Shendurney faunal survey records new finds

Shendurney Wildlife Sanctuary in Kollam threw up 15 new species of birds, butterflies and odonates during a recent faunal survey.

The three-day annual exercise spearheaded by the city-based Travancore Natural History Society (TNHS) in collaboration with the Forest Department and various non-governmental organisations few days ago witnessed additions to the species checklist of the protected area.

As many as 153 bird species were recorded during the survey that was held between February 25 and 27. These included six hitherto unseen species including Steppe Eagle, Steppe Buzzard, Bourdillon’s Black Bird, Ashambu Sholakili, Indian Blue Robin and Blyth’s Pipit.

The Great Indian Hornbill, the State bird, was recorded in almost all the base camps of the survey. The other notable finds included Lesser Fish eagle, Square tailed Bulbul, Ceylon Frogmouth, Legge’s Hawk Eagle, Great eared Nightjar and Eurasian Sparrow-hawk. With the new sightings, the number of bird species in the sanctuary has gone up to 255.

The butterfly assessment revealed 191 species including four new ones - Clear Sailor, Common Ciliate blue, White Orange tip and the Small Cupid – thereby enhancing the existing checklist to 270 species. Other interesting sightings were the Southern Birdwing, Travancore Evening Brown, Southern Duffer, Banded Royal, Plain Palm Dart and Spot Puffins. The sanctuary also teemed with migratory species like Common Albatross, Lesser Albatross and Plain Puffins. The smallest Indian butterfly – Grass Jewel – was also sighted during the survey.

As many as 64 species of dragonflies and damselflies were also recorded from the region. These included five additions, viz., A naciaeschna martini (Montane Dusk-Hawker), Anax guttatus (Blue tailed Green Darner), Indothemis carnatica (Black Scrub-glider), Elattoneura tetrica (Blue Striped Threadtail), and Zyxomma petiolatum (Brown Dusk-Hawk). With this, the number of odonata species has risen to 94 in Shendurney.

Significant numbers of elephants, gaurs, tigers and Nilgiri striped squirrel were also found during the survey. B. Sajeev Kumar, Wildlife Warden, Shendurney Wildlife Sanctuary, who inaugurated the programme, said the management plan will be revised after including the newly-found species in the faunal inventory.