Biodiversity

Source: Mathrubhoomi,27-05-2011

Develop earth-regenerating farming systems: Minister

THRISSUR: Agriculture Minister Mullakkara Ratnakaran has said that earth-regenerating farming systems should be developed in the State.

He was addressing a meeting at Pazhuvil, near here, on Monday to launch a 10-year project drawn up by the Kerala Agricultural University and State Forest Department for the protection of biodiversity of kole lands. “Farming systems should be in tune with Nature,” he said. He stated that the project was expected to be submitted to the Centre by January 31.

V.S. Sunil Kumar, MLA, presided over the function.

Among those present on the occasion were Kerala Agricultural Univerity Vice-Chancellor K.R. Viswambharan; P.O. Nameer, head of KAU's Wildlife Department; Anthicaud block panchayat president T.B. Shaji; Cherpu block panchayat president M.K. Unnikrishnan; district panchayat member Sheela Vijayakumar; Chazhur grama panchayat president Naseema Syedu; Kole Karshaka Sangham secretary N. K. Subramanian; and District Kole Karshaka Sanghom president K.K. Kochu Mohammed.

Source: The Hindu, 11-1-2011

Call for relook at concept of ecotourism

Thiruvananthapuram: A Civil Society Meet organised in connection with the first Indian Biodiversity Congress which concluded here on Friday has called for a relook at the concept of ecotourism as a means to protect biodiversity and enhance the well being of local people.

A resolution adopted by participants of the meet said ecotourism had resulted in more destruction to the natural ecosystem and biodiversity and displacement of local residents, including indigenous people all over the world.

There should be a better realisation that biodiversity did not require tourism but tourism required biodiversity. Therefore, responsible tourism managed by local communities and fully sensitive to the ecology and biodiversity of the region should be promoted, the resolution said.

Representatives of government organisations, tribal communities and various people's movements who also participated in the meeting stressed the need to use the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme (MGNREGS) for biodiversity augmentation, including supporting organic and ecological agriculture, forestry management and cultivation of non-timber forest produce.

The resolution called for a national wetland conservation strategy and action plan with provisions to ensure a key role for local self-government institutions in conservation of wetlands across the country.

It urged the government not to allow open field trials or release of genetically-modified crops in India, considering the imminent threat to genetically-modified organisms on biodiversity as well as health and environment.

Source: The Hindu, 2-1-2011

Floral chests of Western Ghats still hold many more surprises

KALPETTA: A recent study of the Wayanad part of the Western Ghats has once again proved that the biodiversity of the region is still not explored fully, with even higher plants waiting to be discovered.

In their latest trip, scientists from the M.S. Swaminathan Research Foundation here identified 2,100 flowering plants, seven of them fresh discoveries, including Impatiens veerapazhassi, Impatiens jenkurumbae, Impatiens malabarica and Impatiens meenae.

A species of the unique high-altitude Ceropegia and a genus in the milkweed family christened Ceropegia manohari; a wild yam named Dioscorea longitubosa, belonging to the genus Dioscorea; and a narrow-leaved under-shrub, called Memycylon wayanadense, belonging to the family of Melastomataceae, are the other new discoveries.

Miliusa wayanadica and Miliusa gokhalae, belonging to the Annonaceae family (custard apple family), and Oberonia swaminathanii of the orchid family were discovered in an exploration last year.

Scientists Ratheesh Narayanan, P. Sujanapal and V. Balakrishnan, assisted by five research scholars, conducted the study under the direction of N. Anilkumar, Director of the Foundation.

“Since the start of a floristic study in 1999 and a rare, endemic and threatened (RET) plant species study of Wayanad district five years ago, our scientists have identified 14 new species, six of which have been published, four accepted and the remaining are in publication,” Dr. Anilkumar told The Hindu.

This year's discoveries come in the second phase of a project on the RET plant species. They were financed by the Mumbai-based Sir Dorabji Tata Trust.

Impatiens veerapazhassi was found in the Kurichiarmala range of forest. Others of the genus Impatiens were found from the sloppy forests in the Chembra peak in the South Wayanad forest division, Dr. Narayanan said.

The four species are of the ‘scapigerous' form, a rare group of Impatiens that appears immediately after rain and usually thrive for only a couple of months on dripping rocks or moss-covered tree trunks in evergreen forests. Twenty-two such species were reported from the Western Ghats and one from Sri Lanka, he said.

Christopher Grey Wilson, an expert from the Kew Gardens in London, had confirmed the status of the new Impatiens species.

Ceropegia manohari belongs to a rare plant group evoking scientific curiosity, with its many members endemic to the Western Ghats and having unusual flowers.

