New species of moth found in Arunachal

Jairampur, Nov 6 (ANI): After sighting of Bhutan Glory, a rare butterfly in Ziro last September, the region has once again drawn the attention of the researchers.

The nature enthusiasts of Ngunu Ziro under the leadership of Dr Tage Kano, unknowingly photographed a new species of moth during their field trip to Talley Valley Reserve in September 2010.

The photograph was sent to Bombay Nature History Society (BNHS) education officer Dr V Subhalaxmi for identification, which she identified to Genus level. On consultation with international moth experts in British Natural History Museum and experts from Hong Kong, it was confirmed that this is a new species for science.

This day-flying moth possibly mimics Bhutan Glory butterfly and thus shares same habitat. Dr Shen-Horn Wen from Taiwan University, who has been specializing on this genus of moth, has agreed to collaborate in describing this species.

There are currently an estimated 1,12,000 to 1,65,000 described species of butterflies and moths within 131 families on this planet.

A moth is an insect closely related to the butterfly, both being of the order Lepidoptera. Moths form the majority of this order and about ten times the number of species of butterfly, with thousands of species yet to be described. Most species of moths are nocturnal, but there are many day flying moths also.

India including the North East is a home of approximately 15,000 to 17,000 species of moths. But of late, the numbers of these Lepidopteron or insects with four wings have dwindled drastically. Around a hundred species of the butterflies are on the verge of extinction in India. The decline has been so rapid, especially in the Third World, that if allowed to go unchecked, it will be irreversible.

"Butterflies are almost always treated as non-target species in wildlife conservation and management programmes. The Protected Area Network set up by the government is directed towards "iconic" fauna like the tiger, the Asiatic lion, the elephant and the rhinoceros. While no one has an agenda against butterflies, these small, beautiful and agriculturally important creatures are often ignored," said Surya Prakash, a famous lepidopterist and conservationist.

"Butterflies are an indicator of environmental health. Few are aware of the crucial role the butterfly plays in pollination of a large portion of economically important crops and flowering plants, which is second only to the honeybee. The millennia-old silk industry is also dependent on the butterfly. Should the butterfly diversity decline, it will directly affect the country's agriculture," added Prakash.

Unfortunately, conservation of forest and wildlife is the most gruelling or discarded effort to perpetrate in this rapidly progressing world. Because 80 percent of the local population in Arunachal, the home of many unknown species of smaller world, is directly or indirectly dependant on forest and forest bi-products for livelihood, the laws should be amended carefully to reform deforestation or afforest the barren land.

If negligence endure and mindless deforestation continues than the fury of nature will devastate civilization in near future. Common flora and fauna will vanish and those rarest categories will be an example of the past.

The developed countries like US where many butterflies are endangered, as are their host plants because of depletion in forest cover; the US is now importing live butterflies to rehabilitate them.

"As the lepidoptera fauna is not thoroughly explored in Arunachal and that there are potential of recording new species for science, an extensive project will be planned for the region by the BNHS in near future" said BNHS pincipal investigator Dr Subhalaxmi, who visited the Ziro and Talley Valley Sanctuary September last in pursuit of collecting the type specimen of the Zygaenid moth.

"Many of the moth species are possible new for India and as the unidentified moths are being further studied, we may encounter new species for science as well" she added.

In this short survey conducted by BNHS in Siro Village and Talley Valley reserve of Lower Subansiri, the team recorded close to 385 moth species and 68 butterfly species. Of the 385 moth species recorded, 278 species have been identified and remaining 107 species are yet to be identified.

During this 10-day short survey, BNHS team also witnessed some of the rare butterflies like Tytler's multi-spot flat, Bhutan Glory, Brown Gorgon, Powdered Green Hairstreak, Singe stone, Striped Punch, White edge bush brown, White Commodore, Bhutan Sergeant, Great Yellow Sailor, Grand Duchess, Manipur Jungle Queen a uncommon one and a Khaki Silver line, a very rare butterfly. (ANI)

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What are India's citizen scientists looking for?

Lhendup G Bhutia

Computer geeks, school children and professionals from different fields, who have otherwise no inkling of science and research, are turning into its latest foot soldiers. Meet the country's citizen scientists.

