Jerdon's Courser

Jerdon's Courser

This poorly known species qualifies as Critically Endangered as a result of its single, small, declining population, which is threatened by exploitation of scrub-forest, livestock grazing, disturbance and quarrying.

Taxonomic source(s)  Sibley and Monroe (1990, 1993)

Identification 
27 cm. Unmistakable, compact courser with two brown breast-bands. Has shortish, black-tipped yellow bill, mostly blackish crown, broad buffish supercilium and orange-chestnut throat patch. In flight, shows mostly black tail and white patch near tips of black primaries.

Distribution and population 
Rhinoptilus bitorquatus is a rare and local endemic to the Eastern Ghats of Andhra Pradesh and extreme southern Madhya Pradesh, India. Historically, it was known from just a few records in the Pennar and Godavari river valleys and was assumed to be extinct until its rediscovery around Lankamalai in 1986. It has since been found at six further localities in the vicinity of the Lankamalai, Velikonda and Palakonda hill-ranges, southern Andhra Pradesh, with all localities probably holding birds from a single population, the majority of which are contained within the Sri Lankamaleswara WildLife Sanctuary. Two individuals were sighted in 2009 in the Cudaapah District of Andhra Pradesh, the first confirmed sightings for several years

Population justification
The population at known sites numbers at least eight individuals, but unsurveyed habitat may support 'hundreds' (R. Green in litt. 2002)

Trend justification
This species is suspected to have declined at an unquantified rate over the last ten years, owing to unauthorised progress on the Telugu-Ganga canal and additional habitat loss and degradation outside Sri Lankamaleswara Wildlife Sanctuary as a result of an unfavourable grazing regime.

Ecology 
It inhabits sparse, thorny (dominated by Acacia, Zizyphus and Carissa) and non-thorny (dominated by Cassia, Hardwickia and Anogeissus) scrub-forest and bushes, interspersed with patches of bare ground, in gently undulating, rocky foothills. Studies using tracking strips have revealed the species has a strong preference for certain densities of scrub-jungle habitat, favouring areas where the density of large bushes is 300-700/ha and small bushes occur at less than 1,000/ha . It calls and is active mainly at night.

Threats 
Its habitat is becoming increasingly scarce and fragmented. The dependence of the settlers on the area for resources, and the increase in the number of settlers, poses a serious threat to habitat through fuel-wood collection, livestock grazing, quarrying, clearance for agriculture, and to the birds themselves through increased disturbance. Accidental trapping may also be an issue. Suitable habitat for the species lying outside Sri Lankamaleswara Wildlife Sanctuary was threatened by the proposed construction of the Telugu-Ganga Canal in Cuddapah District, however in 2008 the Supreme Court, having already halted construction work, approved a new route avoiding the remaining suitable habitat. Despite this, the remaining habitat is still under threat due to the expected increase of agriculture around the reserve as a result of the construction of the canal

Conservation measures underway 
The local Yanaadi community have been employed to try to locate it. The Sri Lankamaleswara Wildlife Sanctuary and Sri Penusula Narasimha Wildlife Sanctuary have been declared in the Lankamalai, Veliconda and Palakonda hill-ranges as a direct result of its rediscovery. The Telagu-Ganga canal that would have passed through one of these protected areas was realigned in response to lobbying that it would fragment habitat, but in 2005 unauthorised work began again on the canal. In February 2006, India's Central Empowerment Committee ruled in favour of a precise route for the canal that will entirely avoid courser habitat, and 1,200 ha of land was given in compensation to expand the Sri Lankamaleswara Wildlife Sanctuary. In 2008 a workshop was held to draft a Species Recovery Plan. The identified priorities included: ensure protection of the species's habitat; to map potential habitat of the species within scrub forest using remote sensing; to capture and radio-tag individuals; to increase effort to identify new sites that may host the species and to raise awareness of the species. A final draft has now been submitted to the State Forestry Department and National Government for endorsement. The development of tracking-strips and camera traps as a survey method should facilitate the discovery of other sites. Also, survey methods have been developed to conduct night-time listening surveys for identifying new populations and studying existing ones. A Species Recovery Plan was published in November 2010.

Conservation measures proposed
Identify areas of suitable habitat within its putative range and conduct surveys of these to establish its current distribution, population status, and assess potential threats. Carry out a radio-telemetry study to determine the ecological requirements of this species and enable more effective conservation recommendations to be formulated. Make recommendations for its conservation based on survey findings, including the establishment of sites supporting populations as strictly protected areas. Lobby against quarrying and proposed mining activities that threaten existing habitat. Initiate conservation awareness programmes in and around areas supporting populations to minimise habitat alteration and disturbance.

source:http://www.birdlife.org/

Pygmy Hog

Pygmy Hog

GENERAL CHARACTERISTICS Head to body Length : 55-71 cm (1.8-2.3 feet ) Tail Length : 2.5 cm ( 1 inch ) Height : 20-30 cm  (8-12 inches ) Weight : 6.6-11.8 kg  (14.6-26.2 lb ) Description :  The hide is a dark brownish black color, and is covered by coarse, dark hair.  Young are born a grayish-pink color, but become brown with the yellow longitudinal stripes seen in many piglets at about 11 days of age.  The streamlined body is round and close to the ground, with short, stubby legs and virtually non-existent tail.  The head is triangular-shaped and sharply tapered, with a slight crest of hair on the forehead and nape of the neck.  In adult males the upper canines poke slightly out the sides of the mouth. Range - The Pygmy Hog is found only in the reserve forest belts of the Manas Wildlife Sanctuary and the Barnadi Wildlife Sanctuary in northwestern Assam, India. However, they were once found in throughout northern India, Bhutan, and Nepal. Habitat -  They live in tropical savannas and grasslands. Diet -    They eat on roots, tubers and other vegetative food as well as insects, eggs, young birds, and reptiles. Status - There are less than 150 hogs remaining in the wild, around the world. Reason for the status - This is because of over hunting by humans for food, and possible selling it.

CURRENT SCENARIO

The pygmy hog, (Porcula salvania), is the world's rarest wild hog and most threatened by extinction. It stands about 25-30 cm from the ground and weighs up to 9 kg. The species was originally found in the narrow belt of alluvial tallgrass habitat that runs across the southern edge of the Himalayas in the Indian subcontinent. Tallgrass habitats, being very rich in nutrients, are highly suitable for cultivation and therefore came under significant pressures from expanding human populations, agriculture and uncontrolled harvesting; all of which caused the hog to die out. The continued practice of indiscriminate dry season burning and livestock grazing still threatens the last population in Manas.

John Fa, Director of Conservation Science for Durrell, says: "The pygmy hog was thought to be extinct in the 1960s as its habitat was disappearing due to human encroachment, livestock grazing and grass burning, but in 1971, the species was rediscovered in Assam. So, together with our partners, Durrell established the Pygmy Hog Conservation Programme in 1995 for recovery of the species.
"The programme aimed to study the causes of decline in the species and establish a sustainable captive population, which could be used to reintroduce animals back to their restored native habitat. The conservation breeding has been extremely successful and we are now ready to release them back in to the wild in May 2008 before the monsoon season begins."
The hogs will be released in the Gelgeli grasslands of Sonai Rupai Wildlife Sanctuary in Assam. Durrell, a charity that relies on donations to support its conservation programmes, has worked closely with the Sanctuary authorities to improve protection and control dry season burning of grasses. Sanctuary staff have also been trained in wildlife monitoring and habitat management.
A breeding facility was established at Basistha near the Assam capital, Dispur with the aim of raising a captive population ready for release back in to the wild. The programme is currently supported through a grant from the UK government's Darwin Initiative.

source : http://www.gossiprocks.com

http://www.endangeredandrareanimals.com

Indian vulture

Indian vulture

India's three vulture species have all but disappeared from the country's skies. Over the last 20 years, virtually all of India's vultures have died, the victims of unintentional poisoning. Vultures feed on dead cattle and other livestock that had been treated with an anti-inflammatory drug called diclofenac, which sends vultures into renal failure. Unfortunately, the cause of the vulture declines wasn't discovered until 2004, long after vulture populations had already been devastated.