S.R. Yadav of the Kolhapur University, an expert in Indian species of Ceropegia, and David J. Goyder of Kew Herbarium, an expert in world Ceropegia, have confirmed its status.

Edible discovery

Wild yam Dioscorea longitubosa is found in the Muthanga range of forests in the Wayanad Wildlife Sanctuary. This is extremely rare in distribution and found only in the wet evergreen forests, normally an unusual habitat for wild yams. The new species serves as food for the forest-dwelling communities such as Kattunayakka. Paul Wilkin of Kew Herbarium, an expert in world Dioscorea, has confirmed its status.

Memycylon wayanadense, a narrow-leaved species, was discovered from the Kattimattom forest in the Vellarimala peak in the Mepadi range of forests. This species has been accepted for publication by Rheedia, a journal published by the India Association of Angiosperm Taxonomists. DNA studies done at the Tropical Botanical Garden and Research Institute, Thiruvananthapuram, revealed the taxonomic significance and supported the morphological evidence.

“Before we started this study, it was never expected that these many species are distributed in the Western Ghats as undiscovered, as it is one of the best-studied floristic regions of the country,” Dr. Anilkumar said.

Source: The Hindu, 15-12-2010

Kerala youth claims shortest cow of the world is his Kozhikode

Kozhikode: A Keralite youth has claimed that the shortest cow in the world is the one owned by him which is just 74 cm tall, shorter than the existing record holder 'Swallow' from the United Kingdom.

Keen to get his six-year-old cow into the Guinness Book of World Record, Suryaprkash from Muipoth village near here has also dented the recent claim of the Kerala Agricultural University that the 77-Cm tall Diana in its farm is all set to beat the British cow's status.

Aptly named as "Chotti" (means small one in Hndi) Prakash's pet had delivered thrice and is pregnant again.

Though a student of Charted Accountancy, it was his interest in farming and live-stock rearing that prompted Suryaprakash to have a cow belonging to the breed known in Keala as "Kasargode Dwarf", when it was just a calf about six years back.

"I learnt from some farmers that the milk of this variety of cow has high nutritional and medicinal value. But what really sparked my interest was its short-stature, amiable disposition and adaptability," Suryaprkash told PTI.

"It never scares or kicks. Even children can go near and play with it.It adapts itself easily to the sorroundings of rearing but prefers to grze in open space for fresh green grass, instead of relishing artificial cattle feed or hay", he said.

"Chotti" yields an average 2.5 litres of milk per day and its dung and urine are of higher bio-fertiliser value than those of the common varieties, he said.

Praksh said he would be making a request to the Guinness authorities with the height of his cow getting certified by a competent veterinary surgeon.The Centre for Animal Genetics and Breeding uner the Kerala University last month claimed that 77 cm tall Dina at its farm is the shortest cow, which can erase the record of 83-cm tall "Swallow", a Dexter cow from Britain.

Diana belongs to a breed called "Vechur cows", saved from the brink of extinction through a conservation programme in late 1980s.

The 'Vechur' cows derived their name from a villge near the temple town Vaikom in Kottayam district, where they were reared in large numbers in the past on account of high quality of their milk.

After extensive searches as part of conservation effots in the late 1980s, eight cows of the breed were traced in the state, with which the University started the conservation project.At present there are 100 'Vechur' cows at the college of Veterinary and animal Sciences.

They also stand out on account of their short stature and quality of milk and the first calving is possible at 36 months and inter-calving period being 14 months, according to experts

Source: Deccan Herald , 4-12-2010

‘Grand naine' gaining popularity

KOLLAM: Banana farmers in the district have started showing much interest in the cultivation of the ‘Grand naine' variety following its popularity as a delicious fruit.

The high-yielding Grand naine variety was introduced to India from Israel seven years ago. But the farmers were reluctant to promote it as they were wary of its acceptance by the consumers. As time passed, they saw the variety as a successful commercial crop.

The demand for the Grand naine bananas is steadily growing in the markets and the farmers are gearing up to meet it, said V. Ajikumar, superintendent of the district panchayat's Kottukkal Farm.

Grand naine in French means “large dwarf” and true to its name, this variety is not very tall but produces bunches that is almost three-fourths its size with each having more than 200 fruits.

Grand naine banana bunches while on the plant closely resembles the Robusta bananas in size and colour. But when they ripen they turn yellow.

Long shelf life

Mr. Ajikumar said the Grand naine bananas have a shelf life which is much longer than the Robusta. While the latter tend to drop from the bunch in two to three days after ripening, the former stay intact on the bunch for more than two weeks after ripening, maintaining their peculiar aroma and taste. It is this quality of the Grand naine which has made them appealing to farmers, markets and consumers.

