A recent three-day survey has indicated the presence of closer to 10 per cent of the forest bird population in general and 24 species of raptors, including three species of vultures, along the Greater Moyar area encompassing The Nilgiris (North) and Sathyamangalam divisions.
Initiated by Conservator of Forests, Coimbatore, I. Awardeen, a team under the guidance of S. Balachandran, Deputy Director of Bombay Natural History Society, and headed by S. Chandrasekaran of Madras Naturalists Society and C. Sashi Kumar of Malabar Natural History Society conducted the survey from February 20 to 23.
Ten camps from each end was pitched to cover areas lying in between these reserves so that all representative zones are covered and almost typical raptor zones are scanned, says Mr. Chandrasekaran. Though some work had been done earlier by different NGOs, there was no focus on raptors or birds of prey and their relation with the habitat.
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The preliminary survey intends to bring forth such correlation, he added. Raptors are apex predators among avian species and their presence is an indication of a healthy habitat and presence of prey base.
Focus was on vultures, which are in the red-data list of International Union for Conservation of Nature, especially when presence of Diclofenac threatened the vulture population.
The results are quite encouraging and many important facts related to management and conservation of key-stone species like vultures are emerging.
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Totally around 24 species of raptors are seen in this biotope (some are being identified) supporting the view that this is a paradise for raptors. Twenty-four species in three sessions and in a hostile terrain is a good number, he pointed out.