How could a government be so callous and shortsighted and put a garbage dump in a wetland? And what was I doing as a citizen? Ignorant and asleep.
I hope these numbers are wrong.
Ecological scare: Pallikaranai marsh emitting 8.4 gigatonnes of methane every year- The New Indian Express
On the World Wetland Day on Saturday, the State government, forest officials and the environmental experts, have emphasised the need to restore Pallikaranai wetland.
CHENNAI: It’s shocking. Pallikaranai wetland, which is supposed to act as a carbon sink, is emitting a whopping 8.4 gigatonnes of methane every year, reveals a study conducted by Anna University researchers.
Among several factors, the main source of methane is the five-decade-old dump yard and this establishes the fact as to why it catches fire often. The research study was carried out by A Ramachandran, former director, Centre for Climate Change and Adaptation Research, Anna University.
On the World Wetland Day on Saturday, the State government, forest officials and the environmental experts, have emphasised the need to restore Pallikaranai wetland.
“Currently, the wetland is acting as a carbon source rather than carbon sink. Our research shows carbon dioxide emission is 18.4 gigatonnes per year, and the carbon sinking rate is a negligible 0.0020 gigatonnes per year,” Ramachandran told Express on the sidelines of an event organised by the forest department, Department of Environment and Tamil Nadu Pollution Control Board (TNPCB).
Ramachandran said, more than carbon dioxide, the emission of 8.4 gigatonnes of methane annually is problematic. Every molecule of methane that gets released into the atmosphere stays there for a minimum of 12 years. Methane is a potent greenhouse gas and is a cause for major concern globally.
The study shows that a high concentration of methane is observed during summer and the emissions are lowest during north-east monsoon. Ramachandran said during summer months, when water temperature is 32 degrees Celsius, microbial decomposition intensifies.
“Low water levels, higher temperature and high concentration of organic matter allow the sediment to be more anoxic and intensify methane production. During monsoon, the height of water restricts the transfer of methane from subsurface to the atmosphere, resulting in decrease in methane rates,” the study says.
Researchers installed flex towers at select locations of Pallikaranai wetland and calculated hourly emissions of carbon dioxide and methane for close to one year. Realising the need for conservation of Pallikaranai, the State government has announced eco-restoration of 695 hectares of Pallikaranai, undertaken under the National Adaptation Fund for Climate Change.
The State has also made a budgetary allocation of `25 crore as seed money. Also, Pallikaranai is among the 11 wetlands in Tamil Nadu chosen under the five-year National Action Plan for Conservation of Migratory Birds and their Habitats along Central Asia Flyway (2018-2023).
Also, the Forest department is pushing to declare Pallikaranai as ‘Ramsar Site’. Sources in the department told Express that a proposal has already been submitted and is under the active consideration of the Central government. The Ramsar Convention is an intergovernmental treaty that embodies the commitments of its member countries to maintain the ecological character of their wetlands of international importance and to plan for the wise use or sustainable use of all the wetlands in their territories.
Pallikaranai wetland is a very unique ecosystem and consists of various habitat types like open water, islands, shallow waters and mudflats, each serving a specific purpose. For instance, open water pockets attract diving waterbirds, while islands and mounds are used as breeding sites for a number of species that nest on the ground.
Shallow waters and mud flats are rich feeding areas for a range of migratory waders who probe the water and flats for tiny animals. Larger waterbirds with long legs and bills such as the egret, pelican, heron, flamingo etc., can be found in the shallows probing, spearing, sieving and scooping for food.
6,000 ha to 690 ha.
The marsh covered an area of 6,000 hectares in the 1900s, of which there has been a 90 per cent loss of habitat resulting in the presence of only 690 hectares of marsh currently.
The Care Earth Trust document blames the fragmentation of habitat on construction of institutes like National Institute of Ocean Technology (NIOT), Centre for Wind Energy Technology and the Perungudi dumpyard and Sewage treatment plant, which occupy a major part of marsh land.
Development of IT corridors and residential complexes too took a huge toll. Pallikaranai is one of the 94 wetlands identified under National Wetland Conservation and Management Programme (NWCMP) of the Government of India and is also one of the three in the state of Tamil Nadu, the other two being Point Calimere and Kazhuveli.
Biodiversity hotspot
Pallikaranai marsh supports 349 species of flora and fauna including 133 species of birds, 10 species of mammals, 21 species of reptiles, 10 species of amphibians, 50 species of fishes, 9 species of molluscs, 5 species of crustaceans, and 7 species of butterflies and about 114 species of plants including 29 species of grass.
The number of bird species sighted in the wetland is significantly higher than the number at Vedanthangal birds sanctuary.
Showing posts with label Pallikaranai. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Pallikaranai. Show all posts
Friday, April 5, 2019
Sunday, December 23, 2018
Friday, December 14, 2018
PTJ redux
Beautiful capture of Jacanas with a new born chick by Mr Ramanan. Mr Ramanan's photo essay from the 2017 breeding season is here.
