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Wetlands News Monitor September - October 2015 TRENDING TOPICS IN THIS ISSUE: 1. Reports on Wetland Birds 2. News on Marine Ecosystem 3. Information on Turtle and Tortoises 4. Reports on Dolphins 5. News Brief on Climate Change 6. Measures against Lake Encroachers 7. Recreation Activities 8. News on Wetland Pollution 9. General Reports on Wetland News brief on Wetland Birds, Turtle and Tortoises, Dolphins, Climate Change, Lake encroachers, Recreation Activities, Wetland Pollution WNM Compiled by: Dr. B. Hemambika, Ms. A. Julffia Begam and Dr. Goldin Quadros ENVIS Centre, Sálim Ali Centre for Ornithology and Natural History, Anaikatty P.O., Coimbatore – 641108, India Reports on Wetland Birds Hunting of wetland birds including migratory species is rampant in many parts of the State. Hunting, killing or collecting wildlife are typically punishable. Kovalam Creek, Buckingham Canal near Navalur, and Madambakkam Lake on East Coast Road and Old Mahabalipuram Road that attract a variety of local migratory birds have been poaching grounds. Poaching is no longer a clandestine activity that takes place in forests; it is rampant in the city and on the outskirts. Egrets, ibises, herons, storks, plovers, stilts and sandpipers are often the targets. Poachers of these birds do not carry any weapon. All they have is a net, a dead bird as bait, gunny bag and a motorcycle. Migratory birds are stuffed away in the hundreds in gunny bags to little-known eateries that serve a silent clientele. Most of these incidents go unreported; a few are, like a recent case in which Kancheepuram foresters arrested five people who were trapping plovers in Buckingham Canal near Navalur. The case also demolished the old theory that narikurava gypsies were the sole villains. Those arrested recently were residents of Karappakkam village on Old Mahabalipuram Road. Foresters reported that these poachers are specialized in trapping birds. There are others, including narikuravas, who hunt black-naped hares and monitor lizards in other parts of the state. Naturalists say the poaching shows demand for illegal bird meat has been on the rise. While narikuravas are hunter gatherers by tradition and others too are poaching birds is a matter of concern. Nalsarovar low level water draws birds in Ahmedabad. Inadequate rains may have brought bad news to farmers, but for the bird lovers it is good news. The low water level in Nalsarovar Lake, the only Ramsar site in the state, has started attracting the birds. The forest officials expect the arrival of migratory birds from mid October. The water level in the lake was about four feet which was conducive for the migratory birds. The catchment area of the lake in Surnedranagar district has only received 413 mm against the annual rainfall of 556 mm. Similarly, Sanand Taluka in Ahmedabad has received 550 mm against the average rainfall of 759 mm. Another reason for the low water level in the lake was that the water released from Narmada canal in Viramgam canal had been completely utilized by the farmers and no excess water was flowing in the lake. Deputy conservator of forest, Nalsarovar Bird Sanctuary, RG Prajapati stated that the water level in the lake is just four feet which is 1.5 feet less than the level which is usually noticed in September. The water level further recedes and brings in salinity. The WNM Compiled by: Dr. B. Hemambika, Ms. A. Julffia Begam and Dr. Goldin Quadros ENVIS Centre, Sálim Ali Centre for Ornithology and Natural History, Anaikatty P.O., Coimbatore – 641108, India more salinity in water draws more birds. At least three to four species including cranes have started arriving. The lake was expected to have more birds in the last week of October. The bird species that have arrived in Nalsarovar include cranes, garganey, coots and Indian skimmer. Skimmers in Nalsarovar have come after a long time. A senior official who was earlier associated with the lake management reported that for the past three to four years, it was noticed that the water level even in November-December was over five feet which was not conducive for the birds. As a result, the birds used to fly to the nearby village ponds. The high water level in the lake was only because the farmers during the monsoon did not take the Narmada water from the Viramgam canal and the canal water used to overflow into the lake. He said that for the past four years, the migratory birds arrived only in December end or the first week of January. However, this year the birds settle in Nalsarovar as soon as they arrive in the state. As a part of wildlife week celebrations Ambazari bird race was jointly organized by the forest department and Bombay Natural History Society (BNHS). Assistant director of BNHS Sanjay Karkare informed that seven teams with 25 members fanned out around Ambazari Lake