PLATINUM The Journal of Threatened Taxa (JoTT) is dedicated to building evidence for conservaton globally by publishing peer-reviewed artcles online OPEN ACCESS every month at a reasonably rapid rate at www.threatenedtaxa.org. All artcles published in JoTT are registered under Creatve Commons Atributon 4.0 Internatonal License unless otherwise mentoned. JoTT allows allows unrestricted use, reproducton, and distributon of artcles in any medium by providing adequate credit to the author(s) and the source of publicaton.
Journal of Threatened Taxa Building evidence for conservaton globally www.threatenedtaxa.org ISSN 0974-7907 (Online) | ISSN 0974-7893 (Print) Communication The status of waterbird populations of Chhaya Rann Wetland Complex in Porbandar, Gujarat, India
Dhavalkumar Vargiya & Anita Chakraborty
26 August 2019 | Vol. 11 | No. 10 | Pages: 14268–14278 DOI: 10.11609/jot.3466.11.10.14268-14278
For Focus, Scope, Aims, Policies, and Guidelines visit htps://threatenedtaxa.org/index.php/JoTT/about/editorialPolicies#custom-0 For Artcle Submission Guidelines, visit htps://threatenedtaxa.org/index.php/JoTT/about/submissions#onlineSubmissions For Policies against Scientfc Misconduct, visit htps://threatenedtaxa.org/index.php/JoTT/about/editorialPolicies#custom-2 For reprints, contact
The opinions expressed by the authors do not refect the views of the Journal of Threatened Taxa, Wildlife Informaton Liaison Development Society, Zoo Outreach Organizaton, or any of the partners. The journal, the publisher, the host, and the part- Publisher & Host ners are not responsible for the accuracy of the politcal boundaries shown in the maps by the authors.
Partner Member
Threatened Taxa Journal of Threatened Taxa | www.threatenedtaxa.org | 26 August 2019 | 11(10): 14268–14278
The status of waterbird populations of Chhaya Rann Wetland
Communication Complex in Porbandar, Gujarat, India
ISSN 0974-7907 (Online) Dhavalkumar Vargiya 1 & Anita Chakraborty 2 ISSN 0974-7893 (Print) PLATINUM 1 School of Pharmacy, RK University, Rajkot-Bhavnagar Highway, Kasturbadham, Rajkot, Gujarat 360020, India. 2 Department of Botany, SSLNT Mahila Mahavidyalay, BBMK University, Dhanbad, Jharkhand 826001, India. OPEN ACCESS 1 [email protected] (corresponding author), 2 [email protected]
Gujarati: હાલની તપાસ ભારત દેશના પિ8ચમ રા;ય ગુજરાતના પોરબંદર શહેરમાં આવેલા છાયા રણ વેટલેHડ કોKLલેMસમાં પNીઓની િવિવધતાનો અRયાસ કરવા માટે હાથ ધરવામાં આવી હતી. વષV Abstract: The present investgaton was undertaken to study the diversity of wetland birds in Chhaya Rann (Gujarat: Deserted land) ૨૦૧૬અને ૨૦૧૫માં અનુ\મે ૩૫૭૪૭ અને ૨૦૯૮૧ની અનુમાિનત ગણતરી સાથે અહbથી જલLલાિવત Nેcના પNીઓના ૨૧ કુટુંબોની ૭૦ deિતઓ લગભગ નfધાયેલી છે. એનાટીડે અને hકોલોપેિસડે wetland complex, situated in the urban setng of Porbandar City, in the western state of Gujarat, India. Almost 70 species belonging એ eિતઓ વધુ સંiયા (dkયેકની ૧૧ deિતઓ) રજૂ કરે છે, kયારબાદ આડnઇડે (આઠ deિતઓ) અને લાqરડે (સાત deિતઓ) આવે છે. વેટલેHડ કોKLલેMસ એક આઇયુસીએન રેડ િલhટેડ વલનરેબલ deિત to 21 families of wetland birds have been reported from here with an estmated count of 35,747 and 20,981 in the year 2016 and 2015 , , , , , , respectvely.રાખોડી કરચીયા છ Anatdaeિનયર sેટંડ deિતઓ and Scolopacidae (નાનો હંજ સપV tીવા representચોટીલી પેણ theકાળી higher કાકણસર numberઅને કvચી ofપૂંછ speciesવા-બગલી) (11અને each)૬૩ િલhટ followed કHસનV deિતઓને by Ardeidae આશરો આપે (eight છે. રામસર species) કHવેશન andહેઠળ Laridaeઆંતરરાxીય (seven મહkવના species). જલLલાિવત NેcThe તરીકેની wetland સૂિચ માટે complex છાયા વેટલેHડ supports, ૫ અને ૬ one \માંકના IUCN માપદંડને Red પૂણV Listed કરે છે. Vulnerable species (Common Pochard Aythya ferina), six Near Threatened species (Lesser Flamingo Phoeniconaias minor, Oriental Darter Anhinga melanogaster, Dalmatan Pelican Pelecanus crispus,
Black-headed Ibis Threskiornis melanocephalus, Black-tailed Godwit Limosa limosa and River Tern Sterna auranta), and 63 Least Concern species. The wetland meets the Criteria 5 and 6 for listng as a wetland of internatonal importance under the Ramsar Conventon.
Keywords: Asian Waterbird Census, Gosabara-Mokarsagar Wetland Complex, Gujarat, IUCN Red List, Porbandar, wetland birds.
Gujarati: હાલની તપાસ ભારત દેશના પિ8ચમ રા;ય ગુજરાતના પોરબંદર શહેરમાં આવેલા છાયા રણ વેટલેHડ કોKLલેMસમાં પNીઓની િવિવધતાનો અRયાસ કરવા માટે હાથ ધરવામાં આવી હતી. વષV ૨૦૧૬અને ૨૦૧૫માં અનુ\મે ૩૫૭૪૭ અને ૨૦૯૮૧ની અનુમાિનત ગણતરી સાથે અહbથી જલLલાિવત Nેcના પNીઓના ૨૧ કુટુંબોની ૭૦ deિતઓ લગભગ નfધાયેલી છે. એનાટીડે અને hકોલોપેિસડે એ eિતઓ વધુ સંiયા (dkયેકની ૧૧ deિતઓ) રજૂ કરે છે, kયારબાદ આડnઇડે (આઠ deિતઓ) અને લાqરડે (સાત deિતઓ) આવે છે. વેટલેHડ કોKLલેMસ એક આઇયુસીએન રેડ િલhટેડ વલનરેબલ deિત રાખોડી કરચીયા, છ િનયર sેટંડ deિતઓ (નાનો હંજ, સપV tીવા, ચોટીલી પેણ, કાળી કાકણસર, અને કvચી પૂંછ વા-બગલી), અને ૬૩ િલhટ કHસનV deિતઓને આશરો આપે છે. રામસર કHવેશન હેઠળ આંતરરાxીય મહkવના જલLલાિવત Nેc તરીકેની સૂિચ માટે છાયા વેટલેHડ, ૫ અને ૬ \માંકના માપદંડને પૂણV કરે છે.