I went looking for them a few days later with Sheila, and while we did not see the eggs (they had probably all hatched), we saw what was in all likelihood, the third chick.
When we reached, we heard the male PTJ calling in agitation and looking eft and right. It appeared that he was calling the chicks. Initially, we saw a slightly larger chick, which subsequently we did not see at all. (I have read that when they hear an alarm call from the parent, the chicks hide under a floating leaf. I wonder if that is what it did!
We did spy a littler chick, unsteady on his feet, which seemed to follow the parent, and I marvelled at how they stayed afloat and knew instinctively that they had to put their feet on the leaves and not in the water. All the time we were there, it was not fed by any parent, unlike other bird chicks, who are constantly crying for food.
I was dismayed at the amount of construction that is going on in the marsh.
Its a completely bizarre and distressing site. There are homes, apartments even, and raised roads, while all the empty plots are filled with water, reeds and remnants of marshland. It seems insane to come and build here, and even more insane to buy and live here.
Friday, October 13, 2017
The Pheasant Tailed Jacanas of Pallikaranai
I remember when I first saw the Jacana walk on water (well almost), it just blew my mind, and I spent hours at Dungarpur just observing their spidery legs and jerky movements.
The pheasant-tailed jacana (Hydrophasianus chirurgus) is quite common in the wetlands of Chennai, and always make for interesting sightings as they dart on top of the floating vegetation.
Mr Ramanan is a regular Sunday visitor to the marshes of Pallikaranai and Sholinganallur and has documented their courtship and breeding over several years. The females are larger and more colourful than the male and are polyandrous. it is the males that incubate the eggs!
Mr Ramanan notes, "In 2016 in the month of June I had come across two active nests of Pheasant Tailed Jacanas closer to the road side itself. The female is polyandrous and the male takes care of entire breeding of the chicks."Mr Ramanan is a regular Sunday visitor to the marshes of Pallikaranai and Sholinganallur and has documented their courtship and breeding over several years. The females are larger and more colourful than the male and are polyandrous. it is the males that incubate the eggs!
Mr Ramanan noted that the smaller male chased the female with which he had previously mated, |
went underneath the bird, pushed it from the squatting position. it looked as if the male was suspicious of the female, and did not want another clutch of eggs of another male in its territory? |
In another instant, Mr Ramanan observed the male take the chicks under its wing, when a predator was sighted. The alarm call had been raised by the female. |
This is the male's protection posture, with all the chicks underneath, looking like a single adult with eight legs! |
Mr Ramanan captured this picture of the female's frightened posture, with body erect but tail down. (And do see those claws!) |
When a Shikra was sighted, the male PTJ aggressively left its clutch unguarded and chased the predator. |
With his keen eye, patience and regular documentation, Mr Ramanan has been able to put together an entire series on the breeding of the PTJs, which makes for a fascinating account.
The marshes and wetlands of Chennai - important and precious for so many creatures big and small.
The marshes and wetlands of Chennai - important and precious for so many creatures big and small.
Wednesday, January 29, 2014
Notes from the city’s wetland
Notes from the city’s wetland
Akila Kannadasan
A bird census is the most difficult task for a novice birder, discovers Akila Kannadasan at the Asian Waterbird Census 2014.
For, one has to count them with diligence; one can’t afford to stop
midway, distracted by a playful flock of ducks or by a lonely pair of
black-winged stilts happy in each others’ company. However, as K.
Gnanaskandan of Madras Naturalists’ Society and his team keep count of
the birds on the Western side of the Pallikaranai marsh, she is glad to
be distracted many times over…
Distraction 1
The black-and-white blanket with a pink border
The flock of black-winged stilts — Gnanaskandan counts almost 3,000 —
stretches like a blanket on the water. Flaunting delicate pink feet,
needle-sharp bills, deep black eyes, and white body with black wings,
they dip their heads neck-deep into the water. Dip-lift-pause,
dip-lift-pause… the pattern recurs with the exact timing. We cannot see
the tiny aquatic creatures clamped in between their bills when they lift
their heads. The action, hence, looks like a group dance movement
performed with practised perfection.
Distraction 2
There she comes, run for your life!
They might seem at peace with the world, happy wading away in their
stretch of water, their home for the winter. But these stilts are in a
constant state of panic. For, danger could strike any moment, and they
would be feasted upon by the sharp-beaked marsh harrier. The flock is
being watched by a female, her sharp eyes widen at the sight of her
kill. She is a beauty; her wide wings whoosh as she swoops down into the
flock, eager to take one to feed herself and perhaps her young one too.
The very sign of her sends the stilts on a frenzy. They fly from the
water in unison. It is a flight / sight to behold. For, nothing is more
beautiful than a thousand stilts flapping their wings against the wind.
