CMYK MONITORING FOR CONSERVATION Status survey and sighting records of Lesser Florican in Maharashtra Raju Kasambe* and Prashant Gahale# he Lesser Florican Sypheotides Tindicus breeds in India in Gujarat, south-east Rajasthan, north-west Maharashtra and western Madhya Pradesh, with some dispersal to south- east India in the non-breeding season. It is a rare summer visitor to the terai of Nepal. Formerly widespread and common, it has been declining since at least 50-60 years. From 1982-1989, its population declined by nearly 60%. However, by 1994, it had increased by 32% to 2,206 birds. These population fluctuations are directly correlated with breeding season rainfall patterns. They indicate that it is susceptible to extinction in the event of severe, prolonged drought (Birdlife, 2010). It is listed in endangered category (EN) in the IUCN Red List as evaluated by BirdLife International - the official Red List Authority for birds for IUCN. The Map showing old and new records of Lesser Florican in Maharashtra main breeding areas of Lesser Florican in Maharashtra were apparently in the occurs near Geru and Matargaon Florican male is known as ‘Khalchida’ districts of Nashik, Ahmednagar and villages in Buldhana districts. One Mr. and the female is known as Sholapur (Islam and Rahmani, 2002). Not Himmat Pawar belonging to Pardhi “Bhandewdi”. On this day, this team much information is available about the community informed the officers that succeeded in taking photographs of the recent status of Lesser Florican. Hereby he had seen a Lesser Florican hen near florican and even took video shooting. we summarise the sighting records data the farm of Mr. Sanjay Dhotre who was On 17th November 1998, an injured and findings of the surveys. The survey the honorary wildlife warden of Akola Lesser Florican female was found by conducted in 1999 did not include district. This particular farm is located Mr. Himmat Pawar. Mr. Vijay Kulkarni Maharashtra (Sankaran, 2000). between two villages Sisa and Masa and Sandeep Agrawal of the Pakshi henceforth mentioned as Sisa-Masa. Mitra Sanghatna rushed to Sisa-Masa Sighting records in Akola district, On 27th September 1998, Mr. Himmat village and took possession of the 1998: Pawar led a team of foresters of the injured florican. Mr. Deepak Joshi, The officials of the Forest Wildlife Wing of the Forest Deparment District President of Pakshi Mitra Department were searching the to the Sisa-Masa area. A Lesser Florican Sanghatna, in turn rushed the florican endangered Lesser Florican during 1996 was sighted in the grasslands (called to the hospital of Dr. Sadhna Lote and 1997 in Akola and Buldhana ‘shivar’ locally) near Sisa-Masa villages (Human Gynaecologist). The intestine districts of Vidarbha. Relying on the in Akola district of Maharashtra. On of the florican had come out and it was information gathered from senior 3rd October 1998, the same team seriously injured by some unknown knowledgeable locals, the forest revisited the ‘shivar’ with Himmat reasons. The bird was treated and given officers believed that the florican Pawar. In Pardhi dialect the Lesser five stitches. It was rested at the doctor’s MISTNET Vol. 11 No. 2 April-June 2010 7 CMYK MONITORING FOR CONSERVATION residence. The next day, on 18th Sighting record in Yavatmal district, The first author tried to learn the November, 2009, the florican was 1982 dialect of the Pardhi community and released in the Sisa-Masa area in In February, 1982, one fine morning collected the names of 91 species of presence of Mrs. Shomita Samirkumar a Pardhi, namely, Mr. Ramdas birds in the Pardhi dialect (Kasambe, Biswas, Deputy Conservator of Sarapsingh Pawar arrived at the 2007). Because of this knowledge gained Forests, Mr. Deepak Joshi, Mr. residence of Mr. Maruti Chitampalli by the first author, the Pardhis co- Koustubh Pandharipande and Mr. Nitin who was a forest officer at that time. operated him and provided information Paranjape, both members of Vidarbha Mr. Pawar had brought a Lesser about the birds and other fauna in Nature and Science Centre, Nagpur. Florican with him. Coincidentally, the general. He conducted the survey ‘Vidarbha Pakshimitra Sameelan’ during 1999 to 2004. Recent sighting record in Akola (Gathering of bird lovers of Vidarbha) district, 2010 was going on in Nagpur city at that Results of the survey On 29th April 2010 morning, the second time. This florican was displayed to all Both the surveys indicated that the author, Prashant visited Borgaon Manju the bird lovers during the ‘sammelan’ Pardhis know the Lesser Florican very dam area (20° 43' 0" N and 77°09' 0" E) (gathering). This proved to be the most well. Also many of them have seen it in along with his birder friend Vijay Khawale. authentic record of the existence of the Akola, Washim, Yavatmal, Amravati, The dam is approximately 25km east of rare bird in Vidarbha. The bird was Wardha