Tuesday, June 29, 2010

Great Indian bustard may soon be extinct

Ahmedabad: It may not be long before we lose the great Indian bustard forever.The very existence of the bird, which was once touted as a strong contender to replace the peacock as the national bird in the 1960s, is in crisis. As its only habitat in Naliya in Kutch grasslands is being converted to agricultural land and thus would be lost for the bird forever.


Union environment minister Jairam Ramesh,in an letter to Gujarat chief minister Narendra Modi on June 9, wrote that the grasslands of Kutch were one of the last remaining pockets that hold promise for recovery of great Indian bustard (GIB).

“Conservationists and researchers working in Kutch have brought to my attention the opening of areas in Abdasa grasslands in Naliya (Kutch), a prime breeding ground for the bustard, for agriculture. I am writing to request you to immediately intervene and prevent the diversion of revenue gauchar land (grassland) to agriculture, and to ensure that the district officials support the Naliya conservation initiatives.If we do not intervene, the possibility of the bustard becoming extinct in Gujarat is very real and high,” Ramesh wrote.

He further mentioned, “A researcher also forwarded a photograph that clearly shows the marking for new agricultural plot.”

There are 22 species of bustards in the world, 16 of which are found in Africa. Indian subcontinent had six species: GIB, houbara or Macqueen’s bustard, lesser florican and Bengal florican, but in the last 80 years, there has been no record of the existence of the Great and Little bustards.Houbara bustard is purely migratory and seen in arid parts of Rajasthan and Gujarat during winters.

A recent study by Gujarat Ecological Education and Research (Geer) foundation had revealed that bustards were distributed over 996 sq km with a core area of 97 sq km. However, only 2 sq km was protected as a sanctuary. The study suggested that Kanothia, Kalatalav,Bhachunda,Vinghaber and Parjau, which are revenue areas, be acquired under forest land rules.

Destruction of GIB’s habitat was the major cause, apart from hunting, of their dwindling numbers. Grasslands, the bustards prime habitat, were under tremendous pressure from overgrazing, expanding agricultural fields and urbanisation. The state till date does not have a clearcut grazing policy. If grasslands were protected under bustard protection, they would provide fodder to livestock once the bustard breeding season is over.


THREAT PERCEPTION

INDUSTRIALISATION
Windmill installation has been taking a toll on important habitats in Lala, Budia, Jakhau and Vanku, Parjau villages. Fencing by windmill as well as erection of allied electric wire networks has caused loss of grassland areas.
ENCROACHMENT
Agriculture encroachment on revenue village land of Kanothia, Bhachunda, Kanatalav, Bhanada and Vinghaber. This activity led to more movement of vehicles and people.
UNDESIRABLE HABITAT MANAGEMENT PRACTICES
Number of grassland management activities carried out by forest department and NGOs in the area lead to loss or change of GIB habitat. TRENCHING AND BUNDING
Many grass or fodder plots have been developed by forest department and NGOs by trenching areas in middle of large grassland patches. Being a bird of flat grasslands, Indian Bustard prefers areas with high visibility. Therefore, these plots result in undesirable habitats.

PONDS FOR MOISTURE CONSERVATION IN PRIME GRASSLAND AREAS
Forest department and NGOs have prepared many small ponds for rainwater harvesting structures to conserve moisture in the middle of grassland patches. These structures disturb topography of grassland habitat.

PLOUGHING OF GRASSLAND DURING BREEDING SEASON
It was observed that some grassland areas were ploughed during monsoon and post-monsoon season for planting better species of grass and their growth. Such activities create a great disturbance to nests, eggs or chicks of Indian Bustard.

PLANTATION OF ANOTHER GRASS SPECIES
In some areas, grass plots for fodder are being developed by planting palatable species in Indian Bustard range.

REMEDIES SUGGESTED BY GEER FOUNDATION

RESEARCH ON MOVEMENT PATTERN
The birds are likely to move from Thar desert along edges of Great Rann of Kutch and reach open, sparse grassland patches of Little Rann of Kutch and some degraded grasslands in Surendranagar district. They are then likely to move to grasslands of Velavadar National Park.

INVOLVE LOCAL COMMUNITY
Since bustards move over a large area, local communities should be mobilised and involved in conservation efforts.

HABITAT MANAGEMENT

Bustards thrive in a grassland, scrubland ecosystem. To improve their habitat, trees could be planted to maintain savannah characteristics. Also, excavation of ponds and trenches should be stopped and Prosopis Juliflora, commonly known as gando baval, be removed as the thorny shrub injures the bird.

EDUCATION AND AWARENESS PROGRAMMES

They are needed to garner support and enlighten people about the sentiments of various stakeholders interested in conservation of the bird and grassland ecosystem.

15 held for selling fake wildlife skin, bones in Bhavnagar

Rajkot: Bhavnagar district forest department on Sunday arrested around 15 men and women — mostly married couples — from the outskirts of Bhavnagar for selling fake lion and tiger skin and bones. All accused are from Karnataka.


According to range forest officer (RFO) Bhavnagar KK Bharwad, the department was tipped off by volunteers of a Bhavnagar-based nature club. The accused were selling the skin and bones to common people. “The accused sold these skins by going from house to house. They happened to sell an item to a member of nature’s club, who alerted the forest department. Following this, we organised a trap and arrested them from their makeshift houses,” Bharwad said.

“We have arrested 15 people, including eight women. All those arrested are from Karnataka. They arrived in Bhavnagar just two days ago. The forest department has seized all the materials that the group was selling. They used their network to reach residents and sold the skins and nails of tigers and lions,” he added.

The skin and bones were sent to the department for a thorough examination, where it was verified that none of them were original. The accused purchased skins of dogs and goats from around the place where they lived. The skins were then painted and tampered with chemicals and made to look like those of tigers and lions.

“We have confirmed that all the material seized is duplicate,” Bharwad said.

According to officials, it was the women’s job to get clients and sell them while the males were the ones who reworked the skins. Taking note of lion poaching incidents earlier in the state, state forest department officials did not want to take chance and arrested all the people involved.

Saturday, June 26, 2010

Lioness gives birth to 3 cubs in Gir forest .

Amreli (Gujarat), Jun 15 (PTI) A lioness has given birth to three cubs in the Gir forest region of Jafrabad taluka in the district, forest officials said today.


The cubs were born last night in the forest region near Nageshari village, they said.

Lions are enlisted as a Schedule-1 animal under the (Indian) Wildlife Act, whose existence is considered to be on the verge of extinction.

The Gir forest is spread in three districts of Junagadh, Amreli and Bhavnagar, and is considered to be the last abode of Asiatic lions.

According to the lion census conducted between April 24- 27 early this year, there were 411 lions in Gir forests, which included 162 females and 97 males, 77 cubs less than one-year- old and 75 cubs aged between one to three years.