Table Of Content6
MISCELLANEOUS NOTES
National Park and there was no significant poaching Wangda (Joint Secretary, Royal Government of Bhutan),
ofbuffalosince2004. OnBhutanside,patrollinghasstarted Karma Drukpa (Sub-divisional Officer, Panbang), Pema
inrecentyearsthusprovidingsomesecurity.Awell-equipped Rinchen (Park Ranger, Royal Manas) and their party,
and active anti-poaching camp at Gabhorukunda on A. RabhaandA. Swargiary(FieldDirectors,IndianManas),
the Bhutan side is strongly recommended, which should R. BhattacharjeeandC.R. Bhobora(DeputyFieldDirectors),
notbenearthewaterspot(toavoiddisturbancetotheanimals) lateAlauddinChoudhury(father),Dr.AnilGoswami,Range
so that in future the wild buffaloes can be seen Officers (P. BrahmaofPanbari andM. BrahmaofBansbari)
againinlargeherdsduringdaytimecomingtothewaterbody. and their staff, Mohabbat Shah Ali, Romu Mazumdar,
Sajjad Choudhury, Imran Mazumdar (Babu), the volunteers
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS ofManasPanbariEco-tourismSociety,S.Sharma(Assistant
Executive Engineer, E & D Department), Hakim (driver),
1 thank the following for their help during my visits: M. Saikia, G. Medhi, Das, Talukdar, Baishya (all of
SudhirVyas(India’sAmbassadortoBhutan),DashoTshering Assampolice),SatyaMoosaharyandhisboatmencolleagues.
Blower, J.H. (1986): Nature conservation in Bhutan: projectfindings UK.488pp.
andrecommendations.FO:DP/BHU/83/022.FAO,Rome,Italy. Gee,E.P. (1964):TheWildLifeofIndia. Collins,London. 192pp.
55 pp. Green, M.J.B. (compiled) (1993): Nature Reserves of the Himalaya
Choudhury,A.U. (1989): S.O.S. Manas! TheSentinel 7May. andtheMountainsofCentralAsia.IUCNandOxfordUniversity
,
Choudhury,A.U.(1994):Thedeclineofthewildwaterbuffaloinnorth- Press,Oxford,UK.471 pp.
eastIndia. Oryx28(1): 70-73. IUCN (2007): IUCN Red List of Threatened Animals. Gland,
Choudhury, A.U. (2006): Manas - looking back, looking forward. Switzerland: IUCN.
SanctuaryAsia26(1): 22-29. TheMaharajahOfCoochBehar(1908):Biggameshootingineastern
Choudhury,A.U., A. Swargiary, C.R. Bhobora & B. Saikia (2008): and north eastern India (originally published as “Thirty-seven
Census ofWild Water Buffalo in Manas National Park. Final years of big game shooting in Cooch Behar, The Duars &
Report. Barpeta Road, India: The Field Directorate, Manas Assam”). Reprint 1985. Delhi: Mittal Publications.
NationalPark,andGuwahati,India:TheRhinoFoundationfor Wangchuk, T., P. Thinley, K. Tshering, C. Thsering & D. Yonten
NatureinNEIndia. 14pp. (2004): A Field Guide to the Mammals of Bhutan. Thimphu:
Corbet, G.B. &J.E. Hill (1992): TheMammalsofthe Indo-Malayan Department of Forestry, Ministry of Agriculture, Royal
Region:ASystematicReview.OxfordUniversityPress,Oxford, GovernmentofBhutan. 179pp.
TWO NEW RECORDS OF DISTRIBUTION OF FOUR-HORNED ANTELOPE
4.
