Trade in Peacock Feathers to be Banned in India

The Ministry of Environment and Forests at New Delhi has declared that the proposed ban in peacock feathers (Draft Amendment to WPA, 2010) will soon be put into force.

Thousands of peacocks are killed every year in the rural areas in India due to the use of synthetic pesticides, electrocution from electric supply-lines, and poaching for meat and feathers.

The peacock mortalities are occuring in such alarming numbers that the presence of peacocks in agricultural ecosystems can not be taken for granted anymore.

The Wildlife Protection Act (WPA) had allowed the sale of peacock train feathers that have been naturally shed at the end of the breeding season, but since it is not possible to ascertain whether the feathers are shed or have been plucked from poached birds, and because of the high demand which encourages poaching, the trade in feathers will now be banned. Many rural and tribal communities in India are known to consume peacock meat, and sell the feathers for the lucrative trade. Peacock feathers are made into hand-held fans, earrings and other decorative objects. Peacock feathers are also considered sacred and are used in religious functions. The Hindu gods - Krishna, Ganesha and goddess Saraswati - are always depicted with a peacock feather.

Due to their immense popularity, many Indian households have peacock feathers or products made from feathers. The ban on peacock feathers will apply to sale, transport and purchase of peacock feathers, but will not affect those already possessing the feathers.
Hunting of peacocks (and other wild birds and animals) is banned in India.
Another relevant legislation that can be introduced would be regarding banning the use of synthetic pesticides in the vicinity/ catchment areas of protected areas. A study published in the year 2011 on the presence of pesticides in and around Keoladeo National Park in Bharatpur, Rajasthan recommends an  'eco-friendly agriculture practice with minimal use of inorganic chemicals to minimize the pesticide residue levels in the park.'

[A multi-media campaign to prevent the sale of peacock feathers will be useful. To help popularise the idea, people may be encouraged to turn in feathers and articles made from feathers at designated locations in return for car stickers / brooches/ tie-pins declaring 'I Love the Peacock'. The feathers thus turned in may be used by historical or natural history museums.]




News about the ban on peacock feathers -
http://in.news.yahoo.com/govt-ban-trade-peacock-feathers-183000048.html

Pesticides and wildlife -
http://www.indiaenvironmentportal.org.in/files/file/organochlorine%20pesticides.pdf

 Photo of displaying blue peafowl in Duisburg Zoo by BS Thurner Hof from Wikipedia:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Indian_Peafowl
Photos of peacock feather fan and brooch by Anita Chauhan, May 2013.

 

Pheasants are big bucks

The multi-billion dollar hunting industry in the UK and USA relies almost entirely on a single species of introduced pheasant called the common pheasant or the ring-necked pheasant. This species was introduced from Asia, in the UK in the 11th century, and in the USA in 19th century, although some records state that the first pheasants were introduced in 1733 in New York and New Jersey.

http://www.ultimatepheasanthunting.com/info/pheasant-history/
http://introducedbirds.blogspot.in/2007/04/ring-necked-pheasants-arrive-in-north.html
http://www.npwrc.usgs.gov/resource/birds/pheasant/past.htm
http://www.garden-birds.co.uk/birds/pheasant.htm

Pheasant hunting is a popular sport and provides billions of dollars worth of revenue for governments, farm ownners, hunting clubs and the tourism industry. Hunting reserves and farm set- aside for pheasant hunts also provide protection to the native wild flora and fauna.

http://www.nytimes.com/2013/01/01/us/as-pheasants-disappear-hunters-in-iowa-follow.html?pagewanted=1&_r=0

Captive pheasants numbering in millions are reared in pheasant farms, and released into hunting reserves during the hunting season. Hunting permits allow the shooting of about 15-16 pheasants per person per season.

http://www.gopheasants.com/default.aspx
http://www.ultimatepheasanthunting.com/info/buy-pheasant-hunting-license/
http://gfp.sd.gov/hunting/small-game/pheasants.aspx

