Over 4,000 waterbirds spotted

Special Correspondent
 Thiruvananthapuram
The Hindu, February 01, 2017

A considerable increase, both in the number of species and individual count, of water birds has been reported in the Asian Water Bird Census 2017 conducted in the capital district.
In the day-long census carried out on January 21 in nine different bird-rich sites in Thiruvananthapuram, the volunteers were able to count 4,442 birds that belong to 77 species, 27 of which are migratory, compared to the 2,431 birds of 49 species spotted during the 2016 census.
Great Bittern, which was spotted a few weeks ago in Thiruvananthapuram by a team from Kerala State Biodiversity Board (KSBB) after a gap of ten years, was again spotted at Punchakkarai, a hotspot of birding in the capital district.
Four species of Sandpipers, two species of Plovers, and four species of Wild Ducks comprising six Spotbilled Ducks were reported. Sighting of four Eurasian Spoonbills and a comparatively large group of Egrets were interesting sightings by the two teams deputed to this wetland.

 Akkulam, once a haven for water birds, which later on degraded owing to unscientific development and pollution, is showing signs of recovery. Around 25 species, including six species of Wild Ducks, namely Northern Showeller, Garganey, Northern Pintails, and a flock of 42 Spot-billed Ducks that are migratory and a group of resident Lesser Whistling Ducks were spotted. Sighting of Common Teal, a rare species in Kerala, Two Grey-headed Lapwing, 82 Common Coots, and four species of migratory Sandpipers also were spotted in the area.
Aruvikkara Reservoir, the main source of drinking water of the capital, remains a very good habitat for birds, including migratory ones. As many as 27 species, such as Pheasant-tailed Jacana, were reported from the reservoir and surrounding areas. A very good population of Egrets and White-breasted Waterhens also were reported from this site.

Wetlands within the city itself located at Kesavadasapuram, Government Medical College, and the two ponds within the Museum and Zoo compound also had good population of birds, including many migratory species such as Kentish Plover, Little-ringed Plover, a large flock of Yellow Wagtails, Wood Sandpiper, and Green Sandpipers. The ponds within the Museum and Zoo compound serves as a favourite shelter for Oriental Darters, a bird placed in the Red Data Book of International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN).

The Kannammoola Thodu also has a good bird population comprising 25 species, including many migratory ones such as 124 Common Swallows, Pheasant-tailed Jacana, Wood Sandpipers, Green Sandpipers, and many large groups of resident birds such as Egrets. The big flock of 66 Cattle Egrets within and around the Thodu is a direct indicator of the large amount of solid waste being dumped into the waterbody.

 Out of the nine sites covered by the census, the highest count was from the wetlands in and around Kadinamkulam with 1,073 birds of 25 species. The major contributor to this was Little Cormorants (703). Sighting of ten Green Shanks, 22 Pacific Golden Plovers, 44 Brahmini Kites, and 61 Little Egrets indicates the rich biodiversity and good productivity of the wetland.

The team that visited the Veli estuary had some very interesting sightings comprising a wide range of birds that belong to 29 species, including a high count of resident birds such as Little Cormorants, Little Egrets, and Cattle Egrets. Osprey and 50 Lesser Sand Plovers were spotted at Poovar.

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Volunteers raised concerns over habitat loss and environmental degradation. That the newly recorded bird species were typically dry habituated ones was another issue. The teams were led by AWC coordinator and senior education officer, WWF-India, A.K. Sivakumar. The WWF-India was supported by the Social Forestry wing of the Department of Forests and Wildlife.

 

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Eco-restoration drive remains a non-starter

K.A. Shaji, Palakkad
The Hindu, March 21, 2016

The much-hyped Palakkad Gap eco-system restoration efforts initiated by the Kerala State Biodiversity Board last year with the active involvement of 17 local bodies and the Social Forestry wing of the Forest Department continues to remain a non-starter in spite of the claims that it would help address escalating heat in the region in the coming years.

Though a number of tree saplings were planted with much fanfare in five grama panchayats marking the commencement of the initiative, all of them failed to withstand the challenges of hostile climate in the absence of follow-up initiatives. No steps were taken for safe protection and watering of the saplings even during the hot summer months.

The 45-km Palakkad gap in the Western Ghats is facing serious environmental destruction largely owing to indiscriminate sand and granite mining. Massive deforestation is killing the Bharathapuzha and its tributaries, which flow through the area, and its highly fragile eco-systems. The Biodiversity Board initiative was aimed at rejuvenating the river eco-system by restoring the green cover.