Mr. Ajikumar said that during the Onam season the bananas fetched Rs.16 a kg for the farmer. With prices of all banana varieties falling now, farmers now sell Grand naines for Rs.10 a kg.

Source: The Hindu, 27-11-2010

Vechur cow gets a lifeline

Thiruvananthapuram: A calf born to a Vechur cow, the smallest cow in the world and a breed listed under the category of ‘Critical Breeds' by the Food and Agriculture Organisation, has created a lot of excitement at Chappath village near Vizhinjam here.

Not just the locals, people are coming from afar too to gaze in wonder at this beautiful white-coloured calf named Devaki and her diminutive mother, Gayathri, both of which are under the care of Santhigram, a voluntary organisation at Chappath.

Hardy breed

Vechur cow, a hardy breed of dwarf cattle indigenous to Kerala, which grows only about a maximum of 100 cm in height, has been generating a lot of interest in recent times following a study report from College of Veterinary and Animal Sciences at Thrissur that the milk of Vechur cow is rich in beta caseine A2, a milk protein which is protective against diabetes and heart diseases.

There are only about 200 of Vechur cows in the State, almost half of which are being bred by the veterinary college.

The breed would have gone extinct had it not been for a conservation programme that the college launched in 1989.

With all the international attention and recognition it has been receiving, owning a Vechur cow has now become a matter of pride. According to reports, there are only about five Vechur cows in the district.

Vechur cow yields only about three litres of milk daily and the milk has a much higher fat percentage than the milk produced by its cross-bred counterparts.

With the renewed demand for Vechur cows, the veterinary college at Thrissur now gives out Vechur calves bred under its conservation programme to those who submits an application to the college.

Source: The Hindu, 27-11-2010

Action plan sought to protect Pampa

PATHANAMTHITTA: The Kerala State Bio-diversity Board is keen to declare the Pampa river an important biodiversity zone, board chairman R.V. Varma has said.

He was delivering the keynote address at a workshop on ‘biodiversity conservation of Pampa' organised by the Pampa Parirakshana Samiti at the Maramon Retreat Centre at Maramon near Kozhencherry on Thursday.

He said an eco-friendly action plan was the immediate need for biodiversity conservation of the Pampa. The day-long workshop, supported by the board, was aimed at collecting suggestions and proposals from experts as well as mobilising public opinion in this regard.

Mr. Varma said the board would submit a proposal on biodiversity conservation of the Pampa to the government soon.

He said protection of river banks growing indigenous flora should be encouraged. The Biodiversity Board had initiated a programme to monitor fish in all 44 rivers in the State with public participation.

Mr. Varma said the board was of the view that river conservation could be effective and transparent only with the active involvement of the public and local self-government institutions.

Philipose Mar Chrysostum, senior Metropolitan of Mar Thoma Church, inaugurated the workshop. In his address, the Metropolitan lamented the sad state of affairs of the Pampa.

Water in the Pampa, which is regarded as a holy river, has become so polluted that people are even scared to bath in it, he added. Mar Chrysostum stressed the need to protect the river from pollution and degradation without delay.

N.K. Sukumaran Nair, PPS general secretary, Fr. Thomas Peeliyanickal, executive director of the Kuttanad Vikasana Samiti, and K.Sivadasan Nair, MLA, also spoke.

Source: The Hindu, 27-11-2010

Zoology exhibition to showcase rare specimens

Kozhikode: As part of the observance of International Year of Biodiversity, the Zoology Department of Malabar Christian College here will organise a three-day zoology exhibition titled ‘Zoo Spectra' from November 24 to 26 on the campus. District Collector P.B. Salim will open it.

At a press conference here on Monday, Mary Anitha, Head of the Department of Zoology, said the exhibition would feature a number of rare specimens related to the lifecycle of man, animals, birds and insects. “The purpose of the programme is to kindle the interest of students in basic science,” she said.

The exhibition would offer opportunity for the visitors to see the various stages of the growth of human embryo. A photo exhibition would also be organised to enlighten viewers on the history of Indian biodiversity, she added.

Lambert Kishore and Sachin P. James, faculty members, said the specimens of rare stick insects, butterflies and light-producing bugs would be the main attractions of the exhibition.

Altogether 500 species of different insects would be displayed at the exhibition, they added.
College manager P.S. Ebenezer was also present at the press meet.

Source: The Hindu, 23-11-2010

A feather in the cap of city zoo

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The nesting of Little Grebe, a small water bird, was reported for the first time in south Kerala, on the zoo premises here, during the fourth HSBC BirdRace on Sunday.