Photo of the common pheasant by Dori, 2008 on Wikipedia: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Common_Pheasant

Some images of pheasant hunts :

http://www.bing.com/images/search?q=pheasant%2c+hunt%2c++us&qpvt=pheasant%2c+hunt%2c++us&FORM=IGRE

http://www.google.co.in/search?q=pheasant+hunting,+painting&hl=en&tbm=isch&tbo=u&source=univ&sa=X&ei=ti4wUaW6HYHTrQf52YGIDQ&ved=0CCwQsAQ&biw=1440&bih=818

The importance of farm set-aside land for game birds and other biodiversity:

-Stoate, C. Multifunctional use of a natural resource on farmland: wild pheasant Phasianus colchicus management and the conservation of farmland passerines. Biodiversity & Conservation 11, 561-573(13) (2002).

-Warner, R.E., Mankin, P.C., David, L.M. & Etter, S.L. Declining survival of ring-necked pheasant chicks in Illinois during the late 1900s. Journal of Wildlife Management 63, 705-710 (1999).

-Aebischer, N.J. & Ewald, J.A. Grey Partridge Perdix perdix in the UK: recovery status, set-aside and shooting. Ibis 152, 530-542 (2010).

-Bracken, F. & Bolger, T. Effects of set-aside management on birds breeding in lowland Ireland. Agriculture, Ecosystems & Environment 117, 178-184 (2006).

-Richardson, J.W., Gerloff, D.C., Harris, B.L. & Dollar, L.L. The economic impacts of conservation provisions in the 1985 Food Security Act on a representative Dawson County, Texas farm. AFPC Policy Research Report 89-1 ST - The economic impacts of conservation pr (1989).

-Van Buskirk, J. & Willi, Y. Enhancement of Farmland Biodiversity within Set-Aside Land. Conservation Biology 18, 987-994 (2004).

-Richardson, J.W., Gerloff, D.C., Harris, B.L. & Dollar, L.L. Economic impacts of conservation compliance on a representative Dawson county, Texas, farm. Journal of Soil and Water Conservation 44, 527-531 ST - Economic impacts of conservation com (1989).

-Levin, G. & Jepsen, M.R. Abolition of set-aside schemes, associated impacts on habitat structure and modelling of potential effects of cross-farm regulation. Ecological Modelling 221, 2728-2737 (2010).

-Robinson, P. Pheasant shooting in Britain.The sport and the industri in the 21st century. Report from Animal Aid 1-28 (2005).

-Henderson, I.G., Cooper, J., Fuller, R.J. & Vickery, J. The relative abundance of birds on set-aside and neighbouring fields in summer. Journal of Applied Ecology 37, 335-347 (2000).

-Durie, A.J. Game Shooting: An Elite Sport c.1870-1980. Sport in History 28, 431-449 (2008).

-Firbank, L.G., Telfer, M.G., Eversham, B.C. & Arnold, H.R. The use of species-decline statistics to help target conservation policy for set-aside arable land. Journal of Environmental Management 42, 415-422 (1994).

-Kovács-Hostyánszki, A. & Báldi, A. Set-aside fields in agri-environment schemes can replace the market-driven abolishment of fallows. Biological Conservation 152, 196-203 (2012).

-Corbet, S.A.D.A.M.A.Y. INSECTS, PLANTS AND SUCCESSION - ADVANTAGES OF LONG-TERM SET-ASIDE. Agriculture, Ecosystems & Environment 53, 201-217 (1995).

-Warner, R.E., Etter, S.L., David, L.M. & Mankin, P.C. Annual set-aside programs: a long-term perspective of habitat quality in Illinois and the Midwest. Wildlife Society Bulletin 28, 347-354 (2000).

-Vickery, J., Carter, N. & Fuller, R.J. The potential value of managed cereal field margins as foraging habitats for farmland birds in the UK. Agriculture, Ecosystems & Environment 89, 41-52 (2002).

