hence the mission is to look-out for this bird during the North-East Monsoon season in nutmeg plantations along the riverbanks of Periyar at Kalady and Karamanayar at Kodunganur, where thin films of water lay stagnated after the rains. Any report of sighting elsewhere is also welcomed and will be duly acknowledged.

5. Planting of Mangrove Saplings in the coastal regions of Kochi, in connection with the Wildlife Week celebration 2010.

The members of CNHS actively took part in the Wildlife Week Celebrations and our members Mr. Basil Peter and Mr. Nelson initiated planting of various species of mangrove saplings supplied by Kerala Forest Department, in Kalathara wetlands, near Thoppumpady.

6. Conducted a one day bird watching trip to Bhooththankettu-Idamalayar region on 5th December 2010.Twenty enthusiastic bird watchers including our members participated in the programme and we sighted about 78 species of birds and got some good pictures also.

7. Conducted a preliminary Survey at the Dewaswam Padam Wetlands of Varapuzha, Kochi.

The CNHS was approached by some farmers and activists of the Kerala Sastra Sahitya Parishad (KSSP) from Varapuzha, Kochi to find out some solutions to a serious problem faced by them. Their grievance was that the Purple Swamphens - variedly known as Purple Moorhen, Gallinule or Purple Coot – are causing immense damages to their paddy cultivation, leaving them helpless against the already uneconomic agriculture. This was another instance of Human-Wildlife conflict which warranted a balanced but effective intervention by those concerned with human-nonhuman survival. The Devaswom Paadam Water Bird Count- Februaray 2011 was the sequel of an earlier enquiry conducted by the Cochin Natural History Society (CNHS) in January 2011 with the aim of assessing the extent and gravity of destruction caused by the Purple Swamphens (Porphyrio porphyrio) to the paddy cultivation in the region. The Water bird count conducted in February 2011 was significant because this was the first water bird count that has ever taken place in the wetlands of Ernakulam district. It has been instrumental in contributing to the Asian Waterfowl Census (AWC).


8. Bird Survey Camp in Malayattoor-Idamalayar-Pooyamkutty Forests. (11th to 14th February 2011)

Our Society along with Kerala Birder internet mailing group and Kerala Forest Department conducted a major Bird Diversity Assessment Survey in the whole of Malayattoor Division of forests covering approx. 600 sqkms. Seventy amateur birdwatchers and ornithologists from all over south India including our members took part in the survey and submitted a preliminary report to the KFD. The data so collected is being analyzed by a team led by Prof.Dr. P O Nameer of College of Forestry, KAU and the final report will be submitted soon.

9. In addition to the above, our members took part in many birdwatching programmes, surveys and environmental education programmes in their individual capacity. Some of them are Neyyar-Peppara Bird Survey and the recently held pan Kerala Wild Life Population Estimation exercise.

All these efforts have hopefully contributed to increasing the knowledge and data on the rich biodiversity of our region. This will surely help in raising awareness of authorities and shall help in protecting and nurturing the biodiversity of our area.

At the end of the current year we have fifteen persons on our membership .We earnestly request our members to persuade more like -minded persons to join our society.

10. In order to disseminate the information of our society`s activities and to publish the results of our various activities and also to provide a platform to communicate with members etc we have started a blog called http://cochinnaturalhistorysociety.blogspot.com. The initiative for this was taken by our Vice President Smt. Smitha K .Komath. She also designed the blog.

CONCLUSION:

We have been able to do much work towards our goals during the report year with the whole hearted participation of our esteemed members. We look forward to continue our efforts to study and protect our biodiversity and environment and solicit the participation and co-operation our members and general public in this endeavor.

With this we place this report in our first Annual General body Meeting for the consideration and approval of our members.



Sd/- Sd/- Sd/-

President Secretary Treasurer

Prasanth’s Birdwatching Report 5-6-2011

Today I visited Kadamakkudy from 8.30 am to 11.30 am for Birdwatching. There was intermittent rain throughout my visit. I have seen the following birds,

1. Little Cormorant
2. Great Cormorant
3. Little Egret
4. Grey Heron
5. Purple Heron
6. Large Egret
7. Median Egret
8. Indian Pond Heron
9. Black crowned Night Heron
10. Oriental White Ibis
11. Brahminy Kite
12. Osprey
13. Purple Moorhen
14. Bronze winged Jacana
15. Red wattled Lapwing
16. Common Redshank
17. Common Greenshank
18. Common Sandpiper
19. Black winged Stilt
20. Whiskered Tern
21. Small Blue Kingfisher
22. Stork billed Kingfisher
23. White breasted Kingfisher
24. House Swallow
25. Plain Prinia
26. Ashy Prinia
27. Common Myna
28. Jungle Myna
29. Black Drongo
30. House Crow

For some pictures visit,

http://drsprasanth.blogspot.com/

Dr. S. Prasanth