DOI: htps://doi.org/10.11609/jot.3466.11.10.14268-14278 | ZooBank: urn:lsid:zoobank.org:pub:022B2518-CD19-40D1-97CA-BAA0F19223D5
Editor: Taej Mundkur, Wetlands Internatonal, Wageningen, The Netherlands. Date of publicaton: 26 August 2019 (online & print)
Manuscript details: #3466 | Received 13 September 2018 | Final received 29 June 2019 | Finally accepted 15 July 2019
Citaton: Vargiya, D. & A. Chakraborty (2019). The status of waterbird populatons of Chhaya Rann Wetland Complex in Porbandar, Gujarat, India. Journal of Threat- ened Taxa 11(10): 14268–14278. htps://doi.org/10.11609/jot.3466.11.10.14268-14278
Copyright: © Vargiya & Chakraborty 2019. Creatve Commons Atributon 4.0 Internatonal License. JoTT allows unrestricted use, reproducton, and distributon of this artcle in any medium by adequate credit to the author(s) and the source of publicaton.
Funding: Field work was self funded by Dhavalkumar Varagiya.
Competng interests: The authors declare no competng interests.
Author details: Dhavalkumar Vargiya is working for Porbandar wetlands since last fve years. Through Mokarsagar Wetland Conservaton Commitee, he tries to push agencies to protect Porbandar wetlands especially Mokarsagar. He is also studying courtship behaviour of famingos in non-breeding areas. He is doing his PhD on pestcide toxicity evaluaton in Porbandar wetlands. Dr. Anita Chakraborty has worked with Wetland Internatonal-South Asia as an Technical adviser. She has visited many important wetlands and Ramsar sites of India. She later worked as Senior Technical Ofcer, Centre for Environmental Management and Partcipatory Development, West Bengal. Currently she is working as Assistant Professor, Department of Botany, SSLNT Mahila Mahavidlaya, Luby Circular Road, Dhanbad, Jharkhand.
Author contributon: DV—feld work, data collecton and correspondence with publisher. AC—prepared frst draf and provided inputs as and when required.
Acknowledgements: Acknowledgements: We thank Mr. Lalit Parmar, then DCF, Porbandar Forest Division- Porbandar for contnuous support, encouragement and partcipaton. We are very grateful to Ashraf Ali, Chirag Tank, Dr. Kamlesh Mehta, Jagdish Thanki, Jaydeep Katbamna, Jaypalsinh Jadeja, Kamlesh Kotecha, Karan Karavadra, Mahendra Modi, Nayan Thanki , Nitn Makvana, Paresh Pitroda, Punit Kariya, IG Rajesh Makwana, Vikrantsinh Zala, and Vivek Bhat who joined us in the Asian Waterbird Census 2015. Our sincere thanks to Dr. Taej Mundkur, Wetlands Internatonal for technical support and the founding members of Mokarsagar Wetland Conservaton Commitee, Mr. Kishor Joshi and Mr. Bhaskar Thankey as well as Dr. Bhavbhut Parasharya, Gujarat State AWC co-ordinator, for assistng in planning the annual AWC actvites. The authors are indebted to Dr. Ritesh Kumar, Conservaton Programme Manager, Wetlands Internatonal South Asia, New Delhi for his valuable advice in drafing the artcle. The authors express their grattude to Mr. Kishore Joshi Co–founder, Mokarsagar Wetland Conservaton Commitee. The authors are also thankful to Vikrant Rana, Aditya Gajjar, Paresh Pitroda, Chirag Tank, Vivek Bhat, and Nilesh Makwana for volunteering during the waterbird censuses.
14268 Waterbird populatons of Chhaya Rann Wetland Complex Vargiya & Chakraborty
INTRODUCTION STUDY AREA
Wetlands are the most precious life sustaining water Porbandar is a coastal district of Gujarat and covers resource of this planet. Some of the vital functons are an area of 2,294km2. It lies in a semi-arid climatc zone surface water storage, groundwater recharge, storm with average daily temperatures ranging 21.6–40.4°C, water retenton, food control, shoreline stabilizaton, with maximum temperatures being recorded from erosion control, and retenton of carbon, nutrients, May to June and minimum from December to January. sediments, and pollutants. Apart from these wetlands The average rainfall in Porbandar is 629mm, mainly are the repository of rich fora and fauna, however, these during July–September. A total of 226 wetlands are complex ecosystems only consttute 4% of the earth’s mapped in the district by the Indian Space and Research ice-free land surface (Panigrahy et al. 2012). Organizaton, including 95 small wetlands (< 2.25ha) with Birds which are fully dependent on wetlands for their a total area of 22,199ha. Inland wetlands contribute physiological and behavioral characters are termed as 27.3% of the total wetland area while coastal wetlands waterbirds. Natural wetlands are the mainstay of the contribute 72.7%. The major wetland categories of waterbirds; they are also regarded as the custodian the district are lagoons, rivers/ streams, reservoirs and of huge avifauna populatons (Weller 1999; Stewart sand/beach (Natonal Wetland Atlas: Gujarat 2010). 2001). At present, wetlands in India face tremendous Physiogeographically, Porbandar District has two regions, anthropogenic pressure. Almost 38% of inland wetlands i.e., the Barda Hills forested region and the river plains. in India have been lost during 1971–2001 (Prasad et al. The major rivers of the district are Bhadar, Ojat, Minsar 2004). This has resulted in loss of biodiversity afectng and Madhuvant. Porbandar District is enclosed by the overall functoning of the wetland ecosystem. Arabian Ocean on the west, by Jamnagar and Devbhumi Gujarat occupies 6.2% of the total geographic area in Dwarika districts on the north, and Junagadh from the India and has the longest coastline (almost 1,600km) of east and the south. any state. It is bestowed with 17% of wetlands including The Mokarsagar–Gosabara Wetland Complex in intertdal mudfats, mangroves, coral reefs , rivers/ and around Porbandar is a complex of several coastal streams, reservoirs/barrages, creeks and salt marsh intertdal and brackish to freshwater wetlands, namely, (Natonal Wetland Atlas: Gujarat 2010). Medha Creek, Kuchhadi, Chhaya Rann, Subhashnagar, The Chhaya Rann wetland complex, situated in an Zavar, Kurly I, Karly II, Vanana, Dharampur, Gosabara, urban setng of the coastal Porbandar town, comprises Mokarsagar, and Amipur. an important part of the Porbandar Bird Sanctuary Of these, the Chhaya Rann Wetland Complex (here (ofcially designated in 1988), however, very few afer Chhaya Wetlands) is a narrow strip of brackish scientfc investgatons have been published on its birds wetland habitat, about 4.5km long and 0.5km wide (Anonymous 2016). (2.25km2) and comprises of Porbandar