Environment News

Fourth phase of intensive tiger monitoring programme begins

Saturday, 04 February 2012 09:21

The fourth phase of the intensive ‘Tiger Monitoring Programme,' envisaged by the Tiger Task Force of the Union Government, began at the Kalakkad - Mundanthurai Tiger Reserve (KMTR) in Tirunelveli on Friday.

Giving details about the programme H. Malleshappa, Chief Conservator of Forests and Field Director, KMTR told The Hindu that the work on three phases had been completed. In the fourth phase, the setting up of 100 cameras in every four sq.km. area had begun.

In the first phase determining occupancy and mapping relative abundance of the carnivores was done. In the second phase the work on remotely sensed spatial and attribute covariates was done and in the third phase camera-trap based mark recapture was carried out, Mr. Malleshappa said.

The camera trapping will cover 400 sq.km. area in the 890 sq.km. spread of KMTR. The 400 sq.km. area has been identified as important tiger habitat. Already the KMTR officials have 20 cameras and the National Tiger Conservation Authority (NTCA) has provided funds to buy 60 cameras. Besides these, the World Wide Fund for Nature – India (WWF-I) has provided another 20 cameras.

Bisons adapted to climate change

Friday, 03 February 2012 09:13

Ancient bison bones discovered at a Canadian goldmine are helping unravel the mystery about how animals adapt to rapid environmental change, a study reveals.

The 30,000-year-old bones were unearthed by University of Adelaide researchers, which helped them analyse special genetic modifications (epigenetic changes) that turn genes on and off without altering the DNA sequence itself.

Epigenetic changes can occur rapidly between generations, even without going through standard evolutionary processes. Such epigenetic modifications (the effect of environment on genes) could explain how animal species are able to respond to rapid climate change.

Imported threat

Tuesday, 31 January 2012 09:22

Spotted deer were introduced to the Andaman Islands either in the early 1900s or the 1930s. The exact date doesn’t matter, and nor does the actual number. What matters is that, in the absence of predators, they have multiplied and spread, swimming from one island to another. In each island their population has shot up, and they browse relentlessly on the seedlings of the forest trees that regenerate there. They avoid browsing on only two of the hundreds of species of trees found there. Forests of Pongamia (pongam) monocultures are taking over the coastlines, and Lagerstroemia, leafless for most of the year, is taking over the once lush rainforests of the interior. If left unchecked, the fabled forests of the Andamans will, sooner or later, be a thing of the past.

Options for control

What can be done to control the deer? Sterilisation is too expensive and chancy. Translocation is possible, but to where? Back to mainland India? Which Government will bear the cost? The logical solution is culling, but then we have to deal with the vociferous animal rights brigade. Apparently the ‘right’ of an individual animal is more important than the unique ecosystem it destroys.

After almost a decade of inaction and hoping that the problem would go away, the Andaman Administration has written to the Centre, asking this animal species be declared vermin in the islands. Now it’s the Centre's turn to avoid taking any action.

Post 'Thane', bird population dwindles in Cuddalore district

Tuesday, 31 January 2012 09:20

Post-cyclone ‘Thane', the bird population in Cuddalore district has significantly come down, both due to untimely deaths and shifting of habitats.

The strong winds forced birds such as crows, sparrows, mynahs, parrots and ravens to abandon their usual roosting places and settle elsewhere.

After the cyclone the carcasses of quite a number of crows were seen in many places and also along the coastline. Caught in the whirlwind they could not wing their way to safety. Deputy Director of the Bombay Natural History Society S. Balachandran, who has conducted studies on birds along the east coast, including Cuddalore, told The Hindu that fortunately for the bird population the cyclone struck in December.

Had it happened during September-October the migratory birds would have perished in large numbers because that is the time when they fly over the region.

Some of the migratory birds choose to spend the winter in Cuddalore district, he said.

He said that that the common bird species, which take cover in the thick foliage, were rendered without shelter with several trees being uprooted.