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India’s Vanishing Birds Govindasamy Agoramoorthy* College of Environmental Sciences, Tajen University, Yanpu, Pingtung 907, Taiwan & Gujarat Institute of Desert Ecology, Bhuj, India Besides, India is a signatory to all major conventions on biodiversity/environment therefore it has an obligation to mitigate species extinction. But the question is, will all this discussion save the birds from death? A closer look at the looming bird extinction may shed some answers. Four species of vultures namely the white-rumped, slender bill, Indian, and red-headed vultures top the list and it is hard to believe that the once abundant carrion-eating birds are now facing death. Others in the list include the pink-headed duck, white-bellied heron, sociable lapwing, Christmas frigatebird, Jerdon’s courser, Siberian crane, Bengal florican, Himalayan quail, spoon-billed sandpiper, and forest owlet. But data on the status of these birds are limited due to their rarity. As a matter of fact, India spends millions of dollars to protect tigers, but can it do the same for the nonglamorous vultures and owlets? Even after two decades of conservation by the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service, and after exhausting millions of tax dollars, the northern spotted owl continue to decline sadly by an average of 3% annually across the Pacific Northwest. Over 90% of India’s vultures have vanished in recent years ur planet has lost over 190 bird species within the last and scientists blame the anti-inflammatory livestock drug five centuries and future species extinction will escalate (diclofenac) for their demise.5 Although this toxic drug was due to global warming.1 Ecologically fragile small islands are banned in 2006, it widely remains in the market across India more vulnerable; for example, 30% of all the extinct birds so far due to lack of law enforcement. Scientists are now planning to have come from the Hawaiian Islands. Currently about 10 000 catch some surviving vultures for captive breeding to save them bird species occur globally of which 1200 confront the threat of from extinction. The stressful caging of wild vultures that soar 2 extinction. Science has somehow failed to pinpoint the exact 10 000 feet high up in the sky may showcase conservation in time of extinction. By the time scientists realize the problem, it the marketing of zoos and provide some employment for is too late to rescue species from the extinction threshold. So scientists, but can it revive the wild vulture population? Why the fauna and flora extinction literature has been often not use the taxpayers’ money and scientific manpower to save restricted to the last verified observation or specimen collected them in the wild? Large groups of vultures feed on the carcasses from the wild. of livestock near human habitations. So the sensible option is to India is one among the 34 global hotspots with highly feed them with healthy meat devoid of diclofenac until the endangered eco-regions. Nature conservation has been given population reaches beyond the extinction threshold. Such significance, but the scientific base of knowledge on India’s controlled feedings have been known to increase the biological diversity and ways of adding values to it are population of endangered species. By banning dumping of unfortunately weak.3 Whether or not people realize the bird livestock carcasses in open areas across India, the existing wild extinction scenario, politicians are certainly aware of the crisis. vultures can be given a chance to locate healthier carcasses in On 13 December 2011, a member of the Council of States the controlled feeding sites on the outskirts of villages, towns, (Rajya Sabha) questioned why some birds are threatened and 4 and cities. how to save them. In response, the Minister of Environment Do people know how much biodiversity India is in danger of and Forests stated that 14 bird species presently face extinction losing? Even scientists have no answer to this thorny query by outlining the crisis management plan that include (i) since 400 000 species are estimated as unknown and 125 000 endangered birds are listed in Schedule-I of the Wild Life described species are often unmonitored, and other elements Protection Act, (ii) harsh punishments for those who capture/ such as genes, populations, communities, and environment are kill protected birds, (iii) important bird habitats are protected, all equally hard to evaluate.3 Also, the population of some of (iv) financial/technical assistance are extended by state the most common plants and animals is not clearly known. In governments to manage habitats, (v) state governments are this murky situation, is there any chance for the birds to evade requested to strengthen patrols of protected areas, (vi) new wildlife crime control bureau to manage the illegal trade (species/parts/products, etc), (vii) the national wildlife board’s Received: February 26, 2012 subcommittee to draft guidelines for species recovery, and (viii) Accepted: March 2, 2012 research/monitoring are to be done by scientific institutions. Published: March 8, 2012
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© 2012 American Chemical Society
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Environmental Science & Technology
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extinction? But one thing is surebirds cannot be saved without knowing where they are, how many, and what causes their demise. It is not too late for India to conduct a nationwide survey to know the exact status of these birds. Without reliable scientific data on the status of birds facing extinction, scientists can only speculate their fate or blame technological advancement for their demise, but not saving them timely. In reality, India has millions of science and technology students, why don't scientists utilize them as volunteers to conduct rapid bird surveys to collect accurate population status data? Then the known families, groups, and colonies of birds in danger of extinction can probably be saved from their lingering death warrant.
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AUTHOR INFORMATION
Corresponding Author
*Phone: +886-916752019; e-mail:
[email protected]. Notes
The authors declare no competing financial interest.
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REFERENCES
(1) Fuller, E. Extinct birds. Cornell University Press: New York, 2001. (2) The IUCN Red List of Threatened Animals; IUCN Publication: Cambridge, 2011. (3) Gadgil, M. Deploying student power to monitor India’s lifescape. Curr. Sci. 1996, 71, 688−697. (4) Extinction of Birds in the Country. Press Information Bureau, Government of India, 2011. (5) Cuthberta, R. J.; Dave, R.; Chakraborty, S. S.; Kumara, S.; Prakash, S.; Ranade, S. P.; Prakash, V. Assessing the ongoing threat from veterinary non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs to critically endangered Gyps vultures in India. Oryx 2011, 45, 420−426.
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