Gujarat slips on wetlands recognition Pakistan gets honored on environmental front

Pakistan has scored over Gujarat on the environment front. Even though Pakistan has just 10% compared to Kutch’s about 12,000 sq kilometers area that attracts migratory birds, the neighboring country already has an international recognition for the same. Pakistan part of the desert had got the tag of Ramsar site, way back in 2002. Gujarat, on the other hand, is yet to send a recommendation for the 90% of the Rann. An official in the forest department said the Kutch area easily qualifies for Ramsar recognition. He said that the Convention on Wetlands (Ramsar, Iran, 1971) is an intergovernmental treaty that embodies the commitments of its member countries to maintain the ecological character of their wetlands of international importance and to plan sustainable use. However, the state forest department has not even recommended Kutch to be notified as Ramsar site. The official said that Ramsar tag would ensure international recognition to the area, Also the site gets a commitment from the government to preserve the ecological balance. In addition, government agencies, non-governmental organizations, and groups of citizens at all levels of the communities, including at international stage, also undertake actions aimed at raising public awareness of wetland values and benefits in general, and the Ramsar Convention in particular. While attaching Ramsar recognition to Runn of Notch in Pakistan in the year 2002, it was announced that this area was integral with .the large Rann of Kutch across the frontier with India. The Runn of Kutch in Pakistan has locally and globally threatened species; including the Great Indian Bustard, Hauberk Bustard, Sarus Crane, and Hyena and also population of greater and lesser flamingos- The site does not have more than one lakh birds visiting the area. On the contrary, over 10 lakh migratory birds flock the Indian parts of the Rann like Khadir and flamingo city, This sanctuary, which is the largest in the state, encompasses a true saline desert where thousands of Flamingoes nest and breed in the world-famous ‘Flamingo City.’ Pelicans, black-necked storks, cormorant, Indian cormorant, Brahmini Duck, Pintail, Spotbill, Shoveller, Pochard, Sandpiper, Gulls, Terns, Tints and plovers also throng the area. An ornithologist Bharat Jethwa says, “This is an extremely important area as it also a breeding site. The site if it gets Ramsar recognition, it would be protected by international laws and global attention would be drawn on every measure taken for the conservation.” He said that the officials should immediately take it up and recommend this site for a Ramsar label. Additional principal’s chief conservator of forest H S Singh said, “Gujarat always has maintained that there should be less penetration to outsiders.” “If a site gets Ramsar recognition there would much foreign interference in terms of researchers and hence Gujarat, and for the matter Centre too, was not keen on Ramsar recognition’ Singh added. He stated that countries like Pakistan and Bangladesh eye such tags because they get international funds for conservation, which is not the case with the Indian sites. Courtesy:- Times Of India.

Former MP joins drive to save flamingos

Former BJP Member of Parliament from Kutch Pushpadan Gadhvi has come forward to save the winged visitors from Siberia from the jaws of death. Over 400 flamingos had died after colliding with high tension cables in the Khadir region in Kutch. Gadhvi is a trustee of a trust working to create awareness on saving birds, animals and even Gauchar land. Gadhvi who visited Khadir region said, “We need to take care of our winged visitors from dying in such large numbers.” The birds had died after they collided with the high tension transmission cables of Gujarat Energy Transmission Company (GETCO). GETCO had begun taking corrective measures after The Times of India reported on the death of scores of these birds along a recently electrified cable line. Gadhvi said after the completion of the Kutch Rann Utsav, which begins on December 9, he will invite expert bird watchers from the area and even the experts from the Bombay Natural History Society to deliberate on the issue of the death of birds after collision with high tension cables. “If the experts give an opinion that laying the cables underground was the best option, I would take the BJP party office bearers into confidence and talk to the minister of state for energy Saurabh Patel on laying cables underground.” He said the forest department team has taken some measures like having cellophane papers and reflectors installed along the high tension wires, which is proving to be effective. Also the department has installed light along the poles. He said that an awareness campaign will be organized to ensure that the birds were not poached or killed. Officials in the forest department said, “With the water receding, the birds are moving away from cables.” Courtesy:- Times Of India.

