Ecological Study on Avifauna of Bhitarkanika

ISBN Number : 978-93-5051-682-9

Library Price : Rs.750

Library Dollar Price : 30$

Book Edition : First

Year of Publication : 2012

No. Of Pages : 182

About The Book

Bhitarkanika is one of the largest mangrove ecosystems in India and abode of estuarine crocodiles, water monitor lizards, innumerable aquatic fauna and unique littoral forest with diverse dynamic and complex ecosystem. This ecosystem has contributed to mass congregation of Olive ridley sea turtles off the coast of Gahirmatha. The water body in and around Bhitarkanika has been declared as a Ramsar site in 2002. The intricate tidal creek system, the huge agricultural fields and the abundance of food materials has attracted avian guests both resident and migrants each year. The Bhitarkanika wetlands is not only an important wintering ground for a large number of migratory waterfowls but also plays an important role as a staging ground for many of these birds on their onward journey southwards as well as during return journey to their breeding ground.

The book is an effort in a modest way to present for the first time a comprehensive study on the ecology of both waterfowls as well as the waders thronging to Bhitarkanika wetlands for the benefit of park managers, wildlifers, environmentalists, researchers and ornithologists. An attempt has been made to enlighten the realities of mangrove ecosystems forming part of avian habitats, which is otherwise difficult and inaccessible. The book includes information on the number of bird species (both migratory and resident) of the habitat, seasonal variation of species and their arrival-departure pattern. Food and feeding techniques adopted by selected anatids was found to be almost similar to those in Chilika lagoon. A comprehensive account on seasonal variation of kingfishers in Bhitarkanika throws interesting light on how competition leads to absence of one species with the increase in the other intruding species. The book also includes detailed information on the ecology of eleven species of nesting water birds in the heronry. We sincerely hope that the book includes enough-information relating to avifauna in Bhitarkanika. The book can be considered as a base for undertaking further study on this subject to know "how the birds behave and occupy the ecological space in Bhitarkanika".

 

Contents :

1. Introduction
1.1 Review of Literature
1.2 Research in India
1.3 Works on Bhitarkanika
2. Study Area
2.1 Location, Site Definition and Boundaries
2.2 Land Tenure
2.3 Management Infrastructure
2.4 Environmental Information
2.5 Biological Diversity
2.6 Bird Habitats
3. Materials and Methods
3.1 Data Analysis
4. Results
4.1 Checklist of Birds
4.2 Resident and Local Migratory Birds
4.3 Kingfishers of Bhitarkanika
4.4 Migratory Birds
4.5 Shorebirds
5. Discussion
5.1 Threats to Migratory Shorebirds
5.2 Recommendations
References
Photos
Summary

About The Author

Prof. Sushil K. Dutta was born in 1952 and got his M.Sc. in Zoology from Utkal University in 1975. He did his Ph.D. in Developmental Biology from the same University during 1980. He got a second Ph.D. on Amphibian Taxonomy from the Department of Systematics and Ecology and Museum of Natural History, University of Kansas, USA during 1985. He also obtained a DSc. Degree in Zoology from Utkal University during 2004. He served as faculty at the College of Basic Sciences and Humanities, Orissa University of Agriculture and Technology, Bhubaneswar, Odisha; P.G. Department of Zoology, Utkal University and presently a Professor of Zoology at the North Orissa University, Baripada. In 2006, he became the Fellow of National Academy of Sciences (FNASc.), India. He served as the Co-chair, IUCN Reptile & Amphibian Specialist Group (South Asia) and Co-Chair, IUCN-DAPTF (Declining Amphibian Population Task Force), Indian Subcontinent. He has published over 200 research papers and 7 books on amphibian and reptile biology and taxonomy. Twenty-five researchers have already been awarded Ph.D. under his guidance. He is an authority of amphibians of Indian Subcontinent and is the Director of the School in Herpetology of the DST, Government of India.

Dr. Hemanta Kumar Sahu born in 07.09.1968 and has passed M.Sc. and M.Phil. from Utkal University, Orissa. He was also awarded Ph.D. from the same University in 2000. He has done his Ph.D. in ducks and geese of Chilika lake. He has also served in Wildlife Institute of India, Dehradun as Project Associate and faculty in Wildlife and Conservation Biology Department of North Orissa University in 2002. Now he is working as Reader in Zoology in North Orissa University. He is involved in Wildlife Research in Orissa as well as in North Eastern States of India and published papers on wildlife of those areas. He has also gone to Smithsonian Institute, USA for Biodiversity and Statistical course in 2006 and 2010.

Book Reviews

Login Form
Username:
Password: