Untitled Document

Preamble :

In response to a letter dated 7th November 2007, from the President, Yekkaru Grama Panchayat, Mangalore taluk, inventory and mapping of biodiversity was undertaken on 12-14th November 2007 in Permude, Tenka Yekkaru, Delanthabettu and Kuttethuru villages, to understand the ecological importance of the region considering its proximity to the Western Ghats, one of the eight hottest biodiversity hotspots of the world (http://ces.iisc.ernet.in/biodiversity). Opportunistic and all out search methods of flora and fauna were carried out for this study. Local residents were also consulted for mammal inventory, apart from our study. Aquatic and terrestrial ecosystems with various landscapes viz., wetlands, rivers, streams, paddy fields, forests, soppina betta (haadi), scrub jungle and sacred grooves were considered in this study.

Site	Latitude (N°)	Longitude (E°)
Kulur ( Gurupura River )	12. 92542	74.82718
Maravur ( Gurupura River )	12. 94060	74.86509
Kuthethur	13. 00731	74.85004
Balehithlu	13. 01762	74.85221
Delanthabettu	13.03321	74.84847
Yekkaru	13.02478	74.86582
Yekkaru temple	13.02754	74.86599

Table 1: Sampling sites

Figure 1: Google earth scene of the study locality
(Source: http://www.googleearth.com , accessed on 20th November 2007)

Landscape elements are depicted in Figures 2, 3, 4 and 5 respectively.

Figure 2:View of diverse landscape in Permude Grama Panchayat

Figure 3: Valley near Tenka Yekkaru, with mixed vegetation.

Figure 4: Biologically productive wetlands

Figure 5: Landcover with diverse and lush green vegetation – a repository for biodiversity

Flora and Fauna : Methods and Results

Vegetation : All out search method was carried out in all landscape elements of the region enlisting grass, sedges, herbs, climbers, lianas, shrubs and trees. Species were identified on the spot. Table 2 lists 187 species observed during the survey. Table 3 lists 81 species of wetlands plants in the region. Figure 6 depicts a few flower plants of the region.

Butterflies and Odonates: Different species of butterflies and dragon flies were recorded by all out search method in all landscape elements of the region. Table 4 lists 59 butterfly species from the region, of which two are endangered (Crimson Rose and Daniad Eggfly) and two are endemic (Malabar Raven and South Indian Blue Oak Leaf) to the Western Ghats. Eleven species of dragon and damselflies (odonates) were also recorded from the region (Table 5). Figure 7depicts a few odanates from the region.

Amphibians and Reptiles: Nocturnal searches were carried along streams and wetlands of the region for amphibians. Six species recorded are given in Table 6 and Figure 8. Among these, two are endemic to the Western ghats (Sylvirana aurantiaca and Philautus wynaadensis) and one endangered species (Philautus wynaadensis). Table 7 details three species of reptiles encountered during the study.

Birds and Mammals : Hour count method in the morning hours was followed for bird sampling. Samplings were carried out in wetlands, paddy fields, scrub jungles, sacred grooves and forests. 55 species observed during the study are listed in Table 8 and Figure 9 depicts a few bird species recorded from the region. Indian peafowl is a Schedule I bird species. Seven species of mammals listed in Table 9 is based on opportunistic survey and interaction with knowledgeable residents of the region. Among these mammals, Gaur is Schedule I animal.

The region is rich in biodiversity evident from the occurrence of flora and fauna species. This study records 187 species of plants, 59 butterflies, 11 odonates, 6 amphibians, 3 reptiles, 55 birds and 7 species of mammals in a short duration of two days and in a few selected localities. Also many of these taxa are protected under Wildlife Protection Act, 1972, amended 2006. Considering the ecological and biodiversity significance of the region we suggest the following

Proposed developmental activities in the vicinity of the Western Ghats - ecologically sensitive biodiversity hotspot violates the due recognition given to wildlife and forests, in the constitution of India.