Rann, Chhaya As part of the results of the Asian Waterbird Census 1, Chhaya 2 and Chhaya 3 wetlands. Historically, the conducted in January 2016 in the area, Vargiya et al. Chhaya Wetlands were known as the Birla Rann where (2016) refer to loss of connectvity of the Chhaya Rann sea salt was produced several decades ago. Locally the wetland complex with the parent wetland and ingress of Chhaya and Mokarsagar wetlands are known as ‘Rann’, factory efuents, rapid urbanizaton, and encroachment i.e., ‘Chhaya nu rann’ and ‘Mokar nu rann’, as rann means inside the wetlands, lack of conservaton initatves and deserted and non-productve land (a reference to when a wetland management authority. They also include the wetland dries in summer and looks like barren land). images of birds being struck by power lines, afected by Over tme, much of the wetland area was flled in fre crackers and DDT spraying. for constructon of housing societes, roads, shops, This paper presents results of baseline informaton petrol pumps and educatonal buildings as part of the of the waterbirds of the Chhaya Rann wetland complex urban expansion of Porbandar. With the development between January 2015 and January 2016. of roads, this wetland was fragmented into several small wetlands now named Porbandar Bird Sanctuary (declared in 1988), Porbandar Rann, Chhaya 1, Chhaya 2 and Chhaya 3 near Balwy colony (Map 1 and Table 1). These wetlands are now separated from each other and surrounded by housing colonies and industrial areas. The Porbandar Bird Sanctuary is also separated
Journal of Threatened Taxa | www.threatenedtaxa.org | 26 August 2019 | 11(10): 14268–14278 14269 Waterbird populatons of Chhaya Rann Wetland Complex Vargiya & Chakraborty
Figure 1. Chhaya Rann Wetland Complex, Porbandar City, Gujarat State. from the rest of the Chhaya Wetlands. Water can fow forest department has created around 40 islets within between Chhaya 1, Chhaya 2 and Chhaya 3 and none the waterbody to encourage roostng of waterbirds and are connected to the sea. Chhaya 3 dries out in summer has planted the Indian Tulip Tree (Thespesia populnea) while the other wetlands always retain some water along the periphery of the sanctuary. There are no during this period. As Chhaya 3 was previously managed plantaton or habitat creaton actvites in the Chhaya 1, as a salt pan it retains features like bunds, barriers and 2 and 3 wetlands. quadrates which provide roost sites for waterbirds. Due to increase in salinity in nearby farm areas, salt The water depth was not measured in any wetland, producton was stopped and as a consequence, the however, by observing the foraging habits of Lesser wetland currently is maintained by infows of urban Flamingo Phoeniconaias minor, which have the longest domestc drainage water from the Chhaya municipality leg length and by considering the average leg length area and a limited quantty of rain water during the (as per Mascit & Castañera 2006), it was possible to annual monsoon. In an atempt to combat the breeding roughly calculate the maximum water depth to be about of mosquitoes in the area, the Chhaya wetlands was 50cm. Lesser Flamingo can forage at a water depth of 02 flled with waste material locally called ‘dat’ from a to 50cm. Complete legs of the Lesser Flamingo was seen nearby factory by local municipality (Kishore Joshi, pers. when feeding at the periphery of the wetlands, while in comm. 2016). This dumping created a shallow water the middle, the famingos appeared to be foatng with wetland and salinity of the dat when mixed with rain their entre legs out of view; here we assume the water water created an algal bloom which appears to have depth to be about or at least 50cm in the Chhaya 2 atracted famingos. The frst fock of Lesser Flamingo wetland. was seen in the winter of the 1960s (Kishore Joshi, pers. Porbandar Bird Sanctuary is a relatvely deep water comm. 2016). habitat compared to the Chhaya 2 wetland. The state
14270 Journal of Threatened Taxa | www.threatenedtaxa.org | 26 August 2019 | 11(10): 14268–14278 Waterbird populatons of Chhaya Rann Wetland Complex Vargiya & Chakraborty
METHODS Threatened Species (IUCN 2018), six (8.5%) Near Threatened species (Lesser Flamingo, Oriental Darter The Chhaya Wetlands were visited once a month Anhinga melanogaster, Dalmatan Pelican Pelecanus between January 2015 and January 2016 during which crispus, Black-headed Ibis Threskiornis melanocephalus, a total of 13 counts of birds were made. Surveys were Black-tailed Godwit Limosa limosa, and River Tern Sterna conducted in the mornings at 07.00–10.00 h and in the auranta), and 63 (82.9%) species listed as of Least evenings at 16.00–18.00 h. The species were identfed Concern (Fig. 3). using Grimmet et al. (2015) and birds were counted Out of 70 species recorded, seven breed in Chhaya using block count and individual count methods. The Wetlands, while 27 are resident in the district and have January 2015 and January 2016 counts were linked to not been recorded to breed here, and 36 are migratory. the Asian Waterbird Census coordinated natonally by The estmated counts of waterbird and wetland bird Wetlands Internatonal and the Bombay Natural History species of the entre wetland complex are 20,981 and Society. 35,747 in January 2015 and January 2016, respectvely (Table 2). The Lesser Flamingo was the most abundant species, with 14,649 and 21,611 individuals recorded in RESULTS 2015 and 2016, respectvely. And the species diversity remains the same for the Porbandar Rann for both the A total of 70 species of 21 families of waterbird and survey years (2015 and 2016), i.e., 21 species. While in wetland bird species were reported in this wetland other sites, the number of species observed dropped complex during 2015–2016 (Table 2 and Image 1). from 2015 to 2016; Chhaya 1 & 2 from 39 species in Anatdae and Scolopacidae represent the higher number 2015 to 31 in 2016 and at Chhaya 3 from 27 in 2015 to of species (11 each), followed by Ardeidae (eight) and 18 in 2016. Laridae (seven) (Fig. 2). The Chayya Wetlands support Flocks of 80 to 100 Lesser Flamingos were observed to one (1.4% of all species) Vulnerable species (Common fy from the Porbandar Rann, Chhaya 2, and 3 to Chhaya Pochard Aythya ferina) as per the IUCN Red List of 1 wetland only to bathe and afer several minutes, to
Table 1. Descripton of Chhaya Rann Wetland Complex and observed threats to wetlands.
