Last known site of endangered 'Jerdon's Courser' under threat

Archana Jyoti
New Delhi, Nov 1 (PTI) The future of one of India's
rarest and most enigmatic birds, 'Jerdon's Courser' seems to
be bleak with Andhra Pradesh seeking to divert a huge chunk of
land from the native bird's habitat for a dam in Cuddapa
district in the state.
What's worse is that the southern state has also
rejected the Centre's proposal to compensate the proposed
diversion of 1,016 hectares of forest land from Sri Penusila
Narasimha Wildlife Sanctuary and Sri Lanka Malleswara Wildlife
Sanctuaries in the district with an equal amount of land from
the adjoining area.
The issue was discussed recently at a Standing
Committee of National Wildlife Board meeting chaired by Union
Environment Minister Jairam Ramesh after well-known
conservationist Asad Rehmani pointed that the sanctuary was
the last known-site of the endangered species.
Courser (Rhinoptilus bitorquatus) is a small,
nocturnal ground-dwelling wading bird that was discovered in
central India around 1848 by Dr T C Jerdon, a British Army
Medical Officer.
A few sporadic sightings followed until the turn of
the 20th century, but then the species was seemingly lost. 86
years passed before its remarkable rediscovery in Andhra
Pradesh by some conservationists.
"Today only around 200 birds are left in the country
and if adequate steps are not taken for its conservation we
might not see them in the next 20 years.
"Ironically, it was the state government which in 80s
had created Sri Lankamalleswara Sanctuary to protect the
species. But today it is turning a blind eye towards its
conservation," Rehmani, director of the Bombay Natural History
Society (BNHS) said.
As we are not against developmental projects we agreed
for diversion of land from the sanctuary for extension of
Somsila dam in the region, he said adding, but we have
suggested adding equal amount of land to the sanctuary to make
up the loss for the birds to breed and grow.
Rehmani pointed out that scrub land is a suitable
habitat for the winged animal and its transfer to the
sanctuary would serve both propose--expansion of dam and
survival of the birds as well.
"This land should be adjoining to these sanctuaries
and taken up from the "Land Bank" which the District
Magistrate is maintaining as compensation to various
development projects," he said.
"The land should be handed over to the Forest/Wildlife
Department before work on the dam work starts," he added. PTI
AJ