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Plant Derived Edible Vaccines New Horizons in Biotechnology [Review Article] DWINDLING STATUS OF RAREST BIRD JERDON’S COURSER (Rhinoptilus bitorquatus) OF ANDHRA PRADESH AND ITS CONSERVATION Mohammed Ghouse S*1, Meer Althaf Ahmed2 and Shaik Abdul Muneer3 1 Department of Zoology, Osmania College, Kurnool. A.P, INDIA 2 Department of Chemistry, Osmania College, Kurnool. A.P, INDIA 3 Department of Chemistry, Osmania College, Kurnool. A.P, INDIA *Correspondence : [email protected] Cite this article as: Mohammed Ghouse S, Meer Althaf Ahmed and Shaik Abdul Muneer (2015). Dwindling status of rarest bird Jerdon‟s courser (Rhinoptilus bitorquatus) of Andhra Pradesh and its conservation. In: New Horizons in Biotechnology. (Eds. Viswanath B and Indravathi G) Paramount Publishing House, India, pp. 308-311. Jerdon’s Courser (Rhinoptilus bitorquatus) is a nocturnal cursorial bird found only in the State of Andhra Pradesh, India. It is one of the world’s rarest bird species and is classified as Critically Endangered (CR) by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN). The species was believed to be extinct until it was rediscovered in 1986 near Reddipalli village, Cuddapah District of Andhra Pradesh, India. The site where it was rediscovered was designated as the Sri Lankamaleswara Wildlife Sanctuary. Since 2000, research on the Jerdon’s Courser and its habitat has been conducted by Bombay Natural History Society (BNHS) along with Royal Society for the Protection of Birds (RSPB) and the Universities of Reading and Cambridge, supported by the Darwin Initiative and the Andhra Pradesh Forest Department (APFD). There has been considerable progress in developing the standard survey techniques to detect their presence and describe the broad habitat requirements. However, there is a clear need for more research to procure baseline information on the species mainly through radio telemetry studies that is vital to its survival. In addition, the species is under great pressure from unsustainable development and management practices. This combination of a lack of information on the Jerdon’s Courser, coupled with increasing pressure on its habitat, has prompted stakeholders to devise a Species Recovery Plan (SRP). The main purpose of the SRP is to secure the long-term survival of the Jerdon’s Courser. The SRP advocates a multi-pronged approach that includes elements of research, monitoring, advocacy, conservation education, habitat management & training and funding. It clearly outlines responsibilities and timeframes to facilitate regular monitoring and evaluation. This paper focuses on the participation of inputs from a wide range of stakeholders including the government, NGOs, national and international scientists and civil society. It is therefore a very inclusive and realistic document. This SRP will serve as a reference for conservation managers, policy-makers, researchers, decision-makers and form the basis of future conservation actions. Keywords: Jerdon‟s Courser; Future conservation; Nature; Ecology INTRODUCTION: Taxonomy The study of birds in India received a great impetus with Taxonomy Jerdon's Courser is the member of the order publication of Jerdon‟s (1862-1864) (1) „Birds of India‟ and Charadriiformes. It belongs to the family Glareolidae and later on by work of Baker (2); Jerdon‟s Courser. Rhinoptilus further classified into Subfamily Cursoriinae (7). bitorquatus is a nocturnal cursorial bird and one of the world‟s rarest birds found only in Andhra Pradesh, India. Jerdon‟s Courser was believed to be extinct because none was recorded after 1900 until the species was rediscovered in 1986 near Reddipalli village, Cuddapah District of Andhra Pradesh, India (3). The site where it was rediscovered was designated as the Sri Lankamaleswara Wildlife Sanctuary. Indian Courser has been described as one of the attractive birds of India. The species has been also mentioned in the cultural notes because of its behavior (4). Pande et al., (2003) has given description of behavior of the species as if the species is pursued it runs, stops and surveys. Mostly it is found in arid and semiarid areas (5). This species mostly found in India, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Nepal and Sri Lanka. It is one of the world‟s rarest bird species and is classified as Critically Endangered (CR) by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (6). This poorly known species qualifies as Critically Endangered as a result of its single, small, declining population, which is threatened by the exploitation of scrub- The subfamily Cursoriinae consists of birds of two distinct forest, livestock grazing, disturbance and quarrying. types: genus Pluvianus and true coursers. Eight species of true coursers are present around the world in three genera: genus 308 New Horizons in Biotechnology Cursorius, genus Smutsornis and genus Rhinoptilus. In India, (mainly Acacia, Ziziphus and Carissa) and non-thorny scrub two species of Cursorius courser occur, the Cream-coloured (mainly Cassia, Hardwickia, Dalbergia, Butea and courser Cursorius cursor and Indian Courser C. Anogeissus) jungle . This scrub was generally 2–4 m tall with coromandelicus; and a single species of Rhinoptilus courser, Hardwickia around and above 5 m tall . The preferred habitat Jerdon's Courser Rhinoptilus bitorquatus (8). Jerdon‟s courser was apparently a “thin strip” of scrub forests between denser is one of three species in the genus Rhinoptilus, with the other forests and grazed or cultivated areas (13). Over the day birds two species occurring in Africa (Three-banded Courser rest up amongst thorn scrub bushes such as Carissa. Sightings Rhinoptilus cinctus and Bronze-winged Courser R. in 1994/1995 in Sri Lankamaleshwara Wildlife Sanctuary chalcopterus) (7) were close to small water bodies in undulating grasslands with Identification thin thorny scrub (15). Food Details are not known; it is 27 cm. Unmistakable, compact courser with two brown presumably insectivorous like its congeners. Breeding Birds breast-bands., has shortish, black-tipped yellow bill, mostly obtained in March and May were not breeding, but a male blackish crown, broad buffish supercilium and orange- collected in June had enlarged gonads and may have been chestnut throat patch. In flight, shows mostly black tail and breeding (2) The distribution of Jerdon‟s Courser Rhinoptilus white patch near tips of black primaries. bitorquatus: (1) Sironcha; (2) Bhadrachalam; (3) Udayagiri Distribution and population hill range; (4) Anantapur; (5) Lankamalai; (6) Cuddapah; (7) Rhinoptilus bitorquatus is a rare and local endemic to the Veliconda Wildlife Sanctuary; (8) Reddipalle. Historical (pre- Eastern Ghats of Andhra Pradesh and extreme southern 1950) Recent (1980–present) B A Y O F B E N G A L Madhya Pradesh, India (9). Historically, it was known from Rhinoptilus bitorquatus1456 Threatened birds of Asia just a few records in the Pennar and Godavari river valleys and repeated by Baker (1922–1930) and Ali and Ripley (1968– was assumed to be extinct until its rediscovery around 1998) involving a clutch of two yellow eggs laid on the Lankamalai in 1986. It has since been found at six further ground in thin scrub jungle; recent local reports also suggest localities in the vicinity of the Lankamalai, Velikonda and that the clutch consists of two yellow eggs laid on stony open Palakonda hill-ranges, southern Andhra Pradesh, with all ground .Migration Local movements, if any, are not known. localities probably holding birds from a single population, the However, trappers in Sri Lankamaleshwara Wildlife Sanctuary majority of which are contained within the Sri have reported that the species inhabits hills during the Lankamaleswara Wildlife Sanctuary. Two individuals were monsoon, and foothills for the rest of the year (15). sighted in 2009 in the Cudaapah District of Andhra Pradesh, Threats the first confirmed sightings for several years (10). Up to 60 It is difficult to identify specific threats, although it is well camera traps have been deployed since 2010, but these had not known that the habitat is becoming increasingly scarce and detected any birds by 2012 (11). DNA analysis of an egg held fragmented. Following the construction of the Somasilla Dam, at the University of Aberdeen‟s Zoology Museum in 2013 57 villages were displaced and relocated within the showed that it was the first known egg of this species; the egg Lankamalai, Palgonda and Seshachellam areas, which were is thought to have been taken in the vicinity of the Kolar Gold previously inaccessible. The dependence of the settlers on the Fields, east of Bangalore, in 1917 (12). This is south of the area for resources may pose a serious threat to habitat through known range and raises the faint possibility that the species fuel wood collection and livestock grazing, and to the birds may still persist in the area. themselves through increased disturbance. In addition, Population justification extensive quarrying of the hills in the area was found to be The population at known sites numbers at least eight destroying the habitat. (13). Current Threats Scrub jungle individuals, but unsurveyed habitat may support "hundreds" . clearance for farming and plantations and development It is placed in the band 50-249 mature individuals, equating to projects in and around the protected areas are the main and 75-374 individuals in total, rounded here to 70-400 best documented threats to the Jerdon‟s courser. Other, less individuals. Very few individuals have been recorded so far, well documented, threats include illegal
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