The nesting was spotted near the pond inside the zoo during the race, held in seven locations in and around the city, in which 62 birdwatchers, aged between 10 and 70 years, participated. It has been revealed that the museum-zoo compound, the capital's lung space, has considerable bird diversity.

Though the area is a habitat for house sparrow, not even one was sighted, hinting at the decline of this species due to non-availability of food in the city.

Oriental Darter, the endangered and red listed snake bird also has a good population here and the team observed 11 nests with chicks.

Peroorkada, Akkulam wetlands, Punchakari paddy fields-Vellayani Lake and surrounding areas, Arippa–Palode, Chathancode–Vithura, Neyyar Dam-Kottoor and Kallar-Ponmudi were the other sites for the dawn-to-dusk event in the city.

Seven teams

The participants were grouped into seven teams and given binoculars and bird log books. An expert bird watcher accompanied each team. The bird race was coordinated locally by WWF-India, Kerala State Office and Warblers & Waders. Thirty-one species of birds were reported from Peroorkada.

The wetland of the city, Akkulam, was a total disappointment. Only eight species, including Reef Egret, could be sighted. Last year, 61 species were reported from here. Reclamation, construction activities and pollution has led to a complete eviction of water birds like cormorants, darters and ducks from the lake.

Common Kestrel and Black naped Monarch Blue Flycatcher were the important sightings from Kallar-Ponmudi.

The fresh water lake, Vellayani and the paddy fields of Punchakkari provided sighting of rare species like Red necked Falcon and Black capped Kingfisher. Marsh Harrier, Chestnut Bittern and Small Pratincole were the other important sightings.

Back Baza team which surveyed the Arippa Forests won the first prize with a sighting of 87 species. Team Osprey, which studied the Punchakkary paddy fields and Vellayani Lake won the second prize, spotting 70 species. Team Honey Buzzard, who was at the Neyyar Dam-Kottur area won the third prize with 58 species.

The Orange-breasted green pigeon, reported from the zoo premises, was declared the Bird of the Day. A. K. Sivakumar, Coordinator of the Bird Race and Education Officer of WWF-India, and C. Sushanthkumar, Executive Member, Warblers and Waders, were in the judging panel.

In all, 139 species were spotted during the day's event. O. M. Mathew, the oldest participant, and Baby Salini Anil, the youngest, were also given awards. Minister for Forest and Housing Benoy Viswom, who was the chief guest at the valedictory, gave away the prizes.

Source: The Hindu,18-11-2010

New ginger species in Western Ghats

Thrissur: A new species of wild ginger has been discovered in the Western Ghats.

Scientists P. Sujanapal of the M.S. Swaminathan Research Foundation and N.Sasidharan of the Kerala Forest Research Institute discovered the new species, named Zingiber Anamalayanum (Zingiberaceae), in the Nelliyampathy and Anamalai hills in the Western Ghats.

The species, found in grasslands that are 1,400-1,650 metres above sea level, has been termed rare. It flowers between May and August. Fruits mature between July and November.

The Nordic Journal of Botany (Volume 28, Issue 3), an international journal that publishes studies of relevance to the botanical biodiversity on earth, has reported the discovery.

“Research needs to be carried out about the edible and medicinal values of the new species,” says Dr. Sujanapal.

The Western Ghats is home to different species of gingers (Zingiber), turmeric (Curcuma) and pepper (Piper). As many as 156 species of the genus Zingiber are found in India, Sri Lanka, Bangladesh, Burma, China, Japan, Malaysia and Queensland. Most of the species occur in the Indo-Chinese Peninsula and southern China. In the Indian subcontinent, the North-East and the Western Ghats report Zingiber diversity.

“During our study of the flora of the Parambikulam Wildlife Sanctuary, a few specimens of Zingiber were collected from the grasslands. We compared them with all the recorded Zingiber species of the Indo-Malaysian region. The specimen did not match any of the already reported species,” adds Mr. Sujanapal.

He points out the need for preserving the new species. “Human activity causes destruction of its habitat,” he says.

Source :The Hindu, 5-11-2010

New freshwater fishes found in Western Ghats

Kozhikode: A group of senior scientists, led by K. Rema Devi and T.J. Indira of the Southern Regional Centre of the Zoological Survey of India, have discovered two freshwater fishes in the biodiversity hotspot of Western Ghats, in collaboration with researchers from various institutions.

The discovery of the two species, Betadeavrio ramachandrani and Puntius rohani, have also been published in the prestigious journal Zootaxa and in the Journal of Threatened Taxa respectively.