Distraction 3
The lonely bunch of flamingos
We count some 10 greater flamingos, far from the chattering stilts. They
prefer to keep off the smaller waders. Gnanaskandan explains that their
feeding habits are different. The birds’ preferred food is algae while
the waders feed on small aquatic creatures such as frogs and tadpoles.
Distraction 4
Is that a ruddy shelduck?
For once, the serious Gnanaskandan gets excited. “Yes! It’s the ruddy
shelduck,” he exclaims, lifting his head from the spotting scope. It is a
rare sighting, and the rest of the birders is as excited. There are
five of them, amidst the stilts and the common teals. They look gorgeous
— the fact that there are only five makes them even more special. The
ducks are a brownish-orange with cream-coloured heads and jet-black
bills.
Distraction 5
More special birds
The birders jump again as they catch something on the spotting scope —
it’s the peregrine falcon, the fastest bird in the world. He / she sits
too far for us to see the sharp features. Gnanaskandan also shows us an
osprey through the scope. This one too is quite far. We can see them,
but not clearly enough. This is my ‘lifer’ — a term birders use to
describe their first sighting of a bird.
Distraction 6
Their sheer diversity is the biggest distraction of them all —
grey-headed lapwings, pied avocets, marsh sandpipers, Northern
shovellers, black-tailed godwits, spoonbills… The way they peck at their
food, their delicate feet, their fights, their politics… how does one
concentrate?
GROUND REALITY
According to south-asia.wetlands.org, “Every January, thousands of
volunteers across Asia and Australasia visit wetlands in their country
and count waterbirds. This event is called the Asian Waterbird Census
(AWC), which is part of a global waterbird monitoring programme, the
International Waterbird Census.”
The Madras Naturalists’ Society is the State coordinator of the
programme. So far, 16 wetlands have been covered in the city. The data
collected is used to study bird population trends, using which Important
Bird Areas — globally recognised bird habitats, can be identified.
Volunteers also record the threats posed to wetland birds, which can
help Wetland International speak to governments for actions to rectify
them, explains Gnanaskandan. The census is being carried out in places
such as Coimbatore, Madurai, Theni and Erode. In Chennai, the counting
began in the first week of January. Significant observations include the
presence of fewer ducks in “Chembarambakkam and Sriperumbudur lakes,
since the water level was low — a result of failed monsoon”.
Sunday, July 21, 2013
Pallikaranai
Marsh Melodies - The Hindu
Marsh Melodies
Akila KannadasanWhistles of teals, calls of the pheasant-tailed jacanas, the shrill cry of the red-wattled lapwing and the cacophony of painted storks, flamingos and coots. Akila Kannadasan listens to the avian orchestra at Pallikaranai
We are in their terrain. The shrill cry of a red-wattled lapwing announcing our arrival to the rest of the bird-gang, tells us so. We inch closer into the marshland, nevertheless. The previous day’s rain has bathed the Pallikaranai marshland and woken up the reeds and water-plants chased away by the sun.
What birds has the rain brought? We plod into the marshy waters on the western side to find out.
Pallikaranai is full of surprises — it is surrounded by tall buildings on all sides, a Corporation dumpyard sits on the north, roads with endless honking vehicles cut across its surface… and yet, birds seem to have taken a liking to the water.
On a small patch of land, several feet from us, we see a massive flock of birds lounging in the mild afternoon sun. The birds seem to be relishing the after-effects of the rain. It’s amazing how each species sticks together — painted storks with their pink flight feathers, creamy-pink greater flamingos, slate-black common coots…
Hundreds of magnificent purple moorhens mill about beyond the congregation. The cerulean blue birds with bright red beaks look on smugly as little common coots wade on the water. The birds look up one moment, and the next, they swiftly dunk their heads into the water — they repeat this exercise at regular intervals.
A couple of pheasant-tailed jacanas fly past on song. One bird calls out and the other diligently follows. A lone grey heron, with its long neck and searching eyes, walks by the water’s edge looking for something — food, perhaps, or a friend? Little egrets add a dash of white to the mossy-green terrain. And then there are the tiny grebes that flit playfully between the big guys.
On the northern and southern side, we spot open-billed storks, spot-billed ducks, glossy ibis and pied avocets.
It’s another world out there — we are aware of the communication among the birds. One instant, their cacophony rises to a crescendo, but falls to a pin-drop-silence the next. But the silence is short-lived — one bird or the other breaks into song, to be joined in by others. Brown-bodied whistling teals, hundreds of them, ensure that there’s always music for the ears…
Why we must protect it
Pallikaranai is among the 94 wetlands identified under the National Wetland Conservation and Management Programme. K.V.R.K. Thirunaranan of The Nature Trust says that the marshland acts like the kidney of Chennai. “It is even shaped like one! It drains flood water and impure water into the sea. Also, it helps maintain the ground water level of the surrounding regions. Our ancestors have connected 31 tanks to Pallikaranai so that surplus water from them will flow into it.” The birdlife that the marshland attracts gives it aesthetic value. “We have recorded 130 bird species throughout the year in Pallikaranai,” he says. All of which give us plenty of reason to protect the marshland — 317 hectares of which is currently reserve land.
