3 months ago
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A three-day technological vertebrate survey successful the Vazhachal Forest Division has revealed a singular surge successful avian diversity, reinforcing the region’s estimation arsenic 1 of the world’s richest biodiversity hotspots.
The systematic survey, jointly conducted by the Kerala Forest section and the Western Ghats Hornbill Foundation (WGHF) from February 13 to 15, brought unneurotic astir 30 ornithologists, experts, and amateur birdwatchers, on with 45 wood officials and watchers from the Athirappilly, Charpa, Vazhachal, Kollathirumedu, and Sholayar ranges.
Covering astir 40 cautiously mapped transects, the teams explored a wide array of habitats, including superior evergreen, semi-evergreen, and moist deciduous forests, riparian corridors, and plantation landscapes. The division’s ecological gradient — extending from low-elevation riverine forests to high-elevation evergreen and sub-montane zones — played a pivotal relation successful supporting this exceptional diversity.
Species count
The survey documented 198 vertebrate species, raising the cumulative vertebrate number of the Vazhachal Forest Division to 225 species. Conservationists described the findings arsenic highly significant, noting that the database includes 23 taxon endemic to India and 15 taxon recovered exclusively successful the Western Ghats.
Among the astir notable sightings were the elusive Wayanad Laughingthrush, Sri Lankan Frogmouth, Indian Blue Robin, and Forest Wagtail. Researchers recorded higher vertebrate diverseness successful low-elevation transects dominated by riparian and evergreen forests. The continued beingness of seasonal migrants specified arsenic the Forest Wagtail and Indian Blue Robin precocious into the play was besides observed, suggesting imaginable shifts linked to changing clime patterns.
A large item of the survey was the beardown beingness of hornbills crossed the landscape. “Another cardinal item was the documentation of a important colonisation of Great Hornbills; 23 transects recorded much than 33 idiosyncratic observations, which is important considering it is the nesting season,” said Amitha Bachan, manager of the Western Ghats Hornbill Foundation.
The teams besides recorded progressive nesting of the Great Hornbill, Malabar Pied Hornbill, and Malabar Grey Hornbill — a captious indicator of the wood ecosystem’s wellness and stability, helium added.
indigenous communities
The survey further underscored the important relation of indigenous communities, peculiarly the Kadars, whose experienced watchers guided teams done dense interior forests. Their accepted ecological cognition proved invaluable successful locating nesting trees and navigating challenging terrain.
Divisional Forest Officer Suresh Babu emphasised that periodic, participatory, and technological wildlife surveys are indispensable for knowing semipermanent ecosystem dynamics and guiding conservation planning.
“The information collected volition service arsenic a robust technological baseline for aboriginal conservation strategies. By integrating records of uncommon endemic taxon and hornbill nesting data, we purpose to fortify situation absorption and proceed specified monitoring programmes annually,” helium said.
The survey was coordinated by the Charpa Range nether the enactment of RFO Akhil, with method and probe enactment provided by Dr. Amitha Bachan and the Western Ghats Hornbill Foundation.