Now India's attempts to save one of its vulture species, the slender-billed vulture (Gyps tenuirostris), has marked its first success. According to a report from the Press Trust of India (PTI), "A chick born in February last year from one of the six pairs of the rare species hosted in the vulture conservation breeding center at Rajabhatkhawa forest in West Bengal's Jalpaiguri district is now healthy."

The program, operated by the Bombay Natural History Society, is currently raising 23 adult and juvenile slender-billed vultures that have been caught and removed from the wild over the last four years. Fewer than 200 mated pairs of the birds are estimated to still exist in the wild. If enough birds can be raised in captivity, they will be released into the wild to augment remaining populations, although that step may still be years away.

The conservation program also hosts 19 long-billed (Gyps indicus) and 49 white-backed (Gyps africanus) vultures, and aims to create "founder populations" of 25 pairs for each of the three species.

The mass vulture die-offs have had terrible consequences throughout India. With no vultures to eat cattle carcasses (which are just dumped when the cows die), other predators have filled the gap. Populations of feral dogs have exploded in recent years, adding 5.5 million more canines to the streets. A report published last year in the journal Ecological Economics suggests this massive increase in feral dogs has led to tens of millions of attacks on humans and as many as 47,300 human deaths from rabies.

India banned the veterinary form of diclofenac in 2006, but vets and farmers just switched to using the version of the drug intended for humans, and vulture populations continue to decline as much as 40 percent a year, according to PTI. Even the smallest use of diclofenac in India threatens future vultures; according to BirdLife International, computer modeling has shown that vultures will continue to die at current rates if just one in 760 livestock carcasses contains diclofenac residues.

Current Scenario

It is estimated that there are now only about 1,000 slender billed vultures left
Conservationists say they are delighted at the news that one of the world's most endangered birds has twice been successfully bred in India.
Two slender billed vultures, which experts say are rarer and more endangered than the tiger, are being reared in Haryana and West Bengal. Officials say that the chicks were born separately are both in good health. It is believed the vultures' catastrophic decline has been driven by veterinary medicines.
A decade ago, vultures could be counted in their millions in the wild in India. But now experts estimate there are only around a 1,000 slender-billed vultures left, with similar declines in other species. They say it is a a population catastrophe exacerbated by medicine. A veterinary drug called Diclofenac is fatal to the vultures that feed off the livestock carcasses. Although it has been banned since 2006, experts say it is still in use.

The BBC's environment correspondent Sarah Mukherjee says that the dramatic decline of vultures has had several effects including an increase in rabies-carrying feral dogs that feed on the carrion the vultures once ate. The Parsi community in Mumbai (Bombay), who leave their dead to be consumed by vultures, have had to find alternative methods following the dramatic decline of the birds. The Birdlife International campaigning group says that while the captive births are good news, urgent action is still needed to save vultures from extinction in the wild. "With extinction in the wild likely in the next 10 years, we do not have a moment to waste. The more vultures that we can bring into captivity means a better chance of survival for these rapidly-declining species," Birdlife International spokesman Chris Bowden said. "Birds can only be saved from extinction through banning the retail sale of Diclofenac, promotion of the safe alternative, Meloxicam, and the capture of more birds for the breeding programme."

source :  http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/south_asia/8187533.stm
                 http://www.scientificamerican.com/blog/post.cfm?id=hope-for-critically-endangered-indi-2009-07-24

Malabar large civet

One of the 250 surviving civets

Although most civets resemble spotted, long-nosed cats, civets of the genus Viverra are the most dog-like in appearance, with long legs and rather canine heads and muzzles. Based on data for the large spotted civet, Viverra megaspila, which is closely related to the Malabar large spotted civet (and considered by some to be conspecific), it probably weighs 8 - 9 kg (18 - 20 lb). Oriental Civet - Viverra tangalunga

