Great India plan for Bustard

A recovery strategy will be drawn up

Ministry of Environment and Forests (MoEF) had directed Gujarat, Madhya Pradesh and Rajasthan to have state – level recovery plans for the great Indian Bustard.

Gujarat principal chief conservator of Forests C.N. Pandey said, “We had met experts recently and have now prepared a draft report, which has been approved and is in the final stages”.

The MoEF had directed all bustard range stages to prepare state – level recovery plans to conserve the species. The proposed plan will aim at long – term conservation of both bustard species in Kutch in Gujarat. With this state-level initiative, it is expected that the conservation of and habitat restoration of Great Indian Bustard (GIB) will get a boost.

Officials in the Bombay Natural History Society (BNHS) said many vital and bio-diverse habitats such as grasslands and species inhabiting the Great Indian Bustard continue to remain neglected.

Officials said grasslands have been threatened for long from rising human pressures on the habitat, indiscriminate grazing outside traditional grounds, poaching, urbanization and several other factors. Several flagship grassland species of birds and animals including GIB, Lesser florican, chinkara, fox and wolf have been affected in various parts of their former range including Kutch (Gujarat, India). According, to BNHS, the Great Indian Bustard are found in six states in India currently and have populations of GIB and Lesser Florican in Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra, Karnataka, Gujarat, Rajasthan and Andhra Pradesh. In case of Madhya Pradesh, at present there are two sanctuaries for GIB and two for Lesser florican. In Maharashtra, the few remaining GIB are to be found at some locations in districts such as Solapur and Chandrapur. The situation in other Bustard range including Gujarat is also a cause of concern.

It is worth recalling that experts involved in the conservation of GIB had meet chief minister Narendra Modi and urged him to act and take measures to conserve the bird. According to experts GIB is facing threat through the reduction in the extent of undisturbed arid and grassland habitat, degradation and disturbance to existing habitat, hunting, lack of protection for many traditional “lekking” and nesting sites, lack natural grassland conservation in management and policy. Apart, from these issues there is lack of cooperation between departments and stakeholders in GIB habitats. Livestock overgrazing and disturbance by tourists and photographers, especially during the breeding season, have led to the reduction in the bird’s number.

 Courtesy: - Times of India  

Six – year wait ends, bustards to be counted this month

A census of the Great Indian Bustard will be held this month and officials of the state forest department are getting ready for this important exercise.

According to forest officials, the 2007 census had shown that there were 48 of these Bustards in Gujarat but data collected by other nature societies had reveled their population to be less than 30. Hence, all eyes are now on this census which is taking place after six years.  The officials said that the ‘direct sighting method’ will be adopted for the census in the Kutch Region ( Gujarat, India ) where the bustard is found.

This largest flying bird in the world is spotted mainly in Rajasthan, Gujarat, Maharashtra, Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka and Madhya Pradesh. Some birds are also found in Pakistan, mainly in summer.

Officials said that a meeting of villagers and forest officials will be held to finalize the programme for the census. Separate teams will be set up and posted in pockets where sightseeing has been reported.

The census will be conducted in two phases – the first will be the primary round and the second will be the main final round. Officials said that according to the union ministry of forests and environment, the bird faces several threats to its existence, including threats from the rapid development of infrastructure taking place in Kutch (Gujarat). Domestic and stray animals are also among the major threats affecting conversation efforts for the bird.

Apart from these, collision with high tension electric wires, fast moving vehicles and other man-made structures continue to be a threat in the Industrial development zones near bustard inhabited areas. Deaths of Great Indian Bustard have been reported frequently from Kutch in Gujarat and Solapur in Maharashtra.

For the bird’s conversation, the Union ministry had asked the state government to undertake scientific studies of seasonal movements of bustards and their lifecycles, regular patrolling of bustard territories and setting up of local networks to monitor the fencing around core bustard areas. Removal of dogs and other nest predators with the help of the veterinary department has also been suggested.