Dr Ceaser Sengupta, a pathologist and General Manager with what's considered to be the world's largest thyroid testing laboratory, Thyrocare Technologies Limited, leads a busy life. When he's not at his Turbhe office, his attention is divided between his six year-old daughter, his father and wife, with whom he resides in a swanky highrise in CBD Belapur.


Researchers belonging to Lost Amphibians of India look for amphibians
in the remote area of Latpanchar in North Bengal. The group that
comprises mostly individuals from non-research backgrounds is
 undertaking a pioneering project in trying to locate Indian amphibian
species that are feared to have gone extinct. Pic/ Caeser Sengupta

All this might seem terribly ordinary if you didn't know about Sengupta's parallel life. Occasionally, the 37 year-old takes off to far flung areas of the country, especially forests and swamps, carrying with him a sleeping bag, a supply of dry fruit, and  a pair of leather boots that reach his knees, protecting him from snake bites. If unable to locate a cow shed to sleep in, the sleeping bag comes in handy.


A volunteer at one of BNHS's Be a Scientist For A Day programme

On these trips that often last between four days to a month and a half, Sengupta, along with other skilled urban professionals from a variety of career fields, transforms into a 'citizen scientist' or amateur researcher.
Sengupta's task is as ambitious in nature as it is vital. He, along with 500 urban professionals, mostly from non-science and research backgrounds, are part of Lost Amphibians of India (LAI), a group that is searching for 50 Indian amphibian species, mostly frogs and caecilians, that are thought to have gone extinct. While several species have been sighted in the last 10 years, some have eluded researchers for over 169 years.

"It is an extremely important programme. Most Indians are concerned about certain 'prestigious' animals, and hardly ever give a thought to amphibians. Some of the species we are searching for have not been sighted for years. We need to see if they are still around," says Sengupta.

LAI, which was launched in November 2010, has seen an excited response from common citizens. With its 500 members, it has already conducted 30 expeditions, one of which lasted a month-and-a-half in Arunachal Pradesh. The next one, which will be led by Sengupta, is days away and will take him to Maharashtra's Phandsad Wildlife Sanctuary.

LAI is not the only science programme that has seen support from commoners. Snigdha Kar, a 27 year-old Delhi-based employee of UNESCO, who is involved in the coordination and organising of various research programmes for the body, is a researcher in her own right. For the last four years, she has been part of MigrantWatch, a programme with over 1,300 members across the country, that is tracking one of nature's most spectacular events -- the migration of birds.

The programme hopes to ascertain if climate change is affecting the migratory patterns of birds. Kar earlier worked for the Delhi chapter of Bombay Natural History Society (BNHS) and, despite being an amateur, has a keen interest in birds and has been keeping track of 20 different species that regularly fly into Delhi.

To spot these birds, Kar often continues her research when she travels out of Delhi on vacation, and consults books by experts, apart from looking up birds' features on websites. Out of the 20 species of migratory birds that she frequently reports about, Kar finds one particularly tough to spot. "The Greenish Warbler is very tough to identify. It's a small forest bird and we (bird watchers) have hours of discussion just to reach a consensus that it's the Greenish Warbler."

According to Suhel Quader, founder of MigrantWatch that is run by the National Centre for Biological Sciences (NCBS), Bengaluru, the growing number of Indians from non-research backgrounds getting  interested in the natural world provides a great opportunity for both, professional and amateur researchers, to work together.

"For many ecological changes, in particular, documenting what is happening over large spans of space and time is most effectively done through a participatory approach, where interested people volunteer their time and effort in working towards a common goal even though they are distributed throughout the country. When we started, it was obvious that seeking the help of bird watchers was the best way forward," says Quader. 

While many have spoken about how eclipses affect the behaviour of animals, few have ever sought to ascertain if this claim is true. Earlier last year, during the January 15 solar eclipse, NCBS tried to do just that.

Over 100 volunteers took part in EclipseWatch, from locations as diverse as Itanagar, Thiruvananthapuram to Mumbai, to find that the only clear change in animal behaviour occurred in areas where the maximum eclipse was almost complete (more than 88 per cent coverage of the sun). In these areas, there was a marked reduction in the activity of birds and animals.

Banking on such models, another programme is being run across Kerala schools, before it can be replicated across the country. And it invites adult participation too. Called SeasonWatch, the programme that launched in November 2010, seeks to learn if climate change is affecting the seasonality of trees.

