Nature Initiative Kerala

Newfound swamp could throw up surprises

Giji K. Raman IDUKKI, The Hindu, April 29, 2015 Patches of Myristica swamps, described as the most endangered forest ecosystem in Kerala, have been identified in the Idukki Wildlife Sanctuary, raising prospects of a rich diversity of plants and unexplored organisms there. The patches are freshwater swamps with trees of the Myristica family, which are water-tolerant with dense stilt roots helping them stay erect...

Rare Himalayan bird sighted

E.M. Manoj KALPETTA, The Hindu, April 28, 2015 The rare chestnut-winged cuckoo ( Clamator coromandus ), found usually in the western and eastern Himalayas and southeast Asia, has been spotted by ornithologists in the Wayanad Wildlife Sanctuary. There have been very few recordings of the species from the State in the past, C.K. Vishnudas, an ornithologist who coordinated a survey held recently in the sanctuary,...

River terns at summer rain’s mercy

Giji K. Raman Kattappana, The Hindu, April 26, 2015 This summer is unlikely to add much to the population of Indian river tern ( Stema auratia ), a common bird species on the islet of Vairamani. The islet, a natural habitat of the bird, is strewn with eggs and dead chicks. Heavy summer rain is believed to have caused the damage. Vairamani is accessible only by boat and is situated deep inside a sanctuary. It is...

Elephants in a trouble trench

K.A. Shaji Sholayur (Palakkad), The Hindu, April 23, 2015 Call it an elephantine problem. As many as 13 elephants, separated from their herd after the creation of trenches in the elephant corridors in eastern Attappady, are apparently in a dilemma. They are virtually trapped in between habited areas and the forest due to the creation of trenches. The elephants have been raiding crops in Thoova, Vattalakki,...

House sparrow conservation in Kottayam gets a fillip

KOTTAYAM, The Hindu, March 21, 2015 The house sparrow conservation efforts in the town got a fillip with environmentalists joining hands to spot six areas in the town that could be declared as House Sparrow Conservation Centres. The decision to take an initiative was made at a meeting held near the market in the heart of the town to celebrate World House Sparrow Day here on Friday. The decision comes in the wake...

Kochi still a haven for waterbirds

K.S. Sudhi KOCHI, The Hindu, April 21, 2015 Braving challenges such as the loss of habitat due to reclamation, birds are thriving in the wetlands of Kochi. The bird data generated during the recently concluded Asian Waterfowl Census in the district indicated that the wetlands supported a stable bird population despite the risks confronted by them. The wetlands of Kadamakudy remained the favourite ground for the...

Survival of the ‘king’ is in question

T. Nandakumar Thiruvananthapuram, The Hindu, April 13, 2015 Last week, a family travelling from Ponmudi to the Kallar valley near here had to seek the help of the Forest Department to capture a king cobra that had clambered aboard its car. The reptile, measuring almost 19 feet, was prised out of the engine bay of the vehicle and later released into the forest. Over the last 10 years, king cobra has been sighted...

Winged visitor from northeast spotted in Kottayam

KOTTAYAM, The Hindu, April 8, 2015 The sighting of a Chestnut-eared bunting (Emberiza fucata), mostly seen in northeast India and lower Himalayan areas, at Ezhumanthuruth near Vaikom, has raised the interest among the birdwatchers in the State. According to P.J. George, Associate Professor of English at St Dominic’s College, Kanjirappally, and an avid birdwatcher, who had sighted and photographed the bird on...

Rare eagle scours Idukki skies

Giji K. Raman KATTAPPANA, The Hindu, April 8, 2015 Ornithologists at the Idukki Wildlife Sanctuary were elated as they were treated to the sight of the rufous-bellied hawk eagle (Lophotriorchis kienerii) in the Vagavanam area. It is the only species in the genes which has been reported twice in South India by wild photographers Kiran Poonach from Coorg, Karnataka in 2008 and Nitin Srinivasa Moorthy from Nagarhole,...

New species highlights plant diversity of Palakkad

Thiruvananthapuram, The Hindu, April 6, 2015 A team of scientists from four research institutions in Kerala have reported the discovery of a rare species of plant from the Palakkad gap region of the Western Ghats, highlighting the floral diversity in the region and triggering the demand for strict curbs on quarrying in biodiversity pockets. The team comprising Solan Jose, V. Suresh, and Maya C. Nair from...

Aquarium fish invading waterbodies, ecosystems

T. Nandakumar Thiruvananthapuram, The Hindu, April 4, 2015 The suckerfish, a popular aquarium species native to South America, is invading waterbodies in Kerala and posing a threat to native fishes and ecosystems, a study conducted by the University of Kerala and Rajiv Gandhi Centre for Biotechnology (RGCB) has revealed. The study by Biju Kumar and Smrithy Raj of the university Department of Aquatic Biology and...

Schedule 1 of Wildlife Act to be reviewed

K.S. Sudhi KOCHI, The Hindu, April 3, 2015 The Union government is all set to review Schedule 1 of the Wildlife Protection Act 1972, which ensures the maximum legal protection for wild animals. A 12-member national committee headed by Director, Wildlife Preservation, as chairman, has been constituted for the purpose. The Director of the Wildlife Institute of India, Dehradun, will be the member-secretary of...

Select mangrove swathes to become EFL

K.S. Sudhi KOCHI, The Hindu, April 2, 2015 Mangrove vegetation in over 200 acres in Kollam and Thrissur districts will be notified as Ecologically Fragile Land (EFL) soon. While being notified under the Kerala Forest (Vesting and Management of Ecologically Fragile Lands) Act, compensation will be provided to their owners. Mangrove stretches on Munro Island, Vincent and adjacent islands in the Neendakara...

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