The Hindu : Andhra Pradesh / Hyderabad News : Spot Billed Pelican numbers up: ornithologists

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Monday, Jul 30, 2007
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Andhra Pradesh

Andhra Pradesh - Hyderabad

Spot Billed Pelican numbers up: ornithologists

Spot Billed Pelican

HYDERABAD: Ornithologists from the State Capital and elsewhere are reporting a slight increase in the numbers of Spot Billed Pelican in the State. A fact, even the International Union for Conservation of Nature and Natural Resources (IUCN) has recorded in its Red List.

Wildlife International, the official red list authority for birds, working on behalf of IUCN, has downgraded the threat perception for this species from ‘Vulnerable’ group to ‘Near Threat’ group in the IUCN Red List.

Classification

“For the first time, our researchers are also reporting this bird at Ura Cheruvu, Nalgonda apart from Kolleru. Owing to protection by conservators and huge awareness, the numbers are definitely on the rise in Telangana and elsewhere,” says Senior Principal Scientist, Salim Ali Centre for Ornithology and Natural History, Hyderabad, S. Narendra Prasad. It was first spotted in 1966-67 near eastern parts of Kolleru lake.It was in 1987 that the bird species werespotted at Nellapattu, Nellore. “In 1987 they were once again reported from Nellapattu. Now, they are in good numbers at Kolleru, Nellapattu and Uppalpadu. Sightings have also been reported at Telinilapuram, Srikakulm district,” informs eminent ornithologist from city Siraj Taher. At Nellapattu, initially, the numbers were just about 50, however, at the moment estimates point towards a flock of 900 birds. Similarly, at Uppalpadu, the numbers have gone up to 1200. A large gathering of this particular bird species was spotted at Kolleru lake during early part of this year by city-based conservation expert Pranay Waghre.

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