Medicinal plants fight for life

Sarpagandhi, Raktha Chandan and Elephant's Foot Yam that grow in
Kerala are among the medicinal plants listed as "threatened" by the
International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) and TRAFIC, a
wildlife trading monitoring network. They have listed seven species,
including the Kerala varieties, as threatened due to exploitation.
"India is a hub of the wild-collected plant medicine industry in Asia,
but key species have declined due to over-collection to supply
domestic and foreign medicinal markets," said an IUCN communication.
The report "covered seven species of conservation concern protected
under the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of
Wild Fauna and Flora."The other species that were covered included
Himalayan Yew, Kutki (Katuku Rohini in local parlance) and Jatamansi.
Desert Cistanche, a plant variety found in China and Mongolia, was
also included in the study. These "wild plant species form the
foundation of health care practices throughout Asia, particularly
traditional practices, such as Chinese medicine, Ayurveda, Siddha,
Unani and Tibetan medicines," the report said. While Sarpagandhi is
used in the treatment of nervous disorders, blood pressure and as
anti-venom, the heartwood of Raktha Chandan is used to treat diabetes
and to reduce inflammation. Elephant's Foot Yam, which is used in
treating gastric diseases, also forms part of the diet of the tribals
of Wayanad, according to experts. "The reduced availability of
Himalayan Yew, Kutki and Jatamansi, found mostly in North India, has
forced the pharmaceutical firms to restrict its use," said C.
Ramankutty Warrier, Chief Medical Officer of the Publication Division
of Kotakkal Arya Vaidyasala. Though most of the threatened species are
found in Kerala, they are procured by pharma firms from places where
they grow in the wild, according to Indira Balachandran, Head of the
Centre for Medicinal Plant Research of the Vaidyasala. Dr.
Harikrishnan, chief physician of the Nagarjuna Ayurvedic Group, said
there was no organised farming of these species in Kerala. They mostly
come from markets outside India.

The Hindu, 22nd December 2008

Minister launches organic farming project

Agriculture Minister Mullakkara Ratnakaran has said that the State is
taking up farming in a big way. He was inaugurating an organic farming
programme under the 'Harithatheeram' project in Ward 7 of the city
Corporation on Saturday. Mr. Ratnakaran said the government's scheme
to being organic cultivation of vegetables in 1,000 villages had
evoked an enthusiastic response. The young generation had to be
educated on the joys of farming and turning our fields into productive
places, he said, adding that it was being done successfully in the
State. He reiterated the State government's commitment to organic
farming. The State also had the distinction of being the first in the
country to announce interest-free loans for paddy cultivation. G.
Nammalvar, expert in organic farming, spoke.

The Hindu, 22nd December 2008

Wetland birds vanishing

Wetland birds may vanish from Kerala in the near future considering
their declining population trend. There has been an alarming drop in
the population as revealed during the recent water bird census. The
number of wetland birds in the State has dropped to 94,516 in 2007
from 1, 41,588 of 2004, according to the Asian Water Bird Census data
for Kerala. The situation has further worsened in 2008 in kole
wetlands where the bird population has come down to 30,618 against one
lakh in 2004, said P.O. Nameer, Kerala coordinator of Asian Water Bird
Census. The wetland bird census was held in sole wetlands, Vembanad
Lake, Purathur, Kattampally, Ashtamudi Lake and Kadalundi from 2004.
These wetlands account for the 95 per cent of the total water birds
counted from Kerala. All the wetlands except Purathur and Ashtamudi
showed rapid decline in the bird population. In Purathur, the bird
population increased to 29,837 from 11,272 of 2004. A marginal
increase was also observed at Vembanad where the population was
recorded as 26,801 against 24,744 of 2004, the survey revealed. An
alarming situation prevailed in Kattampally where the bird population
plummeted to 8,440 in 2007 against the 20,087 of 2004.Of the 31 bird
species of Kerala that are considered threatened as per the
International Union for Conservation of Nature standards, eight are
wetland-dependent ones. These include Spot-billed Pelican, Oriental
Darter, Black-headed Ibis and Black-tailed Godwit, said Dr. Nameer.
Dr. B. Sreekumar, coordinator of the survey in Vembanad Lake, observed
that there had been significant reduction in the number of migratory
birds that reach the region. Sandpipers, Greenshanks and Stints could
be hardly spotted during the surveys, he said. It was also observed
that the Cormorant population was on the increase. Besides the habitat
loss, there should be other factors that resulted in the fall in
number of migratory birds reaching the area, said Dr. Sreekumar who
also heads the Kottayam Nature Society.2009 census in January. The
2009 Asian Water fowl census will be held during the first three weeks
of January. The Census, to be held under the joint auspices of the
Wetland International, Kerala State Biodiversity Board and the Kerala
Forest Department would commence at the kole wetland on January 4.
Purathur will be surveyed on January 11 and Vembanad on 18. Bird
counting would also be held at 25 other wetlands across the State. The
survey aims to "obtain, on an annual basis, information on waterbird
populations for most species, at wetlands in the region during the
non-breeding period as a basis for long term evaluation of sites and
monitoring of populations", according to Wetland International. During
the survey, the status and condition of wetlands would be monitored.
It also attempts to create "greater interest in water birds and
wetlands amongst people, and thereby promote the conservation of
wetlands and waterbirds in the region."

The Hindu, 21st December 2008

More than 1,000 species discovered in Mekong: WWF

Scientists have discovered more than 1000 species in Southeast Asia's
Greater Mekong region in the past decade, including a spider as big as
a dinner plate, the World Wildlife Fund said .A rat thought to have
become extinct 11 million years ago and cyanide-laced, shocking pink
millipede were among creatures found in what the group called a
"biological treasure trove".The species were all found in the rain
forests and wetlands along the Mekong River, which flows through
Cambodia, Laos, Myanmar, Thailand,Vietnam and the southern Chinese
province of Yunnan. One species of pit viper was first noted by
scientists after it was found in the rafters of a restaurant at the
headquarters of Thailand's Kho Yai national park in 2001.The new
species highlighted in the report includes 519 plants, 279 fish, 88
frogs, 88 spiders, 46 lizards, 22 snakes, 15 mammals, four birds, four
turtles, two salamanders and a toad an average of two previously
undiscovered species a week for the past 10 years. The report warned,
however, that many of the species could be at risk from development,
and called for a cross-border agreement between the countries in the
Greater Mekong area to protect it.

The Hindu, 18th December 2008