I. Section 10 of the Constitution (Forty–second Amendment) Act 1976, Article 48 : 48 A Protection and improvement of environment and safeguarding of forests and wildlife – The State shall endeavour to protect and improve the environment and to safeguard the forests and wildlife of the country.

II. Section 11 of the Constitution (Forty–second Amendment) Act 1976, Article 51 A, Part V-A: 51 A Fundamental Duties – It shall be the duty of every citizen of India - (g) To protect and improve the natural environment including forests, lakes, rivers and wildlife, and to have compassion for living creatures.

Maintenance of environmental stability through preservation and, where necessary, restoration of the ecological balance that has been adversely disturbed by serious depletion of the forests of the country.
Conserving the natural heritage of the country by preserving the remaining natural forests with the vast variety of flora and fauna, which represent the remarkable biological diversity and genetic resources of the country.
Checking soil erosion and denudation in the catchment areas of rivers, lakes, and reservoirs in the interest of soil and water conservation, for mitigating floods and droughts and for the retardation of siltation of reservoirs.
Increasing the sustainability of the forest/tree cover in the country through massive afforestation and social forestry programmes, especially on all denuded, degraded and unproductive lands.
Meeting the requirements of fuel wood, fodder, minor forest produce and small timber of the rural and tribal populations.
Increasing the productivity of forests to meet essential national needs.

IV: Forest (Conservation) Act, 1980

To check indiscriminate diversion of forestland. Under this legislation, approval of the Central Government is required before any forestland (noted as such in Government records) is diverted for non-forestry purposes.

V. The Wild Life (Protection) Act, 1972

This Act provides the protection of wild animals, birds and plants and for matters connected therewith or ancillary or incidental thereto with a view to ensuring the ecological and environmental security of the country. The Act has 11 Chapters and 121 Sections and has categorized animals, birds, and plants in six Schedules. Schedule I lists endangered species of mammals, amphibians, reptiles, birds, crustaceans and insects. For the possession, transportation, translocation, etc., of these species permission from the Government of India is needed. Penalties for contravention of the Act for Schedule I species are very stringent. The Act provides for the setting of protected areas such as national parks, wildlife sanctuaries, conservation reserves and community reserves. It also has provisions for control of trade and taxidermy in wildlife and for the setting of wildlife advisory boards to advise Central and State Governments.

VI. The Biological Diversity Act, 2002

The Act has a reference to the United Nations Convention on Biological Diversity at Rio de Janeiro in 1992, which reaffirmed the sovereign rights of the States over their biological resources. The Act provides for the conservation of biological diversity, sustainable use of its components and fair and equitable sharing of the benefits arising out of the use of biological resources, knowledge and for connected matters.

Specific clause applicable to this region is:

16 (1) Restriction on activities related to access to biological resources: Biodiversity Authority shall take the steps to restrict or prohibit the request for access to biological resources for the following reasons; namely :-

• activities that will result in adverse environmental impact which may be difficult to control and mitigate;

• the request for access is for any endangered taxa, endemic and rare species;

• the request for access may likely to result in adverse effect on the livelihoods of the local people;

• the request for access may cause genetic erosion or affecting the ecosystem function

VI The Environment (Protection) Act, 1986

This Act provides for the protection and improvement of environment and for matters connected therewith. India participated at the United Nations Conference on the Human Environment held at Stockholm in June 1972 and decided to take appropriate steps for the protection and improvement of environment and the prevention of hazards to human life and health, other living creatures, plants and property.