A total of 100 different trees are on their list, and volunteers monitoring them, regularly update findings on the programme website, including the timing of the flowering, fruiting and leaf-flush of the trees. Arun Elassery, SeasonWatch's programme manager, says, "We often hear of trees blooming before hand, or summers lasting longer. We are trying to learn more about these happenings by taking the help of volunteers."

More often than not, volunteers come with a keen interest in nature. Kar, for instance, was troubled to see how a large number of jackals were being run over by vehicles whenever she drove down the narrow Suraj Kund Road that cut across Asola Bhatti Wildlife Sanctuary, connecting Tuglaqabad to Kant Enclave, "I spotted at least six jackals being run over.

I would always get out of my vehicle, and photograph them while others would continue running over them. Using the photos, I requested the sanctuary officials to lower speed limits on that road but it hardly helped." Later on June 1, when the Nature Conservation Foundation launched a two month-long survey to find out about the numbers and location of Golden Jackals in India, Kar was able to make an invaluable contribution with her notes and photographs.

LAI's team of amphibian scientists are working and using several scientific parameters to identify the Lost! Amphibians of India. Announcements of rediscovered species are expected very soon. In the case of MigrantWatch, it is too early for results of any kind to emerge. As Quader explains, "We have begun formally documenting existing migration timings -- and this will form a baseline against which future patterns can be compared."

Even in Mumbai, smaller programmes that are as much educational in nature as they are research-oriented, are emerging. For instance, Dr V Subhalaxmi, general manager at BNHS -- Education Department, helped launch in February this year, their Be A Scientist For A Day (BASFAD) programme. Here, a few professional researchers lead a group of volunteers into the 33-acre BNHS Nature Reserve in Goregaon to conduct field trips.

Sachin Chogre, an educational officer who conducts research programmes on moth studies, says, "Here, once every month, we organise research groups to study moths, amphibians, birds and flora of the region. We started it, knowing that we'd get a good response. Besides, it's a great way to document changes unfolding in these regions."

Sameer Patil, a freelance computer programmer from Thane, who attended a session of bird spotting, is planning to join another one soon. "Earlier, I could hardly ever identify birds. That day, we were taught about various species and how to identify them from their calls and features. We spread out and were able to document various species that frequent the area," he says. After a period of time, all findings made during the BASFAD programme, will be compiled into a report.

Dr Sengupta says, "When I return home from exhibitions, my body is marked with mosquito bites. But it is all worth it."

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Lower pollinator numbers herald crisis

A decline in the number of butterflies and bees, major contributors toward global farm output, calls for urgent conservation steps

Ananda Banerjee, ananda.b@livemint.com

Red Pierrot, Common Lime, Plain Tiger, Blue Pansy or the Common Castor may be unfamiliar names to most Indians, although it is likely that most would have seen one or more of the five—the most common butterflies found in India.

While it is unlikely that most people would notice their absence, it is almost certain that plants will—butterflies, such as these, help them reproduce.

The subcontinent has approximately 1,300 of more than 20,000 butterfly species known, said Kishen Das, a US-based lepidopterist. That’s about 6.5% of the global butterfly diversity. 

However, the problem is that around 100 of the butterfly species found in India are nearing extinction, according to Surya Prakash, a professor at the department of life sciences at Jawaharlal Nehru University. “Few are aware of the crucial pollination role the butterfly plays, which is second only to the honeybee,” he adds. 

There’s bad news on that front too.

“Our observations in the Sundarbans have established that the population of bees as pollinators is decreasing,” says K. Venkataraman, director, Zoological Survey of India​.

Pollination is the process that helps plants reproduce. From the consumption point of view, it is also the process that produces fruits, vegetables, pulses, and grains—any food, basically, that comes from a plant.

Around 70% of all food crops are pollinated by insects, according to the Food and Agriculture Organization. In Europe, the proportion is 84%. While no corresponding data is available for India, there’s nothing to suggest that food crops here are pollinated by other means. This means that a decline in the number of pollinating insects could have catastrophic effects.

 “If human beings were to disappear tomorrow, the world would go on with little change, but if insects were to disappear, I doubt the human species could last more than a few months,” wrote noted American biologist E.O. Wilson.