Interpretation centre
The Forest Department has set up an interpretation centre at Pallikaranai, open to the public. It has 66 displays of the commonly seen birds of the area. The displays, which come with backlighting, consist of a photo of the bird, its scientific name, Tamil name, details on distribution and a brief. There are eight mechanised scrolls about the flora and fauna of the marshland. The highlights are the two video booths that explain the Tamil and English names of birds, to the accompaniment of their calls. An 11-km walkway that will allow birdwatchers to walk around Pallikaranai is under construction. Viewing decks with spotting scopes and more are on the cards.
Monday, January 23, 2012
The Beach Birders at the Fifth Chennai Bird Race
This was the way it was. No colour filter! Photo by Rags. See the entire set of pictures here. |
Our Beach Birders team from the coast
decided to bird for half a day, at the most.
With binos and books we took to the Bird Race.
It was the refreshments that set the leisurely pace!
A gorgeous sunrise, such as I had never seen before
but wait, Pallikaranai had much more in store!
Swamp hens, egrets and stilts galore
the cormorants and ducks creating a furore.
A lone Ruff, Pelicans landing one by one
Stints in aerial ballet, it seemed, just for fun.
Bobbing sandpipers, the prinias chirping
meditative herons and jacanas preening.
Unmindful of the garbage and stench were they
"A poor sense of smell", the experts say.
A news crew arrived in the meantime from afar
and before we knew it, Rags was a TV star!
Watched the spot bills and pintails and teals flypast.
We decided to move on after a coffee-and-sandwich repast.
To Sholinganallur wetlands, past the toll, we drove
and Fulvous Whistling Ducks we saw, by jove!
Kelambakkam backwaters by midday we did drop by.
Blue waters, a breeze, the sun high in the sky.
It was time for the biggies the thermals to ride
Painted storks and Pelicans, side by side.
A few Terns winged without intent
their low numbers, to me, a disappointment.
But a family of curlews did give us a sneak peek
as they fished in the mud with their overlong beaks.
Happy and hot and tired were we
as we headed home, Sheila, Rags, Ammu and me!
but for the Emerald Doves, an Orphean Warbler did sing!
Bridled Terns logged 121, our tally 59
but with the fun and company, that suited me fine!
************************
The fifth Chennai Bird Race held on Sunday Jan 22nd.
The TOI new report has a few errors. The winning team of Vikas was Bridled Tern. And he spotted an eagle not an owl!
The IE report - Students create a buzz at CBR.
The Hindu report - Feathered friends
The Jacana Junkies were at the third edition in 2010.
Wednesday, March 23, 2011
The Pallikaranai fire - TOI reports
PRECIOUS WETLAND IN NO MAN’S ZONE
No Inquiry Into Pallikaranai Blaze As Agencies Pass Buck
Julie Mariappan | TNN
Chennai: It is more than three days since a mysterious fire ravaged several patches of the Pallikaranai marsh but no government agency seems to be taking responsibility to initiate an inquiry into the cause. Several birds are reported to have died in the fire.
While the Kancheepuram forest office says the fire broke out on a few grounds of land belonging to the Corporation of Chennai, the latter says it has little knowledge about how to maintain the area. “The area is not yet notified under Section 4 of the Tamil Nadu Forest Act, 1882. It is still owned by the local body. Our staff took pains to douse the flames. The fire and rescue services personnel could do nothing due to the characteristics of the wetland,” Kancheepuram district forest officer P Jayabalan said.
Almost 20 cases had been filed before the Madras high court, laying claim to the lands already notified on the southern side of the marsh. Only eight were disposed of and the forest department is still waging a battle. “It is likely that the patches were set afire by outsiders in a bid to grab the land,” sources said. The forest department is yet to take air samples from the area for testing, due to the confusion over the jurisdiction.
Corporation commissioner D Karthikeyan said that the land was being maintained by the forest department, though informally, based on a decision taken at a higher level. “The title of the ownership is still vested with the corporation,” he said, adding that the civic agency didn’t have the expertise to take care of the wetland. Saturday’s fire is a reminder that immediate steps have to be taken to protect the wetland.
One of the last remaining natural wetlands in south India, the Pallikaranai marsh sprawled over more than 8,000 hectares till 30 years ago.
Today, indiscriminate dumping of solid waste and the discharge of sewage combined with construction of high-rise structures and laying of roads in the surrounding areas have seen the marsh reduced to 800 hectares.
A recent study by Anna University revealed that a large quantity of metallic sedimentation from the corporation dumpyard in nearby Perungudi had been deposited in the marshland, affecting the biodiversity. The forest department was able to build an 870-metre-long boundary wall on the Sholinganallur side only recently.