Locaton Site No. Name of wetland (lat. & long.) Observed threats Conservaton acton Governance · Polluton by domestc sewage and garbage · Wetland as infow of In April 2019, infow of sewage water and no municipal sewage water outlow has resulted in an has been reduced. As a Porbandar Bird Porbandar Forest Division increase in water depth result, the water level of the 1 Sanctuary and 21.6360N & 69.6180E & Municipality of which is not suitable for wetland dropped and afer associated area Porbandar many wader species. A 30 years more than 800 new municipal sewage Lesser famingos were seen system is expected to feeding here. address this polluton issue. · Polluton by domestc sewage and garbage · Dumping zone of waste 2 Porbandar Rann 21.6320N & 69.6230E Municipality of Chhaya materials · Industrial efuents · Feral dogs killing birds · Fragmentaton and flling In November 2018, City of wetland for illegal Survey Porbandar issued 3 Chhaya 1 & 2 21.6300N & 69.6260E commercial development 85 notces for illegal and houses constructon. · Dumping zone of waste materials · Polluton by domestc Municipality of Chhaya sewage and garbage · Invasion of Prosopis 0 0 4 Chhaya 3 21.622 N & 69.636 E julifora on fringes · Annual spraying with DDT along the wetland periphery aimed at controlling mosquitoes
Journal of Threatened Taxa | www.threatenedtaxa.org | 26 August 2019 | 11(10): 14268–14278 14271 Waterbird populatons of Chhaya Rann Wetland Complex Vargiya & Chakraborty
Figure 2. Wetland bird species compositon recorded in Chhaya Rann Wetland Complex during the study.
birds like moorhens and waterhens. These reeds were also favored by Demoiselle Cranes Anthropoides virgo and Common Cranes Grus grus that were injured by kite fying threads and remained throughout the year at the sanctuary as their ability to fy was hampered. The sanctuary appeared to support a number of freshwater fshes, judging from the number of fsh-eatng birds that were regularly seen feeding. The sanctuary was also the roostng ground of Black-headed Ibis and in summer, a maximum of around 150 were recorded. A pair of Great Cormorants Phalacrocorax carbo was observed building a nest although nestng was not successful. In April 2019, infow of municipal sewage water into the sanctuary was stopped and this reduced the water level of the wetland. Figure 3. Conservaton status (percentage compositon) of wetland These conditons appeared to have been suitable for bird species as per their IUCN Red List category (VU—Vulnerable | more than 800 Lesser famingos that were observed to NT—Near Threatened | LC—Least Concern). feed here afer a gap of 30 years. The water at the shallow periphery dried out in Chhaya 1 and 2 which supported roostng birds. Though only 37 Greater Flamingo Phoenicopterus roseus were fy back to the other wetlands. This phenomenon was recorded during the January waterbird count, their only observed during afernoons. Greater Flamingo number was observed to increase up to 500 individuals preferred Chhaya 1 for courtship while Lesser Flamingo in Chhaya 1 and Porbandar Rann wetlands afer March. preferred Chhaya 2 for their courtship actvites. One pair of Kentsh Plover and two pairs of Litle Ringed Porbandar Bird Sanctuary: A total of 41 waterbird Plover were recorded nestng in Chhaya 3 wetland in and wetland bird species were reported in January 2015 2016. and 2016. During the summer, the islets supported The Chhaya wetlands were observed to face various nestng of about fve pairs of Red-watled Lapwings threats, including dumping of solid waste, domestc Vanellus indicus and seven pairs of Black-winged Stlts sewage and garbage. The wetland annually receives a Himantopus himantopus. Tall reeds towards the western spray of DDT along the periphery to control mosquitoes side of the sanctuary provided roostng sites for marsh (Table 1).
14272 Journal of Threatened Taxa | www.threatenedtaxa.org | 26 August 2019 | 11(10): 14268–14278 Waterbird populatons of Chhaya Rann Wetland Complex Vargiya & Chakraborty
Table 2. Wetland bird diversity recorded in Chhaya Rann Wetland Complex during assessment period (with numbers during January 2015 and January 2016).
IUCN Status in AWC AWC Conservaton Study area January January English name Scientfc name Gujarat name Family status (1) (2) 2015 count 2016 count Lesser Dendrocygna javanica Nani sisot 1 Whistling- Anatdae LC R 11 10 (Horsfeld, 1821) batak duck Sarkidiornis melanotos 2 Comb Duck Nakto Anatdae LC R 2 4 (Pennant, 1769) Ruddy Tadorna ferruginea (Pallas, Bhagvi 3 Anatdae LC M 4 7 Shelduck 1764) surkhab Mareca strepera (Linnaeus, 4 Gadwall Luhar Anatdae LC M 0 8 1758) Eurasian Mareca penelope 5 Piyasana Anatdae LC M 0 20 Wigeon (Linnaeus, 1758) Indian Spot- Anas poecilorhyncha Teelavali 6 Anatdae LC R 57 40 billed Duck Forster, 1781 batak Northern Spatula clypeata (Linnaeus, 7 Gayno Anatdae LC M 3292 1190 Shoveler 1758) Northern 8 Anas acuta Linnaeus, 1758 Singpar Anatdae LC M 184 12 Pintail Spatula querquedula 9 Garganey Chetva Anatdae LC M 0 5 (Linnaeus, 1758) 10 Common Teal Anas crecca Linnaeus, 1758 Murghabi Anatdae LC M 157 45 Common Aythya ferina (Linnaeus, Rakhodi 11 Anatdae VU M 7 14 Pochard 1758) Karchiya Greater Phoenicopterus roseus 12 Moto hanj Phoenicopteridae LC R 37 0 Flamingo (Pallas, 1811) Phoeniconaias minor Lesser 13 (Geofroy Saint-Hilaire, Nano hanj Phoenicopteridae NT R 14649 21621 Flamingo 1798) Tachybaptus rufcollis 14 Litle Grebe Nani dubki Podicipedidae LC R 25 80 (Pallas, 1764) Pandion haliaetus 15 Osprey Matsya bhoj Pandionidae LC M 1 0 (Linnaeus, 1758) Litle Microcarbo niger (Vieillot, 16 Nano Kajoyo