-Draycott, R.A.H., Hoodless, A.N. & Sage, R.B. Effects of pheasant management on vegetation and birds in lowland woodlands. Journal of Applied Ecology 45, 334-341 (2007).

 

 

 

Wildlife of the Himalayas

'After four successful and highly popular Coffee Table Books, we have launched the fifth in the series – “Wild Life of the Himalayas and the Terai Region”, edited by Dr Ashok S. Kothari  and Dr Boman F. Chhapgar. This is a collector’s item with rare old paintings and photos of wildlife and interesting articles from the British period on the rich wildlife of the Himalayan region. The book was released in New Delhi on 28th March 2012 and in Mumbai on 29th March 2012. The 215-page book with 70 full size plates and many smaller pictures is priced at Rs 1,250/- only. Moreover, the special pre-publication offer is as low as Rs 900/- for a limited period. Those who want to avail of this special price may contact Mr Santosh  Mhapsekar, Officer-Sales, BNHS on 022-22821811 at Hornbill House office in Mumbai. The book can also be delivered by post.'

Source: http://www.bnhs.org/

http://www.bnhs.org/core-activities/publications/690.html

http://www.bnhs.org/core-activities/publications/books.html

BNHS releases 'Threatened Birds of India'

'It is the product of the commitment and dedication of its author, the rigorous science and action orientated approach of BNHS and the collective work of numerous contributing researchers, birdwatchers and photographers. The BirdLife International global partnership of conservation organisations in over 100 countries and territories worldwide, of which BNHS is the Indian Partner, has also played an important role. It is based on the most extensive and reliable database on priority sites and species, on the basis of consistent global standards, data which are crucial to setting priorities, to ensure that policy and action should always be informed by good science and good data.

The book will be of interest to researchers, students, professors, policy makers, bureaucrats, bird lovers, corporates, NGOs and the lay reader interested in the natural world in general, and birds in particular. Priced at Rs 3000, this 870-pages book printed on art paper, has a very attractive cover of Satyr Tragopan and includes 155 maps and 645 photos in colour.

For details, contact: BNHS, Hornbill House, opposite Lion Gate, Shaheed Bhagat Singh Road, Fort, Mumbai, Maharashtra - 400091, India. Telephone: 91-22-22821811, Email: info@bnhs.org ' This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it

Source: http://www.bnhs.org/component/content/article/42-about-bnhs/757-threatened-birds-of-india.html

Happy New Year 2012

Wishing all the readers a very happy new year!

Mekong River Species Discovery Bonanza!

Many new species of amphibians, reptiles, a bird and a primate have been discovered in the Mekong river basin since the last one year. The river flows through many countries in the Southeast Asia. This shows how important it is to conserve primary forests in the region.












Photos by PFly and FEXX on Wikipedia: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mekong_river



About Mekong river:
http://portal.mrcmekong.org/
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mekong_river
http://www.worldwildlife.org/what/wherewework/mekong/species.html
http://www.worldwildlife.org/what/wherewework/mekong/results.html



Species discoveries in the Mekong basin:
http://www.wildlifeextra.com/go/news/mekong-discoveries011.html
http://www.irishexaminer.com/world/kfaukfididkf/rss2/
http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/ajp.20894/full
http://missbakersbiologyclass.com/blog/2010/11/10/bless-you-myanmar-pug-monkey/
http://ca.news.yahoo.com/208-species-discovered-asias-mekong-region-1-182102929.html
http://www.wildlifeextra.com/go/news/snub-nosed-monkey.html
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2010/10/101026203638.htm
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Myanmar_snub-nosed_monkey

Related documents:

http://www.banca-env.org/myn-environmental.htm

Sustainable Harvesting of Medicinal Plants

Protected Areas in the Himalayas that are home to pheasants and other wildlife, also harbour a rich diversity of flora, and many of them are valuable as medicinal plants. The medicinal plants (MAP or medicinal and aromatic plants) are used in traditional medicines, and also have a high economic value in the international market.