Forest ranger Ramadoss said plans to set up a flood bund and provide walkways with necessary drainage facilities on the eastern, southern and western boundaries were awaiting the government’s nod. While the bunds will stretch for about 9.5 km, the walkway will be 2 m wide, a blessing for fitness freaks,
ornithologists
and patrolling staff. “The formation of a green belt and an earthern bund, without disturbing the marsh, is a good idea. Or else birds like waders and ducks will not roost in the wetland,” said KVRK Thirunaranan, founder of The Nature Trust.
Marshland yet to be notified as reserve forest
Julie Mariappan | TNN
Chennai: An ambitious plan to notify 150 hectares of the Pallikaranai marsh as a reserve forest area, announced over a year ago by the DMK-led government, is yet to see the light of day. The ecologically sensitive wetland, adjoining the Pallavaram-Thoraipakkam Radial Road, remains with the Corporation of Chennai.
The forest department is said to have taken up the issue with the civic body. “It is a significant site to ensure the contiguity of habitat and bio-diversity in the marsh. Desilting and cleaning operations and monitoring can be conducted at the site,” said Jayashree Vencatesan of Care Earth, a non-government organisation.
A 317-hectare area was notified as a reserve forest area in April 2007, under Section 4 of the Tamil Nadu Forest Act 1882, thanks to sustained efforts of nature lovers, environmentalists, activists and volunteers. It was brought under a separate range in Chengalpet Forest Division at Kancheepuram with headquarters at Pallikaranai. The forest department is still chasing revenue officials to demarcate the notified site.
Care Earth, along with City Connect, in a recent report recommended an “adaptive management plan,” including establishment of a coordinating agency to enable multistakeholder engagement, for the conservation of the marsh. One of the key elements was to prepare a detailed strategy, including ground demarcation, soil and water assessment, ecological profiling, habitat zonation, sedimentation studies, biodiversity assessments.
The Pallikaranai marsh supports over 100 birds species, five of them in the endangered list for Indian birds, and a number of fish and amphibians making it a potential candidate for inclusion as a site under Ramsar Convention, of which India is a signatory. “It is a legally bound mechanism to protect marshlands. The Pallikaranai marsh is certainly qualified for inclusion,” said V Srinivasan of the Save Pallikaranai Marshland Forum. The Wular lake in Jammu and Kashmir and the Chilika lake in Orissa are among such sites in the country.
Care Earth managing trustee RJ Ranjit Daniels said: “The rise in number of species is a sign the marsh is improving. It could also be due to the deterioration of other wetlands near Chennai.” The White-Spotted Garden Skink was recently spotted in the marsh, the first time in the state, as was the Russell’s Viper, the largest and the most widespread of Asian vipers. Fish such as the Dwarf Gourami and Chromide, bred and traded worldwide for aquaria, occur naturally in Pallikaranai. Also, Windowpane Oyster, Mud Crab, Mullet, Half Beak and Green Chromide are some of the estuarine fauna present in the marsh.
****************
MNS members have documented so much avian life at Pallikaranai. Some of the recent ones:
Rosy Starling
Spot-billed ducks
No Inquiry Into Pallikaranai Blaze As Agencies Pass Buck
Julie Mariappan | TNN
Chennai: It is more than three days since a mysterious fire ravaged several patches of the Pallikaranai marsh but no government agency seems to be taking responsibility to initiate an inquiry into the cause. Several birds are reported to have died in the fire.
While the Kancheepuram forest office says the fire broke out on a few grounds of land belonging to the Corporation of Chennai, the latter says it has little knowledge about how to maintain the area. “The area is not yet notified under Section 4 of the Tamil Nadu Forest Act, 1882. It is still owned by the local body. Our staff took pains to douse the flames. The fire and rescue services personnel could do nothing due to the characteristics of the wetland,” Kancheepuram district forest officer P Jayabalan said.
Almost 20 cases had been filed before the Madras high court, laying claim to the lands already notified on the southern side of the marsh. Only eight were disposed of and the forest department is still waging a battle. “It is likely that the patches were set afire by outsiders in a bid to grab the land,” sources said. The forest department is yet to take air samples from the area for testing, due to the confusion over the jurisdiction.
Corporation commissioner D Karthikeyan said that the land was being maintained by the forest department, though informally, based on a decision taken at a higher level. “The title of the ownership is still vested with the corporation,” he said, adding that the civic agency didn’t have the expertise to take care of the wetland. Saturday’s fire is a reminder that immediate steps have to be taken to protect the wetland.
One of the last remaining natural wetlands in south India, the Pallikaranai marsh sprawled over more than 8,000 hectares till 30 years ago.
Today, indiscriminate dumping of solid waste and the discharge of sewage combined with construction of high-rise structures and laying of roads in the surrounding areas have seen the marsh reduced to 800 hectares.