The new genus and species of Betadeavrio ramachandrani was discovered from Agumbe, a small tributary of Sita River, about 2 km upstream of the Onake Abbi Fall in Shimoga, Karnataka, while Puntius rohani was discovered from the Kodayar River drainage of the Kanyakumari Wildlife sanctuary and adjoining areas, said C. Radhakrishnan, joint director, Zoological Survey of India, Kozhikode.

Unique one

He said the genus Betadeavrio was unique in the sense that it bore characters intermediate between the genera Devario and Danio. The phylogenetic status of the new genus has been confirmed using molecular markers. The genus is named after ardent fish hobbyist Beta Mahatvaraj and the species name ramachandrani after A. Ramachandran, School of Industrial Fisheries, Cochin University of Science and Technology (CUSAT), in recognition of his contributions to fisheries, sea food production management and studies on indigenous ornamental fish, he said.

Others associated with this discovery are P.K. Pramod, Marine Products Export Development Authority, Mangalore, Fang Fang, Department of Vertebrate Zoology, Swedish Museum of Natural History, Te-Yu Lioa, Department of Zoology, Stockholm University, K.S. Jameela Beevi, Department of Zoology, Maharajas College, Ernakulam.

Dr. Radhakrishnan said the species Puntius rohani belonged to the ‘filamentosus group' that included yet another popular aquarium species—the ‘black-spot barb' or ‘Indian tiger barb'.
This species is named after Rohan Pethiyagoda of the Wildlife Trust of Sri Lanka, in appreciation for his extensive work on the freshwater fishes of India and Sri Lanka, especially his revision of the ‘filamentosus group'.

J.D. Marcus Knight, a naturalist based in Chennai also contributed to the discovery of Puntius rohani, he said. The Western Ghats of India is one of the 34 ‘biodiversity hotspots' of the world. The freshwater fishes of this region comprise more than 300 species and, of these, more than 60 per cent are endemic or unique to the region.

Explorations on

More discoveries are due, with more intensive explorations and in-depth studies of the various freshwater groups here. Many of the large barbs, endemic to the western region of India, are currently listed under ‘threatened category' owing to habitat change, pollution, over exploitation and introduction of exotics, Dr. Radhakrishnan said.

Source: The Hindu, 30-10-2010

A fifth of world's life at extinction risk Nagoya (Japan)

A fifth of the world's mammals, birds, amphibians, reptiles and fishes are in imminent danger of going extinct, says this year's edition of the benchmark IUCN Red List. The percentages of threatened invertebrates and plants are similar.

Releasing the findings at the Oct 18-29 UN biodiversity summit, being attended by 192 countries, here Wednesday, Simon Stuart, chair of the Species Survival Commission of the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN), said their findings on vertebrates showed that "nature's backbone is at risk".

Around 3,000 scientists from around the world have worked to put this Red List together. They have found that 25 percent of all mammals, 13 percent birds, 41 percent amphibians, 22 percent reptiles and 15 percent fishes risk extinction, mostly due to loss of their habitats and some due to overhunting.

A recent study by the Kew Botanical Gardens had found that around six million species - 20 percent of all plants and invertebrates - face the extinction threat too.

But it's not all bad news. IUCN has found 64 species that have improved their status in the Red List, moving from the critically endangered to the endangered category, for example. Stuart said all these were in areas that had been protected, "proving the importance of conservation".

Results show that the status of biodiversity would have declined by at least an additional 20 percent if conservation action had not been taken.The successes include three species that were extinct in the wild and have since been re-introduced back to nature: the California condor and the black-footed ferret in the US, and Przewalski's horse in Mongolia.

Conservation efforts have been particularly successful at combating invasive alien species on islands. The global population of Seychelles Magpie-robin, increased from fewer than 15 birds in 1965 to 180 in 2006 through control of introduced predators, like the brown rat. In Mauritius, six bird species have undergone recoveries in status, including the Mauritius kestrel, whose population has increased from just four birds in 1974 to nearly 1,000.

But very few amphibians - the most threatened vertebrates - have shown signs of recovery.This year's study used data for 25,000 species from the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species, to investigate the status of the world's vertebrates (mammals, birds, amphibians, reptiles and fishes) and how this status has changed over time. The results show that, on average, 50 species of mammal, bird and amphibian move closer to extinction each year due to the impacts of agricultural expansion, logging, over-exploitation, and invasive alien species.

"The 'backbone' of biodiversity is being eroded," said the doyen of ecologists, Edward O. Wilson,of Harvard University. "One small step up the Red List is one giant leap forward towards extinction. This is just a small window on the global losses currently taking place."

Southeast Asia has experienced the most dramatic recent losses, largely driven by the planting of export crops like oil palm, commercial hardwood timber operations, agricultural conversion to rice paddies and unsustainable hunting.