Excessive harvesting of these wild plants has lead to some of them becomming rare and endangered. In the Himalayas, the collection season also coincides with the spring breeding season of the pheasants, and the disturbance causes nesting failure, among other problems. Therefore, now efforts are on to encourage cultivation of these plants rather than their collection from the wild. Several State and Central R & D Institutions in India have formulated nursery, harvesting, drying and extraction techniques for the MAPs.

An international standard for the sustainable harvesting of MAP was prepared by the IUCN Medicinal Plant Specialist Group, called the ISSC-MAP Ver 1.0 in 2007. This was revised and combined with the FairWild certification and labelling standard in 2010.

http://www.iucn.org/about/work/programmes/species/about_ssc/specialist_groups/directory_specialist_groups/directory_sg_plants/ssc_medicinalplant_home/

http://www.fairwild.org/

Section 1 of this standard, FairWild Principles and Criteria for Collection Operations, states :

Principle 2. Preventing Negative Environmental Impacts
Negative impacts caused by collection activities on other wild species, the collection area and
neighbouring areas shall be prevented.
2.1 Sensitive taxa and habitats
Rare, threatened and endangered species and habitats that are likely to be affected by collection and management of the target species are identified and protected.
2.2 Habitat (landscape level) management
Management activities supporting wild collection of target species do not adversely affect ecosystem diversity, processes and functions.

An update:
Thousands of tonnes of medicinal plants are harvested and exported from the state of Himachal Pradesh alone. Not only does this endanger the population of the medicinal plants, but also affects the animals (insects, birds, mammals) that feed on the flowers and roots of these plants. Another aspect of the cultivation of medicinal plants is that, when cultivated in ex situ conditions, they lose their viability and potency in a few generations. So, the stock has to be constantly replinshed from the wild population. This makes conservation of wild plants and thier habitat even more urgent. A news article about the threats to medicinal plants in Himachal Pradesh, India -

http://www.tribuneindia.com/2012/20120406/himachal.htm#2

Although the state government is taking steps for the purchase and marketing of the medicinal plants directly from the village harvesters so that they get a good price, it is clear that the government urgently needs to set a limit for the quantity exported out of the state (and check the smuggling of MAPs) in order to prevent their extiction in the wild.

Documents related to medicinal plants from the states of Himachal Pradesh and Uttranchal, India -
http://www.scribd.com/doc/31647742/Herbal-Medicinal-Plants-in-Himachal-Praesh-An-Analysis-of-Income-and-Employment-Potential
http://www.docstoc.com/docs/25038316/Base-Line-Information-on-Medicinal-Plants-Conservation-and-Sustainable

The Himalayan pastures and forests are also used by graziers (Gaddis) in the summer season for herds of sheep and goats. This causes further depletion of the medicinal herbs. A study conducted in 1999, recommends the following measures -

'As the reckless extraction of minor forest produce particularly the herbs, has resulted in sparser distribution and continuously decreasing regeneration of variety of species, urgent steps to conserve and increase its regeneration are required. The herbs collection must be, more vigorously regulated in terms of both quantity to be extracted as well as checking unauthorised encrochers/collectors. If possible co-operatives of collectors should be formed to safeguard the interests of the poor from the middle men. Illegal timber felling and poaching should be checked; for this purpose more vigilance posts should be established, particularly on the major outlets of forest produce. A number of thatches/pastures have been subjected to heavy destruction by migratory cattles/livestock. If possible they may either be diverted or settled elsewhere. Moreover the rotational closure of pastures is strongly recommended.'

(From - http://oldwww.wii.gov.in/envis/ghnp_reports/4_15_nangia_kumar_rathore.pdf )

Some more links -
http://www.flickr.com/photos/30654468@N03/6323412401/in/set-72157625248259843
http://www.flickr.com/photos/30654468@N03/7056018033/in/photostream