VII The National Environmental Policy 2006

The principal Objectives of this policy are :

Conservation of Critical Environmental Resources ( To protect and conserve critical ecological systems and resources, and invaluable natural and man-made heritage, which are essential for life support, livelihoods, economic growth, and a broad conception of human well-being);
Intra-generational Equity: Livelihood Security for the Poor ( To ensure equitable access to environmental resources and quality for all sections of society, and in particular, to ensure that poor communities, which are most dependent on environmental resources for their livelihoods, are assured secure access to these resources );
Inter-generational Equity ( To ensure judicious use of environmental resources to meet the needs and aspirations of the present and future generations );
Integration of Environmental Concerns in Economic and Social Development ( To integrate environmental concerns into policies, plans, programmes, and projects for economic and social development).
Efficiency in Environmental Resource Use ( To ensure efficient use of environmental resources in the sense of reduction in their use per unit of economic output, to minimize adverse environmental impacts);
Environmental Governance ( To apply the principles of good governance to the management and regulation of use of environmental resources ):

District authorities and elected representatives should take cognizance of prevailing regulation as per the constitution of India and should strive for the conservation of ecologically fragile and sensitive global biodiversity hotspot – the Western Ghats . Taking sincere measures in this direction would be a befitting gift by our generation to the future generation. The governance of the region should encompass the principle of transparency, rationality, accountability, participation, and regulatory independence.

Authors:

Ramachandra T.V.*, Gururaja K.V. , Harish Bhat , Sameer Ali , Subash Chandran M.D. ,
Vishnu D. Mukri , Karthick B. and Boominathan M.

*Energy & Wetlands Research Group

CENTRE FOR ECOLOGICAL SCIENCES
INDIAN INSTITUTE OF SCIENCE
BANGALORE 560 012

Telephone : 91-80-23600985/22932506/22933099
Fax : 91-80-23601428/23600085/23600683[CES-TVR]
Web:http://wgbis.ces.iisc.ernet.in/energy
http://wgbis.ces.iisc.ernet.in/biodiversity
Email : cestvr@ces.iisc.ernet.in ,
energy@ces.iisc.ernet.in

