Lifeline for rare avian species

Thiruvananthapuram,  
The Hindu, June 23, 2015

The Forest Department is joining hands with environmentalists and nature lovers to offer a lifeline for the snakebird, a rare avian species facing threat from habitat destruction.

Forest Minister Thiruvanchoor Radhakrishnan on Monday pledged the support of the government for efforts to save the bird from extinction.

He was inaugurating a function organised by the Snakebird Foundation and the Kerala Union of Working Journalists to declare June 22 as Snake Bird Day. The Minister highlighted the need to protect wetlands that are part of the bird’s habitat.

Principal Chief Conservator of Forests and Head of the Forest Force B.S. Corrie delivered the keynote address. KUWJ district secretary Suresh Vellimangalam and Snakebird Foundation chairman C. Rahim also spoke.

A near-threatened species, the snakebird figures in the Red Data book of rare and endangered species. The Snakebird Foundation estimates that Kerala is home to about 1,000 birds of the species, with the highest number found in Alappuzha district.

The bird nests have been spotted at Nooranad, Kattanam, and Kuttanad in Alappuzha, Kumarakom in Kottayam, Thekkady in Idukki, the Museum compound in Thiruvananthapuram, and a few in the northern districts.

A survey conducted by the International Waterfowl and Wetland Research Bureau in 1993 reported that there were only 1,526 snakebirds in the whole of Asia, out of which 1,196 were in India and 64 in Kerala. But a subsequent study by volunteers of the Snakebird Foundation found 200 nests in different parts of Kerala. The bird watchers spotted 150 nests on trees in a private property at Aathikattukulangara in Mavelikara taluk.

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Western Ghats helped evolution of two birds

Kalyan Ray,
New Delhi,
Deccan Herald, June 22, 2015

The physical barriers posed by deep and wide valleys in the Western Ghats have helped evolution of two different species of song-birds on either side of the gap from a common ancestor over millions of years, Indian scientists have found.
One of the world’s biodiversity hot-spots, the Shola forests in the Western Ghats are marked with three such geographical gaps — the 40-km long Palghat Gap is the largest and oldest one followed by the Shenkottah Gap and the Chaliyar river valley.

Bangalore-based researchers have now spotted 10 examples of bird speciation – branches of two species from a common forefather – across the Palghat Gap. In addition, there are three similar examples in Shenkottah and one in Chaliyar river valley.

“The two birds with maximum impacts were Shortwing and Laughing Thrush that are separated for almost five million years in the Palghat Gap. On the either side of the gap, they now have different genetic make-up,” V V Robin, one of the members of the National Centre of Biological Sciences team that carried out the research, told Deccan Herald.

Speciation is a biological process by which new species come to the world. Though researchers in the past demonstrated how physical barriers like Panama canal that separates North and South America or Makassar Strait between Borneo and Sulawesi in Indonesia aided in speciation, there are not many studies in the Indian context.

The misty peaks of the Western Ghats, at 1,400 metres above sea level, are known as “sky islands” and home to a genetically diverse community of birds, with 23 species sharing the same habitat.

The habitation zones are characterised by grasslands in the mountain-tops, alternating with forests in the ridges and valleys in-between. The sky islands are spread over about 700 km, and are interrupted by deep valleys that fragment the habitat of these birds.

When the NCBS team set out to investigate genetic variation of all 23 species of songbirds in the Shola forests, they found 14 species with marked differences in their genetic make up because of the gaps. This suggests since the valley acted as a barrier, the birds on either side are genetically different and begin to diverge, potentially into new species.

“The extent of divergence is different for different species,” Robin said, “The deepest gaps impact more species than do shallower gaps. Correspondingly, divergences across deeper gaps are older than those across shallower gaps.” No change was noticed in nine bird species.

While the Western Ghats were formed at least 50 million years ago (Ma), the arrival of songbirds in the Ghats is dated to circa 34 Ma. The study appeared in the Proceedings of the Royal Society B on Wednesday.

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Valleys, gaps, climate change affect songbirds’ speciation

E.M. Manoj
KALPETTA,  
The Hindu, June 19, 2015

A new study, published in the Proceedings of the Royal Society B , by National Centre for Biological Sciences on high elevation songbirds of Western Ghats, has found that deep valleys have greater impact on speciation than shallow ones in this mountain chain.

The study was conducted by Uma Ramakrishnan and her colleagues at NCBS to investigate genetic variation of all 23 species of songbirds that inhabit the Shola forests of the sky islands of Western Ghats.

The study found that not all species are affected by the gaps. Out of the 23 species studied, 10 showed genetic divergences across the deepest, widest valley, the Palghat gap, while three others diverged across the Shenkotta gap. Only one species diverged across the shallowest valley, the Chaliyar River valley. While the Western Ghats were formed some 50 million years ago, the arrival of songbirds in the Western Ghats is only dated earliest to 34 million years ago.

Simulated studies suggested the species diverged at different times. Our study shows that it was not only the valleys and gaps in the mountain, but also the climate that affect to play an important role in these bird divergences. Going by their past response to climate changes, we can predict that future climate changes may impact the speciation of these birds, said V.V. Robin, the lead researcher of the study.

Our results reveal a richly varied, yet generalised pattern of divergence. The nested pattern of divergence across deeper versus shallower valleys also provide us clear predictability regarding where to look for the two most different individuals in a species-across the Palghat gapâ, says Ms. Ramakrishnan.

