Study flags chemical contamination risk to endangered Gangetic dolphins
Published in the journal 'Heliyon', the study by the Wildlife Institute of India found that these freshwater mammals are being exposed to a hazardous cocktail of endocrine-disrupting chemicals (EDCs) through their diet.
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The Hindu
9 hours ago
- The Hindu
In a first, WII experts collar three fishing cats in Coringa Wildlife Sanctuary in Andhra Pradesh
Experts from the Wildlife Institute of India (WII), Dehradun, have collared three endangered fishing cats (Prionailurus viverrinus) for the first time in India to study various factors such as home range, behaviour, breeding, and prey patterns of the species, in the Coringa Wildlife Sanctuary (CWS) in the Godavari estuary in Kakinada district. The Fishing Cat Collaring Project is led by conservation biologist Bilal Habib, WII-Dehradun. The collaring was done in the sanctuary in the last week of May. In Andhra Pradesh, the Coringa and Krishna sanctuaries are home to the fishing cat. By 2018, their population was 115 in the CWS, which spreads over 235 square kilometers. In 2019, the Andhra Pradesh Forest Department and WII-Dehradun had kick-started the three-year Fishing Cat Collaring Project, but it was delayed due to the COVID-19 pandemic. 'We have collared three fishing cats with lightweight equipment containing a Geographical Information System in the Coringa Wildlife Sanctuary. The equipment is expected to function for a year, if there is no damage to it,' Dr. Bilal Habib told The Hindu over phone on Wednesday. 'In India, the home range of the species has not been studied so far. The collaring project primarily aims at recording the home range of the species by tracing the collared three fishing cats for one year. This is the first time in India to collar the fishing cats in the CWS,' said Dr. Bilal Habib. In Asia, the fishing cat was collared in Bangladesh. Simultaneously, the collaring project would also enumerate the fishing cat population in the sanctuary. The WII experts and the A.P. Forest Department would capture and collar 10 fishing cats under the project in the CWS as consented by the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change. 'The collaring has been done to study and record the behavioural patterns, prey chart, breeding and feeding habits of the fishing cat. The complete movements of the collared fishing cats will be monitored till the end of the project,' said Chief Conservator of Forests, Rajahmundry, B.N.N. Murthy. The experts are also expected to record the challenges of the species during its breeding period. Fishing cat, which is aggressive by nature, is active at night in search of prey near the water bodies and lives deep inside the mangrove cover.
Scroll.in
10 hours ago
- Scroll.in
Livestock is out grazing the majestic wild goat in the Kashmir Himalayas
In the mountainous terrain of the Kashmir Himalayas, a rare and majestic wild goat – the Kashmir markhor – is competing for space. A new study has revealed that increasing livestock populations in the alpine and sub-alpine areas are restricting the feeding and movement of this animal in its natural habitat. The markhor (Capra falconeri) is the world's largest wild goat and is known for its spiral horns. Listed as 'near threatened' in the IUCN Red List, the markhor is found across the mountain ranges of India as well as Uzbekistan, Turkmenistan, Tajikistan, Afghanistan and Pakistan. Of the three sub-species, the Capra falconeri cashmeriensis is found in India, mainly in Kashmir, and is protected under Schedule I of the Wild Life (Protection) Act, 1972. There are two viable populations of markhor in Kashmir – a smaller group in the Pir Panjal range (Hirpora and Tatakutti Wildlife Sanctuaries in Shopian and Poonch district), and a larger one in the Kazinag range (Kazinag National Park in Baramulla district). The recent study, published in the Journal for Nature Conservation, looked at the impacts of livestock (mainly sheep and goats) on the movement and habitat use of markhor across different altitudes. The study was conducted in the Kazinag region, in the Lacchipora and Limber wildlife sanctuaries. As Lacchipora receives fewer livestock, due to restrictions at a check post as it is nearer to the Line of Control, this helped the researchers to better understand and compare how livestock impact the markhor. Seasonal habits and habitats Female markhor and their young typically migrate to the higher alpine and sub-alpine habitats during the summer. These habitats are crucial as they provide ample and nutritious food for the animals to build the strength necessary to survive harsh winters. Common food plants for the markhor at these elevations are shrubs and trees such as redberry honeysuckle, Himalayan wayfaring tree, and Himalayan birch. Females markhor give birth during May and June each year, notes Gopal Singh Rawat, a senior scientist at the Wildlife Institute of India, Dehradun, and co-author of the study. This period also coincides with the arrival of migratory livestock; herders move into the area in May, when rising temperatures and melting snow at lower and middle elevations lead to fresh vegetation growth. According to the study, the livestock population exceeds that of the markhor by over 30 times each season. The study found that the markhor primarily used areas with low to medium livestock pressure and avoided areas with high livestock pressure in both the valleys. In Lacchipora valley, where livestock numbers were less, they observed that markhor migrated to higher elevations to access the 'fresh and better quality forage' in the few areas that were free from livestock. But in Limber, where there was more livestock presence, both male and female markhor remained at lower elevations, thus possibly missing out on the benefits of nutritious forage. The paper thus noted that high livestock pressure negatively impacted the markhor. This was also evidenced by a lower population density and extremely low ratio of yearlings to adult females in the Limber valley. The study concluded that keeping the habitats of markhor relatively free from grazing could help maintain the population of this threatened caprid within India. 