The impact of some insects becoming extinct isn’t top-of-the-mind in a country where even conservation efforts are skewed towards large mammals, or mega-fauna, as Isaac Kehimkar, general manager (programmes) at the Bombay Natural History Society​ and author of The Book of Indian Butterflies, terms it. “Lack of knowledge and obsession with mega-fauna is killing entomology as a subject. It has become professionally unsustainable today as there is a fight for the same set of funds which inevitably go to the tiger or one of the mega-fauna species,” he says.

To be fair, the emphasis on conserving pollinating insects is relatively recent, even in the US. These insects not only support humanity, but also maintain diversity in an ecosystem. “Though there has been a growing appreciation for the ecosystem services provided by pollinators, it is only recently, when farmers in the US started finding their bee colonies missing, that people started wondering about what might happen to the world’s food production in the absence of bees,” says S. Ramani, project coordinator, All India Coordinated Research Project on Honey Bees and Pollinators. “The expected direct reduction in total agricultural production in the absence of animal pollination has been estimated to range from 3% to 8%, showing that agriculture has become more pollinator-dependent. It has been suggested that we may be in the middle of a global pollination crisis.”

If no one has noticed it is because “not a single bee has ever sent you an invoice”, says investment banker and environmentalist Pavan Sukhdev. In his book, The Economics of Ecosystems and Biodiversity, Sukhdev puts the worth of insect pollination at $200 billion (around Rs.10 trillion today) a year, or 10% of the value of the world’s agricultural output.

Still, Indian research isn’t conclusive enough to establish a so-called pollinator crisis that is separate and distinct from the general decline in biodiversity, which is a global phenomenon. Even “in Europe, a region better studied than most, about 250 plant species are grown as crops. Of these, about 150 are thought to be insect pollinated, but for most we do not know which insects pollinate them, or whether yields are being limited by inadequate pollination”, wrote Dave Goulson in Bumblebees: Behaviour, Ecology and Conservation.

What is clear is that some pollinator species are under threat.

A report put out by the United Nations Environment Programme says: “When large habitats are fragmented into small isolated patches, food sources become scarcer for resident animals. Populations may then decline to the point that they are no longer able to benefit plants. As certain wild pollinators need undisturbed habitat for nesting, roosting, foraging and sometimes specific larval host plants, they are very susceptible to habitat degradation and fragmentation in particular. Human activities have impacted the landscape through fragmentation, degradation and destruction of natural habitats and the creation of new anthropogenic ones.”

To act on this information, people, especially policymakers, will have to increase their awareness of insect conservation, which is not easy because even basic science on insects is scarce. Even today, most species are undescribed and the distribution of described species is mostly unknown. To boost the public profile of insects, experts recommend “better public information and marketing”, including greater use of “red lists” of threatened species, and making sure insects are addressed in environmental impact studies.

In other words, “Save the tiger, sure, but also spare a thought for the Indian honeybee.”


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जुहू किनारी तेलगळती सुरू

मुंबईजवळच्या समुद्रा अडकलेल्या बोटींमधून तेलगळती सुरू झाल्याचे सांगितले जात असून, जुहू किना-यावर तेलाचे तवंग दिसू लागले आहेत. त्यामुळे सावधानतेचा इशारा म्हणून रविवारी पर्यटकांनी गजबजणा-या जुहू किना-यावर जाऊ नका, अशी सूचना प्रशासनाकडून देण्यात येत आहे.

गुरुवारी ४ ऑगस्ट रोजी मुंबईपासून २२ सागरी मैल अंतरावर बुडालेल्या ' एमव्ही रॅक ' या जहाजातून तेलगळती सुरू होण्याची भिती आधीपासूनच वर्तवली जात होती. आता जुहूच्या किना-यावर तेलाचे तवंग दिसू लागल्याने प्रशासन सतर्क झाले आहे. तटरक्षक दलाने ' ऑपरेशन पर्यावरण सुरक्षा ' सुरू केले असून, ' समुद्रप्रहरी ' या बोटीच्या मदतीने तेलगळतीचा धोका कमी करण्याचे सर्वतोपरी प्रयत्न करण्यात येत आहेत.