Phalacrocoracidae LC R 10 50 Cormorant 1817) Indian Phalacrocorax fuscicollis 17 Kajiyo Phalacrocoracidae LC R 0 24 Cormorant Stephens, 1826 Great Phalacrocorax carbo 18 Moto Kajiyo Phalacrocoracidae LC R 0 4 Cormorant (Linnaeus, 1758) Oriental Anhinga melanogaster 19 Sarpa griva Anhingidae NT R 0 2 Darter Pennant, 1769 Dalmatan Pelecanus crispus Bruch, 20 Chotli Pen Pelecanidae NT M 2 2 Pelican 1832 Ardea cinerea Linnaeus, 21 Grey Heron Kabut Baglo Ardeidae LC R 2 2 1758 Ardea purpurea Linnaeus, 22 Purple Heron Nadi baglo Ardeidae LC R 0 1 1766 23 Great Egret Ardea alba (Linnaeus, 1758) Moto baglo Ardeidae LC R 25 40 Intermediate Egreta intermedia (Wagler, 24 Dhola bagalo Ardeidae LC R 24 0 Egret 1829) Egreta garzeta (Linnaeus, 25 Litle Egret Nano Baglo Ardeidae LC R 18 10 1766) Western Reef 26 Egreta gularis (Bosc, 1792) Dariyai baglo Ardeidae LC R 4 2 Heron Eastern/ Bubulcus ibis (Linnaeus, 27 western Catle Dhor baglo Ardeidae LC R 53 73 1758) Egret Indian Pond- 28 Ardeola grayii (Sykes, 1832) Kani bagli Ardeidae LC R 33 24 heron Plegadis falcinellus Pan/nani 29 Glossy Ibis Threskiornithidae LC M 21 0 (Linnaeus, 1766) kakansar Threskiornis Black-headed Dholi 30 melanocephalus (Latham, Threskiornithidae NT RB 65 54 Ibis kakansar 1790)
Journal of Threatened Taxa | www.threatenedtaxa.org | 26 August 2019 | 11(10): 14268–14278 14273 Waterbird populatons of Chhaya Rann Wetland Complex Vargiya & Chakraborty
IUCN Status in AWC AWC Conservaton Study area January January English name Scientfc name Gujarat name Family status (1) (2) 2015 count 2016 count Red-naped Pseudibis papillosa 31 Kali kakansar Threskiornithidae LC RB 1 23 Ibis (Temminck, 1824) Eurasian Circus aeruginosus 32 Pan patai Accipitridae LC M 2 1 Marsh-Harrier (Linnaeus, 1758) White- Amaurornis 33 breasted phoenicurus(Pennant, Davak Rallidae LC RB 8 0 Waterhen 1769) Grey-headed Porphyrio poliocephalus Nil 34 Rallidae LC R 4 14 Swamphen (Latham, 1801) jalamurgho Eurasian Gallinula chloropus 35 Jal kukadi Rallidae LC R 5 8 Moorhen (Linnaeus, 1758) 36 Eurasian Coot Fulica atra (Linnaeus, 1758) Bhagatdu Rallidae LC R 100 200 Demoiselle Anthropoides virgo 37 Karkaro Gruidae LC M 7 10 Crane Linnaeus, 1758 Common 38 Grus grus (Linnaeus, 1758) Kunj Gruidae LC M 11 7 Crane Black-winged Himantopus himantopus 39 Gajpau Recurvirostridae LC RB 240 312 Stlt (Linnaeus, 1758) Recurvirostra avoseta 40 Pied Avocet Ult chanch Recurvirostridae LC M 78 0 Linnaeus, 1758 Pacifc Pluvialis fulva (Gmelin, 41 Soneri batan Charadriidae LC M 2 15 Golden-plover 1789) Red-watled Vanellus indicus (Boddaert, 42 Titodi Charadriidae LC RB 159 108 Lapwing 1783) Charadrius alexandrinus Bhulamani 43 Kentsh Plover Charadriidae LC RB 11 0 Linnaeus, 1758 dhongili Litle Ringed Charadrius dubius Scopoli, Vilayat jini 44 Charadriidae LC RB 1 21 Plover 1786 ttodi Terek Xenus cinereus Chanchal 45 Scolopacidae LC M 6 0 Sandpiper (Güldenstädt, 1775) tutvari Common Actts hypoleucos Linnaeus, Samanya 46 Scolopacidae LC M 23 9 Sandpiper 1758 tutvari Common Tringa nebularia (Gunnerus, 47 Lilapag Scolopacidae LC M 6 1 Greenshank 1767) Marsh Tringa stagnatlis Gandapag 48 Scolopacidae LC M 241 11 Sandpiper (Bechstein, 1803) tutvari Wood Tringa glareola Linnaeus, 49 Van tutvari Scolopacidae LC M 1 4 Sandpiper 1758 Common Tringa totanus (Linnaeus, 50 Ratapag Scolopacidae LC M 11 33 Redshank 1758) Black-tailed Limosa limosa (Linnaeus, Kali punchh 51 Scolopacidae NT M 45 21 Godwit 1758) gadero Calidris pugnax (Linnaeus, 52 Ruf Tiliyo Scolopacidae LC M 177 361 1758) Calidris minuta (Leisler, Kalapag 53 Litle Stnt Scolopacidae LC M 119 21 1812) kichadiyo Red-necked Phalaropus lobatus Laldok 54 Scolopacidae LC M 1 0 Phalarope (Linnaeus, 1758) chanchal Common Gallinago gallinago Pankhapunch 55 Scolopacidae LC M 1 4 Snipe (Linnaeus, 1758) garkhod Black-headed Larus ridibundus Linnaeus, Kali pith 56 Laridae LC M 848 1100 Gull 1766 dhomado Chroicocephalus Brown-headed Ladakhi 57 brunnicephalus (Jerdon, Laridae LC M 140 1100 Gull dhomado 1840) 58 Gull sp. Larinae sp. Dhomado Laridae LC M 13 8000 Sternula albifrons (Pallas, 59 Litle Tern Nani dhomdi Laridae LC M 8 0 1764) Kenchipunch 60 River Tern Sterna auranta Gray, 1831 Laridae NT R 11 40 vabagali Whiskered Chlidonias hybrida (Pallas, Kashmiri 61 Laridae LC R 0 21 Tern 1811) vabagali Gull-billed Gelochelidon nilotca Dhomada 62 Laridae LC M 2 0 Tern (Gmelin, 1789) dhomadi
14274 Journal of Threatened Taxa | www.threatenedtaxa.org | 26 August 2019 | 11(10): 14268–14278 Waterbird populatons of Chhaya Rann Wetland Complex Vargiya & Chakraborty
IUCN Status in AWC AWC Conservaton Study area January January English name Scientfc name Gujarat name Family status (1) (2) 2015 count 2016 count Peregrine Falco peregrinus Tunstall, 63 Kalo shaheen Falconidae LC M 1 0 Falcon 1771 White- Halcyon smyrnensis Safed chhat 64 throated Alcedinidae LC R 0 4 (Linnaeus, 1758) kalkaliyo Kingfsher Wire-tailed Tarpunch 65 Hirundo smithii Leach, 1818 Hirundinidae LC R 20 550 Swallow tarodiyu Red-rumped Cecropis daurica (Laxmann, Kanchipunch 66 Hirundinidae LC R 0 400 Swallow 1769) tharodiyu Rakhodi Western Motacilla fava Linnaeus, 67 mathano Motacillidae LC M 2 1 Yellow Wagtail 1758 pilakiyo White-browed Motacilla maderaspatensis 68 Khanjan Motacillidae LC R 0 3 Wagtail Gmelin, 1789 Motacilla citreola Pallas, Pila mathano 69 Citrine Wagtail Motacillidae LC M 5 0 1776 pilakiyo Motacilla alba Linnaeus, 70 White Wagtail Diwali ghodo Motacillidae LC M 1 0 1758
IUCN Red List status: VU—Vulnerable | NT—Near Threatened | LC—Least Concern. Status in study area: R—Resident | M—Migrant | RB—Resident and Breeding.