'This research raises serious concerns for markhor conservation in the region. The severe competition with livestock for space and resources in summer, combined with the disturbance by herders and herding dogs, will affect their migration patterns as well. This may force the markhor to sub-optimal habitats, thereby exposing them to several risks,' says Tawqir Bashir, an assistant professor at the Division of Wildlife Sciences, Sher-e-Kashmir University of Agricultural Sciences and Technology, Kashmir, who was not associated with the study. He adds that the study provides a sustainable and ecologically sound solution to address this issue by recommending regulation of livestock, restricting heavy livestock at markhor fawning sites and few peak summer markhor habitats, and using alternate summer grazing sites as a long-term management approach. Rising threat After the 'Markhor Recovery Project' was launched in Jammu and Kashmir in 2004, researchers from the Wildlife Trust of India have been monitoring the region's markhor population trends. While the population in the Kazinag range has shown a slow but steady increase – from 155 individuals in 2004 to 221 in 2023 – the smaller Pir Panjal population has declined sharply, with numbers dropping from around 55 individuals in 2004 to only a handful of sightings in recent years, according to the Wildlife Trust of India . 'Interestingly, during our field surveys, markhor groups were sighted in areas adjacent to the Hirpora Wildlife Sanctuary after a gap of 60 years. This led to the notification of the Tatakutti Wildlife Sanctuary in the Pir Panjal range, providing an alternative refuge for the dwindling Pir Panjal population,' says Tanushree Srivastava, Head of Jammu and Kashmir Projects at Wildlife Trust of India. She notes that livestock herding is a threat not only to the markhor but also other hoofed animals in the Himalayas, as it increases competition for limited food. 'Although livestock herding has been practiced for centuries, the pressure has increased in recent years due to rising human and livestock populations. This exposes the markhor to competition for food and space, the transmission of diseases, and an increased risk of predation – particularly of young ones – by guard dogs accompanying herders,' she points out. Beyond grazing pressure, there are additional threats such as infrastructure development. The construction of roads, such as the Mughal road through Hirpora Wildlife Sanctuary, as well as mining activities, installation of power lines, and border fencing, have severely restricted markhor movement. 'The increased livestock grazing by migratory herders after the road's construction has further impeded markhor population recovery,' she says. 'Poaching, especially targeting large-bodied males for their horns, remains a serious concern, particularly during seasonal migrations when markhor venture closer to human settlements.' While the specific impact of climate change on markhor has not yet been studied, she notes that it could affects mountain ungulates (hoofed animals) through its influence on plant growth patterns. 'Rising temperatures could push vegetation to higher elevations, which would, in turn, shift grazing zones upward, impacting markhor and other high-elevation species,' she says. Long game To address livestock pressure in the Pir Panjal range, WTI has been monitoring herders and assisting Kashmir's Department of Wildlife Protection, in establishing anti-grazing camps at key locations in and around Hirpora Wildlife Sanctuary. At these camps, WTI and DoWP teams check herders' legal documents and discourage non-bonafide herders from entering the sanctuary. 'We have also identified critical markhor habitats within the protected areas, where we are actively working to reduce livestock pressure through these measures,' Srivastava says. 'Additionally, we have connected herders and local communities in fringe villages to government welfare schemes like the Pradhan Mantri Ujjwala Yojana, aiming to reduce their dependency on resources from markhor habitats.' She adds that it is important to involve local communities in conservation efforts, such as engaging them in patrolling and in activities that help prevent illegal grazing and poaching. Wildlife Warden North Kashmir, Intesar Suhail told Mongabay India that livestock grazing – or rather, overgrazing – in highland pastures has been recognised as a major limiting factor affecting wild herbivore populations across the Himalayan landscape, and the markhor is no exception. 'We have successfully identified several critical markhor habitats within Kazinag National Park and the Limber and Lachipora Wildlife Sanctuaries, and efforts are underway to make these areas grazing-free,' says Suhail. The critical markhor habitats identified have been systematically mapped and subjected to intensive management interventions, with a strong focus on minimising human disturbances. 'Particularly strict protective measures are enforced during the rutting season (November-December) and the birthing season (May) to ensure minimal disruption to the species during these sensitive periods,' Suhail says.