to record the bird species. The race was flagged off by additional Principal Chief Conservator of Forest (PCCF) for CAMPA SH Patil. Chief conservator of forest TSK Reddy was also present. More than 60 bird species including, Indian nightjar, paradise flycatcher, leaf-bird, state bird green pigeon, oriental honey buzzard were sighted by the watchers during the five-hour long. Rare Oriental Darter bird spotted by Thane environmentalist at Bhandup pumping station has swept a wave of relief over environmentalists in and around the city. As the number of Oriental Darters or snakebirds, a near-threatened species of migratory birds, has been declining over the years because of the increasing pollution levels, this sighting comes as a ray of hope for the eco-system here say green activists. Kishor Dudhe, a research analyst at the Bombay Natural History Society (BNHS) reported that the Oriental Darter bird species are water birds distributed along the coastal wetlands. They thrive in clean and unpolluted water where there is plenty of fish, as they are a majorly fish eating species. He added that over the years, the high level of pollution in water bodies has made the visibility under water low as well as affected the quantity of fish, thus affecting the birds that feed on them. That is why the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) has put the Oriental Darter species in the near threatened WNM Compiled by: Dr. B. Hemambika, Ms. A. Julffia Begam and Dr. Goldin Quadros ENVIS Centre, Sálim Ali Centre for Ornithology and Natural History, Anaikatty P.O., Coimbatore – 641108, India category. This rare bird was spotted by Avinash Bhagat, a member of Thane based Paryavaran Dakshata Manch who recently co-authored a book on the birds of Thane creek, along with a group of 35 students of Thane's Lokpuram School during a nature trail at Bhandup pumping. Rare Oriental Darter bird spotted at Thane Source: The Times of India Dt.: October 14, 2015 The International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) has added seven species of birds found in India to the red list of threatened birds. Globally 70 birds have moved to the danger zone. In India, the number of threatened species of birds has gone up from 173 to 180. Steppe eagle, a raptor from grasslands and a regular winter visitor to India, has been reclassified from 'least concerned' to 'endangered.' One species - European roller - has been taken off the red list. Birds are considered one of the important indicators of the state of the environment. As per the level of threat, species move up the line of categories from 'least concerned', 'near threatened', 'vulnerable', 'endangered', 'critically endangered' and 'extinct in wild'. Among the seven species added to the list this year, five have moved up from 'least concerned' to 'near threatened'. These include northern lapwing, a grassland bird, and four wetland birds-red knot, curlew sandpiper, Eurasian oystercatcher and bar-tailed godwit. Turns here two other wetland birds-horned grebe and common pochard have been upgraded from 'least concerned to vulnerable.' Bombay Natural History Society director Deepak Apte reported that the list of threatened species keeps on increasing with every assessment. This shows that conservation of species is not adequate. Some of the neglected habitats should be designated as protected areas or WNM Compiled by: Dr. B. Hemambika, Ms. A. Julffia Begam and Dr. Goldin Quadros ENVIS Centre, Sálim Ali Centre for Ornithology and Natural History, Anaikatty P.O., Coimbatore – 641108, India ecologically sensitive sites. Ornithologists say habitat loss pose the main threat to birds. Grasslands, wetlands and forests are getting destroyed at an alarming rate. Red knot, usually found in coastal areas, mudflats and sandy beaches, is facing threats due to destruction of coastal ecosystems, land reclamation, pollution and over-exploitation of its main prey shellfish, besides poaching. Great knot is threatened by degradation and loss of wetland habitat. Another wetland bird - curlew sandpiper - is under threat due to marshland alteration by commercial salt work, diminishing rainfall and hunting, particularly along the south-east coast of India near Point Calimere. Apart from the loss of grassland habitat, use of veterinary diclofenac has been found to affect steppe eagle which scavenges on animal carcasses. Worldwide, 40 more bird species have been included in the red list. These include many wading shore birds, six of 11 vulture species in Africa, and species like Atlantic puffin, European turtle-dove and helmeted hornbill. On a positive note, 23 species have been re-classified to lower threat categories. Source: http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/home/environment/flora-fauna/Migratory-birds-sitting-ducks-

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