Fencing trap Kills Leopard in Rajula Taluka, Amreli, Gujarat, India

A farmer in Hadmatiya village of Rajula taluka in Amreli was arrested on charges of poaching on Wednesday after a leopard died in his field after being trapped in the fencing surrounding the field. Ramesh Coli was booked under Sections of Wildlife Protection of Act (1972) and sent to judicial custody. According to forest officials, a male leopard was trapped in a device placed on the boundary of the farms’ fencing erected to keep wild animals away from the crops. Officials said that a person who has taken the land on lease for cultivation from the farm owner had laid the fencing around the farms and also placed trap devices with clutch wires to trap the animals that destroy crops. The leopard tried to jump from that place and was clutched to death. Forest officials registered a complaint of poaching against the accused and on Wednesday sent to jail for the crime. “The device which was used by accused is one kind of trap in which the animal once stuck can’t escape and dies”, a senior Forest Officer said. Wildlife activists have expressed concern over the accidental death of wild animal’s as well electric fencing and other type of devices used by farmers to protect their crops. Recently, Right to Information (RTI) Act application filed by a Porbandar-based RTI activist Bhanu Odedara revealed that during the last five years, 171 wild animals died due to various kinds of accidents in Junagadh wildlife division area. Odedra obtained the details about natural deaths, accidental deaths and poaching of Asiatic lions, leopards, hyena, blackbucks and blue bulls. The RTI revealed that 14 wild animals were poached and 449 did natural deaths. Of the total 171 accidental deaths, 53 are leopard’s and3aions. Rests of the animals are blue bulls, blackbucks and hyena. Courtesy:- Times Of India.

Large flocks make Kutch birdwatchers’ delight

The Khadir area in Kutch this season has seen a large number of migratory avifauna owing to good rains this season. “Usually, there are 30,000 to 40,000 birds gathering at Khadir, but this time because of the good rams in the region, there was water and hence the migratory birds have come in large numbers. Availability of food and protective environment has also added to the increase,” said the officer. Chief Conservator of Forest D.K. Sharma said, “Lakhs of birds have arrived in Greater Rann of Kutch wetland this year Ornithologists and amateur bird watchers are excited about the flamingoes and many other rare birds in Khadir. More than two lakh flamingoes, 10,000 pelicans, 7,000 gulls, 5,000 black winged stilt, and reef herons, painted and white storks as well as Casper and river terns - all were spotted in Khadir area,” he said. Sharma said “We feel the number of birds that have arrived in Kutch this year would break all records of past years.” He said that the forest department is taking all safety measures and keeping a regular vigil by tracking the movements of the birds. Courtesy:- Times of India.

Night flying deadly for Flamingos

Winged visitors crash into cables as they fly migration routes in dark

For some winged visitors a journey of over 2,000 km from Siberia comes to a deadly end just when they swoop in to land in the shallow waters of Kutch. Electric wires char their feathers and even result in death. This phenomenon has been documented in a study ‘Flamingo mortality due to collision with high tension electric wires in Gujarat by Anika Tere, now with MS University and B M Parasarya of Agriculture University Anand. The study published in the last week of November2011, revealed that the flamingoes who are known to fly at night and in low light collide with the near invisible overhead wires because of the negligible reaction time to make evasive maneuvers. The study also concluded that freshly dead flamingos were found in the morning hours suggesting that these overhead wires are not visible at night and in the dark hours of late evenings or early morning. The study also points out that along the international border, the presence of the electrified barbed wire fence and the electricity lines powering the fence as well as villages on the frontiers make formidable obstructions to the birds. The study takes note of a soldier’s narration of how flamingos get trapped in the electric fence on the international border. The study further reveals that compared to the large population of flamingos and other factors causing mortality the mortality caused by collision with high tension wires is low. The incidences of collision with utility structures in these parts of Gujarat have remained unnoticed. Flamingos visiting the Rann of Kutch during their breeding season are exposed to such wires only for a short period of the year however, at other feeding sites such as salt pans and the sewage ponds of urban areas like Bhavnagar and Jamnagar they continuously face the risk of collision as they spend more time there. Courtesy:- Times Of India.

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Insulate killer cables or bury them, says government

400 FLAMINGO DEATHS Insulate high tension cables or put them underground when they run close to the breeding grounds of the migratory Greater Flamingos in the Khadir region of Kutch. The state forest and environment department issued this order to the Gujarat Energy Transmission Company (Getco) on Thursday after Times of India (TOl) reported that 400 flamingos had been killed here in the past 10 days because they came in contact with the cables. Principal Secretary for forests and environment S.K.Nanda told TOl, “Getco will have to complete the work before September next year when a new batch of flamingos arrives.” He has also asked sensor forest officers to identify other such sites where the birds maybe in danger. “We will ensure the cables are laid underground at all sites used by the flamingos.” The officials have already identified an eight km stretch in Khadir where the maximum birds have been killed. TOl had reported on Thursday that the maximum number of birds may have been killed at night. They may have been startled by a passing vehicle or by the attack of a predatory bird and, in panic, flown straight into the high tension cables. On Thursday, Gujarat Principal Chief Conservator of Forests (wildlife) S K Goyal held a series of meetings with Getco officials to find ways to immediately reduce the ‘bird-hits’. Surinder Kumag Negi, Getco’s managing director said, “We are sending a team of experts to the area to find a solution.” Till the cables are put underground, Getco will cover them with reflector tape which will shine at night and hopefully keep the birds at bay. Only in June this year, a large number of Flamingoes were killed in similar fashion in Bhavnagar and had become easy fodder for stray dogs. Courtesy:- Times Of India