The main threats to waterbirds were injury from et. al. 2002; Darnell & Smith, 2004; Zárate–Ovando et al. kites being fown around the wetlands, predaton by 2008; Data 2011). feral dogs, fre crackers, and injury & electrocuton when The main threats observed at these wetlands fying into power lines. During the study period, a total of are similar to those reported from other wetlands 15 famingos (Lesser and Greater Flamingo) were injured in the Indian subcontnent. For example, siltaton, due to kite-fying in the Utarayan festval celebrated eutrophicaton, risk of DDT and pestcide intoxicaton, annually on 14 January. The festval was celebrated with excessive weed infestaton and degradaton of water rockets and other fre crackers in the evening causing the quality, encroachment by agriculture and urbanisaton birds to take fight and risk injury and electrocuton from were some the main threats to wetlands and waterbirds nearby powerlines or injury by fying directly into blast of Shallabug Wetland in Kashmir (Dar & Dar 2009). area of rockets. Feral dogs were regularly observed to While at Rupa Lake in Pokhara, Nepal, threats of feed on injured famingos. A Dalmatan Pelican was also habitat destructon by soil erosion, sedimentaton and observed to have died afer electrocuton on a power agricultural conversion, human disturbance, water line at the Chhaya Wetlands in February 2016. polluton and eutrophicaton, as well as trapping/ huntng and fsh farming using nets are reported (Kafe et. al. 2008). DISCUSSION Similarly, the major threats to some of the main waterbird species at the Chhaya Wetlands are refectve The Chhaya Rann Wetland Complex is a natural-cum- of those at other sites. For example, the main threats man-made wetland located within Porbandar City. This to the Lesser Flamingo across its global range are the study provides baseline informaton on the high diversity loss and/or the degradaton of its specialised habitat at of waterbirds and wetland birds recorded during two key sites through altered hydrology and water quality, years. This high diversity can be corroborated with wetland polluton, collision with man-made structures, the varied microhabitats that appear to provide ideal human disturbance at non-breeding sites and predaton foraging and roostng sites for migratory and resident (Childress 2008). The recently produced single species species. Studies elsewhere have demonstrated that acton plan for the Dalmatan Pelican lists habitat shallow depth and heterogeneity of habitats ofen degradaton and collision with powerlines as high threats results in higher diversity and abundance (Velasquez to the species (Catsadorakis & Portolou 2018) and both 1992; Elphick & Oring 1998, 2003; Svingen & Anderson threats are recognised at the Chhaya Wetlands. 1998; Edwards & Ots 1999; Colwell & Taf 2000; Fairbairn These wetlands are formed of a single stretch of a & Dinsmore 2001; Rifel et al. 2001; Isola et al. 2002; Taf wetland that is now separated by roads. Holistcally for
Journal of Threatened Taxa | www.threatenedtaxa.org | 26 August 2019 | 11(10): 14268–14278 14275 Waterbird populatons of Chhaya Rann Wetland Complex Vargiya & Chakraborty
Black-tailed Godwit Black-winged Stlt Common Redshank Common Sandpiper
Darter Common Coot Dalmatan Pelican Demoiselle Crane
Glossy Ibis Golden Plover Great Cormorant Great Egret
Greater Flamingo Grey Heron Lesser Flamingo Purple Heron Purple Moorhen
Red-watled Lapwing
Whiskered Tern White Ibis Wood Sandpiper
River Tern Image 1. Some waterbirds of Chhaya Wetland Complex. © Dhavalkumar Varagiya.
14276 Journal of Threatened Taxa | www.threatenedtaxa.org | 26 August 2019 | 11(10): 14268–14278 Waterbird populatons of Chhaya Rann Wetland Complex Vargiya & Chakraborty beter management, they should be treated as a single reported to have destroyed the colony. It was later wetland complex and not as separate wetlands. The identfed that they may have been “play-nestng”. importance of this is borne out by the observatons of More recently, in 2015, Lesser Flamingos were seen the famingos moving between all four wetlands for matng here although they did not nest (Vargiya 2015). feeding, bathing and other behavioural aspects. It is quite possible that if management of the area is Rehabilitaton and release of Near Threatened Lesser strengthened with conditons created that are conducive Flamingos and other species injured due to powerlines for nestng, such as the constructon of a fat island for and kite-fying threads, habitat restoraton and removal the Lesser Flamingo and disturbance from feral dogs of encroachment from the wetlands, control of poaching and people is stopped, the Chhaya Wetlands could even of birds, removal of solid waste, treatment of sewage provide a unique and safe urban breeding site for the water before entry into the wetlands, controlling species; as has been demonstrated at the Kampers Dam populaton of feral dogs, removal of invasive species, in Kimberley, South Africa (BirdLife Internatonal 2019). especially Prosopis and Water Hyacinth Eichhornia Breeding of the famingo here could provide a unique crassipes, and avoiding spraying of DDT are some of the opportunity for the municipal and state authorites conservaton actons that can be taken to preserve and to demonstrate management of urban wetlands and improve management of the Chhaya Wetlands and its environmental protecton can go hand in hand. biodiversity. The beauty and importance of the Chhaya Wetlands Additonally, from a management point of view, and its famingos has been highlighted to the local the lack of formal conservaton status (such as a community through various actvites, notably ‘Pink protected area) and absence of comprehensive baseline Celebraton’ that is organised every year since 2015 informaton on waterbirds may deter science-based by the Mokarsagar Wetland Conservaton Commitee decision-making of these internatonally important (Vargiya 2018). Organisaton of such actvites into wetlands. Additonal studies are required to improve the future can help to enhance the local awareness, understanding of the ecology of these wetlands and interest and support for the management of the Chhaya factors to maintain and enhance waterbird diversity and Wetlands. abundance. The Chhaya Rann wetland complex has been infuenced by salt and soda ash from the past salt REFERENCES