Varattar rejuvenation soon

The Hindu,  PATHANAMTHITTA May 03, 2017

The State government will soon prepare a comprehensive action plan to rejuvenate the Varattar river, a tributary of the Pampa, and execute the same in a time-bound manner, Finance Minister T.M. Thomas Issac has said.
The Minister was inspecting the badly degraded Varattar riverbed at Othera-Puthukkulangara, near Thiruvalla, on Monday. Dr Issac said the present sad state of affairs with the Varattar was nothing but a man-made tragedy. The nine-km-long Varattar, a natural flood escape of floodwater between the rivers Pampa and Manimala, has its origin from the Pampa at Puthukkulangara.
The Varattar mouth opens into the Pampa at Meppuram and meanders through Thaimaravumkara, Thalayar, Nannad and Thriuvanavandoor, before it merges with the Manimala at Vaalathode, near Eramallikkara, in Alappuzha district. The once-prolific river is almost dry, leaving heavily weeded small patches of water and narrow streams at certain points.
This is due to the indiscriminate sand-mining that had blocked the natural water flow between the Varattar and the Pampa four decades ago.
Varattar is, perhaps, the worst affected water source in the illegal encroachment spree the Central Travancore region had witnessed over the past four decades.
A major portion of the riverbed have been encroached upon by private parties.
Some of them have even managed to obtain ‘possession certificates’ from the authorities concerned for the encroached portion of the land in their possession.
Study under way
The Minister said he had discussed the matters concerning rejuvenation of Varattar with the Water Resources Minister Mathew T. Thomas and the government would convene a meeting of major stakeholders soon.
The Water Resources Department had already started studies on Varattar rejuevanation and a scientific wetland planning would be made to ensure sustainable flow of the river.
Dr Issac said the causeways that hinder the smooth flow of the river would be demolished and bridges would be constructed at all these places. He said fund would be implemented as part of the Pampa Action Plan. Veena George, MLA; T.N. Seema, Haritha Keralam Mission deputy chairperson; K. Ananthagopan, Kerala Shops and Commercial Establishment Workers Welfare Fund Board chairman, and N. Rajeev, Eraviperoor panchayat vice-president, were present.

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Water shortage: Crop loss pegged at Rs 724.5 crore

Times Of India, May 3, 2017
THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Water shortage has brought about crop damages to the tune of Rs 724.5 crore this summer, agriculture minister V S Sunil Kumar said in the assembly on Tuesday.

The estimates were based on preliminary findings and the damage figure could go up once final tabulation is done, the minister said.

Water scarcity has damaged crops in about 41,592.3 hectares across the state.

As many as 62,897 farmers have been affected. The worst hit were crops such as vegetables, paddy, banana, arecanut, coconut and pepper.

With the summer season wreaking havoc in the farming sector, the agriculture department has been framing an action plan for mitigating the impacts of long-term climate change on the sector.

"The action plan will look into various aspects, including farming methods which require. The plan is to restructure farming practices to align with drought situation triggered by climate change," said Sunilkumar.  

He said the government was planning to begin 44 'coconut villages' in the state.


The idea was to encourage farmers to productive coconut trees. Each unit in one village will have 250 hectares of coconut cultivation. It would increase coconut production in the state, Sunil Kumar added.

As per central statistics, total coconut production declined to 33.70 lakh in 2014-15 from 41.07 lakh in 2013-14.

Coconut crop covered 7.93 lakh hectares in 2014-15 compared to 7.98 lakh hectares in 2013-14, said the minister.

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Sky bridges for monkeys

Giji K. Raman,
IDUKKI  
The Hindu, March 20, 2017
After the success of the sky bridge for Grizzled Giant Squirrel, authorities are planning sky bridges for the Tufted Gray Langur (Semnopithecus priam) of Chinnar Wildlife Sanctuary.
Like the squirrel, the langur also known as Madras Gray Langur is endemic to South India and Sri Lanka.
Unlike the Bonnet macaque, they are known for less interaction with human beings.
The sky bridge connecting the trees across the Kochi-Dhanushkodi National Highway for the langur was after it was found a success for the squirrels in increased passage across the NH.
“Road kill was a major problem for wild animals especially during the summer season as they have to cross the NH for drinking water from the Pampa river,” said an official of the sanctuary.
Unlike the one for the Grizzled Giant Squirrel, these wooden bridges have more width, said the official adding that though it is mainly meant for the Tufted Gray Langur, the Hanuman monkeys and the Bonnet macaque can also use for their safe passage.
Five sky bridges will come up from Karimutty to the border of the sanctuary with Tamil Nadu. The Pampa is the perennial water source for the largest number of mammal and reptile populations in the sanctuary.
Most of the roadkills were reported during night-time and the Forest Department recently had erected road barriers with much opposition from the local people.
“Once the simians start moving on the sky bridge, the small species too will follow it,” he added.
The Giant Squirrel is not the only one using the sky bridges made a few years ago. All squirrel species pass through them, he said.
Though there are eight sub-species of Semnopithecus found in South Asia, four of the Semnopithecus priam species are in Chinnar sanctuary.
They are distinguished for their genetics and colourisation, especially of the limbs and tail carriages.

The species reported to have been found in the sanctuary are Priam, Clussumieri, Hypoleucos and Ajax.