Most studies like this use museum specimens when analysing a large number of species. Knowing the topology and spending close to 400 nights out in the field really helped us sample the entire mountain community, C.K Vishnudas, a researcher said.

Pooja Gupta, another researcher, said it was an amazing experience going from the birds in the mountains to the large amount of genetic data we generated in the lab.

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IBCN to compile Kerala bird atlas

Mini Muringatheri
Thrissur, 
The Hindu,  June 18, 2015 
The Indian Bird Conservation Network (IBCN) will soon compile a bird atlas of Kerala, which will be the ‘first bird atlas of an Indian State.’

A decision in this regard was taken at a workshop of the IBCN held at the College of Forestry (CoF), Kerala Agricultural University, recently.

A bird atlas gives precise distribution pattern of birds in a region, and when put together over a period of time, it provides accurate trends of bird presence. Kerala has to its credit six bird monitoring schemes, which include recording common birds, heronries, waterbirds, pelagic (sea) birds, and forest birds.

The workshop discussed several bird conservation related issues. It was attended by experts from the Royal Society for Protection of Birds (RSPB) - U.K., Bombay Natural History Society (BNHS-India), and 55 Kerala birdwatchers.

Impressive schemes

“The impressive range of bird monitoring schemes being undertaken by Kerala birders makes it one of the leading States for birdwatching in India. It was exciting to see the enthusiasm and dedication of Kerala birders at the IBCN workshop,” said Bruce Liggitt of the RSPB.

The workshop proposed that the ecosystem services approach should be used to evaluate Kerala’s wetlands and the State should also consider setting up a ‘conservation toll’ for highways that pass through wildlife areas.

“Kerala currently has 24 Important Bird and Biodiversity Areas (IBAs). Eleven more have been identified. These biodiversity jewels in Kerala’s crown are of high value not just for birds, but for fish and butterflies as well and should be protected. We have spotted Southern Birdwing, considered the largest butterfly in India, endemic to South India, several times in the Vazhachal forests. This priceless site is threatened by power-generation projects. Also, the wetlands of the State distinguish Kerala from many other States. These amazing places deserve protection,” said Neha Sinha of BNHS-India.

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Leopard found dead in Wayanad plantation

KALPETTA,  
The Hindu, April 18, 2015

A female leopard, aged around two years, was found dead in a private coffee plantation at Nedumbala, near Mepadi, under the South Wayanad Forest Division on Thursday evening.

Mepadi Forest Range Officer C.P. Aneesh said the carcass of the leopard was found trapped in the iron fencing of the plantation. A case has been registered in connection with the incident.

A team of surgeons from the Kerala Veterinary and Animal Sciences University carried out an autopsy.

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Greens oppose move to plant teak in forest

E.M. Manoj
KALPETTA,  
The Hindu, June 10, 2015 

A strong protest is brewing against the alleged move of the Forest and Wildlife Department to replant monocrops on two pieces of forestland in the North Wayanad forest division in the district.

The department has prepared nearly 22 hectares of reserve forestland at Irumbu Palam, near Thurunelly, in the Begur forest range and 14.5 hectares at Kunhome in the Mananthavady range for replanting monocrops such as teak and mangium, N. Badusha, president, Wayanad Prakruthi Samrakshana Samiti, has alleged.

Such a move will adversely affect the biodiversity of the district, he said.

Mr. Badusha said monoculture plantation would increase man-animal conflict.

It would also worsen water scarcity and speed up desertification, a phenomena that had begun in villages in the district on the border with Karnataka.

The total forest area of the district, he said, was 1,100 sq km, of which nearly 350 sq km had been planted with monocrops such as teak and eucalyptus after clear felling the natural forest.

Teak wood had been planted on 50,000 hectares of forestland as monoculture in the State, of which 30,000 hectares was in Wayanad, he said.

The unique climate and biodiversity of the land had changed drastically after the planting of monocrops in the forest, E.K. Sakeer Husain, secretary, Green Cross, an environmental organisation, said. It had also increased man-animal conflict in the past two decades.

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River terns fly back home leaving Vairamani deserted

Giji K. Raman
IDUKKI, 
The Hindu, June 10, 2015 

Vairamani islet, the largest nesting place of Indian river terns (sterna aurantia) inside the Idukki Wildlife Sanctuary wears a deserted look after the migratory season.

While ornithologists hoped for a second window for brooding, the unexpected heavy rains and winds played a spoilsport. During this brooding season (from March to May) large number of chicks was found dead and unhatched eggs dotted the islet. Hundreds of river terns turned up this season to lay eggs on the sand as the waters of the Idukki reservoir waned. But many eggs did not hatch and chicks were found dead. According to ornithologist R. Sugathan, the eggs need a particular duration for brooding and if there is wind, the birds would fly away leaving the eggs unhatched.

“There were heavy rains and winds which resulted in the large mortality rate of the chicks,” said the official.

Ornithologists were expecting a second brooding which is possible if food is readily available. Fresh water fish is the staple of river terns and the islet is undisturbed from human intervention and predators including the snakes. The reservoir provides the feeding ground for the brooding birds that usually fly away after the season. According to Assistant Wildlife Warden G. Jayachandran there is a plan to document the seasonal birds in the sanctuary which has been identified as a major habitat for resident birds. He said that climate changes and human intervention could result in poor availability of local fish varieties in the reservoir making an impact on the arrival of river terns in future.

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