Lesser Florican Silent Decline from Historical Ranges
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`50 EARTH Subscriber’sT copy VOLUMEerra 11 ISSUE 7 October 2018 reenMATTERS Lesser Florican Silent Decline from Historical Ranges SPECIAL HIGHLIGHTS Ivory Stockpiles and the Vanishing Pachyderms Pioneers Blaze Their Own Trail IN CONVERSATION Mr R C M Reddy Managing Director and CEO, IL&FS Education & Technology Services Limited TERRA YOUTH Dhole: The Whistling Hunter AN EXPLOSIVE ACCOUNT OF INDIA’S MOST DISQUIETING ENVIRONMENTAL REALITIES Just Released ISBN: 9789386530059 • Price: `295/- Written by esteemed environmental experts and prominent journalists, this riveting collection of articles dives straight into the heart of the most serious ecological problems plaguing India and tells heart-warming stories of struggle, survival, and hope For more information, please visit: http://bookstore.teri.res.in EDITORIAL India needs focussed study on the non-breeding grounds of lesser floricans thoroughly and regularly. esser florican is one of the four bustard species of India, all of which are threatened to become extinct as per the International Union for the Conservation of Nature L(IUCN) Red List of Threatened Species. Once found in abundance, the Lesser Florican (Sypheotides indicus) is in actual danger of becoming extinct from India. The rapid decline is tied to the obliteration of India’s least valued, and highly endangered ecosystem—the grassland. Generally dismissed as ‘wastelands’, grasslands have been massively diverted for infrastructure, real estate, roads, power projects, etc. This month, our cover story titled, ‘Lesser Florican: Silent Decline from Historical Ranges’ presents an ethnobiological analysis on how slowly and silently this beautiful bustard has vanished from its former historical ranges where once it was in abundance. This smallest and virtually endemic bustard of India is sliding from ‘Endangered’ to ‘Critically Endangered’ category very soon according to the latest report of the Wildlife Institute of India (WII), Dehradun, submitted in June 2018. Also, India is suffering from serious scarcity of ‘research-based conservation’ especially field researchers in grassland ecosystems and that is the reason probably that the country is amongst the top ten in the list of highest numbers of endangered and critically endangered, vulnerable, and near-threatened bird species. India needs focussed study on the non-breeding grounds of lesser floricans thoroughly and regularly. We also need to analyse data through online sites such as ebird.org to evaluate its proper population in the country for the conservation of this magnificent species of birds. The feature article this month throws light on the fact that ivory is the prime reason behind poaching of elephants and their dwindling populations. The article also talks about the measures that have been taken globally to stop elephant poaching. As far back as in the 1960s, the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES) was conceived as an international agreement between governments. Today, it accords protection to more than 35,000 species of animals and plants. The CITES programme for Monitoring the Illegal Killing of Elephants (MIKE), was established by the Conference of the Parties (CoP) to CITES at its 10th Meeting at Harare in 1997, in accordance with the provisions on trade in elephant specimens. Though several initiatives have been taken up jointly by many countries, poaching continues to remain a serious threat. However, poaching does not pose the only danger to elephant populations. In its recently released report, the Wildlife Protection Society of India (WPSI) has blamed the inadequate food, lack of veterinary facilities, and cruelty meted out to young cubs separated from their mothers for being reared for entertainment. Therefore, the solution does not lie in just shutting down the demand for ivory by educating populations. Alternative livelihood options that are just as paying are the real solutions. Demand determines supply. When there is no demand for ivory, there shall be no poaching at all. Ajay Mathur Director General, TERI 1 Editor-in-chief to our planet. It is good to read that Ajay Mathur `50 sustainability is no longer