Cochin Natural
History Society and Kerala Forest Department have conducted a Faunal Survey of
the invertebrate fauna of the Idukki Wildlife Sanctuary on 14-16th
March 2014. This was done using a new method of monitoring and documenting
biodiversity in a given place using citizen volunteers and scientists and
professionals. It is called InverteBlitz a modified form of BioBlitz which has
been done in Aralam WildLife Sanctuary in the past. A bioblitz is an intense
period of biological surveying in an attempt to record all the living species
within a designated area (protected Area/Wildlife Sanctuary). Groups of
scientists, Naturalists and Volunteers conduct an intensive field study over a
continuous time period. There is a public component to InverteBlitz, with the
goal of getting the public interested in biodiversity. Total of 18 participants
from different parts of Kerala and from different backgrounds like Pharmacists,
Mechanics, Sociologists, Doctors,Clerks,Entomologists(those who study insects
in general),Myrmecologists(those who study ants) ,Odonatologits(those who study
Dragonflies and Damselflies) Lepidopterists(those who study
Butterflies),retired Engineers, Zoology students all participated in the exercise.
The InverteBlitz was
designed by Dr.Mohammed Jafar Palot,
Scientist, Western Ghats Field Research Station, Zoological Survey of India,
Kozhikode and Prof.Dr.Dilip K.G.,
President, Cochin Natural History Society. This survey was held with the assistance
of Malabar Natural History Society and Travancore Natural History Society. Participants
included Dr.Muhammed Jafer Palot, Dr.Dilip K G, Kiron C G (Author, Dragonflies
and Damselflies of Kerala), Manoj. A (Myrmecologist), Sri.Baiju(Lepidopterist)
etc.
IDUKKI WILDLIFE SANCTUARY
Idukki Wildlife
Sanctuary is located between 9040’ and 9055’N latitudes and 76050’ and 77005’E
longitudes and is situated in Kerala state, Idukki district, Udumpanchola and
Thodupuzha Taluk. The area is a part of Nagarampara Reserve Forests and forms
the catchment area of Periyar River and caters to ldukki Hydel Project. The
sanctuary was notified in 1976. The area was previously part of Kottayam Forest
Division. The total extent of the sanctuary is 105.364sq.km which includes
33sq.km water body of the Idukki Reservoir The sanctuary consists of two
Sections: Idukki Section, which was previously part of Nagarampara Range and
Kizhukanam Section, which was part of Ayyappankovil Range.
RESULTS OF THE SURVEY
Summary Results of this survey is
given below:-
Ø 18
participants
Ø Camps
at
·
Kizhukanam
·
Vakavanam
·
Vairamani(Vellakkamaly)
·
Chempakassery
·
Kettuchira
Ø
Found more than 350 species of Invertebrates
Ø 30+
species of Ants
Highlights
v
Found Blind Ant from Kettuchira camp
Ø 25+
species of Spiders
Highlights
v
Found Ant Mimicing Spider from Kettuchira
camp
Ø 80+ species of
Butterflies
Highlights
v
Found Malabar Flash from Vairamani camp
v
Malabar
Tree Nymph from many localities
Ø 5+
species of Centipedes
Highlights
v Found
Coral Centipedes from several camps
v Scolopendra
sp.
Ø
Grasshoppers
– more than 25 species
Ø
Painted grass hoppers and other Katydids
Ø
Crickets – more than 25 species
Ø 2 species of
Scorpions
Ø
20+ species of
Dragonflies
Ø
6 species of
Cockroaches
Ø
20+ species of
Wasps
Ø
3 species
of Freshwater Crabs
Ø 2 species of
Earthworms
Ø 2 species of
Waterskaters(Water striders are bugs that can walk on water. They live on the surface
of ponds and marshes. They eat both
living and dead insects, such as butterflies, dragonflies, and mosquitos.)
Ø Many
species of beetles such as Whirligig
beetles, Tiger beetles, Ladybird beetles,
Carabid beetles, Long-horned beetles, Chrysomelid beetles, Jewel
beetles, etc.,
Ø More
than 20 species of hemipteran bugs
Ø Cotton
bugs, Assassin bugs
Ø Praying
Mantis- 6 species
Ø Moths-
at least 10 species
Ø Stick
insects- 3 species
Ø Snails
and Slugs- 4-5 species
Ø Millipedes-
4 species
Ø Flies-
many species including flower flies, blow flies, Horse flies, Crane flies, Blue
bottle flies, Sarcophagid flies etc- at least
8 species
Ø Earwigs-
3 species
Ø Cicadas-
2 species
Ø Wasps-
many species like spider wasps, potter wasps, paper wasps, hornets, etc
Ø Phalangids-
2 speceis
Ø Honeybees-
2 species
Ø Mosquitoes
– 3 specis
Vertebrates
Ø Some
interesting Birds
·
Savannah Nightjar
·
Jungle Nightjar
·
Short-toed Snake Eagle
·
River Tern
·
Woolly-necked stork
·
Little Grebe
·
Great cormorant
·
Oriental Darter
·
Indian Pitta
·
Black Eagle
Ø Frogs
·
5 species
Ø Toads
– 2 speceis
Ø Lizards-
5 specis
Ø Skinks-
2 specis
Ø Gunther’s
Vine Snake
Ø
Caesilian – Icthyophis beddomei
Ø
Elephant - mating at Vellakkamali
(Vairamani team) 15-03-2014, 10.30 a.m.
There was a competition for spotting maximum
diversity of species and Sri.Manoj. A, Myrmecologist
and member of TNHS got the first prize (91
points) and Sri.Hari Praved,MSc
Student,MES College Ponnani got the Runner Up Prize(89 points).The Survey was Co-Ordinated
by Sri.Saji P K, Wildlife Warden,Idukki Wildlife Division ,Sri.Jayachandran
Range Forest Officer, IWLS and Vishnupriyan Kartha,Secretary,Cochin Natural
History Society