The Malabar large spotted civet's original habitat was found in the evergreen rain forest belt in the Western Ghats of southwest India, where it lived in wooded plains and adjoining hill slopes. Most captures of this species in the last 30 years have been in valleys, around riparian areas. This suggests possible dependence on shallow waterways where the civet forages at night. (Ashraf et al. 1993) Thickets in cashew plantations may also provide important cover. The diet of the related large spotted civet, Viverra megaspila, includes small animals, eggs and some vegetable matter. The Malabar large spotted civet has never been observed in trees and possibly forages almost entirely on the ground. Species of the genus Viverra stay in dense cover by day and come out into the open at night. Malabar large spotted civets are aggressive towards members of their own species and have usually been observed alone.

The Malabar large spotted civet was once very common in the coastal districts of Malabar and Travancore in southwest India. By the late 1960's it was thought to be nearing extinction. None were seen for a long period of time until 1987, when it was rediscovered about 60 km (37 mi) east of Calicut on the southwest coast of India. A 1990 survey revealed that isolated populations of Malabar large spotted civet still survive in less disturbed areas of South Malabar. (Ashraf et al. 1993)

Extensive deforestation has reduced the forests in the Malabar large spotted civet's original range to a series of isolated patches. Habitat loss continues. Cashew plantations, which probably hold most of the surviving populations of Malabar civet, are now threatened by large-scale clearance for planting rubber. The Malabar large spotted civet also has been persecuted for raiding poultry. It is not selectively hunted but is captured and killed when encountered

Status and Trends

IUCN Status:

• 1960's - 1994: Endangered
• 1996 - 2004: Critically Endangered (Criteria: C2a) (IUCN 2004)

Countries Where the Malabar Large Spotted Civet Is Currently Found:

2004: Occurs in India. (IUCN 2004)

Population Estimates:

[Note: Figures given are for wild populations only.]

• WORLD
  • 1999: Fewer than 250 mature individuals are thought to survive (Nowak 1999)

History of Distribution:

The Malabar large spotted civet was once very common in the coastal districts of Malabar and Travancore in southwest India. By the late 1960's it was thought to be nearing extinction. None were seen for a long period of time until 1987, when it was rediscovered about 60 km (37 mi) east of Calicut on the southwest coast of India. A 1990 survey revealed that isolated populations of Malabar large spotted civet still survive in less disturbed areas of South Malabar. (Ashraf et al. 1993)

Distribution Map (33 Kb JPEG) (Wildl. Inst. India/ENVIS) 

Threats and Reasons for Decline:

Extensive deforestation has reduced the forests in the Malabar large spotted civet's original range to a series of isolated patches. Habitat loss continues. Cashew plantations, which probably hold most of the surviving populations of Malabar civet (see "Habitat" below), are now threatened by large-scale clearance for planting rubber. The Malabar large spotted civet also has been persecuted for raiding poultry. It is not selectively hunted but is captured and killed when encountered.

---

Data on Biology and Ecology

Weight:

The weight of the large spotted civet, Viverra megaspila, which is closely related to the Malabar large spotted civet and considered by some to be conspecific, is 8 - 9 kg (18 - 20 lb).

Habitat:

The Malabar large spotted civet's original habitat was found in the evergreen rain forest belt in the Western Ghats of southwest India, where it lived in wooded plains and adjoining hill slopes. Natural forests have almost completely disappeared in the entire stretch of the coastal Western Ghats due to human activities. The present vegetation consists mostly of plantations. The cashew plantations are the least disturbed. They are not weeded and have a dense understory of shrubs and grasses. For a terrestrial species such as the Malabar large spotted civet, these thickets can provide important cover. However, it is likely that the cashew plantations are a ‘refuge' rather than a preferred habitat. Furthermore, most captures of this species in the last 30 years have been in valleys, around riparian areas. This suggests possible dependence on shallow waterways where the civet forages at night. (Ashraf et al. 1993)

The Malabar large spotted civet lives in both the Western Ghats and Sri Lanka Biodiversity Hotspot (Cons. Intl. 2005) and the Western Ghats Moist Forests Global 200 Ecoregion (Olson & Dinerstein 1998, Olson & Dinerstein 1999).

