Harriers’ arrival at (Black-Buck National Park) BNP, Velavadar, Gujarat, India sets off Diwali sparkle

The Birds Have Started Coming Early This Season

Harriers, a rare and endangered species, have started arriving in large numbers at Black- Buck National Park (BNP), Velavadar, from Siberia. This news is sure to add an extra sparkle to Diwali celebrations by bird watchers, who are preparing to set out to watch the wildlife this winter season. Forest department officials said compared to previous years, Harriers arrived early this season at BNP Velavadar in Bhavnagar, their largest communal roosting site in the world.
“Harriers started arriving at the park from September 15. They generally arrive by September end. The numbers of birds are also significantly high,” said a forest official, estimating it at around 1,500. Of the 16 Harrier species, at least four - Montagu, Pallid, Eurasian Marsh and Hen - arrive at BNP every year.
“Harriers have arrived in good numbers. November will be the peak period,” Assistant Conservator of Forests, BNP, Velavadar, J S Solanki said.
The forest department would conduct a population estimation exercise of Harriers at BNP by November end. It expects arrival of around 2500 Harriers in the park.
Harriers, the slender, long barelegged, long-winged and long-toiled hawks with an owl-like facial ruff, are farmers’ friends, experts say. Their diet includes large insects, especially locust, fish, snakes, lizards, skinks, birds (both of land and water) and small mammals (rodents).
Harriers are vital indicators of the health of the ecosystem. Harriers adapt to a lifestyle in open landscapes having habitats like wetlands, grasslands, crop fields, salt marshes and dry barren lands. Harriers often roost communally at night, both on passage and in winter quarters,” another forest official said. The Harriers are the only diurnal ‘raptor group or birds of prey’ that nest and roost on the ground.
“Harriers generally start congregating at the site about half-an- hour or so prior to sunset. They spend time pre-roosting in open ground close to their roost she, engaging themselves in resting, preening and vocalizing. This is probably done to attract others to increase the flock size. Just after sunset, an intensive inspection of grasslands – their roost site – is carried out and within half an hour they settle down to roost. Early morning, around sunrise, they leave the roost and head towards their respective foraging grounds,” Solanki said.

Courtesy:- Times Of India.

Gir Lion Sanctuary roars with tourists, other Sanctuaries await visitors

3 National Parks, 22 Sanctuaries Neglected

Gir Forest National Park saw a record number of tourists’ roaring in after Famous Bollywood Actor Amitabh Bachhan exhorted people to visit the only abode of the Asiatic lion. However, a section of the Gujarat State Forest Department is not willing to join the euphoria triggered by Big B’s advertisement blitzkrieg.
The reason: They feel that the state’s three other national parks and 22 sanctuaries are still yearning for visitors. These include Marine National Park, home to breathtaking Corals, Kutch’s Wild Ass Sanctuary and Nal Sarovar Bird Sanctuary near Ahmadabad.
With Asiatic Lions grabbing the major chunk of attention, officials feel that other deserved wildlife abodes have been got a raw deal, in terms of budget and publicity. “Gujarat not only has Lions, but Leopards, Black Bucks, Wild Ass, Sloth Bears among others. However, when it comes to planning projects, the major focus is always the lions,” a top forest official told Times of India.
Marine National Park came into some limelight recently when an International Bird Watchers meet was held there. Officials note with dejection that Sanctuaries and National Parks other than Gir don’t get any importance while promoting tourism, leave alone budgetary allocation.
“The budgetary provision for lion conservation is itself so paltry, leave alone that for Sloth Bear, Black Buck arid Wild Ass,” they said. In the 2011-12 budgets, the state allocated Rs 12 crore for vigil and protection of the lions. Apart from that there was no provision for any other sanctuaries. An allocation of Rs. 60 lakh was for protection of wildlife in sanctuaries and national parks in scientific manner.

Courtesy:- Times of India, Ahmadabad, Gujarat, India