The birds really rule the roost here

M.T. SHIVA KUMAR

Spot-billed Pelicans, Painted Storks and other species have started arriving at Kokkare Bellur

• Around Rs. 1.2lakh is given annually as relief to persons on whose property the birds nest
• ‘Kokkare Bellur may be given ‘Community Bird Sanctuary’ status to develop it’

Here again: More than 1,500 birds of several species
descend on Kokkare Bellur village in
Mandya district every year to nest.

Much to the delight of bird-watchers, several species of birds have started arriving at Kokkare Bellur, on the banks of the Shimsha, near Maddur, in the district.

Kokkare Bellur is among the 465 bird sites identified in the country by the Indian Bird Conservation Network (IBCN).

Around 300 Spot-billed Pelicans, nearly 1,100 Painted Storks as well as other species of birds have landed at Kokkare Bellur in the last few weeks, occupying around 140 trees.

‘Increase in numbers’

“There is a considerable increase in the number of migratory birds compared with last year,” G. Mahesh, Deputy Range Forest Officer (Ranganathittu Bird Sanctuary), told The Hindu here on Tuesday.

The increase in the number of winged visitors had left bird-watchers elated, Mr. Mahesh said.

More than 1,500 birds of several species descend on the village every year to nest. Last year, around 800 Painted Storks visited the village. Kokkare Bellur is considered one of the safe places for pelicans in India with local people passionately safeguarding the birds.

According to local people, the birds have been coming to Kokkare Bellur to nest for several decades and depart with the onset of monsoon. The Forest Department has been requesting local residents not to harm the birds and not to cut or trim the branches of trees.

It distributes around Rs. 1.2 lakh annually as compensation to persons on whose property the birds nest.

For rescued chicks

The department has also hired a local person, P. Lokesh Kumar, to keep an eye on the movements of the birds and to protect chicks from stray dogs. An enclosure with a mesh has been established at the village where chicks that have fallen from their nests are taken care of.

Recently, he and some others rescued three chicks recently which are being looked after at the enclosure.

The village also attracts tourists from different parts of the country, Mr. Lokesh told The Hindu .

Meanwhile, according to Mr. Mahesh, the Forest Department is contemplating giving Kokkare Bellur ‘Community Bird Sanctuary’ status to develop it.

Source: http://www.thehindu.com/todays-paper/tp-national/tp-karnataka/the-birds-really-rule-the-roost-here/article4457339.ece

SC: Why not ban vehicles in forests for animal safety?

Dhananjay Mahapatra, TNN | Jan 19, 2013
NEW DELHI: Concerned by high animal mortality in traffic accidents on roads passing through thick forests, the Supreme Court on Friday issued notices to the Centre and 10 states asking why mitigating measures, including a dusk-to-dawn ban on vehicles on forest roads, be not taken immediately.

Amicus curiae Harish Salve moved the application before the court's green bench comprising Justices Aftab Alam, K S Radhakrishnan and Ranjan Gogoi. He pointed to the disturbing number of deaths because of "upgradation, widening or indiscriminate construction of new roads through areas which have thick forest and which are rich in wildlife without first putting in place mitigative measures".

Salve mentioned the high incidence of death of animals, which collide with vehicles on the 54-km stretch of NH 37 passing through Kaziranga (a world heritage site recognized by Unesco) to escape flood waters of Brahmaputra in their attempt to flee towards higher grounds of Karbi Anglong forests.

A study by the ministry of environment and forests (MoEF) eight years ago suggested construction of seven underpasses and 100-150 metre long ecoduct (tunnel) through raised grounds for safe passage of animals without their coming to the road. "The MoEF and the Assam government have not yet taken any steps to implement the recommendation," Salve complained.

The amicus said the apex court had in 2009 banned heavy and commercial vehicle movement on a state highway passing through Sariska tiger reserve and a ban on all vehicular movement during the night. This order is yet to be implemented, he said.

Salve said the apex court had in November 2008 closed traffic at night on the Mysore-Mananthawadi road passing through Nagarhole national park and ordered putting speed regulating measures like rumble strips.

He said roads were being indiscriminately constructed or upgraded even in ecologically sensitive areas like national parks and sanctuaries without seeking permission from competent authorities under the Wildlife Protection Act.

"These roads, besides jeopardizing wildlife, are also exposing pristine areas having high rainfall in the evergreen forests of the Western Ghats and the Himalayas which are prone to soil and water erosion and are subjected to other adverse impacts on the flora and fauna," he said.

The application listed important roads passing through sanctuaries and national parks or areas with heavy concentration and movement of wildlife requiring putting in place site-specific mitigation measures to prevent and reduce wild animal deaths from vehicular accidents.

On the benefit of mitigation measures, Salve gave the example of Zanzibar (East Africa), where installation of just four speed-breakers helped reduce mortality of the threatened red colobus monkeys by 85% in the first nine months.

Closure of roads from dusk to dawn, or from 9 pm till 7 am, has become necessary, Salve said. "This has been done between Mysore and Ooty, which passes through two protected areas with very high concentration of wildlife - the Bandipur national park in Karnataka and Mudumalai wildlife sanctuary across the border in Tamil Nadu," he added.

Source: http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/india/SC-Why-not-ban-vehicles-in-forests-for-animal-safety/articleshow/18081130.cms