As many as 125 species of birds. 90 species of butterflies and 20 species of amphibious creatures have been spotted in theh Athirapally – Vazhachal forest area during a bird and butterfly survey conducted in the first week of January by ornithologist C.Susanth and S.Anooj. The survey conducted with the assistance of the Forest Department. The team was able to spot 70 species of birds within a span of 30 minutes. Among the prized sightings were those of the Malabar pied Hornbill, Great Indian Hornbill, Great Black Woodpecker, Malabar Trogon, Blue beared bea eater, Grean Imperial pigeon, Crested goshwk, Black napped oriole, Drongo Cuckoo, Wayanad laughing thrush, Forest eagle owl and the Eurasian black bird. Birds endemic to the Western ghats, the Malabar grey Hornbill, Malabar Parakeet, White bellied blue fly catcher, Small sunbird, Nilgiri pipit, Nilhiri wood pigeon, Grey Headed bulbul, and the Nilgiri Fly catcher were also seen. The presence of two birds not previously seen in this rregion, the Lesser fish eagle and the Large hawk cuckoo, were also sighted in the region. Among the butterflies, Malabar banded swallowtail, The Tawny rajah, Malabar banded peacock, Five bar Swordtail, Cruiser, Fluffy titt, Malabar raven, Red helan, Golder tree flitter, Lesser albatross, and Arbarent oak blur were also sighted in the area. The proposed Athirapally hydal project might case serious damage to the Vazhachal Athirapally reserve forest. The last remaining habitat of the Malabar pied hornbill, the rarest of birds in the state, would vanish forever. The biodiversity of the reserve forest particularly the avi-fauna would be adversely affected by the hydel project .
(The Hindu, 20th January, 2007)
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