‘They are small but can easily outrun a jeep’

While the focus is on the Kathiwarl and Marwari horses, another species which is fighting its own battle for survival is the Indian Wild Ass (also referred to as Khur). Its range once extended from Western India, through Sindh and Baluchistan,
Afghanistan and south eastern Iran. Today, its last refuge lies in the Indian Wild Ass Sanctuary, Little Rann of Kutch and its surrounding areas of the Greater Rann of Kutch in Gujarat. Wild Ass however, is also seen in the districts of Surendranagar, Banaskantha, Mehsana, and other Kutch districts. Saline desert, Grassland in Arid Zone and Shrub land are its preferred homeland. Wild Ass, like the lion of Gir is an endangered species and all efforts are being made to preserve it.

During 1958-1960, the Wild Ass was a victim of a disease known as surra, caused by Trypanosome evansi and transmitted by flies, which caused dramatic decline of its population in India. In November and December 196l, the Wild Ass population was reduced to just 870 after to the out break of South African Horse Sickness. Besides disease, the Ass’s other threats include habitat degradation due to salt activities and encroachment. Conservation efforts since 1969 have helped boost the animal’s population to 4000.

“They are well protected now and the state government is putting lot of efforts to preserve this rare species and the number has now increased to 4000 in the last count last year,” said Muzahid Malik of Rann Raiders, “They may look small but they can run faster than Kathiwadi and Marwari horses,” he added

It is one of the fastest of Indian animals with speeds clocked at about 70-80 km/ph and can easily outrun a jeep.

SOME CHARACTERISTICS

* Stallions live either solitarily or in small groups of two sand threes while family herds remain large.
* Wild asses graze between dawn and dusk. The animal feeds on grass, leaves and fruits of plant, crop and saline vegetation.
* Mating season is in rainy season. The mare gives birth to one foal, the male foal weans away by 1-2 years of age, while the female continues to stay with the family herd.


Courtesy:- Times Of India, Monday, January 3, 2011.

Forest department to conduct harrier count again

The state forest department is going to take fresh re-count of the harriers at Blackbuck National Park (BNP), at Velavadar in Bhavnagar district, in the second week of the January 2011.

Recently, forest department and volunteers had conducted population estimation
Of harriers at BNP and around 895 harriers were recorded. BNP is world’s largest communal roosting site of harriers, which are now among the endangered species.

According to J.S.Solanki, assistant conservator of forest, BNI earlier in September, forest officials had counted harriers and about 1,300 were spotted at BNP “We had hoped that due to the good monsoon, more harriers would come this year but, in the recent population estimation process, about 895 harriers were reported. It is possible that harriers may have stayed in other grassland in nearby areas and might come to BNP later so, in order to better understand this situation, we decided to conduct the again population estimation again,” said Solanki.

Unlike last few years, the prolonged monsoon and good rainfall in the region would have replenished food chain for the harriers around the BNP and other areas as well. The slender, long, bare-legged, long- winged and long- tailed hawks with an owl-like facial Ruff, Harriers are considered as farmers’ friends as they are predators. Their diet includes large insects and especially Locust, Fish, Reptiles especially Snakes, Lizards and Skinks, birds (both land and water) and small mammals (rodents).

“Of the l6 Harrier species in the world, four types of harriers migrate to BNP every year. These include Montagu Harriers, Pallid Harriers, Eurasian Marsh Harriers and Hen Harriers. All the four species have arrived,” said R L Meena, Chief Conservator of Forest, Junagadh circle (wildlife).

“There may be many factors behind the less number of harriers making it to BNP this season. We need to understand the situation with further studies,” Meena said.

Courtesy:- Times Of India.

Grey Necked Bunting and Indian Bush Lark; Kutch-Gujarat; India

Grey Necked Bunting and Indian Bush Lark; Kutch-Gujarat; India on 01-01-11


Equipments :- Canon EOS 350D with Tamron 200-400mm Lens

by Veer Vaibhav Mishra

Eurasian Thick Knee; Burhinus Oedicnemus; Kutch; Gujarat; India

Eurasian Thick Knee,Burhinus Oedicnemus, Kutch - Gujarat, India on
04-01-2011

Equipments :- Canon EOS 350D with Tamron 200-400mm Lens

by Veer Vaibhav Mishra

Common Quail; Coturnix Coturnix; Kutch-Gujarat; India

Common Quail, Coturnix coturnix, Kutch-Gujarat- 4th Jan.2011
Equipments :- Canon EOS 350D with Tamron 200-400mm Lens

by Veer Vaibhav Mishra

Common Crane family; Grus Grus; Kutch; Gujarat; India

Common Crane family (Grus grus), Kutch-Gujarat, Jan.2011
Equipments :- Canon EOS 350D with Tamron 200-400mm Lens