Hindustan Times
a day ago
- Hindustan Times
Govt to soon launch Green Wall project to save exploited Aravallis
It is likely the country's oldest mountain range, spanning 670 km, and runs in a southwesterly direction from Delhi to Gujarat. It boasts 22 wildlife sanctuaries including four tiger reserves (Ranthambore is one) and bird parks. It is the source of important rivers including the Chambal. And it hosts the only primary forest in the National Capital Region, with tools from the lower Palaeolithic period (3.3 million years to 300,000 years ago) and cave art being found in the hills around the forest. It is the Aravallis (also spelt Aaravali; literally meaning line of peaks). Haryana doesn't really care about it though (and has fought tooth and nail to prevent calling its wilds forests); Rajasthan has lost several peaks, according to a submission in the Supreme Court; and Delhi has never really cared about it. All that could change starting June 5, World Environment Day, when the Union government, in association with the states concerned, will launch the Aravalli Green Wall project, focused on restoring the Aravallis in Delhi, Rajasthan, Haryana and Gujarat, according to people familiar with the matter. Prime Minister Narendra Modi is expected to launch the Aravalli Green Wall project and Ek Ped Ma Ke Naam 2025 campaign by planting saplings at Mahavir Jayanti park in South Delhi, the people added. The people said Delhi chief minister Rekha Gupta is expected to join the PM during the launch in Delhi, while the CMs of the other three Aravalli states are also expected to begin the campaign in their states. According to the people cited above, the project will look at large-scale landscape restoration by removal of prospis juliflora (a kind of mesquite) and planting of native species, especially in reserved forest areas under the forest departments. Trees such as the khair (Indian gum arabic), ronjh (White-barked Acacia); dhau (axlewood), pilkhan (white fig),salai (Indian frankincense), among others, are native to the belt. Surveys by a Wildlife Institute of India (WII) team in parts of Gurugram, Faridabad, Mewat, Mahendargarh and Rewari revealed the presence of at least 10 mammalian species — common leopard, striped hyena, golden jackal, grey wolf, Indian fox, jungle cat, grey mongoose, small Indian civet, Indian crested porcupine, Indian hare, wild pig, rhesus macaque, blue-bull (Nilgai) and Indian gazelle (Chinkara). It showed forest cover in the Haryana Aravallis was very low ( 3.63%) and only exists in the form of two categories i.e open (sparse canopied forests) and scrub forests. The Aravallis have over 300 species of birds and the Aravallis lie along the Central Asian Flyway making the range a birding hotspot. According to a report on Gurugram's Aravalli Biodiversity Park, 170 species of birds were sighted here including a few uncommon species for Delhi-NCR like Sirkeer Malkoha, Yellow-eyed Babbler, Rufous-fronted Prinia, Indian Eagle Owl and Jungle Prinia. But the Aravallis have been destroyed by the proximity to large urban centres such as Delhi and Gurugram, quarried for stone (often illegally), and left to the mercy of village panchayats as common land with most of the states loath to define them as forests. The Green Wall project, envisaging a green corridor from Delhi to Gujarat has been spoken off in various forms since the 1990s, although it has never been formalised. Now, finally, the Union environment ministry has prepared a detailed project report for it with plans that drill down to the district level. The Aravalli range faces increasing threats due to deforestation, mining, grazing, and human encroachment, the action plan states. 