It was also perceived as a step to counter the challenges posed by global warming, destruction of wildlife habitats and adverse changes in land use pattern. There were even assurances of ensuring participation of various bio-diversity youth clubs in the district to make the project a participatory one. Efforts were also on to link the NREGA programme with the initiative. The pilot project was planned in Vadakarapathi, Pattanchery, Kozhinjampara, Puthussery and Peruvembu panchayats. The gala inaugural event was held in Peruvembu in February last.

When contacted, Biodiversity Board officials blamed the local bodies for completely neglecting the project. Panchayat bodies clarify that the board had done no follow-up action.

“It was a long-awaited initiative addressing the importance of restoring greenery of the gap, which is under destruction. The board has the responsibility to coordinate with panchayats and find resources for implementing it. Only by increasing the green cover of the gap, we can withstand escalating heat in Palakkad during summer. The heat is already unbearable,’’ said Kalloor Balan, environmnal activist.

“It needs not much additional funds. Better coordination with local bodies and channelising resources like NREGA would help implement it easily. Schools and colleges in the region can also contribute,” said Shyam Kumar, environmentalist.

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Survey reveals butterfly diversity of Wayanad

T. Nandakumar Thiruvananthapuram,  
The Hindu, January 12, 2016

A three-day butterfly survey organised by the Kerala State Biodiversity Board (KSBB) and the Forest and Wildlife Department in North Wayanad has revealed 178 species, including at least four rare species. The survey which covered portions of the North Wayanad forest division, Wayanad wildlife sanctuary and South Wayanad forest division was conducted to document the butterfly diversity of the region and understand their role as indicators of the state of the environment.

As many as 43 species of skippers, 44 species of blues, 15 species of swallow tails, 19 white and yellows and 57 species of brush-footed butterflies were recorded. The Sahyadri Banded Tail was first recorded from the region. Rare species like the Danaid egg fly, Crimson Rose and Malabar Banded Swallow Tail were sighted from Mattilayam, Periya and Kuruva island. As many as 180 people, including 40 students, from various biodiversity clubs in Wayanad district, 19 experts, six officials from KSBB and nine Forest staff participated in the survey. The expert team included Muhammed Jaffer Palot, senior scientist, Zoological Survey of India; Balakrishnan Valappil; Chandrasekharan Koyilandi; and Pavithran Vadakara.

The participants were split into 15 groups to cover different transect each day. Each group consisted of one or more experts, forest watchers and staff from KSBB. A datasheet and detailed species checklist were prepared for each transect. The photographs of all the butterflies have been filed.

K.P. Laladhas, member secretary, KSBB, said the survey was part of a study to assess the migration pattern of butterflies and use it as a tool to formulate conservation strategies.

Climate change issues

“Apart from understanding the biological behaviour of the species, the study will also help to assess how climate change influences mass migration. The findings of the survey will be linked to other data like climate parameters to draw inferences”, he said.

“In many countries, butterflies are recognised as environmental indicators for their sensitive response to habitat and climate changes,” says Oommen V. Oommen, chairman, KSBB. He said periodic surveys would be conducted to keep the data up to date.

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KSBB forms the Pampa conservation panel

PATHANAMTHITTA,  
The Hindu, October 5, 2015

The Kerala State Biodiversity Board (KSBB) has constituted a Joint Pampa River Biodiversity Conservation Committee aimed at effective implementation of various river conservation schemes.

The committee comprises the biodiversity management committees in 26 grama panchayats situated on the banks of the Pampa and the Chengannur municipality.

The Pathanamthitta district panchayat president will be the committee chairman and the panchayat secretary its convener.

The Parliament Members of Pathanamthitta and Mavelikara, MLAs representing the Assembly constituencies on the banks of the river and the presidents of all the seven block panchayats in the Pampa river basin will be the committee members.

Pathanamthitta District Collector S. Harikishore; Pampa River Basin Authority director George Chackacherry; Pampa Parirakshana Samiti general secretary N.K. Sukumaran Nair; and the KSBB member-secretary will be the special invitees of the committee.

The Biodiversity Act of 2002 categorically states that each grama panchayat should set up a Biodiversity Management Committee to ensure conservation of its biodiversity with the panchayat president as its chairman and the panchayat secretary its convener.

Water scarcity

The Pampa and various other natural water sources turn almost dry in summer, plunging the river basin into acute water scarcity.

