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The Hindu
30-07-2025
- Science
- The Hindu
452 bird species documented in Telangana; what do feathered friends tell us about air, water and other elements we need?
The rocky ledges of Palarathi Gutta near Bejjur of Sirpur-Kaghaznagar in Telangana hosted breeding colonies of the Indian Vulture (Gyps Indicus) - which is listed as 'Critically Endangered' in The International Union for Conservation of Nature's Red List of Threatened Species. However, their breeding activities have ceased following the destruction of nesting ledges due to natural causes. Ongoing habitat degradation, particularly due to land conversion for real estate development, and natural deterioration of their specific habitat requirements further exacerbated the critical status of the species. This is one of the findings mentioned in the study titled 'A checklist of avifauna of Telangana, India', published in The Journal of Threatened Taxa on Saturday (July 26, 2025). The authors, Chelmela Srinivasulu, professor of Zoology at Osmania University, Hyderabad, and Sriram Reddy, cofounder of Hyderabad Birding Pals, documented 452 bird species, belonging to 24 orders and 82 families, in the study. Reflection of environment quality One of the authors and an avid bird watcher from Hyderabad said that diversity, presence or absence of birds is a clear reflection of the environment quality around us and changes in it. To drive the point, Mr. Sreenivasulu cited an example of Pied Kingfisher which resides near aquatic habitats. 'They should be able to see fishes. They live in such areas. Weed growth also keeps these birds away. If a Pied Kingfisher is not spotted at a locality anymore, it means there are changes in the water body,' Mr. Sreenivasulu said. Aasheesh Pittie, who is one of the authors of 'A checklist of birds of Andhra Pradesh' published in 1989, said that if aquatic birds are disappearing from their habitat, some basic questions arise: Is the water bad? Are we drinking that water? Are there changes in the surroundings? What do birds indicate? 'Animals and birds do not speak. But they indicate the condition of the environment (air, water and other elements) we live in. If number of migratory birds continues to decrease, there are changes in the places they used to visit,' said Mr. Aasheesh. Of the 452 species documented in the latest checklist, most (339, 75.5%) species have been found to be common, followed by uncommon (78 species, 17.37%), and rare (35 species, 7.79%). Regarding the rare species, the authors mentioned that these species often act as indicators of ecosystem health and habitat specificity, providing valuable insights into the region's biodiversity significance.
Powys County Times
24-05-2025
- General
- Powys County Times
How Powys conservationists are saving an endangered vulture
Conservationists in Powys are playing a part in saving a species of endangered vultures, thousands of miles away from their home in Africa. Falconry Experience Wales, based in Adfa near Newtown, welcomed their first pair of Hooded Vultures, Togo and Hope, two years ago and now hope to start breeding within the next few years. Conservation efforts are being made because of the 16 African and European vulture species, 11 are facing extinction, with populations crashing over the past 20 years. Barry Macdonald and Luce Green, owners of Falconry Experience Wales hope the chicks will be part of a wider conservation programme and eventually released into the wild in their home of Africa if the situation improves there. Barry and Luce are collaborating with the Horstmann Trust, the UK's only dedicated vulture breed for release conservation charity and hope the pair will play a crucial role in conservation efforts. Barry said: 'We have been aware of the persecution of vultures for years, but the situation has become much more critical. 'If it deteriorates to a point where these vultures are almost extinct in Africa, then the birds bred in captivity will be the only population to help the breed recover.' 'We have never bred birds before at Falconry Experience Wales, so this will be a new venture for us. 'It's only because of the threat of extinction that we have become involved. 'Our pair of Hooded vultures were bred in captivity in the UK but their ancestry is Guinea in West Africa.' The plight of species in South Africa was highlighted last week over a hundred birds all listed as endangered or critically endangered were poisoned in the Kruger National Park. Poachers increasingly use agricultural toxins to target high-value species, including vultures, as well as other animals such as lions. Falconry Experience Wales also owns Vinnie, an African White-Backed Vulture. In addition to the vultures, Barry and Luce have also recently welcomed a Steller's Sea Eagle, one of the world's largest eagles which is classified as vulnerable by The International Union for Conservation of Nature red list.
Miami Herald
22-04-2025
- Science
- Miami Herald
Elusive scaly creature with blue mouth and green blood is a new species. See it
In the mountains of Papua New Guinea, researchers encountered a clownish creature perched on a log in a fern meadow, basking in the sun. With its short, blunt snout and unique checkerboard pattern, this scaly creature — a skink — wasn't like the other 35 related species that call the mountains home. This distinctive and elusive variety turned out to be a new species, belonging to a family of skinks known for having green blood, according to an April 15 study published in the peer-reviewed journal Zootaxa. Since that 2009 sighting in the mountain meadow, Prasinohaema scurrula, or the scurrula skink, has scarcely been seen despite years of 'intensive surveys,' researchers said. The species has been observed in three mid-mountain locations in central New Guinea at elevations between about 7,100 feet and 9,500 feet, according to the study. Researchers observed a single skink at two of the three sites, one of which was in a tree, leading them to hypothesize the species may live in the forest canopy, making surveys more difficult and sightings rare, according to the study. The skink is described as having a kite-shaped head, a blue mouth, and a 'robust' body covered in glossy scales with light and dark brown bands that create a checkerboard pattern down its said the pattern resembled the costumes historically worn by clowns and jesters, according to researchers. The name scurrula means small clown in Latin, according to the study. The species' green blood, a characteristic of the Prasinohaema genus, is the result of 'extremely high concentrations of biliverdin,' according to the study. Biliverdin is a green pigmented compound in blood, also responsible for the greenish tint to bruises in humans. While the scurrula skink is rarely seen and 'poorly understood', researchers said the species has an 'extensive suitable habitat' and 'no major current threats,' and should be given a status of Least Concern with The International Union for Conservation of Nature. The research team included Alex Slavenko, Glenn Shea, Stephen Richards and Paul Oliver.
Axios
24-03-2025
- Axios
Utah's Hogle Zoo welcomes red panda with a biscuit habit
Utah's Hogle Zoo wants to you to meet its newest resident — a 7-year-old Chinese red panda who sneaks biscuits. State of play: Kiaria's care team calls her "curious, relaxed, and go-with-the-flow." She savors fruit and bamboo. Kiaria, who hails from Ohio's Toledo Zoo, will eventually share a habitat with fellow red panda William, a 1-year-old male who arrived last year. The big picture: Red pandas are classified as an endangered species by The International Union for Conservation of Nature. Less than 10,000 are estimated to live in the wild. Zoom in: Red pandas love their sleep, snoozing up to 17 hours a day, according to the zoo. They are also experts at camouflage thanks to their reddish-brown fur that allows them to hide in trees and bamboo forests. Visitors are advised to visit the pandas during dawn and dusk, when they are most active.