'Forest lands around Sariska and Bardod Wildlife Sanctuaries were diverted before the 1980s, reducing its forest cover. Desertification is exacerbating as desert sands move eastward, compromising regions like Gurugram and Alwar. Mining activities have damaged aquifers, dried up lakes, and reduced the range's ability to support wildlife. The Supreme Court of India has acknowledged the importance of the Aravalli ranges in several judgments, issuing rulings to prevent mining, construction activities, and encroachment,' the executive summary of the detailed action plan for the Aravalli Green Wall states. HT has reviewed the plan. The project proposes to establish a buffer zone covering 6.45 million hectares around the Aravalli range. Restoration will follow an integrated landscape approach, focusing on improving forest cover, restoring grasslands, managing livestock, and enhancing water systems through traditional and scientific methods. Specific interventions will include planting native species in degraded forests, fostering savannah-like ecosystems in grasslands, and utilising water conservation techniques to restore grasslands and preserve moisture, the plan states, adding that key focus areas include wildlife corridors, and water catchments. Community institutions, civil society organisations, and state agencies will collaborate to implement it. Based on satellite analysis, the total treatable area is about 2.70 million ha according to the plan. In the first phase the priority areas for intervention will be forest areas with vegetation degradation, followed by forest areas affected by water erosion, the plan adds. 'Given the scarcity of land it would be better to target the forest area with high levels of degradation and conserve and protect forests which are showing signs of degradation,' the plan states. In Delhi for instance, the first phase will involve treatment of Recorded Forest Area in Delhi which is limited to South Delhi covering 3,010.39 ha. In Haryana, it will be on treatment of Recorded Forest Area in Haryana which is 24,990.16 ha across Bhiwani, Mahendragarh, Gurugram, Faridabad and Rewari. The plan recommends the planting of 42 local species in Delhi. These include: Khair (Indian Gum Arabic), Ronjh (White-barked Acacia), Desi Babool (Gum Arabic), Bael Patra (Wood Apple), Dhau (Axlewood), Neem, Amaltas (Golden Shower), Goolar (Cluster Fig), and Peepal (Sacred Fig). 'As per nationally determined contributions under the Paris Agreement, India aims to create an additional carbon sink of 2.5 to 3 billion tonnes of CO2 equivalent through improving forest and tree cover and, under its commitment to Bonn Challenge, aims to restore 26 million hectares of degraded land by 2030. So this project is critical in order to achieve those goals,' one of the people said. 'The Aravallis have defined the landscapes of northern India. They have crafted the drainage pattern in large parts of northern India. The forests, grasslands and wetlands of Aravallis are uniquely placed to harbour great diversity. We have several national parks and sanctuaries in the larger Aravallis landscapes. The existence of several cities such as Gurugram, Alwar, Jaipur and many more is possible due to the surface water provided and groundwater recharged. We have brilliant forests of Dhok, Dhak, Salar, Jaal, Kaim and savannah and grasslands of several kinds that are very important for the biodiversity of the region,' said Vijay Dhasmana, curator of Aravalli Biodiversity Park and eco-restoration expert. 'The Aravallis are among the oldest fold-mountain ranges. Delhi is at the extreme end of the range and we know that local species are lost. As the name suggests, the government is keen to develop Aravallis as the green wall against desertification. If the local ecology is restored naturally wildlife of this region can be revived. We have found significant potential and highlighted that Haryana Aravallis have hyenas, leopards, wolves, other small cat species and a rich diversity of birds,' said Bilal Habib, scientist, WII. 'Effective restoration will require zoning protection and declaring entire Aravallis as legal forests. For example, in NCR, the current Regional Plan 2021 has a Natural Conservation Zone that virtually bans real estate construction in the Aravallis with a 0.5% limit on construction. This must be kept in the 2041 Regional Plan for NCR. Similarly in Gurugram and Faridabad, more than 50% of the Aravallis are outside the Recorded Forest Area (RFA) in a forest status to be decided category. These must be declared as deemed forests as per dictionary meaning, so they get protection under the Forest Conservation Act,' said Chetan Agarwal, a forest analyst based in Gurugram.