Many farmlands in the river basin become water-scarce and almost all rivulets emptying out into the Pampa too turn dry in the scorching sun. A good number of wells situated on the river banks too turn dry due to drastic depletion of the riverbed.

A study conducted by experts attached to the Pampa Parirakshana Samiti has found that the once-prolific river has lost its continuum, especially during the summer months when it turns to a chain of pools and grassy islands.

The unscientific scooping of sand from the riverbed has ultimately led to the present sorry state of affairs with this once-perennial fresh water source, say experts.

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Ghats yields new limbless amphibian

T. Nandakumar
Thiruvananthapuram,  
The Hindu, May 5, 2015  

The new species, named Gegeneophis tejaswini after the Tejaswini river in north Kerala, is the 12th Gegeneophis species discovered from the Western Ghats.

A team of scientists from the Government College, Chittur, Kerala State Biodiversity Board (KSBB), and Natural History Museum, London, have reported the discovery of a new species of caecilian (limbless) amphibian from the southern part of the Western Ghats.

The new species, named Gegeneophis tejaswini after the Tejaswini river in north Kerala, is the 12th Gegeneophis species discovered from the Western Ghats and the fourth from Kerala.

Caecilians are limbless subterranean amphibians found in wet tropical and sub-tropical regions.

Of the 204 caecilian species reported so far, some resemble snakes while others look like worms.

Over two years

The scientists collected the specimens over a period of two years from 2008 from Bedoor village bordering the Kamballur reserve forest, near Cheemeni, in Kasaragod district.

All the eight specimens were dug out from the soil in home gardens bordering plantations and the reserve forest.

Nearly blind

The species is nearly blind, with the eye covered by bone. The identification of the species has been confirmed by the Natural History Museum.

The team of scientists including K. Ramachandran from the Government College, Chittoor; Mark Wilson from the Natural History Museum; and Oommen V. Oommen, Chairman, KSBB, have published the finding in the latest edition of Zootaxa, an international journal on zoological taxonomy.

Features

Measuring 135 mm to 224 mm in length, the specimens are pinkish in colour and easily mistaken for earthworms.

According to the authors, people usually fail to recognise caecilian amphibians because of their secretive underground life and superficial similarity to earthworms.

‘Data Deficient’

Given that G.tejaswini is known only from a small series of specimens from a single locality and that very little is known of its general ecology and nothing of its reproductive biology, the authors have proposed that the species be classified as Data Deficient under IUCB criteria.

Not abundant

They surmise that the species is not abundant in the region, considering that 39 man hours of digging in localities 20 km from the site failed to yield additional specimens.

According to the paper, the discovery of G.tejaswini reinforces the perception that the Western Ghats region of northern Kerala and southern Karnataka is particularly diverse for caecilians.

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Focus on participatory approach to conservation

Thiruvananthapuram,  
The Hindu, February 24, 2015

The second National Biodiversity Congress organised by the Kerala State Biodiversity Board (KSBB) began here on Monday with a call to adopt participatory approach to conservation and natural resource management.

In his inaugural address, K. Muraleedharan, MLA, highlighted the health hazards caused by the relentless assault on the environment. “Many epidemic outbreaks and incidence of cancer have been traced to urban garbage accumulation. Vector-borne diseases are on the rise as urban waterbodies turn into garbage dumping grounds,” he said.

Mr. Muraleedharan blamed the fast-food culture for the poor health profile of the younger generation of the State. KSBB Chairman Oommen V. Oommen, who presided over the function, said biodiversity conservation was the duty of every citizen and not that of the government alone.

The concept

Conservation had to be recognised as part of natural resource management, he said. Pointing out that people’s empowerment held the key to successful conservation, Dr. Oommen called for strengthening the panchayat-level Biodiversity Management Committees (BMCs).

KSBB Member Secretary K.P. Laladhas; Director, Department of Environment and Climate Change Yalakki; CEO, Kerala State Medicinal Plant Board K.G. Sreekumar; Director, Jawaharlal Nehru Tropical Botanic Garden and Research Institute P.G. Latha; and KSBB senior programme coordinator S. Rajasekharan were among those present.

The five-day congress, based on the theme access to biological resources and benefit sharing (ABS), includes interactive sessions with scientists, traditional farmers, tribal healers, BMCs, environmental groups, and functionaries of biodiversity boards of other States.

A children’s biodiversity congress and a biodiversity expo are other attractions of the event.

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