A recent study by Anna University revealed that a large quantity of metallic sedimentation from the corporation dumpyard in nearby Perungudi had been deposited in the marshland, affecting the biodiversity. The forest department was able to build an 870-metre-long boundary wall on the Sholinganallur side only recently.
Forest ranger Ramadoss said plans to set up a flood bund and provide walkways with necessary drainage facilities on the eastern, southern and western boundaries were awaiting the government’s nod. While the bunds will stretch for about 9.5 km, the walkway will be 2 m wide, a blessing for fitness freaks,
ornithologists
and patrolling staff. “The formation of a green belt and an earthern bund, without disturbing the marsh, is a good idea. Or else birds like waders and ducks will not roost in the wetland,” said KVRK Thirunaranan, founder of The Nature Trust.
Marshland yet to be notified as reserve forest
Julie Mariappan | TNN
Chennai: An ambitious plan to notify 150 hectares of the Pallikaranai marsh as a reserve forest area, announced over a year ago by the DMK-led government, is yet to see the light of day. The ecologically sensitive wetland, adjoining the Pallavaram-Thoraipakkam Radial Road, remains with the Corporation of Chennai.
The forest department is said to have taken up the issue with the civic body. “It is a significant site to ensure the contiguity of habitat and bio-diversity in the marsh. Desilting and cleaning operations and monitoring can be conducted at the site,” said Jayashree Vencatesan of Care Earth, a non-government organisation.
A 317-hectare area was notified as a reserve forest area in April 2007, under Section 4 of the Tamil Nadu Forest Act 1882, thanks to sustained efforts of nature lovers, environmentalists, activists and volunteers. It was brought under a separate range in Chengalpet Forest Division at Kancheepuram with headquarters at Pallikaranai. The forest department is still chasing revenue officials to demarcate the notified site.
Care Earth, along with City Connect, in a recent report recommended an “adaptive management plan,” including establishment of a coordinating agency to enable multistakeholder engagement, for the conservation of the marsh. One of the key elements was to prepare a detailed strategy, including ground demarcation, soil and water assessment, ecological profiling, habitat zonation, sedimentation studies, biodiversity assessments.
The Pallikaranai marsh supports over 100 birds species, five of them in the endangered list for Indian birds, and a number of fish and amphibians making it a potential candidate for inclusion as a site under Ramsar Convention, of which India is a signatory. “It is a legally bound mechanism to protect marshlands. The Pallikaranai marsh is certainly qualified for inclusion,” said V Srinivasan of the Save Pallikaranai Marshland Forum. The Wular lake in Jammu and Kashmir and the Chilika lake in Orissa are among such sites in the country.
Care Earth managing trustee RJ Ranjit Daniels said: “The rise in number of species is a sign the marsh is improving. It could also be due to the deterioration of other wetlands near Chennai.” The White-Spotted Garden Skink was recently spotted in the marsh, the first time in the state, as was the Russell’s Viper, the largest and the most widespread of Asian vipers. Fish such as the Dwarf Gourami and Chromide, bred and traded worldwide for aquaria, occur naturally in Pallikaranai. Also, Windowpane Oyster, Mud Crab, Mullet, Half Beak and Green Chromide are some of the estuarine fauna present in the marsh.
****************
MNS members have documented so much avian life at Pallikaranai. Some of the recent ones:
Rosy Starling
Spot-billed ducks
Thursday, September 2, 2010
Residents take a walk around Pallikaranai Marshland
The Hindu:Residents take a walk around Pallikaranai Marshland
As part of the Madras Day Celebrations, the 33-year-old nature conservation body Madras Naturalists Society organised a ‘Nature Walk' at Pallikaranai Marshland on August 14. People in the age group of seven to 70 took part in the walk which was led by the Society's founder member K.V. Sudhakar.
The walk highlighted the importance of conserving wetlands which is not only a water aquifer helping to recharge groundwater levels, but also serves as an ideal feeding and resting ground for migratory birds.
The Society has recorded sighting of 134 species of birds in the Marsh. Chennai was fortunate to have right in its bustling midst a place such as the Pallikaranai Marshland and it was vital to preserve this precious natural resource. Senior members of the Society Rama Rajaram and A. Rajaram assisted participants to spot and identify the birds in the Marsh with the help of a powerful Spotting Scope. Birds sighted that morning include the Spot-billed Pelican, Pheasant-talied Jacana, Spot-billed Duck, Glossy Ibis, Purple Heron, Caspian Tern, Black-winged Stilt, Purple Moorhen, Indian Moorhen, Coot and Dabchick.
With persistent efforts from environmentalists, the Wetland was declared as a Reserve Forest area some years ago. A huge portion has been irreversibly damaged due to the dumping of garbage. What remains of the Marshland now is a fraction of its original expanse of several thousand acres.
As part of the Madras Day Celebrations, the 33-year-old nature conservation body Madras Naturalists Society organised a ‘Nature Walk' at Pallikaranai Marshland on August 14. People in the age group of seven to 70 took part in the walk which was led by the Society's founder member K.V. Sudhakar.