Birth Rate:

Females of the genus Viverra have 1 - 4 young per litter, usually 2 - 3.

Diet:

The diet of the large spotted civet, Viverra megaspila, which is closely related to the Malabar large spotted civet and considered by some to be conspecific, includes small animals, eggs and some vegetable matter.

Behavior:

The Malabar large spotted civet has never been observed in trees and possibly forages almost entirely on the ground. Evidence suggests that the young are raised in secluded thickets. Species of the genus Viverra stay in dense cover by day and come out into the open at night. (Ashraf et al. 1993; Nowak 1999)

Social Organization:

Malabar large spotted civets are aggressive towards members of their own species and have usually been observed alone.

source:animalinfo.org

Himalayan Wolf

Himalayan wolf

Overview
The Himalayan wolves are persecuted by people, they are killed because they sometimes prey on livestock. They also suffer from habitat loss to agriculture and the growing human population.The Himalayan wolf is not yet a protected species in some countries and only 350 wolves can be found in the wild
Conservation Groups/ Local Communities taking action
Padmaja Naidu Himalayan Zoological Park. This zoo is capable of successfully breeding the Himalayan wolf in captivity. This zoo also contributes to the conservation of the Himalayan wolf. No donations directly to the zoo are possible, though visiting will bring money to them.Wildlife Institute of India. This institute researches all Indian wildlife. Researchers are being trained there as well. No donations possible. Recent Developments New Delhi, Jan. 2. (PTI): Genetic studies by scientists in Hyderabad have revealed that Indian wolves are not only the most ancient among wolf populations in the world but also that India is the centre of origin of these animals. Ramesh Aggarwal, J. Ramadevi and Lalji Singh at the Center for Cellular and Molecular Biology in Hyderabad say their findings greatly enhance the biological significance of these already endangered Indian wolf populations and call for their urgent conservation efforts. India is home to two sub-species of wolf: the Himalayan wolf found exclusively in the Himalayas and numbering around 350 and the Gray Wolf numbering less than 1500 found throughout peninsular India. Because of their dwindling numbers the CCMB initiated molecular characterisation studies in 1998 and compared the results with data available for worldwide wolf populations. They say their analysis have led to startling findings that both the Indian wolf populations are genetically unique and represent the world's oldest lineage. A report of their work in "Nature-newsindia" concludes "Indian subcontinent had been one major center of origin and diversifi cation of the wolf and related canines." According to the CCMB team, the Indian wolves "migrated to India about one to two million years ago and underwent independent evolution without contamination from other wolf like canines," and therefore "deserve to be declared as new species or sub-species." I personally love the wolves , their dwindling nos. got me into thinking , hope the beautiful species survives the life of their survival.

Indian Python

Indian Rock Python

The Indian python is a highly arboreal snake, once fairly common throughout the jungles of India, Sri Lanka, and the East Indies. It can grow to a length of about 20 feet (6 m).

Like the boas and anacondas of the Americas, the python is a constrictor, a snake that kills its prey by squeezing. Mammals are preferred prey, but pythons will also eat birds, other animals, even fish (pythons often live near water and are good swimmers).

Pythons drape across tree branches, camouflaged by their light and dark patterned skin, waiting to ambush their next meal. They grab their prey with a quick lashing out of the head, then wrap themselves around the prey so it cannot breathe. A large python could squeeze the life out of a deer, and amazingly enough, the python could then swallow it whole.

After such a big meal, the snake may not have to eat again for as long as a year! There are very few authenticated accounts of humans being attacked by pythons, though it certainly is possible since the largest python recorded was over 32 feet (9.8 m) long.

A python may live more than 20 years. They are solitary creatures, but males and females seek each other out to mate. The female coils about her eggs to incubate them. Young pythons have many natural enemies, including eagles, crocodiles, large cats such as leopards and tigers, and hyenas.