Recently, a UN-sponsored study called The Economics of Ecosystems and Biodiversity (TEEB) calculated the cost of losing nature at $2-5 trillion per year, predominantly in poorer parts of the world. A recent study found one-fifth of more than 5,000 freshwater species in Africa are threatened, putting the livelihoods of millions of people dependent on these vital resources at risk.

Source: Deccan Herald , 27-10-2010

Species facing mass extinction: U.N.

TOKYO: The world must act immediately to stop the rapid loss of animal and plant species and the habitats they live in, the United Nations warned on Monday at the start of a major summit on biodiversity.

The 193 members of the U.N.'s Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD) began gathering in the central city of Nagoya in Japan to try to work out strategies to head off a manmade mass extinction.

“The time to act is now and the place to act is here,” CBD executive secretary Ahmed Djoghlaf said as the meeting opened, describing the event as a “defining moment” in the history of mankind.

“The savings from a coordinated ecosystems approach to climate change, biodiversity loss, avoiding deforestation and land degradation are incalculable”.

The 12-day conference aims to throw a spotlight on a global environmental issue that has drawn less attention in recent years than the related problem of manmade climate change, blamed on a surge of greenhouse gas emissions.

Scientists say worldwide human population pressures are wiping out ecosystems such as tropical forests and coral reefs, killing off animal and plant species that form the web of life which humanity depends on. “Our prosperity and indeed our survival depend on healthy ecosystems,” said Jim Leape, the chief of the Worldwide Fund for Nature (WWF). “The Earth's forests, oceans and rivers are the very foundation of our society and economy”.

“Even in purely economic terms, it is far, far more cost effective to conserve or restore healthy ecosystems than to artificially provide natural services that we currently take for granted”.

Delegates in Nagoya plan to set a new target for 2020 for curbing species loss, and will discuss boosting medium-term financial help for poor countries to help them protect their wildlife and habitats. But similar pledges to stem biodiversity loss, first made when the U.N. biodiversity convention was adopted in 1992, have not been fulfilled. At the start of the decade, U.N. members pledged under the Millennium Development Goals to achieve “a significant reduction” in the rate of wildlife loss by 2010, the International Year of Biodiversity. Instead, habitat destruction has continued unabated, and some experts now warn that the planet faces its sixth mass extinction phase — the latest since dinosaurs vanished 65 million years ago.

Nearly a quarter of mammals, one-third of amphibians, more than one in eight birds, and more than a fifth of plant species now face the threat of extinction, said the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN).

In May, a U.N. report warned of looming “tipping points” that could irreversibly damage ecosystems such as the Amazon rainforest, through logging and land clearance, and coral reefs through global warming and overfishing. The Earth's 6.8 billion humans are effectively living 50 per cent beyond the planet's bio-capacity in 2007, according to a new assessment by WWF, adding that by 2030, humans will effectively need the capacity of two Earths. — AFP

Source: The hindu, 19-10-2010

Exhibition on biodiversity

KOCHI: An exhibition on biodiversity conservation, organised at the Mangalavanam Bird Sanctuary, this week spoke about the pressing need for conserving biodiversity.

Posters, pictures and pamphlets featuring the significance of the theme were there at the exhibition organised by the State Forest Department in connection with the Wildlife Week celebrations.

“We spoke to the visitors about the rich flora and fauna around us, the ecological important sites of Kochi and the easy steps to protect biodiversity,” said B.S. Corrie, Chief Conservator of Forests, Social Forestry.

It also provided an opportunity to the visitors to learn about Nature and ecosystems at close quarters. Mangroves, water body, birds and trees… the sanctuary provided a glimpse of all these facets of life to the nearly 600 children who visited the area.

The Kerala Forest Research Institute, Vegetable and Fruit Promotion Council Keralam, Kottapuram Integrated Development Society and Anthyodaya participated in the exhibition.

Source: The Hindu, 8-10-2010

96 butterfly species sighted in survey

KALPETTA: A butterfly survey in the Thirunelly section of the North Wayanad Forest Division has reported the sighting of 96 species.

The three-day survey, conducted by the Wildlife Department and the Ferns Naturalists Society, concluded here on Tuesday.

It is a precursor to the setting up of a butterfly park in the area. The survey was intended to be a feasibility study to assess the species of butterflies, including endemic and migrating ones, Divisional Forest Officer, North Wayanad Forest Division, Sasikumar said.

The survey had proved that the habitat was suitable for butterflies and a butterfly park would be viable near the forest dormitory at Thirunelly, he said.

A 37-member team including 30 BSc and MSc (Zoology) students of the Mary Matha College, Mananthavadi; and Kannur University campus, Mananthavadi, and seven butterfly experts from different parts of Malabar took part.