Top

Abrus precatorius	Caralia antegerima	Euphorbia hirta
Acacia auriculiformis	Careya arborea	Ficus asperima
Acacia concinna	Carissa carandas	Ficus hispida
Acacia mangium	Caryota urens	Ficus racemosa
Acampe sp.	Cassia alata	Ficus religiosa
Achyranthes aspera	Cassia tora	Flacourtia montana
Adathoda vasica	Casuarina equisetifolia	Garcinia indica
Ageratum conyzoides	Chasalia curviflora	Garcinia xanthochymus
Aglaia eleginoides	Chloris barbata	Geissaspis cristata
Alstonia scholaris	Cinnamom malabaricum	Gloriosa superba
Alternanthera sessilis	Clerodendron paniculatum	Gliricidia maculata
Anacardium occidentale	Clerodendron viscosum	Grewia microcosm
Anamirta cocculus	Colocasia esculentum	Gymnostachium febrifugum
Antidesma menasu	Corchorus capsularis	Hemidesmus indicus
Aporosa lindleyana	Costus speciosus	Heteropogon contortus
Aristida cetacea	Chromolina odorata	Hibiscus furcatus
Artabotrys sp.	Crotalaria juncea	Holigarna arnottiana
Artocarpus hirsutus	Crotalaria labernifolia	Hopea parviflora
Artocarpus integrifolius	Crotalaria leptostachya	Hopea ponga
Artocarpus lakoocha	Crotalaria striata	Hugonia mastax
Atlantia racemosa	Cryptolepis buchanani	Hyptis suaveolens
Aurundinella metzii	Curculigo orchioides	Ichnocarpus frutescens
Arundinella purpurea	Curcuma oligantha	Ipomoea pentaphylla
Bambusa arundinacea	Cyclea peltata	Ipomoea prescapre
Borassus flabellifer	Cyrtococcum oxyphyllum	Ipomoea sp.
Borreria hispida	Cyrtococcum patens	Ischaemum indicum
Borreria stricta	Dalbergia sympathetica	Ixora brachiata
Brachiaria milliformis	Derris uliginosa	Ixora coccinea
Bridelia stipularis	Desmodium triquetrum	Justicia simplex
Breynia rhamnoides	Desmodium triflorum	Lantana camara
Bryophyllum pinnatum	Diospyros embryopteris	Leea indica
Buchanania lanzan	Dioscorea triphylla	Leucas linifolia
Caesalpinia mimosoides	Duranta plumeri	Ludwigia perennis
Caesaria sp.	Elephantopus scaber	Macaranga peltata
Calycopteris floribunda	Ensettia superba	Madhuca latifolia
Calophyllum inophyllum	Eragrostis unioloides	Mammea suriga
Canthium parviflora	Eragrostis viscosa	Mangifera indica
Canthium sp.	Ervatamia heyneana	Merremia hastata
Melastoma malabathricum	Ricinus communis	Terminalia bellirica
Memecylon malabaricum	Saccharum spontaneum	Terminalia catappa
Memecylon talbotii	Santalum album	Terminalia paniculata
Memecylon umbellatum	Sapium insigne	Themeda tremula
Michelia champaca	Saraca asoka	Toddalia asiatica
Mimosa pudica	Scleria lithosperma	Tragia involucrate
Mimusops elengi	Sida acuta	Triumfetta rhomboidea
Naregamia alata	Sida rhombifolia	Tylophora asthmatica
Ocimum canum	Smilax zeylanica	Urena sinuata
Odina wodier	Solanum torvum	Uvaria narum
Olea dioica	Sophubia delphinifolia	Vangueria spinosa
Ophiorrhiza harrisiana	Spilanthus acmella	Vateria indica
Oplismenus compositus	Sphaeranthus americanus	Vernonia cinerea
Pandanus furcatus	Spondias pinnata	Vitex altissima
Passiflora foetida	Streblus asper	Vitex negundo
Pennisetum polystachyon	Strychnos nuxvomica	Wagatea spicata
Phoenix sylvestre	Symplocos racemosa	Wattakaka volubilis
Phyllanthus amarus	Synedrella nodiflora	Wrightia tinctoria
Phyllanthus urinaria	Syzygium caryophyllata	Zanthoxylum ovalifolium
Plumeria alba	Syzygium cumini	Zizyphus oenoplia
Pothos scandens	Tacca pinnatifida	Zizyphus rugosa
Psychotria flavida	Tamarindus indica	Zizyphus jujuba
Randia dumetorum	Tectona grandis	Zornia diphylla
Rauwolfia serpentina	Urena lobata	Zingiber zerumbett

Aeschenomene aspera	Eleocharis retroflexa	Microcarpaea minima
Ageratum conizoides	Eleocharis spiralis	Murdannia nudiflora
Alternantera sessilis	Eragrostis unioloides	Murdannia semiteres
Ammannia baccifera	Eriocaulon cinereum	Nymphaea nouchali
Arundinella leptochloa	Eriocaulon cuspidatum	Nymphoides hydrophylla
Bergia capensis	Eriocaulon richardianum	Nymphoides indica
Centella asiatica	Eriocaulon sexangulare	Nyphoides parviflora
Colocasia esculenta	Fimbristylis acuminata	Oryza rufipogon
Commelina diffusa	Fimbristylis bisembellata	Oryza sativa
Corchorus capsularis	Fimbristylis ferruginea	Oryza sativa var.nivara
Crinum viviparum	Fimbristylis littoralis	Pandanus fascicularis
Crotalaria gorrensis	Fimbristylis shoenoides	Panicum repens
Crotalaria retusa	Fuirena ciliaris	Paspalidium flavidum
Cryptocoryne spiralis	Fuirena umbellata	paspalidium punctatum
Cynodon dactylon	Geissaspiscristata	Paspalidum scrobiculatum
Cyperus compressus	Hydrolea zeylanica	Pycreus flavidus
Cyperus difformis	Hygrophilla ringens	Pycreus polystachyos
Cyperus halpan	Hygrophilla schulli	Pyreus stramineus
Cyperus pilosus	Ipomoea fistulosa	Rotala macrandra
Cyperus tenuispicata	Isachne miliacea	Rotala rotundifolia
Desmodium heterophllum	Ischaemum indicum	Shoenoplectus articulatus
Desmodium triflorum	Ischaemum mangaluricum	Shoenoplectus subulatus
Eclipta prostrata	Lerrsia hexandra	Smithia sensistiva
Eleocharis acutangula	Lindernia sp.	Sphaeranthus africanus
Eleocharis atropurpurea	Lobelia alsinoides	Sphenoclea zeylanica
Eleocharis dulcis	Ludwigia hyssopifolia	Utricularia aurea
Eleocharis geniculata	Melochia corchorifolia	Wisneria triandra