Snakes are important in controlling pest species, such as rodents, rabbits, and insects. In some areas where humans have eradicated snakes, mice and rodents that carry disease have become serious threats to human health.

Causes of Endangerment

Overexploitation

For centuries, humans have killed pythons out of fear. Snakes of all kinds are also hunted for food, skins, and blood believed to have medicinal values. Live snakes are killed to order in Thai markets so customers can drink the fresh blood, thought to impart vitality. Python and other snake skins are made into fashionable accessories such as purses, shoes, and belts.

Snakes often are skinned alive so as not to mar the skin and reduce their commercial value. Even before snakeskin boots were fashionable, pythons were considered a trophy species and hunted heavily by Europeans. More recently, they have become sought after for the pet trade and for zoos.

Habitat Loss

In addition, the python's jungle habitat is disappearing as trees are cut down for lumber, firewood and to make room for spreading human settlement and agriculture (see Spotlight on tropical rain forests).

Conservation Actions

Trade Regulation

Pythons are listed in CITES Appendix I. All trade in live pythons or python products is prohibited. Poaching remains a threat, however, and illegal trade continues.

Habitat Protection

Although India has established several large areas to protect habitat, these reserves are unpopular with the people who live near them and want access to the forests to obtain firewood or food. The problem of rampant poaching has been addressed in some places by armed-guard patrols.

A better long-term solution would reconcile the reserves with the needs of local people, including controlled access with better education about how conservation can benefit people as well as wildlife.

Captive Breeding

Captive breeding programs are being promoted to supply snakes for the pet and zoo trade, reducing poaching pressure. Zoos no longer accept wild-caught pythons.

Question for Thought

What do you think of the practice of skinning snakes alive in order to preserve the quality of the skin?

Humans have long persecuted large predators, such as the Indian python. What other endangered species have been hunted and feared because of their place at the top of the food chain? What happens to ecosystems when predators are eliminated?

source: http://www.bagheera.com/inthewild/van_anim_python.htm

Ganges Shark

                                              

GANGES SHARK

Ever heard of a shark in river Ganges , Well it does exists and it's on the brink of extinction as well , a red list "critically endangered species" as its name suggests, is largely restricted to the rivers of Eastern and North-Eastern India, particularly the Hooghly River of West Bengal.The Ganges, Brahmaputra, Mahanadi in Assam, Bihar and Orissa respectively. Bengalis call it Baagh Maach which means tiger fish. It is typically found in the mid to lower reaches of a river.



The Ganges shark (Glyphis gangeticus) is a rare species of fresh water shark that dwells in the Ganges River. It should not be confused with the Bull shark, which also inhabits the Ganges River and is sometimes referred to as the Ganges shark. It is stocky, with a broadly rounded snout and small eyes. The shark tends to have a uniform gray to brownish coloration, with no discernible pattern or markings.
A freshwater species, the notorious Ganges shark is known from only two surviving specimens collected in the Ganges River. Its small eyes may indicate that this species lives exclusively in the murky Ganges.


The shark, though poorly documented, is known to inhabit only freshwater, inshore marine and estuarine systems. Its feeding habits are unknown. Its maximum size is in the area of 2 metres (6.6 ft). It is probably viviparous, measuring 55 to 60 centimetres (22 to 24 in) at birth.

Conservation

The Ganges shark is believed to be seriously endangered.According to the International Union for Conservation of Nature and Natural Resources, the Ganges shark is one of 20 sharks on the "Red List" of endangered shark species.Widespread and rampant overfishing has depleted the population of these sharks. Their oil, along with that of the Gangetic Dolphin is highly sought after.

Danger to humans

The shark may pose a threat to humans, but this has not been proven. Though some consider the Ganges shark to be "extremely dangerous , it has so far been impossible to separate its attacks from those of bull sharks.Most likely the shark is a specialized species that feeds primarily on small fish. Amongst the deadly sharks inhabiting the Ganges, the bull shark represents a greater definite danger than this extremely endangered and elusive species.

source: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ganges_Shark#cite_ref-2