The team reported sightings of 18 species of Skippers, 9 species of Blues, 14 species of Swallowtails, 12 Pierids and 43 species of Nymphalids, P.A. Vinayan, survey organiser, told The Hindu. Endemic species such as Southern Bird Wing (Troides Minos), Malabar Banded Swallowtail (Papplio Liomedon), Tamil Catseye (Zipoetis Saitis), South India Blue Oak Leaf (Kallima Horsfieldi) and Malabar Raven (Papilio Dravidarum) were sighted in many places.
Some rare butterflies such as Paris Peacock (Papilio Paris), Painted Sawtooth (Prioneris Sita), Tamil Treebrown (Lethe Drypetis Lethe), Cruiser (Vindula Erota) were also sighted during the survey, Mr. Vinayan said.

Migration

We sighted the migration of the Dark Blue Tiger and the Common Crow species, A. Askar, a BSc second-year student of the Mary Matha College said. The survey was led by Pavithran Vadkara, Sudheesh Karingari, N.S. Sujin and Anoop V.K.

Source: The Hindu Daily, 7/10/2010

Over 1 million marine species living on earth, says study

Kollam: The decade long Census of Marine Life (2000-2010), the largest global research programme on marine biodiversity, has been completed and the findings, delivered on October 4, suggest that there may be 1 million to 1.4 million marine species, excluding microbes, living on earth.

The census resulted in the discovery and description of more than 1200 marine species excluding microbes and the collection of more than 5000 new species, also excluding microbes, which are yet to be described.

This will now be in addition to the 250,000 species formally described so far in science literature.

Among the new species discovered and described is a crab so unusual that it warranted a new family designation “Kiwidae”, named after the mythological “Kiwa”, the Polynesian goddess of shellfish. It was found south of Easter Island. Other new species discovered include a blind lobster, a new species of shrimp designated “Hippolyte catagrapha”, a finned octopod which flaps a large pair of ear-like fins to swim, a “squid worm” from the Celebes Sea in South East Asia and a vent snail inhabiting deep sea hydrothermal vents and harbouring chemoautotrophic symbionts in its gills which provide the snail with all the nutrients it needs. Interestingly, the snail found near a vent off Tokyo is the only one discovered to date. The census has also estimated up to 1 billion marine microbes.

More than 80 per cent of the species discovered from the Australian region, 70 per cent from Japan, 75 per cent from the Mediterranean deep sea, 58 per cent from Antarctica, 38 per cent from southern Africa and 10 per cent from Europe, are yet to be described. The census has also mapped marine highways and rest stops. Scientists traced the blue finned tuna migrating from western United States and Japan three times in a single year and one grey headed albatross flew around the world in just 46 days.

Largest scientific collaboration

One of the largest scientific collaborations ever conducted, more than 2700 scientists from more than eighty countries with 640 participating institutions, spent 9000 days at sea on more than 540 expeditions to conclude that “marine biodiversity of the planet is richer, more connected, more altered than expected”. The census called for a global investment of US $ 650 million and another US $ 75 million from the Alfred P. Sloan Foundation.
While most of what mankind knows about the ocean is between the surface and the depths of approximately 1000 feet, the census scientists even explored the 10,000 meter deep Marianas Trench south east of Japan. The census reveals what, where and how much lives and hides in global oceans.

Ian Pioner, Chairman of the census steering committee said, “This cooperative international 21st century voyage has systematically defined for the first time both the known and the vast unknown, unexplored ocean. The beauty, wonder and importance of marine life are hard to overstate.”

He added that all surface life depends on life inside and beneath the oceans. Sea life provides half our oxygen, a lot of our food and regulates the climate. “We are all citizens of the sea.” The census has enabled mankind to be better acquainted with our fellow travellers of the sea and their vast habitat on this globe, he said.

The Source: The Hindu, 4-10-2010

Nurturing biodiversity for tourism

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: World Tourism Day is observed on Monday with focus on the continued loss of biodiversity and the need for exploring synergies between tourism, biodiversity and sustainable development.

The theme ‘tourism and biodiversity' is particularly pertinent as 2010 has been declared as International Year of Biodiversity by the United Nations, concerned as it has been by the alarming situation on the biodiversity front.

With mangroves and ecosystems across the State increasingly targeted for developing tourism, the focal theme should help provide an opportunity for all concerned to raise public awareness about the importance of biodiversity to tourism and the role of sustainable tourism in conservation.

Tourism planners say more effort is needed to sustain biodiversity even while admitting that the State may have overtaken others in taking the initiative to implement Responsible Tourism practices. “Socially and economically beneficial tourism projects are there to list out but sadly none on the environment front despite the much publicised Responsible Tourism initiative,” says C. Jayakumar of Thanal.