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House sparrow numbers fall

George Jacob,
KOTTAYAM
The Hindu,  March 20, 2017
The survey of house sparrows held in connection with the World Sparrow Day has registered a steep drop in the sparrow population in Kottayam and Ernakulam city areas.
Punnen Kurian Venkadath, secretary of the Tropical Institute of Ecological Sciences (TIES), here which conducted the survey, said that the findings are so alarming that at this rate the sparrow population could vanish from these areas where they had a thriving population earlier.
In Kottayam the number which stood at 740 during the first edition of the survey in 2012, has come down to 150 in the current edition. Likewise the sparrows were found in nearly 10 areas within the town in 2012. “During the sixth edition it has come down to just five,” said Dr Kurian.
In fact the decline in population was a steady with 610 in 2013; 580 in 2014 and 240 the next year, he pointed out.
Sparrows could be seen in the market place on the Broadway and also at the Marine Drive in Kochi city.
The population is 148 at Broadway and 356 at Marine drive, Dr. Kurian said. Kochi came under the survey last year when there were 142 and 368 respectively at these spots. Another disturbing finding was that the number of juveniles in the pack too are declining fast, pointing to a not-so-rosy future for these birds.
According to him, the new architecture and building materials have been identified as a reason for the sparrows to move out of these areas.
Pesticide presence
The increasing presence of pesticides and the competition for food, especially from doves which also inhabit the same space could also be reasons for the sparrow population in the traditional areas to decline.
Other reasons which have been attributed to the trend could be the radiation from the mobile towers and the unprecedented hot weather this summer, he said.

Research fellows and students of junior naturalists at TIES participated in the survey. There were ten volunteers at Kottayam covering the 10 traditional spots while in Kochi 15 volunteers covered the stretch of Marine Drive and Broadway market.

 

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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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Rare birds sighted in Polachira wetlands

The Hindu,January 24, 2017 
KOLLAM:  
The 27th annual waterfowl census in the Polachira wetlands in Kollam district carried out by Warblers and Waders (WW) counted 3,117 water birds of 43 species. The census, which concluded on Sunday, was led by founder-member of WW C. Susanth.
The highlight of the census was the sighting of Comb ducks, a rare winter visitor to Kerala. The previous few sightings in Kerala were recorded only from the Kole wetlands in Thrissur. This is the first time that Comb ducks have been sighted in South Kerala. Eurasian wigeon, another migratory wild duck, was also sighted.

This year, 15 Eurasian spoonbills were sighted at Polachira. This bird is a new winter visitor to the Polachira wetlands, Mr. Susanth said. Lesser whistling ducks were seen more this year, from 420 sightings last year to 1,358 this time. The presence of wader species like Marsh sandpiper, Wood sandpiper, Little ringed plover, Black winged stilt, and Little stint had also increased. The WW team that comprised bird experts K.A. Kishore and Abhiram Chandran observed that the Polachira wetland was shrinking due to unauthorised pumping of water. This could be the reason for the slight increase in the presence of waders in the wetland, they said. At the same time, the shrinking effect had affected the presence of Purple swamphens, Cotton teals, Garganey teals and Oriental darters.

Mr. Susanth said the birds that were not sighted this year are Northern pintail ducks, Asian openbills, Red shanks, Pacific golden plover and the Indian Cormorant. Other significant sightings were Black headed ibis, Painted storks, Glossy Ibis, Indian moorhen, Eurasian coot, Pheasant-tailed jacana, Grey heron, Green shank, Large cormorant and Large egret. During the census by WW last year, 1,069 water birds belonging to 25 species were recorded from the Polachira wetlands..

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Western Ghats unveil its amphibian diversity

T. Nandakumar, Thiruvananthapuram
The Hindu, November 17, 2016

Reinforcing the importance of the Western Ghats as a valuable reservoir of amphibian diversity, researchers from the University of Delhi have reported two new species of leaping frogs from Kerala and Karnataka.

The new species - Indirana paramakri and Indirana bhadrai - have been reported in the latest issue of PLOS One, an open access scientific journal published by the Public Library of Science.

The authors, Sonali Garg and S.D. Biju, conducted DNA barcoding of over 200 samples to provide new estimates of the species diversity and distribution of Indirana frogs, an ancient genus endemic to the Western Ghats biodiversity hotspot.

The specimens of Indirana paramakri were collected from wet rocks near streams and under leaf litter in disturbed forest areas in Settukunu and Sugandhagiri, north of the Palakkad Gap in Wayanad district.

The species epithet is derived from the Malayalam words ‘para’ meaning rock and ‘makri’ for frog, referring to the occurrence of the species on rocky terrain. Reddish brown with a black band extending from the nostril to the sides, the species is distinguished by its small snout- vent size and unique toe webbing.

Named after its habitat, Indirana bhadrai is currently known only from the Muthodi forest in the Bhadra Wildlife Sanctuary, located north of the Palakkad Gap in Karnataka. The frogs were found on leaf litter in a secondary forest.

Distinguished by a pointed snout and toe webbing, I. bhadra is light brown with irregular dark brown blotches along the dorsal skin folds and a dark greyish-brown band between the eyes.

According to Dr. Biju, though several studies have been carried out on the Indirana genus, taxonomic ambiguities have remained an impediment for proper identification of species and estimates of diversity and distribution. “Our study provides new distribution records for all the currently known Indirana species.”

The researchers have outlined a distribution trend suggesting genetic isolation between populations of the amphibians found north and south of the Palakad Gap, indicating the role of elevational discontinuities in distribution. They have proposed a reassessment of the IUCN categorisation of all species for effective conservation of these relic frogs.

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