It was in 2005 that Dr. Bharat Pathak, currently director of Gujarat Ecological Education and Research ( GEER ) Foundation had rushed to Velavadar Blackbuck National Park in Bhavnagar ( Gujarat, India ). He had heard of a bustard sighting there.

Courtesy: - Times of India. 

Act before it’s too late for Great Indian Bustard, says experts

Conservation portal urges Gujarat CM to take action

Experts and conservationists believe that a project on the lines of Project Tiger has to be launched in order to save the Great Indian Bustard (GIB) that is threatened with extinction.

Prerna Singh Bindra, member of the National Board for Wildlife, said that Conservation India (CI), a wildlife conservation portal, has urged Gujarat Chief Minister Narendra Modi to take immediate measures for conservation of the threatened bustard species. “If action is not taken, this bird could become the first mega species to go extinct in the country since the cheetah. Only a ‘Project Bustard’ can save the species, just as ‘Project Tiger’ did for our national animal”, said Bindra.

According to CI’s campaign paper, “Act Now! Or say Goodbye to the Great Indian Bustard,” there may be less than 200 Great Indian Bustard left in India. In Gujarat, 50 of the threatened bustard species are to found in Kutch.

The bird has already disappeared from more the 90 per cent of its former habitats. “What is worse, the 

meager remaining number is fragmented into small populations across several Indian states, making the bird even more vulnerable to extinction. If urgent and targeted conservations actions are not taken immediately, the bird will almost certainly go extinct within the next decade or two,” says CI co-founder Ramki Sreenivasan.

The Great Indian Bustard (GIB) is found in Rajasthan, Gujarat, Maharashtra, Madhya Pradesh, Karnataka and Andhra Pradesh. The largest population of about 100 birds is in Rajasthan where it is the state bird.

The GIB is threatened with extinction because of the reduction in undistributed arid and grassland (its habitat), degradation of and distribution to its existing habitat, hunting, lack of projection for many traditional “lekking” and nesting sites, and lack of a management and conservation policy for natural grassland.

Apart from these issues, there is lack of cooperation between different departments and stakeholders in GIB habitats. Livestock overgrazing and disturbance by tourists and photographers, especially during breeding season, have also contributed to reduction in GIB numbers.

According to the campaign paper, there is a need for urgent and coordinated actions, including setting up of a secure and fully protected ‘lekking’ sites, where male bustards gather to attract females. Also there is a need to constitute a GIB task force in every state where these birds are to be found.

A full – scale ‘Project Bustard’ on the lines of Project Tiger needs to be launched for the threatened bustard species, conservationists say. The Ministry of Forests and Environment has demanded that the possibility should also be looked into.

Courtesy:- Times of India. 

Great Indian Bustard (GIB) census starts in Rajasthan, India

The state level winter census of the Great Indian Bustard (GIB) started from February 10th in the state. The GIB is a bird which is on the verge of extinction.

Chief forest conservator, wildlife, Jodhpur, (Rajasthan, India) Govind Sagar Bhardwaj, has been appointed the nodal officer for the census. Only 100 Great Indian Bustard (GIB) is alive in the country and nearly 50 of them are in Jaisalmer(Rajasthan, India).

A workshop for the census was organized at a Hotel in Jaisalmer (Rajasthan, India) on Friday, in which six forest divisions, voluntary organizations and army jawans participated.

Deputy conservator of forests, ML Sonal informed the participants about the wildlife census. State wildlife board, Jaipur, Rajasthan, India member Rajpal Singh was the guest of honor.

Information about the preparations for the census, deputy forest conservator Karan Singh said that this time the transit lines have been increased and five new tracks have been laid outside the Desert National Park. A control room has been set up at the wildlife office. The team constituted for census work will be provided with a wireless set, head set, GPS, binoculars, etc. the census will be carried out on the scheduled track on camels and on foot.

Deputy forest conservator, Desert national Park, GK Verma, regional forest officer Pankaj Gupta, assistant forest conservator Rewat Singh Godara and regional forest officers also took part in the workshop. Assistant forest conservator (wildlife) VK Bissa, who conducted the workshop, gave a vote of thanks.