Key asset

Biodiversity is a key tourism asset and fundamental to its sustained growth.

As tourism has emerged as a leading economic activity in generating employment, sustainable tourism has an important role and responsibility in managing and conserving biological natural resources.

Sustainable tourism can generate significant revenue for conservation and community development and also help raise awareness on biodiversity issues.

“Tourism has not been able to coexist along with biodiversity if one were to put the projects in forests, coasts and midlands under the scanner,” Mr. Jayakumar said.

“Tourism and biodiversity are mutually dependent,” says United Nations World Tourism Organisation (UNWTO) Secretary-General Taleb Rifai in his message on World Tourism Day.
The UNWTO has called upon “stakeholders and travellers to contribute their part of the global responsibility to safeguard the intricate web of unique species and ecosystems that make up the planet.”

Source: The Hindu,27-9-2010

Rare butterfly sighted in Ponmudi forests

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: A team of nature lovers from Thiruvananthapuram have spotted the life cycle of the ‘Blue Nawab' butterfly in the forests of Ponmudi-Kallar region.

The team from nature group ‘Warblers and Waders', comprising C. Susanth, K.A. Kishore, Baiju and P.B. Biju saw the larvae of this rare butterfly amidst rock formations on either side of a stream deep in the forests. “Sighting this butterfly itself is a very rare thing. Still rarer it is to see its life cycle. We could not find the eggs. After we spotted the larvae, we returned to the location and kept watch as the butterfly finally emerged,” Mr. Susanth told The Hindu.

The study team, in July 2010, also observed the larave feeding on Scarlet Bauhinia( ‘Kaattu Mandaaram'). “The Nawab is a medium-sized butterfly with black wings. It can be easily identified from its white band laced with blue. The males can be found basking on chosen trees among rocky peaks during the hottest part of the day,” Mr. Susanth said.

The earlier studies of the life cycle of this butterfly were conducted by British lepidopterists J. Davidson, T.R. Bell and E.H. Aitken in 1896 at Coorg. “This is the first life cycle record of this butterfly in Kerala, The Kaattu Mandaram has not been previously recorded as a host plant for this butterfly,” Mr. Susanth said.

The team plans to report the sighting to the Journal of Bombay Natural History Society and to other International Journals.

Californian Lepidopterist Keith V. Wolfe, who conducted studies on host plant utilisation of butterflies and Kishen Das, US-based lepidopterist, provided the literature to Warblers and Waders on the life cycle of Blue Nawab, Mr. Susanth added.

Source:The HIndu,20-9-2010

Green turtle gets satellite telemetry tagging

CHENNAI: The satellite telemetry tagging of a juvenile green turtle was carried out here on Sunday morning. The turtle, belonging to a rare species, was found entangled in a net in a fishing village in Chennai four months ago.

Now, she goes back to the seas with technology accompanying her.

The procedure conducted by volunteers of the Sea Turtle Protection Force and TREE Foundation lasted close to five hours. The process started around 10 a.m. when the ‘Greenie' was deposited in a cardboard box. Held in place by a set of volunteers, a few kept a wet cloth over her head to keep her calm. The major process involved cleaning the carapace (the hard upper shell) using acetone, cementing a GPS transmitter onto the turtle's back and colouring the module. It was a long time before the special adhesive dried, after which the turtle was released at the rock formations near Marakkanam around 4 p.m.

Each time the ‘Greenie' surfaces for air, the satellite transmitter would send a signal which would help determine its location in the ocean. The internationally recognisable paint applied on the turtle would enable scientists across the world to monitor its movement and behaviour. Most turtle deaths occur due to entanglement in gill nets. Since the trawl boats drag them for a long time, they suffocate and die, and many a time face major injuries, said Supraja Dharini, Chairperson of TREE Foundation. “As many as 100 turtles are found dead every year along Chennai's coastline alone,” she says.

The outcome of the study will be shared with the Ministry of Environment and Forests and Department of Fisheries.

Only one out of every 1,000 turtle eggs survives to become an adult and an adult nests till she is 60, says Dr. Dharini. No conservation mechanism will succeed unless the death rate of adult turtles is checked, according to her. The ‘Greenie' can be tracked at the website http://www.seaturtle.org/tracking/?project_id=477

K. Venkataraman, a scientist at the Marine Biology Regional centre, Zoological Survey of India, said that the feeding and breeding patterns of turtles were dependent on ocean currents.
“If the current is favourable, the telemetry can bring useful results,” he said.

Source: The Hindu,30-8-2010