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Bibhav Behera
03-10-2009, 05:57 PM
September 2009. Two Jerdon's Coursers have been seen in the Cudaapah District of Andhra Pradesh, the first confirmed sighting for two years. The birds, a nocturnal ground bird found in scrub jungles, were seen in the heart of the Sri Lankamalleswara Wildlife Sanctuary, which, in a second piece of good news, has just been extended by a further 1,200 hectares. The extension is compensation for the construction of a canal, which at one point threatened to destroy the Critically Endangered bird's last stronghold.
Two coursers
The two coursers were seen by BNHS senior research fellow Rahul Chavan, who was appointed to the Jerdon's Courser project earlier this year. Over the last six months, Rahul Chavan has also heard the bird's calls on a number of occasions.
The Chief Wildlife Warden of Andhra Pradesh, Mr Hitesh Malhotra, said: "This excellent news is very reassuring. We need to increase efforts for the protection of Jerdon's Courser with renewed vigour."
Once thought extinct
BNHS Director Dr Asad Rahmani welcomed this further evidence that the courser, long thought to be extinct, is still clinging on in the sanctuary, which will be managed to suit its very particular habitat requirements. He also welcomed the news that the additional land was at last to be added to the sanctuary, following the completion of its transfer from Andhra Pradesh's Irrigation Department to the Forest Department. "It is a big boost to our conservation efforts", he said. "This land, which is between the canal and the sanctuary, is good Jerdon's Courser habitat, according to our assessment."
Still on the verge
Ian Barber, RSPB's International Officer for Asia, said, "Jerdon's courser is clearly a bird on the edge of existence. Although there is a great deal of international co-operation to prevent this bird's global extinction there are many pressures, especially habitat loss that could force the courser into oblivion, but these new developments can only help."
Generous funding
There was further good news for Jerdon's Courser when the Sheik Mohamed bin Zayed Species Conservation Fund, established by the Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates, announced that it had approved funding of US$25,042 for the Bombay Natural History Society's (BNHS) work to study and conserve the species.
BNHS (BirdLife in India) has been conducting field research on Jerdon's Courser for the past nine years, in collaboration with the Royal Society for the Protection of Birds (RSPB, BirdLife in the UK), Andhra Pradesh Forest Department, and the Universities of Cambridge and Reading, funded by the UK Government's Darwin Initiative.
The Mohamed bin Zayed Species Conservation Fund grant will enable BNHS and the RSPB to continue their research into the courser's ecology, breeding habits, distribution and habitat use. Because the bird is nocturnal and elusive, survey work depends on the use of automatic camera "traps", and tracking strips which retain the footprints of the bird. "This is a tremendous boost for the Jerdon's Courser programme and should allow us to carry out the camera trapping we have planned to do", said Dr Rahmani.



The article can be found at: http://www.wildlifeextra.com/go/news/jerdons-courser939.html#cr

Sabyasachi Patra
03-10-2009, 09:54 PM
This is great news. Now Where is the Himalayan Quail....Hope someone finds it too.

Good to hear about the project. Lot of these habitats are getting destroyed and you never know what is lost in the process.

Mrudul Godbole
03-07-2010, 08:07 PM
Read some good news about plans to save Kalivi kodi bird.

Plans afoot to save rare species
June 29th, 2010
DC Correspondent

Kadapa, June 28: Forest officials are going to initiate the Kalivi Kodi project to save one of the critically endangered bird, listed in the Bird Life International Red Data Book.
Jerdon’s Courser (Rhinoptilus bitorquatus) is known as Kalivi kodi, a fairly long-legged ground bird found in scrub jungles.
The rare species, considered as a lost bird was spotted for the first time by famous ornithologist Dr Salim Ali at the Sri Lankamalleswara Wildlife Sanctuary situated along the boundary of Badwel and Atlur in Kadapa district in 1986. Later, many ornithologists, environmentalists and forest officials took up several research projects to spot the nocturnal bird in the sanctuary.
Scientists found that the bird could not survive in human habitations for more than two days. As a result, the birds are under threat of extinction.
Meanwhile, Bombay Natural History Society (BNHS) scientist, Mr Rahul Chavan, and his local assistant, Mr Rahim, found two birds in the sanctuary in August 2009.
The Government of India which is concerned about endangered wildlife species, directed forest officials to prepare proposals to conserve this bird as well as awareness programmes about it.
Accordingly, the principal chief conservator of forests and chief wildlife warden, Mr Hitesh Malhotra and BNHS director, Mr Asad Rahmani, recently convened a special meeting on project Kalivi Kodi in Hyderabad.
The Kadapa divisional forest officer, Mr Vinod Kumar, has received orders to prepare proposals for the Kalivi Kodi project two days ago.
Mr Vinod Kumar said that proposals would be sent to higher officials after four days.
Officials sought Rs 2.5 crore for a project to install heat sensor cameras and bird trackers to spot the bird. They also proposed to involve local tribals in this project. Scientists from the BNHS will camp at the wild life sanctuary for three months to find the birds.

Link - http://www.deccanchronicle.com/anantapur/plans-afoot-save-rare-species-675

Lakshminarayanan Nataraja
06-07-2010, 08:41 AM
Andhra Pradesh has astounding wildlands. Most of them are reported to be in a severe state of despair due to apathy of Government.

It is high-time that the state is brought under the radar of conservation. If properly protected Srisailam-Nagarjunasagar tiger reserve could be the premier tiger reserve in the country as it has large area.

This measure to save Jerdon's crouser could be an ideal beginning for the state to set their focus in conservation.