producton. In recent years, the main source of water Anonymous (2016). Porbandar Bird Sanctuary. htps://forests.gujarat. has been domestc sewage and rain water. As it appears gov.in/porbandar-sanctuary.htm Downloaded on 15 November that these conditons are stll conducive to atract the 2016. famingos and other waterbirds and in internatonally BirdLife Internatonal. (2018). Global IBA Criteria. htp://datazone. birdlife.org/site/ibacritglob Downloaded on 5 November 2018. important numbers (>20,000 individuals) as per Criterion BirdLife Internatonal (2019). Important Bird Areas factsheet: Kamfers 5 of the Ramsar Conventon on Wetlands, it is important Dam. htp://datazone.birdlife.org/site/factsheet/kamfers-dam-iba- for the state and natonal authorites to propose formal south-africa Downloaded on 5 June 2019. Catsadorakis, G. & D. Portolou (2018). Internatonal Single Species designaton of the area as a Ramsar site. Development Acton Plan the Conservaton of the Dalmatan Pelican (Pelecanus and implementaton of a comprehensive management crispus). CMS Technical Series No. XX, AEWA Technical Series No. XX. plan is needed to conserve this unique suite of wetlands EAAFP Technical Report No. 1. Bonn, Germany and Incheon, South Korea, 46pp. with such high diversity in the face of rapid urbanizaton Childress, B., S. Nagy, & B. Hughes (2008). Internatonal Single of the city. Species Acton Plan for the Conservaton of the Lesser Flamingo (Phoeniconaias minor). CMS Technical Series No. 18, AEWA Technical Additonally, the Chhaya Wetlands qualify as an Series No. 34. Bonn, Germany, 59pp. Important Bird and Biodiversity Area (IBA). According to Colwell, M.A. & O.W. Taf (2000). Waterbird communites in managed global IBA criteria (BirdLife Internatonal 2018), criterion wetlands of varying water depth. Waterbirds 23(1): 45–55. Darnell, T. & E.H. Smith (2004). Avian use of natural and created salt A1 states “a site is known or thought regularly to hold marsh in Texas, USA. Waterbirds 27(3): 355–361. signifcant numbers of a globally threatened species” Dar, I.A. & M.A. Dar (2009). Seasonal variatons of avifauna of and criterion A4, “the site is known or thought to hold Shallabug wetland, Kashmir. Journal of Wetlands Ecology 2(1–2): 20–34. htps://doi.org/10.3126/jowe.v2i1.1853 congregatons of ≥1% of the global populaton of one or Data, T. (2011). Human interference and avifaunal diversity of two more species on a regular or predictable basis”. wetlands of Jalpaiguri, West Bengal, India. Journal of Threatened Finally it should be noted that Lesser Flamingos Taxa 3(12): 2253–2262. htps://doi.org/10.11609/JoTT.o2739.2253- 62 atempted nestng in Chhaya Wetlands in the 1980s, Edwards, N. & D. Ots (1999). Avian communites and habitat with around 180 nests; unfortunately heavy rain were relatonships in South Carolina Piedmont beaver ponds. American
Journal of Threatened Taxa | www.threatenedtaxa.org | 26 August 2019 | 11(10): 14268–14278 14277 Waterbird populatons of Chhaya Rann Wetland Complex Vargiya & Chakraborty
Midland Naturalist 141(1): 158–171. Rifel, S.K., B.E. Keas & T.M. Burton (2001). Area and habitat Elphick, C.S. & L.W. Oring (1998). Winter management of Californian relatonships of birds in great lakes coastal wet meadows. Wetlands rice felds for Waterbirds. Journal of Applied Ecology 35(1): 95–108. 21(4): 492–507. Fairbairn, S. & J. Dinsmore (2001). Local and landscapelevel infuences Stewart, R.E. (2001).Technical Aspects of Wetlands – Wetlands as Bird of wetland bird communites of the praire pothole region of Iowa, Habitat. Natonal Water Summary on Wetland Resources. United USA. Wetlands 21(1): 41–47. States Geological Survey, USA. 86pp. Natonal Wetland Atlas: Gujarat (2010). SAC/RESA/AFEG/NWIA/ Svingen, D.N. & S.H. Anderson (1998).Waterfowl management on ATLAS/21/2010. Space Applicatons Centre (ISRO), Ahmedabad, grass–sage stock ponds. Wetlands 18(1): 84–89. India, 198pp. Taf, O.W., M.A. Colwell, C.R. Isola & R.J. Safran (2002). Waterbird Grimmet, R., C. Inskipp & T. Inskipp (2015). Birds of the Indian responses to experimental drawdown: implicatons for multspecies subcontnent. 2nd Editon. Oxford University Press, Delhi, 406pp. management of wetland mosaics. Journal of Applied Ecology 39(6): IUCN (2018). The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. Version 2018- 987–1001. 2. htp://www.iucnredlist.org. Downloaded on 14 November 2018. Vargiya, D. (2015). Agnipankha: Flamingos of Porbandar. BirdGuard Isola, C.R., M.A. Colwell, O.W. Taf & R.J. Safran (2002). Interspecifc Nature Stocks, Porbandar, Gujarat, India, 28pp. diferences in habitat use of shorebirds and waterfowl foraging in Vargiya, D. (2018). Five years of “Pink Celebraton for Flamingos” at managed wetlands of California’s San Joaquin Valley. Waterbirds Porbandar, Gujarat, India. Flamingo e1, 57-60. 25(2): 196–203. Vargiya, D., N. Sahoo, S. Bhanuprakash, L. Parmar, R. Makwana, K. Kafe, G., M. Coton, J.R. Chaudhary, H. Pariyar, H. Adhikari, S.B. Joshi, C. Tank & V. Bhat (2015). Asian Waterbird Census (AWC) Bohora, A. Chaudhary, A. Ram & B. Regmi (2008). Status of and 2015 Porbandar. Shree Sahajanand Swami District Community Threats to Water Birds of Rupa Lake, Pokhara, Nepal. Journal of Science Centre. Porbandar: 40pp. Wetlands Ecology 1(1/2): 9–12. Velasquez, C.R. (1992). Managing artfcial saltpans as a waterbird Mascit, V. & M.B. Castañera (2006). Foraging depth of famingos habitat: species waterbirds. Journal of Applied Ecology 35(1): 95– in single-species and mixed-species focks at Laguna de Pozuelos, 108. Argentna. Waterbirds. 29(3): 328–334. Weller, M.W. (1999). Wetland Birds: Habitat Resources and Panigrahi, S., T.V.R. Murthy, J.G. Patel & T.S. Singh (2012). Wetlands of Conservaton Implicatons. Cambridge University Press, Cambridge, India: inventory and assessment at 1:50,000 scale using geospatal 410pp. techniques. Current Science. 102(6): 852–856. Zárate–Ovando, B., E. Palacios & H. Reyes–Bonilla (2008). Community Prasad S.N., A.K. Jaggi, P. Kaushik, L. Vijayan, S. Muralidharan & V.S. structure and associaton of waterbirds with spatal heterogeneity Vijayan (2004). Inland wetlands of India, Conservaton Atlas. Salim in the Bahia Magdalena–Almejas wetland complex, Baja California Ali Centre for Ornithology and Natural History, Coimbatore, India, Sur, Mexico. Revista de Biologia Tropical 56(1): 371–389. 222pp.
