Environmental Engineering Reference
In-Depth Information
Fig. 18.2
Percentage of the species based on categories of abundance
vanellus
(Fig.
18.8
) visits during winter. The sta-
tus of 3.03 % species such as red-necked grebe
Podiceps grisegena
, dalmatian pelican
Pelecanus
crispus
, brahminy kite
Haliastur indus
, greater
sand plover
Charadrius leschenaultii
and lesser
black-backed gull
Larus fuscus
was uncertain,
and their occurrence seems doubtful.
On the basis of the IUCN conservation status,
out of 165 avian species, 1.82 % species belong
to Critically Endangered category, followed by
1.82 % Endangered, 3.63 % Vulnerable and
6.06 % Near Threatened (Fig.
18.9
). About 86 %
species were falling under Least Concern category.
Most endangered and critically endangered spe-
cies of birds recorded in the present study belong
to vultures and falcons (Table
18.3
) except black-
bellied tern
Sterna acuticauda
. However, abun-
dance of these species was very low. Ransar
Island of the reservoir was used by thousands of
river tern
Sterna aurantia
for breeding. It is being
treated as a safe nesting site by this 'near-
threatened' species of tern. It enhances the sig-
nifi cance of this wetland for conservation point
of view. Sightings of some rare species of birds
such as Falcated duck
Anas falcata
, Ferruginous
duck
Aythya nyroca
, Saker falcon
Falco cherrug
,
black-tailed godwit
Limosa limosa
and Eurasian
curlew
Numenius arquata
make the wetland one
of the most signifi cant wetlands in India.
Recently, during the waterfowl census 2013
(conducted on 31 January to 1 February 2013), a very
rare winter visitor whooper swan has been sighted
after a gap of 113 years in this wetland. Another
species ruddy-breasted crake was also recorded
for the fi rst time from Pong wetland. Recent
waterfowl census data revealed the prominence of
about 34,000 individuals of bar-headed goose,
followed by 21,000 northern pintail, 14,000 com-
mon coot, 12,000 common pochard, 8,000 tufted
pochard, 7,700 little cormorant and 6,800 com-
mon teal. Now the total number of avian species
listed so far from the wetland and surroundings
is 418 (source:
http://www.millenniumpost.in
,
1 February 2013, Dharamsala, Agencies).
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