The walk highlighted the importance of conserving wetlands which is not only a water aquifer helping to recharge groundwater levels, but also serves as an ideal feeding and resting ground for migratory birds.
The Society has recorded sighting of 134 species of birds in the Marsh. Chennai was fortunate to have right in its bustling midst a place such as the Pallikaranai Marshland and it was vital to preserve this precious natural resource. Senior members of the Society Rama Rajaram and A. Rajaram assisted participants to spot and identify the birds in the Marsh with the help of a powerful Spotting Scope. Birds sighted that morning include the Spot-billed Pelican, Pheasant-talied Jacana, Spot-billed Duck, Glossy Ibis, Purple Heron, Caspian Tern, Black-winged Stilt, Purple Moorhen, Indian Moorhen, Coot and Dabchick.
With persistent efforts from environmentalists, the Wetland was declared as a Reserve Forest area some years ago. A huge portion has been irreversibly damaged due to the dumping of garbage. What remains of the Marshland now is a fraction of its original expanse of several thousand acres.
Monday, January 11, 2010
The Jacana Junkies at the bird race
There were 4 birders from Madras
Some photo albums as well:
who had not birded for a while, alas!
So they decided to change their ways
And take part in the Chennai bird race.
Jacana Junkies, there were four
One slept over
And then were three!
Never mind, we thought, off to GNP!
Bird calls everywhere and we were so excited
I heard the bulbul, but an oriole was sighted!
Parakeets and sunbirds, all so restive
And the butterflies added to make it all so festive.
Oh man, I thought, I am really out of touch
Spotting that calling coucal is proving too much.
The boys from Olcott School
I tell you, were way too cool.
An ashy drongo they showed us
Lurking in the bushes.
On we went to the polo ground
Where blackbuck and chital do abound.
A screeching shikra was identified
And was that a sparrow hawk we spied?
Two jackals with bushy tails, sauntered past
With my camera I should have been more fast.
Baby chitals peered with curiosity
Were we three such an oddity?
An Asian Brown Flycatcher
Had us JJs in a lather
Books were perused and binos viewed
before we deduced
the id of this winter visitor!
Pallikaranai marsh was next on our path
But only after a hearty repast
Pongal, kichdi and dosai with ghee
And good south Indian sweet and strong coffee!
To provide us Pallikaranai never fails
A bountiful supply of feathers and tails!
Jacanas and moorhens,
egrets and herons
Swallows and Swifts
Ducks and Stilts.
But it was the pelicans that were delightful
A couple in the water, unusually busy and cheerful.
Then we looked up in the sky and gasped
Like a busy airport with planes a-circling
Another fifty pelicans lazily gliding
Riding the thermals, waiting and watching.
A Marsh Harrier rounded up our sally
45 was our final tally.
By now, one Junkie was sneezing and snuffling
Another's phone was ringing and calling
Yours truly's car was low on petrol
And so we all headed on home.
I watched Cilic and Wawrinka do battle that night
As they hit the tennis ball with all their might
But guess what I found in the ladies' bathroom
next to the pots and pails and brooms?
A white-browed wagtail,
a fitting end to this Bird Race tale!
******
(The 3rd Chennai Bird Race was organised by the Madras Naturalist Society along with India Bird Races and HSBC on 10th January, 2010. Our team was the Jacana Junkies, after my favourite new bird of 2009, the pheasant-tailed jacana. )
For more sensible accounts of the bird race, read:
Some photo albums as well:
Monday, October 26, 2009
Pallikaranai picture parade
All Photos by Mr Ramanan, in this post! He has been busy, catching all the avian stars of Pallikaranai.
***********
Pallikaranai is the marshy wetland, now very much a part of the city of Madras, encroached upon by development, and spoiled by garbage disposal.
The stilts stood in repose
Striking a haiku-like pose.
The grebes and coots were all a-chatter
"Look at me!", chirped this one,
"Huh, so what?", grumbled this comb duck
"So am I, but have had no luck.
No mate have I found
And you wouldn't understand
The joys of solitude, but I can",
said this frequently solitary pelican.
Spot-billed pelican, with a swallow in the foreground, and a little grebe in the background
Spot-billed pelican, with a swallow in the foreground, and a little grebe in the background
But this grey heron looked miffed.
The roars of the cars on the road nearby
just a trifle lazy,
It stood on the water's edge,
looking at the water so hazy.
With all this sewage and garbage
Its a wonder its able to forage.
and to his lady love, clucked and hooted.
With weeds in his bill he chuckled,
And under his courtship, she buckled!
walking on his spidery toes,
"When will my tail appear,
oh will it never, that I fear.
Oh blimey, oh banana,
Mr Ramanan will be there with his camera.
Then make sure you strike him a good pose
So I may salute you with poetry, not prose.
Tell all your feathered friends in the marsh
On us, please dont be too harsh.