Threatened Taxa
14278 Journal of Threatened Taxa | www.threatenedtaxa.org | 26 August 2019 | 11(10): 14268–14278
PLATINUM The Journal of Threatened Taxa (JoTT) is dedicated to building evidence for conservaton globally by publishing peer-reviewed artcles online every month at a reasonably rapid rate at www.threatenedtaxa.org. OPEN ACCESS All artcles published in JoTT are registered under Creatve Commons Atributon 4.0 Internatonal License unless otherwise mentoned. JoTT allows allows unrestricted use, reproducton, and distributon of artcles in any medium by providing adequate credit to the author(s) and the source of publicaton.
ISSN 0974-7907 (Online) | ISSN 0974-7893 (Print)
August 2019 | Vol. 11 | No. 10 | Pages: 14247–14390 Date of Publicaton: 26 August 2019 (Online & Print) www.threatenedtaxa.org DOI: 10.11609/jot.2019.11.10.14247-14390
Editorial Short Communicatons
Wildlife’s Wonder Woman—Sally Raulston Walker Diversity of buterfies of the Shethalli Wildlife Sanctuary, Shivamogga (12 October 1944–22 August 2019) District, Karnataka, India – Sanjay Molur, Pp. 14247–14248 – M.N. Harisha, Harish Prakash, B.B. Hoset & Vijaya Kumara, Pp. 14349– 14357 Communicatons First record of two rare brachyuran crabs: Drachiella morum Alcock, Species diversity and spatal distributon of amphibian fauna along the 1896 and Quadrella maculosa Alcock, 1898 along the Tamil Nadu coast, alttudinal gradients in Jigme Dorji Natonal Park, western Bhutan India – Bal Krishna Koirala, Karma Cheda & Tshering Penjor, Pp. 14249–14258 – Chinnathambi Viswanathan, Sampath Goutham, Vijay Kumar Deepak Samuel, Pandian Krishnan, Ramachandran Purvaja & Ramachandran The sof-release of captve-born Kaiser’s Mountain Newt Neurergus Ramesh, Pp. 14358–14362 kaiseri (Amphibia: Caudata) into a highland stream, western Iran – Tayebe Salehi, Vahid Akmali & Mozafar Sharif, Pp. 14259–14267 Records of the Marbled Cat Pardofelis marmorata and the Asiatc Golden Cat Catopuma temminckii (Mammalia: Carnivora: Felidae) from The status of waterbird populatons of Chhaya Rann Wetland Complex in the community forests surrounding the Dzükou Valley in Nagaland, Porbandar, Gujarat, India India – Dhavalkumar Vargiya & Anita Chakraborty, Pp. 14268–14278 – Bhavendu Joshi, Biang La Nam Syiem, Rokohebi Kuotsu, Arjun Menon, Jayanta Gogoi, Varun Rshav Goswami & Divya Vasudev, Pp. 14363–14367 Diversity and temporal variaton of the bird community in paddy felds of Kadhiramangalam, Tamil Nadu, India Rediscovery of Calanthe davidii (Orchidaceae) afer 11 decades in the – Chaithra Shree Jayasimhan & Padmanabhan Pramod, Pp. 14279–14291 western Himalaya, India – Ashutosh Sharma, Nidhan Singh & Pankaj Kumar, Pp. 14368–14372 First videos of endemic Zanzibar Servaline Genet Geneta servalina archeri, African Palm Civet Nandinia binotata (Mammalia: Carnivora: Notes Viverridae) and other small carnivores on Unguja Island, Tanzania – Helle V. Goldman & Martn T. Walsh, Pp. 14292–14300 Range extension of the Gooty Tarantula Poecilotheria metallica (Araneae: Theraphosidae) in the Eastern Ghats of Tamil Nadu, India The identfcaton of pika and hare through tricho-taxonomy (Mammalia: – Kothandapani Raman, Sivangnanaboopathidoss Vimalraj, Bawa Lagomorpha) Mothilal Krishnakumar, Natesan Balachandran & Abhishek Tomar, Pp. – Manokaran Kamalakannan, Kailash Chandra, Joy Krishna De & 14373–14376 Chinnadurai Venkatraman, Pp. 14301–14308 Some recent evidence of the presence of the Critcally Endangered Gyps Palynological analysis of faecal mater in African Forest Elephants vulture populatons in northern Shan State, Myanmar Loxodonta cyclots (Mammalia: Proboscidea: Elephantdae) at Omo Forest – Sai Sein Lin Oo, Nang Lao Kham, Kyaw Myo Naing & Swen C. Renner, Reserve, Nigeria Pp. 14377–14380 – Okwong John Walter, Olusola Helen Adekanmbi & Omonu Cliford, Pp. 14309–14317 Two new locatons for the Vulnerable Black-necked Crane Grus nigricollis (Przhevalsky, 1876) (Aves: Gruiformes: Gruidae) in Arunachal Avitourism opportunites as a contributon to conservaton and rural Pradesh, India livelihoods in the Hindu Kush Himalaya - a feld perspectve – Rohan Krish Menzies, Megha Rao & Abhinav Kumar, Pp. 14381–14384 – Nishikant Gupta, Mark Everard, Ishaan Kochhar & Vinod Kumar Belwal, Pp. 14318–14327 Aquilaria malaccensis (Malvales: Thymelaeaceae): a new host plant record for Deudorix epijarbas cinnabarus (Lepidoptera: Lycaenidae) in Pollinaton in an endemic and threatened monoecious herb Begonia Malaysia satrapis C.B. Clarke (Begoniaceae) in the eastern Himalaya, India – Kah Hoo Lau & Su Ping Ong, Pp. 14385–14387 – Subhankar Gurung, Aditya Pradhan & Arun Chetri, Pp. 14328–14333 Rediscovery of Nilgiri Mallow Abutlon neelgerrense var. fscheri T.K. Multvariate analysis of elements from the microhabitats of selected Paul & M.P. Nayar (Malvaceae) afer a century from southern India plateaus in the Western Ghats, Maharashtra, India – Varsha Vilasrao Nimbalkar, Arun Prasanth Ravichandran & – Prit Vinayak Aphale, Dhananjay C. Meshram, Dyanesh M. Mahajan, Milind Madhav Sardesai, Pp. 14388–14390 Prasad Anil Kulkarni & Shraddha Prasad Kulkarni, Pp. 14334–14348 Publisher & Host
Partner Member
Threatened Taxa