and Buldhana districts of Akola city. This dam is locally called ringed and released to the grasslands Vidarbha. They hunt the Lesser Machchhi Talao. Approximately near Ganeshpur beda in Yavatmal Florican and sell it for money. They are 500meteres away from the dam, there is a district. familiar with the display of the male and good patch of grassland. vividly describe it. At around 0920hrs Prashant saw a Sighting record in Kolhapur district, hen like bird in grass on roadside. As 2002 Threats: he tried to take a photograph of the One Mr. Balu Dhondiba Shinde 1. The biggest threat to the Lesser bird, a speeding motorcycle arrived residing in a small village called Ambap Florican in these districts is the from the opposite direction thus found a female Lesser Florican on 30th members of the Pardhi community. disturbing the bird. The bird took a October 2002 (pers. com. to Mr Sanjay Because, otherwise nobody else flight and landed far off. The second Karkare). He informed about this can trace the bird which is so rare. unusual bird to many people, including That also means, only Pardhis can Dr. Sandeep Labde, who informed the save the Lesser Florican. press about the finding of the Lesser 2. The second threat is conversion Florican. Dr. Labde kept the bird in his of grasslands into agriculture. In clinic for some time. He suspected that Vidarbha some good grasslands the bird had hit an electric wire and got are encroached by many farmers injured. This small village ‘Ambap’ including some by the members of is 20km off the Pune-Bengaluru the Pardhi community for agriculture. The legal cases are Prashant Gahale highway. A Lesser Florican female sighted in pending in various courts in the Akola district Survey for Lesser Florican in Vidarbha name of ‘jabran jot’. A survey for Lesser Florican and author could take a picture of the bird about the hunting practices among the For the conservation of Lesser in flight. The photograph is reproduced Pardhi community in Vidarbha was Florican we suggest: here. The photograph clearly shows a conducted by famous ornithologist of 1. Involvement of the Pardhi hen like appearance, sandy colour of Maharashtra, Mr. Maruti Chitampalli community in the conservation of the wings, heavily marked wing coverts (pers.com.) during September-October, Lesser Florican. and the buff background colouration 1981. 2. Provide other means of sustenance of the barred flight feathers. These Another survey of the hunting to the community as many members indicated the bird to be a female Lesser practices of the Pardhi community was of the community still rely on Florican. The identification was conducted by the first author in poaching of birds and wildlife and confirmed by Dr. Asad Rahmani, Vidarbha and some of the areas other illegal means for their livelihood. Director, Bombay Natural History overlapped with the previous survey 3. The community needs better Society. conducted by Mr. Chitampalli. educational facilities for their 8 MISTNET Vol. 11 No. 2 April-June 2010 CMYK MONITORING FOR CONSERVATION children and better treatment by the Chitampalli and Mr. Sanjay Karkare *Corresponding author: government officials and awareness for providing valuable information. Bombay Natural History Society, about the laws and opportunities to We thank Vijay Khawale, Nandkishor Shaheed Bhagat Sigh Road, them. Dudhe, Kedar Pawgi, Shailendra Mumbai, Maharashtra. PIN-400001 4. A status survey of the Lesser Florican Chaudhary and other birder friends # Sound World in Maharashtra is needed to estimate for accompanying us during the survey. Near Ratanlal Plot Chowk, the population and threats. Thanks to Noor I. Khan for his help Ratan Plot Road, Akola, Acknowledgements in getting references and Sagar Maharashtra. PIN-444004 We wish to thank Mr. Maruti Satpute for his help in preparing the Mobile No. 09823073129 map. References Birdlife (2010): http://www.birdlife.org/datazone/species/index.html?action=SpcHTMDetails.asp&sid=2783 as accessed on22nd June 2010. Islam, M. Z. and Rahmani, A.R. (2002): Threatened Birds of India. Buceros. Vol.7 (1&2): 24-25. Kasambe R., (2005): Poaching of Vultures by Pardhis of Vidarbha. Newsletter for Birdwatchers: Vol.45 (3): 42-43. Kasambe, R. (2007): Names of birds in Pardhi dialect of Maharashtra. Newsletter for Birdwatchers: 47(2): 28-29. Sankaran, R. (2000): The status of the Lesser Florican Sypheotides indica in 1999. SACON and BNHS. PP.1-18. IBCN Small Grant Programme In most recent years, the Royal Society for the Protection of Birds (RSPB) sets aside a fund that is available for research and conservation work connected with Asian birds. Grants awarded are typically between £500 and £1,000. Small Grants may be for complete funding or a contribution to a larger project and are given to organisations and occasionally to individuals. These funds were channelised through BNHS and were awarded to the IBCN members.