Common name	Scientific name
Ashy wood swallow	Artamus fuscus
Black-hooded oriole	Oriolus xanthornus
Black-headed munia	Lonchura Malacca
Rock pigeon	Columba livia (Schedule IV)
Golden-fronted leafbird	Chloropsis aurifrons
Common myna	Acridotheres tristis
Black drongo	Dicrurus macrocercus
Eurasian golden oriole	Oriolus oriolus
Brown shrike	Lanius cristatus
Greater coucal	Centropus sinenis
Grey wagtail	Motacilla cinerea
House crow	Corvus splendens
Indian robin	Saxicoloides fulicata
Jungle babbler	Turdoides straitus
Large-billed crow	Corvus macrorhynchos
Asian koel	Eudynamys scolopacea
Common flameback	Dinopium javanense
Little egret	Egretta garzetta
Little ringed plover	Charadrius dubius
Vernal hanging parrot	Loriculus vernalis
Intermediate egret	Mesophoyx intermedia
Asian paradise-flycatcher	Terpsiphone paradise
Black kite	Milvus migrans
White-browed wagtail	Motacilla maderaspatensis
Indian pond heron	Ardeola grayii
Purple-rumped sunbird	Nectarinia zeylonica
Purple sunbird	Nectarinia asiatica
Red-whiskered bulbul	Pycnonotus jocosus
Red-wattled lapwing	Vanellus indicus
Greater Racket-tailed drongo	Dicrurus paradiseus
Rose-ringed parakeet	Psittacula krameri
Scarlet minivet	Pericrocotus flammeus
Common kingfisher	Alcedo atthis
White-cheecked barbet	Megalaima viridis
Green bee-eater	Merops orientalis
Blue-tailed bee-eater	Merops philippinus
Spotted dove	Streptopelia chinensis
Scaly-breasted munia	Lonchura punctulata
Spotted owlet	Athene brama
Common tailorbird	Orthotomus sutorius
Thick-billed flowerpecker	Dicaeum agile
Rufous treepie	Dendrocitta vegabunda
White wagtail	Motacilla alba
White-throated kingfisher	Halcyon smyrnesis
White-breasted waterhen	Amaurornis phoenicurus
Wood sandpiper	Tringa glareola
Yellow wagtail	Motacilla flava
Marsh sandpiper	Tringa stagnatilis
Common redshank	Tringa tetanus
Baya weaver	Ploceus philippinsis
Red spurfowl	Galloperdix spadicea
Indian peafowl	Pavo cristatus (Schedule I)
Unidentified-leaf warbler
Unidentified-Swallow
Unidentified-Swifts

Common name	*Scientific name*	*WPA 1972**
Gaur	Bos gaurus	Schedule I
Wild boar	Sus scrofa	Schedule III
Indian Hare	Lepus nigricolis	Schedule IV
Spotted deer	Axis axis	Schedule III
Porcupine	Hystrix indica	Schedule IV
Common mongoose	Herpestes sp.	Schedule II
Flying squirrel	Petaurista philippensis	Schedule II

Preamble
Flora and Fauna : Methods and Results
Developmental Activities