TETRACERUS QUADRICORNIS
Sanjay Gubbi1 Ravi Kumar2and B.M.Akarsha3
,
'Wildlife Conservation Society-India Program, Centre for Wildlife Studies, 1669, 1 th Main, 31st Cross, Banashankari
2ndStage, Bengaluru 560070, Karnataka, India. Email: [email protected]
2No. 22F,J.D. Layout,Jagalur577 528, Karnataka, India. Email: [email protected]
’Department ofAgricultural Economics and Social Sciences, Humboldt University ofBerlin, Philipp str 13, 10115 Berlin,
Germany. Email: [email protected]
The Four-homedAntelope orChowsingha Tetracerus Sharma (2006) reports the distribution of Four-horned
quadricomisisalesserknownantelopeendemictotheIndian Antelope from 122 sites. Within Karnataka, it was already
subcontinent (Krishna et al. 2008), and is one of the six confirmed to be found in Nagarahole, Bandipur, Biligiri
antelope species found in India (Rahmani 2001). It is listed Rangaswamy Temple sanctuaries and other areas (Karanth
under Schedule I ofthe Wildlife Protection Act, 1972, and 1986; Karanth and Nichols 2000; Sharma 2006; Krishna
alsodeclared asVulnerable underthe IUCN Red list (IUCN et al. 2008). Here we present two observations of the
2008).Rice(1991)carriedoutaquestionnairesurveytoassess Four-homedAntelope from areas where it is notreported in
its range and distribution, and reported the species from previous literature (Karanth 1986; Rice 1991; Karanth and
83 sitesinIndia. Further, inaliteraturereviewKrishnaetal. Nichols2000; Sharma2006; Krishnaetal. 2009)inthestate
(2009)reportit from 104 sites from India. Anotherstudy by ofKarnataka.
J. Bombay Nat. Hist. Soc., 105 (3), Sep-Dec 2008 335
MISCELLANEOUS NOTES
ThefirstobservationisfromJogimattiReserveForest witnessedanindividualFour-homedAntelopethathadstrayed
(JRF) (14° 9’ 53" N; 76° 24' 54" E, 107.18 sq. km) in into a village, confirming the presence of Four-horned
Chitradurga district and the second report is from Antelope at RSF. These sightings contribute towards the
Rangayyanadurga State Forest (RSF) (14° 39' 30" N; 76° distribution knowledge ofthis species.
10' 10" E, 77.23 sq. km) in Davanagere district. Both the Changesinhabitatandinvasiveplantspecies,especially
locations fall in southern Karnataka and are dominated by Fantana Lantana camara can affect the presence of
tropical dry deciduous and thorny open scrub forests. Four-horned Antelope (Krishna et al. 2008). Four-horned
At JRF an individual was seen and was clearly Antelope is also reported to be hunted at other sites and in
identified by us by its body colour, size and behaviour. The RSF. Protection from anthropogenic pressures, appropriate
animalhadadullreddish-browncolouraboveandwaswhite management of human-induced fire and forest-extraction
below. The white rings above hooves were distinct. We activitiescouldall becritical forconservationofthisspecies
observedtheanimalforaboutthirtyminutesfromanadjacent (Sharma 2006; Krishnaetal. 2008).
small hillock. The animal initially in an open patch moved TheisolatedreservedforestsofKarnatakaarefastbeing
intothickets browsingon leavesofshort shrubs.The animal degradedbydevelopmentalactivities,especiallywindfarms.
wouldmovecontinuouslyandnotbestationary.Ourprevious Hence, these areas need to be conserved if species such as
field knowledge and observations ofFour-homedAntelope Four-hornedAntelopearetobeprotectedon long-termbasis,
helped in identifying the animal and distinguish it from the and both these locations have potential for sustaining small
Barking deerMuntiacusmuntjak with which it is generally populations. However, JRF is already fragmented due to
mistaken. The animal was later confirmed by referring to installation of 118 wind turbines. Wind farms alter wildlife
Prater(1998). habitatsthroughlinearfragmentation, such asroads,electric
AtRSF,droppingsofFour-homedAntelopewereseen lines,increasedhumanmovementandnoisepollution(Abbasi
and distinguished by its oblong shape and heaped middens. and Abbasi 2000). Foss and fragmentation of habitats are
The locals identified the droppings as belonging to 'Kondit knowntobeseriousthreatstoFour-hornedAntelope(Sharma
kuri' Kannada name for Four-horned Antelope. The 2006; Krishna etal. 2008). Though there is no documented
,
droppings were small and elongated, and were likely ofthe evidence ofdirect impacts ofwind turbines on Four-horned
Four-homedAntelope.Extensiveinteractionswith localsand Antelope, the species being cryptic and shy (Sharma 2006)
forest department staff confirmed the absence ofChinkara canbeaffectedbynoiseofwindturbinesandincreasedhuman
(Gazellagazella) andBarkingdeerin thearea. The middens activity.