limited Editorial Board K Ramanathan EARTH to few manufacturing industries. S K Sarkar Subscriber’sT copy VOLUMEerra 11 ISSUE 6 September 2018 reenMATTERS Retail sector is also realizing the Suneel Pandey Prabir Sengupta Green importance of following eco-friendly Director, Knowledge Management Retailing practices. Global warming and Prabir Sengupta Green Consumers Leading Retailers to Sustainability reduction of green cover due to SPECIAL HIGHLIGHTS Publishing Head MAILBOX Environmental Allergy: The Causes and Some adverse manufacturing processes Anupama Jauhry Preventive Steps Monazite Mining in Odisha is fast becoming an important issue IN CONVERSATION Editorial Team Mr Arun Krishnamurthy, Abhas Mukherjee Founder of the Environmentalist Foundation of India for all nations. Taking care of the Naina Mukerji TERRA YOUTH H2O World Cleanup Day natural environment is on the mind Anushree Tiwari Sharma of everyone. 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Using it less will reduce your Tel: 0832-2459306, 2459328 of perennial rhinitis can be difficult, Email: [email protected] footprint, helps to avoid traffic jam, especially for children. Suffering from $IÀOLDWHLQVWLWXWHV and keeps your city’s air cleaner. constant breathing problems can TERI North America Anshika Chakraborty 1152 15th Street NW Suite 300 lead to fatigue, which can eventually Washington, DC 20005 Kanpur, Uttar Pradesh affect school performance, so it Email: [email protected] TERI Europe is important to limit exposure 27 Albert Grove, London SW20 8PZ, UK The cover story on green retailing to substances that aggravate Email: [email protected] published in the September 2018 environmental allergies. Overseas representation TERI Japan issue very succinctly highlights Kritika Waghmare C/o IGES that each eco-friendly idea retailers Nippon Press Centre Building (8th Floor) Aurangabad, Maharashtra 2-2-1, Uchisaiwai-cho, Chiyodi-ku adopt can make a huge difference Tokyo, Japan - 100-0011 E-mail [email protected] TERI South-East Asia Unit 503, 5th Floor Menara Mutiara Majestic PRINTED ON RECYCLED PAPER 15 Jalan Othman, Seksyen 3, 4600 Petaling Jaya, Printed, and published by Dr Ajay Mathur on behalf of The Energy and Resources Institute, Darbari Seth Block, Selagor Darul Ehsan, Malaysia IHC Complex, Lodhi Road, New Delhi – 110 003, and printed at Batra Art Press, A-41, Naraina Industrial Area, Email: [email protected] Phase II, New Delhi-28. Editor-in-chief Dr Ajay Mathur TERI Gulf Centre Flat No. 105, Dalal Building, Al Qusais, © The Energy and Resources Institute. All rights reserved. Dubai, UAE Cover Picture Courtesy: Dr G S Bhardwaj, IFS http://www.terragreen.teriin.org [email protected] TERRAGREEN OCTOBER 2018 Contents VOLUME 11 ISSUE 7 OCTOBER 2018 4 NEWS 30 SPECIAL REPORT 8 TERI ANALYSIS Pioneers Blaze Their Own Trail What After Petcoke? 34 GREEN CHALLENGES 10 ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH Emerging Mobility Options Heatwave Made ‘Twice as Likely by Climate Change’ 37 TERRA YOUTH 12 FEATURE 46 WILDLIFE Ivory Stockpiles and the A Lion Amongst the Tigers Vanishing Pachyderms 48 MANEKA SPEAKS 18 IN CONVERSATION 50 PIONEER Mr R C M Reddy, Managing Director and 53 SPECIAL FEATURE CEO, IL&FS Education & GREEN EVENTS FEATURE12 Technology Services Limited 56 22 COVER STORY Lesser Florican: Silent Decline from Historical Ranges SPECIAL 30REPORT ENVIRONMENTAL 10 RESEARCH 37 TERRA YOUTH 22 COVER STORY Cover Story Lesser Florican Silent Decline from Historical Ranges The lesser florican (Sypheotides indicus), also known as the likh or kharmore, belongs to the bustard family and is the only member of the genus Sypheotides. The lesser florican is a globally endangered bird that has lost over 90 per cent of its habitat. In this article, Dr Surya Prakash presents an ethnobiological analysis on how slowly and silently this beautiful bustard has vanished from its former historical ranges where once it was in abundance. During 1982–1989, Ravi Sankaran, the ‘Florican Man of India’ reported 60 per cent decline in their population which was alarming but in 1994 it again increased by 32 per cent to 2,206 birds but this rise was short-lived. Their population fluctuations are directly related with breeding season and rainfall patterns.