A Serious Hazard for the Flamingos of Manchlapur Lake, Karnataka

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Raichur district of Karnataka state is home to nearly 250 species of birds. It is also the second home for many migratory birds.

Manchlapur Lake in the District is a boon for a large number of migratory and resident birds. Nearly 194 species of birds have been recorded here by local birders, including lesser flamingo, greater flamingo, pied avocet, spot billed pelican, spoonbill, and bar headed goose, to name a few. The arrival of lesser flamingos to Manchlapur lake in … Read More

Electrocuted Great Indian Bustard, Kutch

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On 12th September 2014, an adult female Great Indian Bustard (Ardeotis nigriceps) collided with high-tension electric powerlines near Kutch Bustard Sanctuary (KBS) in the Abdasa taluka of Kutch district, Gujarat. The bird was found dead just below the powerlines and had electrocution marks. The incident happened a few hundred meters from the boundary of KBS. There are three heavy powerlines passing by the Lala-Jakhau main road, two lines on one side and one on the other. The bird … Read More

Saving Demoiselle Cranes, Khichan, Rajasthan

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Every year, thousands of Demoiselle Cranes visit Khichan village in the Rajasthan desert during winter. They arrive by October-November and stay on till the end of March. Khichan and the areas around were filled with open high tension wires. Every time these beautiful cranes flew, they would come in contact with these high tension wires and die. The images show such electrocuted cranes.

A Khichan native — Sevaram Malli Parihar — took it upon himself to get these high tension … Read More

Power Lines: Threat to the Great Indian Bustard

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Avian mortality due to collision with power lines is one of the leading causes of decline in the population of several species of birds, globally. This includes bustards and diurnal raptors. Thus an increase in the number of power lines in the bustard habitat at various Indian sites is a growing concern. These developments in the human landscape pose a challenge to the conservation of these bird species.

There were two reported incidents which led to the actual death of … Read More

Linear Intrusions, Electricity and Elephants

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This was photographed by my colleague N. Suresh on the way to Mysore from Munnar in a place called “shooting spot” near Munnar where a lot of movie shootings happen. He took this interesting image and shared it with me to post on Conservation India.

The image, while it looks “green”, has hardly anything wild about it — cleared mountain slopes, exotic plantation all around and transmission lines right through it. The image conveys the serious treats to these elephants … Read More