आज सकाळपासूनच जुहूच्या किना-यावर हे तवंग दिसू लागले. परंतु हे तवंग ' एमव्ही रॅक ' मधून गळणा-या तेलाचे आहेत, की जुहू किना-यावर अडकलेल्या ' पवित ' या जहाजातून गळणा-या तेलाचे आहेत याबद्दल निश्चित माहिती मिळत नाही. परंतु या तेलगळतीमुळे सागरी पर्यावरणाला धोका पोहचण्याची शक्यता निर्माण झाली आहे.

दरम्यान, तटरक्षक दलाच्या मदतीसाठी महापालिका, अग्निशमन दल आणि मुंबई पोलीस जुहू किना-यावर सज्ज आहेत. या तेलगळतीचे दुष्परिणाम टाळण्यासाठी मुंबईकरांनी आणि पर्यटकांनी आज जुहू किना - यावर येणे टाळावे अशा सूचना केल्या आहेत.

या जहाजांच्या टाक्यांमध्ये साधारणतः २९० टन इंधन आणि ५० टन डिझेल असते. त्यामळे ते बाहेर आल्यास मोठ्या प्रमाणात सागरी प्रदूषण ओढवू शकते, हे ध्यानात घेऊन सतर्कता बाळगावी लागणार आहे.

बुडालेल्या ' एमव्ही रॅक ' या जहाजातील ६० हजार टन कोळसा हा बंद कप्प्यांमध्ये असला, तरी तो बाहेर आल्यास सागरी पर्यावरणाला नेमकी कशी हानी पोहोचेल, हे सांगता येत नाही. कोळशाच्या परिणामांवर फारसा शास्त्रीय अभ्यास झालेला नाही. मात्र तेलतवंग पसरल्यास किनारपट्टीलगतच्या खारफुटीला व तेथे नव्याने रुजणाऱ्या खारफुटीचा गळा घोटला जातो, हे चित्रा-खलिजिया टकरीच्या वेळीही स्पष्ट झाले, याकडे बॉम्बे नॅचरल हिस्ट्री सोसायटीच्या अभ्यासक स्वप्ना प्रभू यांनी लक्ष वेधले.

मुंबईलगत आढळणारी अविसिया मरिना ही खारफुटीची प्रजाती तुलनेने नव्या वातावरणाशी जुळवून घेणारी आहे, असे त्यांनी सांगितले. गेल्यावषीर्प्रमाणेच याही वर्षी खारफुटीचा बीजारोपणाचा काळ असतानाच ही दुर्घटना घडल्याने सतर्कता मात्र ठेवावीच लागेल. शुक्रवारी दुपारी वसोर्व्यात पवित जहाजातूनही तेल बाहेर येत असल्याची चर्चा होती. मात्र ते सामग्रीभोवतीचेच तेल असावे, ही गळती नाही, असे संरक्षणदलाच्या प्रवक्त्यांनी स्पष्ट केले.    


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‘Bhutan Glory’ spotted in Ziro

Arif Siddiqui
ITANAGAR, July 10: Bhutan Glory–a rare and beautiful butterfly of the region– was discovered in Arunachal Pradesh.

This three tailed insect which is generally found in Bhutan, Southeast Asia and other Northeastern states was unknowingly discovered by Punyo Chada of Siiro village, a teacher by profession and an avid nature lover, in Ziro recently.

Listed under CITES (Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora, also known as the Washington Convention), but not in the Red Book of the IUCN (International Union for Conservation of Nature and Natural Resources), the status of the butterfly has been recorded as rare by some authorities and "Insufficiently known" in the IUCN Red Data Book on Swallowtails.

Both sexes of the Bhutan Glory are identical in looks, having long rounded forewings with convex termen and many-tailed hind wings. This fine insect was first discovered in May 1868, near Buxa, in the Bhutan Himalayas, at an elevation of 5000 feet, by Dr R. Lidderdale, of the Bengal Army. Dr Lidderdale obtained two specimens from the same locality in 1872.

Bhutan Glory flies at tree-top with a slow, drifting, unpredictable flight. It’s transparent greyish underside makes it difficult to distinguish in the shadows. During rain, it sits on leaves with the fore-wings dropped over the hind wings, concealing its bright upper coloration. The butterfly has a habit of hill-topping and visits flowers of diverse species.  Apart from teaching, Chada, runs a Home Stay accommodation for visitors. He is also an avid nature lover and often visits Talley Valley with his friends in his leisure time.

