Spot-Billed Pelican: Feature Future Uncertain? Short Short V

Spot-billed Pelican: Feature Future Uncertain? Short Short V. K ANNAN & J. PANDIYAN over the world. Presently the Spot-billed pelican is classified as near-threatened, Asia. Pelicans are known for their sociability as it declined markedly from the 1960s. It and for their military regimentation. They took 27 years to declare the Brown pelican nest in colonies and usually remain in flocks as endangered. It is fortunate that timely when away from breeding grounds. They alarm was sounded for the Spot-billed forage together, and what one does they Pelican and it was declared as vulnerable all do. Pelicans fly in long lines, sometimes almost following the same reasons for its ELICANS are renowned as birds in a ‘V’ formation, sometimes in a single decline and is now down listed under near- “whose bill holds more than their file directly behind one another. Their flight threatened. Pbelly can”. Their claim to fame is as formations are perfectly spaced and their The Spot-billed pelican was widely a bird of great antiquity. Pelicans can be wing strokes are synchronized, sometimes distributed in the Indian subcontinent, but traced backed from the Oligocene beating and gliding in unison, more often is now extinct in the neighbouring countries deposits 30 to 40 million years old. They in regular succession. of Pakistan and Bangladesh. Its range is are so similar to pelicans living today that The Spot-billed pelican is a distinctive reported to have declined over most parts the ancient birds have been placed in bird, often found on and near water bodies of India. The decline of the species was the same genus, Pelecanus. such as marshes, jheels, rivers, estuaries, predicted during the early part of the 19th Greeks and Romans called them reservoirs, tanks, flooded fields, large lakes, century. In view of these alarming facts, pelicans, and so have all Europeans brackish water lagoons and tidal creeks. the Bombay Natural History Society except the Spanish and Portuguese, who They are permanent fixtures on the water undertook studies and surveys in southern call them ‘alcatraz’, which lived on the bodies of India – wheeling majestically on India during 2000 to 2003 and in 2004. The rocky island in San Francisco Bay. Strangest broad wings, and wading in the water. status of the species in southern India was of the grotesque birds in the Middle Ages, Pelicans are also known for cooperative found to be deceptive. However, the study the pelicans fed their young on their own fishing to drive the fish into the shallows. showed considerable increase in its blood. This led to identification with Christ’s Once the fish are schooled, each bird population compared to earlier estimates. suffering and to the use of the pelican to swoops its beak symbolize charity and piety in medieval and pouch back heraldry. and forth like an Spot-billed pelicans nesting at Telineelapuram (Andhra Pradesh) There are six living species of pelicans, animated dip net. two in the New World, four in the Old World. Like many Another 10 species are known as fossils. large birds, Of the four Old World species the Spot- pelicans are in a billed Pelican is found through out southern state of decline all

Foraging Spot-billed pelicans at Pulicat Lake

SCIENCE REPORTER, AUGUST 2011 56 Short Feature

Spot-billed pelican in flight At Uppalapaddu, Andhra Pradesh

The stronghold of the species is mainly in the states of Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka, Tamil Nadu and Assam. Andhra Pradesh is the most important state for the Spot-billed pelican, holding 80% of the specie’s biogeographic population (threshold of 1% level of 40 birds by Wetlands International), followed by Tamil Nadu and Karnataka. Andhra Pradesh still holds the maximum number of pelicans in India even after the disappearance of the most famous and biggest Pelicanry collectively called Kolleru Pelicanry (Aredu-Sarepalle- Kolamuru-Chilakalampada-Ganapavam Pelicanry). Presently, Andhra Pradesh has Marching Spot-billed pelican in Pulicat Lake three active pelicanries in the districts of Nellore (Nelapattu), Guntur (Uppalapaddu), and Srikakulam (Teelineelapuram). The Pulicat Lake, extending their breeding range and Pelican range is reported to have Guntur Channel, Krishna River and require better and safe breeding grounds declined over most parts of India. Naupada Swamps and Kakarapally Creek in this state. are the major foraging grounds for the The future of the Spot-billed pelican The decline of the species was pelicans breeding in Andhra Pradesh. in southern India depends solely on five predicted during the early part of In Tamil Nadu, the pelicans move or six nesting sites, either regular or locally from one water body to another occasional. Humans, who occupy a high the 19th century throughout the state. They breed only at level in the pyramid of life, ought to be two sites here: Koonthakulam (Tirunelvelli) wise enough to pay more heed to the their overall numbers, but it is too early for and Vedanthangal (Chengalpattu). fate of the pelicans and other animals complacency. If all adverse factors However, these breeding sites are high on the food chain, which is a continue, their combined impact could favoured only if good rainfall occurs. The sensitive indicator of ecological drastically reduce the number of pelicans. Tamil Nadu part of Pulicat Lake, imbalance. Direct human interference The view is not optimistic, but perhaps we Maduranthagam tank, the Kullur Sandhai is by no means the only problem. can learn early enough to avoid a tragic reservoir and the small wetlands located Pollutants in water take their toll, outcome. in the districts of Kanyakumari are their especially in the feeding grounds of major feeding grounds. pelicans. Fish ingest the pollutants that Mr I.V. Kannan is a Research Scholar working on In Karnataka, this pelican breeds in are released from the factories and the the Spot-billed pelican based at Pulicat Lake and Nelapattu, Andhra Pradesh and has earlier worked two areas – the well-known Kokkare-Bellur pesticide residues washed into the with the Bombay Natural History Society, Mumbai. colony at Mandya and the new Karanji wetlands during rains. The pelicans eat Dr. J. Pandiyan is Assistant Professor, AVC College Pelicanry in Mysore. Besides, the birds, the fish, with their accumulated load of (Autonomous), Mannampandal-609305, probably due to a park where tourists and contaminants. Mayiladuthurai, Tamil Nadu. Address: V. Kannan, other visitors could have caused A study showed an increase in PG Research Department of Zoology & Wildlife disturbance, abandoned other places like population from 2850 to 3700 birds during Biology, AVC College (Autonomous), Kukkrahalli also used for breeding around 2002-2003 and 2004, which can vary from Mannampandal-609305, Mayiladuthurai, Tamil 1995. This shows that the pelicans are year to year. The birds may be maintaining Nadu. Email: [email protected] 57 SCIENCE REPORTER, AUGUST 2011