During December last year, a Great Indian Bustard (GIB) was poached; bit till date there is no clue of the poachers. Human interference is responsible for the diminishing numbers of these birds as it prevents the shy bird from breeding.

The state government and the center appear indifferent towards saving the bird. Although, a plan for GIB conservation has been sent to the center, but no action has been taken so far.

Courtesy:- Times Of India (Monday, 11th, February, 2013)

Photography of bustard now covered under Wildlife Act

The forest department has restricted the movement of people in the Naliya grasslands, a habitat of the Great Indian Bustard. This is because the movement of people was too close to the birds and created disturbance for them. Deputy conservator of forests, #Kutch (West) division, P.A. Vihol said that recently the Ministry of Environment and Forests (MoEF) issued guidelines for the #Great #Indian #Bustard Recovery Programme. The guidelines stated that “unethical photography during the breeding season often acts as a constant source of disturbance to the bustards. Incidents of such photography have been reported in Naliya grasslands. Due to the lack of legislative enforcement and protective measures in core breeding areas, such direct threats on Great Indian Bustard population continue unrestricted.” Vihol said, “In order to reduce such direct threats to this critically endangered and #Schedule-I species in NaIiya grasslands, particularly during their breeding season, we are issuing a caution note to the over- enthusiastic and unethical photographers to restrict their movements near the sanctuary areas, breeding and nesting grounds. The breeding season spans from April to October.” He cautioned that “any person found to be disturbing the birds during their breeding or even its nesting shall be prosecuted under the #Wildlife #Protection #Act 1972.” According to officials, the act was there in place, but no such caution was issued and people use to walk very close to the birds. Hence, a decision was taken to impose this caution note based on the guidelines of the MoEF. It has been mentioned in the guidelines that some grassland areas were ploughed during monsoon and post-monsoon season for planting better species of grass and their growth. Such activities also create disturbance to nests, eggs or chicks of the Great Indian Bustard, said a senior official, adding that the department will also impose a curb on such activities.

Courtesy:- Times Of India.

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.

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

Taking up the cause of the endangered Great Indian Bustard

Taking up the cause of the endangered great Indian Bustard,
Indian Environment Minister, Jairam Ramesh has written to Gujarat Chief Minister Mr. Narendra Modi, requesting him to conserve one of the last remaining habitats of the golden birds – The Adbassa Grasslands in Kutch, Gujarat - India.

Hon. Minister has expressed concern at the dwindling population of the birds and sought steps to prevent diversions of revenue land for agriculture purposes in the grassland in Naliya area in Kutch.

Promising all the possible help in this direction, he has urged Chief Minister - Mr.Modi to personally intervene to save the habit ant of the golden birds whose number has reduced to 500 in the world.

“I am writing to request you to immediately intervene and prevent the diversion of revenue gauchar land to agriculture and to ensure that the district officials support the Naliya conservation initiatives”.

“If we do not intervene the possibility of the birds going extinct in Gujarat is very real and high,” the Union Minister said in the letter to Mr. Modi.

Though covering an area of only about 20sq. km, Adbassa Grassland is considered very important for bird conservation as three species of bustard are found there. The endangered Great Indian Bustard is a resident, the endangered Lesser Florican breeds here during Monsoon and the near- threatened Macqueen’s Bustard is a winter visitor.

Minister Mr.Ramesh also drew the attention of Chief Minister Mr.Modi to the fact that the bird was once proposed to be adopted as the India’s national bird and hence “its conservation is equally important as that of Lions and tigers”.

Listed in Schedule-1 of Wildlife Protection Act, 1972, the bird is classified as “endangered” on the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) red List 2002.
IUCN has warned that the Great Indian Bustard could become extinct within a decade. Listed in appendix- 1 of the Contention on international trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flore, international trade and killing of the bird is prohibited.

COURTESY ACKNOWLEDGEMENT - The Times of India, Ahmedabad - Monday, June, 28, 2010

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