We've made a mess
that I confess
But we'll try our best
to reverse the process
and make your homes green once again.
***********
Pallikaranai is the marshy wetland, now very much a part of the city of Madras, encroached upon by development, and spoiled by garbage disposal.
Sunday, September 27, 2009
Urban wildlife
Featured in IATB #110.
Yess! Finally, some rain! The skies have turned cloudy, and we have begun to get some serious showers. Its been one extended and long summer, here in Madras, with no respite as the south-west monsoon completely passed us by. Oh, for a good north-east monsoon now!
Crimson-speckled Flunkey (Utetheisa pulchella), a rather pretty moth, dont you think?
At Pallikaranai, we saw all the usual suspects. We had gone with a group of rather small kids, who were unamused at the smell, garbage and general unsalubrious conditions! Hopefully, by the time they grow up, Pallikaranai will be well restored.
The Fab Four! - Photo by Mr Ramanan
Fulvous whistling ducks - Photo by Mr RamananPheasant-tailed jacana- Photo by Sekar
Asian Bushbeech - Gmelina asiatica. If I remember right, Bhanu said this bush has medicinal properties.
Social spiders at work
Chital - completely unperturbed? Its nose and ears twitched all the while, ready for action if it senseed any kind of threat from us.
Pretty coral vine. My son discovered that even our Cybershot has a macro function! Thank you Dr Alaganandan!
Another macro shot - seven-spotted cockroach
We saw many squirrels like this, but this candid shot is by Mr Ramanan, around his neighbourhood.
Mr Ramanan's spectacular shot of a purple-rumped sunbird. Check out its beak as it feeds, and see the way its legs cling on to the leaf.
Yess! Finally, some rain! The skies have turned cloudy, and we have begun to get some serious showers. Its been one extended and long summer, here in Madras, with no respite as the south-west monsoon completely passed us by. Oh, for a good north-east monsoon now!
So besides navaratri kolus, sundal and payasam, its also been some rain, wind, thunder and lightning, this last fortnight..
There have also been rambles around Madras - taking kids to Pallikaranai marsh, walking around Guindy National Park, checking out tree saplings at the PWD park.
The rains have made the PWD park thick with undergrowth. The grounds are buzzing with busy little pollinators - bees, butterflies and even this moth that I found.
Crimson-speckled Flunkey (Utetheisa pulchella), a rather pretty moth, dont you think?
Also, the new bird in town seems to have become a permanent resident! These Fulvous whistling ducks that created quite a stir in July when they were first spotted, continue to hang on in the marsh, and Mr Ramanan got some good pictures of them.
The Fab Four! - Photo by Mr Ramanan
Fulvous whistling ducks - Photo by Mr RamananPheasant-tailed jacana- Photo by Sekar
We saw common crows and blue tigers in plenty. A group of leopards as well. Emigrants, grass yellows and emigrants.
Over the last couple of GNP visits, I've found it a lovely walk for butterflies, bugs and flora...but I dont find the birds there. The white-browed bulbul was calling away, but I did not see it.
We saw parakeets and red-whiskered bulbuls, some palm swifts and mynahs.
We saw parakeets and red-whiskered bulbuls, some palm swifts and mynahs.
And we saw this "butterfly grave". A whole host of common emigrants maybe, all caught in a spider's web. All that was left were their pretty wings.
As Kamraj, the forest officer explained, the spiders would have sucked out the juices from their bodies, even as they struggled to free themselves form the sticky webs.
There was a kind of sympathetic silence for the butterflies, but this is just another moment in the web of life is it not?
Asian Bushbeech - Gmelina asiatica. If I remember right, Bhanu said this bush has medicinal properties.
Social spiders at work
Chital - completely unperturbed? Its nose and ears twitched all the while, ready for action if it senseed any kind of threat from us.
Pretty coral vine. My son discovered that even our Cybershot has a macro function! Thank you Dr Alaganandan!
Another macro shot - seven-spotted cockroach
We saw many squirrels like this, but this candid shot is by Mr Ramanan, around his neighbourhood.
Mr Ramanan's spectacular shot of a purple-rumped sunbird. Check out its beak as it feeds, and see the way its legs cling on to the leaf.
I end with this beautiful picture of the Indian roller bird, caught in flight by Mr Ramanan, during his Vedanthangal visit, recently.
The Indian roller - Photo by Mr Ramanan
The Indian roller - Photo by Mr Ramanan
Pallikaranai is the marshy wetland now very much a part of the city, encroached upon by development, and spoiled by garbage disposal.
Guindy National Park, is an urban wildlife reserve, a somewhat unique concept in the region.
Vedanthangal is a bird park to the south of the city, with nesting water birds.
The PWD park mentioned in this post is along the banks of the Adyar estuary where Nizhal is attempting to develop a tree park with native species of trees and where volunteers take turns to monitor the saplings, and plant even more!
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