Thiruvananthapuram,
The Hindu, January 26, 2016
The Hindu, January 26, 2016
The five major wetlands in Kerala, including the
Vellayani, Sasthamkotta, Vembanad, Ashtamudi and Pookode lakes, and
their surrounding areas are attracting more migratory birds this year, a
survey conducted by the Kerala State Biodiversity Board (KSBB) has
revealed.
Check list
The
board is preparing a check list of birds, as part of the biodiversity
assessment of the wetlands. Birdwatching teams are keeping a close tab
on the lakes to take stock of the winged visitors. The teams comprising
the project groups tasked with the preparation of Panchayat Biodiversity
Registers (PBR) visit the allocated area at least two times every week
for the survey.
The survey team for the Sasthamkotta wetlands recently recorded the first sighting of the white-necked stork.
Also
known as the woolly necked stork or Karuvarakkuru in Malayalam, the
species had earlier been sighted at Vembanad, Kole wetlands and along
the banks of the Bharathapuzha.
The white neck of the
bird contrasts with the black head and body and the large bill is grey
with a reddish tip. The legs and feet are red and the eyes deep red.
Measuring
up to 95 cm in length, it prefers waterlogged areas and cultivated
areas and mostly feeds on fish, frogs, snakes, crabs and molluscs. They
rarely wade.
According to the IUCN status, the bird is classified as a vulnerable species.
“We
have noticed that the number of migratory birds visiting the wetlands
of Kerala is higher this year,” says KSBB member secretary K.P.
Laladhas. “It requires a detailed study to understand if this is linked
to climate change”.
Favourite spots
The
birdwatching team deployed at the Sasthamkotta lake has identified 65
species while that for Vellayani has recorded 131 species.
“The
high altitude lake at Pookode in Wayanad seems to have a strong
biodiversity, perhaps because of its proximity to the forest,” Dr.
Laladhas said.
The biodiversity assessment of
wetlands assumes significance in the light of the threats faced by the
fragile ecosystems, including the three Ramsar sites — the Sasthamcotta
and Ashtamudi lakes and the Vembanad- Kole lands.
In
the absence of a conservation and sustainable management plan, the lakes
in Kerala are increasingly prone to encroachment, pollution, and
debilitation caused by invasive alien species.