werefoundinscantilyforested habitat. Duringanothervisit, Inthisbackground,itismorerelevantthatRSFisgiven
a midden with droppings of two distinct sizes, possibly the status of a wildlife sanctuary, as Protected Areas have
belonging to an adult and ajuvenile Four-hornedAntelope, greater prospect to protect threatened species (van Schaik
was observed at RSF. Due to its undulating terrain, the area etal. 2002; Hilborn etal. 2006). There are a few protected
is unlikely to support Blackbuck that need open grasslands areasdedicatedforthepurposeofsaving speciesofthedrier
and avoid thick cover (Jhala 1993, 1997). Afew days later plains, and this move could be a unique initiative in
the second author, along with another wildlife enthusiast Karnataka.
REFERENCES
Abbasi, S.A. & N. Abbasi (2000): The likely adverse environmental 166-179.
impacts ofrenewable energy sources. Applied Energy 65(1-4): Karanth, K.U. & J.D. Nichols (2000): Ecological Status and
121-144. Conservation of Tigers in India. Final technical report to the
Hilborn,R„P.Arcese,M.Borner,J.Hando,GHopcraft,M.Loibooki, Division of International Conservation, US Fish and Wildlife
S. Mduma&A.R.E. Sinclair(2006): Effectiveenforcementina Services: Wildlife Conservation Society, New York, USA and
conservation area. Science314(5803): 1266. Centre forWildlife Studies, Bangalore, India.
IUCN (2008): 2008 IUCN Red list of threatened species. Krishna,Y.C.,J.Krishnaswamy&N.S.Kumar(2008):Habitatfactors
<www.iucnredlist.org>. DownloadedonSeptember 1, 2008. affecting site occupancy and relative abundance offour-horned
Jhala, Y.V. (1993): Predation on blackbucks by wolves in Velavadar antelope.JournalofZoology276(1): 63-70.
National Park, Gujarat, India. Conservation Biology 7(4): Krishna, Y.C., P. Clyne, J. Krishnaswamy & N.S. Kumar (2009):
874-881. Distributionalandecologicalreviewofthefourhornedantelope,
Jhala, Y.V. (1997): Seasonal effects on the nutritional ecology of Tetracerusquadricornis. Mammalia 73(1): 1-6.
blackbuckAntelopecen’icapra.JournalofAppliedEcology34(6): Prater, S.H. (1998): The Book ofIndianAnimals. Bombay Natural
1348-1358. History Society and OxfordUniversity Press, India. Pp. 271.
Karanth, K.U. (1986): Status of wildlife and habitat conservation Rahmani, A.R. (2001): Country reports, India In: Mallon, D.P. &
in Karnataka. J. Bombay Nat. Hist. Soc. 83(supplement): S.C. Kingswood (Eds): Antelopes: Global Survey and Regional
336 J. Bombay Nat. Hist. Soc., 105 (3), Sep-Dec 2008
MISCELLANEOUS NOTES
Action Plans. IUCN Species survival commission. Gland, Washington, DC, USA.
Switzerland. Sharma, K. (2006): Distribution, status, ecologyandbehaviourofthe
Rice, C.G. (1991): The status of four-horned antelope Tetracerus four-horned antelope (Tetracerus quadricornis). University of
quadricornis.J. BombayNat. Hist. Soc. 88(1): 63-66. Mumbai, India.
vanSchaik,C.,J.Terborgh,L. Davenport&M. Rao(2002): Making Terborgh, J. & C. van Schaik (2002): Why the world needs parks.
parks work: Past, present and future. Pp. 468-481. In: Pp. 3-14.In:Terborgh,J.,C. vanSchaik,L. Davenport& M. Rao
Terborgh,J.,C.vanSchaik,L.Davenport&M.Rao(Eds):Making (Eds): Making Parks Work: Strategies for Preserving Tropical
parkswork:Strategiesforpreservingtropicalnature.IslandPress, Nature. IslandPress,Washington, DC,USA.