Veer Vaibhav Mishra

MacQueen's Bustard, Chlamydotis Macqueenii, Great Rann of Kutch, Gujarat, India
- 21 Jan.,2010

Equipments :- Canon EOS 350D with Tamron 200-400mm Lens

By Veer Vaibhav Mishra

Eurasian Oystercatcher Haematopus Ostralegus, Gulf of Kutch.-Mandavi-Gujarat, India

Eurasian Oystercatcher Haematopus Ostralegus, Gulf of Kutch - Mandavi-Gujarat-Dec.2010

Equipments :- Canon EOS 350D with Tamron 200-400mm Lens
Veer Vaibhav Mishra

Sykes's Nightjar or the Sindh Nightjar (Caprimulgus Mahrattensis) Kutch-Gujarat, India at 09-01-2011

Sykes's Nightjar or the Sindh Nightjar (Caprimulgus Mahrattensis) Kutch-Gujarat, India at 09-01-2011

Day roosting in Banni area
Equipments :- Canon EOS 350D with Tamron 200-400mm Lens

by Veer Vaibhav Mishra

Zitting Cisticola or Streaked Fantail Warbler (Cisticola juncidis)

Zitting Cisticola or Streaked Fantail Warbler (Cisticola juncidis),
Kutch-Gujarat, India on 10-12-2010

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Equipments :- Canon EOS 350D with Tamron 200-400mm Lens

by - Veer Vaibhav Mishra

Study of Marine Turtles to be carried out along Gujarat coastline, India

In a major step towards conservation of Marine Turtles on Gujarat coastline, a study will be carried out by Department of Marine Sciences, Bhavnagar University, Gujarat.

“The three-year project ‘Monitoring of Marine Turtles’ is being funded by Union Ministry of Earth Sciences. The process in this regard has been initiated by the department,” said Dr J.R. Gadhvi, reader and head of Department of Marine Sciences, Bhavnagar University.

“During the study period, our team will find out the habitat of the Marine Turtles and will continuously monitor them. The study area will cover 120 km of coastal areas, mainly Bhavnagar district coast and some parts of Amreli district coastline. The monitoring will help us know the Turtles’ behavior and nesting patterns, movement, and food chains besides the population estimation of the endangered species,” said Gadhvi.

He said that generally Olive Ridley and Green Turtles are found in our coastal areas. Both the species are endangered.

“Earlier, sporadic studies were carried out by some institutions on specified areas on the coastline. However, till now, we do not have exact figure of Marine Turtles on entire Gujarat coast area. We are hopeful to find out the habitats and population estimation in our notified study area.

The monitoring process will help us understand the threat aspect to these marine species and also about what steps should be taken to conserve Marine Turtles in future.

Also, the study will provide the idea of better conservation point of view in context of industrial development that are taking place across the coastline in Gujarat,” he said.
Moreover, State Forest Department has established breeding centers for Marine Turtles on coastal in order to conserve them.
Courtesy :- Times Of India, Saturday, 18th December, 2010.

Gujarat State Forest Dept., India trains Vets for better Wildlife Conservations

For effective wildlife management, conservation and rescue operation on the periphery area of Wildlife Sanctuaries and National Parks in Gujarat, India the State Forest Department in association with Department of Animal Husbandry has initiated a training program for Veterinary Doctors and Range Forest Officers.

According to Chief Conservator of Forests, Junagadh Circle (Wildlife) R.L. Meena, ‘the idea behind organizing such programmes is to make wildlife management and conservation more effective’. He adds: “At present, Veterinary Doctors and Range Forest Officers from Saurashtra and Kutch regions are being trained at Sakkarbaug Zoo in Junagadh. The Veterinary Doctors are primarily responsible for domestic animals, but many a time when they are posted near the Wildlife Sanctuaries and National Parks, they encounter a situation when they have to treat a wild animal and during emergency they can deal with the situation effectively,” Meena told Times of India (TOI).

According to Sakkarbaug Zoo in Junagadh, Director V.J. Rana, this is the third such training and workshop. “In the first phase, five training programme are being conducted for veterinary and Range Forest Officers. Experts from Forest Department will train them to deal with wild animals and the possible treatment should be given.” Forest officials say that such programmes will help better coordination between Range Forest Officers and Veterinary Doctors in their respective areas.

Courtesy :- Times Of India, 2nd January, 2011.