Apart from Bhutan Glory he has shot another rare butterfly “Brown Gorgon.” There so many unknown moths & wild flowers in his collection which were witnessed by this author during his stay at his home.

He has opened the Gateway of “Butterfly Tourism” in Ziro.

Isaac Kehimkar, the famous author from BNHS (Bombay Nature History Society) already started asking for his pictures for upcoming Book on Indian Butterflies being published by BNHS.

Chada’s Butterflies pictures made a stir among the butterfly enthusiasts across the country and many are now willing to visit Ziro valley soon.

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Verify the need, feasibility of Venom Extraction Centre: BNHS

Mumbai, Aug 22 The proposed Snake Venom Research and Extraction Centre planned by Government of Maharashtra on cooperative basis in Nashik should be started only if the right procedures are ensured in capturing, handling and releasing snakes, the BNHS has said.

BNHS (Bombay Natural History Society) is of the opinion that proper safety of captured snakes should be ensured before setting up the Centre, since snakes are vital to the future of environment and mankind, it said in a release issued here.

"If a programme for snake collection and venom extraction is well-designed, it could work. The danger is that if it is not done properly, snakes are not handled carefully and extraction is done in a crude manner, then it may result in the death of snakes captured for the purpose," Romulus Whitaker, BNHS Advisor and founder of Madras Snake Park and co-fo under of Madras Crocodile Bank said.

Moreover, guidelines issued by WHO (World Health Organization) should be referred to and the Government of India should call a meeting of the main stakeholders such as venom extractors, anti-venom producers, state forest departments, health officials, WHO officials and clinicians, before implementing this idea, the veteran herpetologist said.

Government of Maharashtra has recently cleared a plan to set up a Snake Venom Research and Extraction Centre on cooperative basis in Nashik. Chalisgaon-based Sanjivani Bahuddeyshiya Society has been authorized to run this Centre.

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New lizard species found in India

Cnemasspis Kolhapurensis is endemic to parts of India's Western Ghats Scientists have discovered a new species of lizard in the lush Western Ghats mountain range in the Indian state of Maharashtra. The small reptile is a form of gecko and was found by taxonomist Varad Giri in the Kolhapur district. It has been named Cnemasspis kolhapurensis. Mr Giri and his co-workers published their findings in this month's edition of the Zootaxa journal. It is the third new species of lizard recently discovered in the area. Mr Giri, a curator at the Bombay Natural History Society, told the BBC that the Western Ghats has never been surveyed for amphibians and reptiles. "A gecko of this particular character has not been recognised elsewhere in the world," he said. Iridescent sheen Mr Giri said he first noticed the lizard in 2005 during a survey of one of the forests in the area. Taxonomist Varad Giri first noticed the lizard in 2005 "When I first stumbled across it, the lizard looked like a normal specimen," he said. "It was basically a form of gecko but then I saw that it was interesting because its scales were shiny." He said that when the gecko was held up in a certain light, the tail dorsum exhibited an "iridescent sheen". Iridescence is commonly reported in a variety of reptiles - but not geckos. Once Mr Giri and his co-workers had analysed the specimen, they realised it was a previously unknown species. They then enlisted the help of Dr Aaron M Bauer, an expert on lizards based at Villanova University in the US, to confirm the discovery. Cnemasspis kolhapurensis are mostly small in size and have a circular, rather than elliptical, pupil. They are generally found in forests although some have also been found in areas inhabited by humans. Mr Giri said it is a ground-dwelling specimen and can be seen in leaf litter or under rocks. 'Under threat' "Presently this species is known only to this area. It is endemic to the northern parts of the Western Ghats," he added. The Western Ghats mountain range is said to be one of the world's "biodiversity hotspots". But analysts say that the area is at risk of a biodiversity crisis, because it has long been under threat from logging and human encroachment. Mr Giri says the discovery may well help in arguments to preserve parts of the landscape. "This is really important now because there is a lot of human interference and deforestation," he said. Other new species of lizard previously discovered in the area were Hemidactlyus sataraensis and Hemidactylus aaronbaueri. Story