FIRST RECORD OF MERLIN FALCO COLUMBARIUS PALLIDUS
5.
FROM MAHARASHTRA, INDIA
TRISHANTSlMLAI1 ANDGlRISH PUNJABI2
'B-1, Phase2,TusharGardens,AundhCamp,Pune411 027, Maharashtra,India. Email:[email protected]
2A2/2 Ravi Park,JagtapSquare,Wanowrie. Pune411 014,Maharashtra,India. Email: [email protected]
The Merlin Falco columbarius was first described by We were birding around that area on February 16, 2007,
Linnaeusin 1758.TheMerlinisararebirdinIndia(Grimmett at 0930 hrs, and came across a small raptor perched on an
etal. 1998)andarare wintermigranttonorth India(Naoroji electric pole, overlooking open scrub vegetation and a
2006), but is classed globally as Least Concern (BirdLife rocky terrain. We mistook the bird for a Common Kestrel,
International 2001). till we noticed a pale collar on the hind neck and buff
There are two races ofthis species occurring in India: bars on the uppertail. We noticed it scanning the area,
insignisandpallidus(Naoroji 2006). Both theracesarerare sometimes bobbing thehead up and down, disturbed by our
winter visitors to northern India, specifically Jammu and presence it shifted its perch and flew to another electric
Kashmir,Punjab,Rajasthan,Haryana,Gujarat,andArunachal pole.
Pradesh (Naoroji 2006). Racepallidus is rarer than insignis The habitat here was mostly scrub vegetation, there
(Naoroji 2006), reported as winter visitor to Jammu and were many rocks and a few clumps of grass. There were
Kashmir,passagemigrantandscarcewintervisitortowestern electric wiresoverthispatchofopen land, which servedasa
and central Ladakh (Meinertzhagen 1927; Williams and perch for many birds ofprey.
Delany 1986; Mallon, 1987). It was observed in lateAugust ThisisthefirstrecordoftheMerlinfrom Maharashtra.
2000 in the Nubra valley near Diskit on Hunda road and in We can only speculate whether it was a vagrant, a passage
Changthang between Demchok and Fukche in mid-August migrant or a resident. But it is sure that some sincere work
2002 (Naoroji and Sangha 2004). needs to be done on the raptors ofBhimashankar to ensure
Little is known about the Merlin in the Subcontinent, their long termsurvival.
exceptitsfamoushuntingmethods(Naoroji2006). Ithasbeen
describedasaboldanddashingfalconinhabitingopencountry ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
habitats (Grimmett etal. 1998).
We report here sighting of the Merlin, race pallidus WethankDr.AsadR. Rahmani andAnirudhChaoji to
(immature female), in an uninhabited open country just encourageustowritethisnote.WealsothankRishadNaoroji
outside Bhimashankar Wildlife Sanctuary in Maharashtra. forhelping with the identification.
REFERENCES
BirdLifeInternational(2001):ThreatenedBirdsofAsia:TheBirdlife Naoroji, Rishad (2006): Birds of Prey of the Indian Subcontinent.
International Red Data Book. Cambridge, UK: Birdlife OmBooksInternational._Merlm,Falconidae, Pp. 583-587.
International. Naoroji, R.K. & H. Sangha (2004): Project Golden Eagle. Raptor
Grimmett, R.. T. Inskipp & C. Inskipp (1998): Birds of the Indian SurveysinLadakh 1997-2003.(InCollaborationwiththeIndian
Subcontinent. Oxford University Press. Pp. 548-549. Army).
Mallon, D.P. (1987):TheWinterBirdsofLadakh. Forktail3: 27-41. Williams, C. & S. Delany (1986): Migration through the north west
Meinertzhagen,R.(1927):Systematicresultsofbirdscollectedathigh Elimalaya-someresultsoftheSouthamptonUniversity.Ladakh
altitudesinLadakhand Sikkim, Part II. Ibis3(4): 571-633. Expedition Part2. Oriental BirdClubBulletin 3: II-I6.
J. Bombay Nat. Hist. Soc., 105 (3), Sep-Dec 2008 337
