I have always been fascinated by birds. Some of my earliest childhood memories are of ethereal paradise flycatchers in my garden, and bejewelled kingfishers in the marshes and reed beds that were part of my grandmothers orchards on the shores of the Dal Lake - now sadly filled-in to build concrete monstrosities in the name of development. While doing postgraduation in Jammu, I would often notice hummingbirds feeding on the Bougainvilleas in my garden. Since hummingbirds are not supposed to exist in the Old World, I dug out my old bird books once I was home but could not find any references to hummingbirds. Very little Kashmir-specific information was available elsewhere so I decided to create the Birds of Kashmir website. A few years have elapsed since, but the hummingbird mystery remained unsolved,
Uptil now that is.
While surfing the net, I came across a picture of the Macroglossum stellatarum, otherwise known as the 'Hummingbird Hawkmoth'. My mystery hummingbirds were actually a large species of hovering, nectar-sucking moths active in the daytime.
Now, if only someone could confirm white peacocks on the President of India's lawns :-)


Learn more about:
Hummingbird Hawkmoths

Image copyright Wikipedia Commons

The Hangul or Kashmir Stag (Cervus elaphus hanglu) is the only surviving race of the Red Deer family in the Indian sub-continent since the Shou (Cervus elaphus wallichi) of Bhutan is now considered extinct by experts. The Hangul is listed as an endangered species in the Red Data Book of the international Union for Conservation of Nature and Natural Resources (IUCN). Dachigam is home to the last viable population of Hangul in the world.

The Hangul was once distributed widely in the mountains of Kashmir with small populations outside Jammu Kashmir in Chamba district of Himachal Pradesh. A population of more than 2000 Hanguls had been recorded in 1947. In recent years the Hangul population has drastically declined from its past distribution range, and reportedly a census conducted by the State Wild Life Protection Department in and around Dachigam had recorded 143 animals with only 17 males. Shockingly, by the end of the week-long survey, the number had dropped to 137 with the death of six animals. The latest survey done in March 2006 by Wildlife Institute of India, Dehradun put the number at 190 Hanguls.

According to Regional Wildlife Warden Kashmir, Farooq Jeelani, the decline of the Hangul is due to a combination of factors including overgrazing, biotic interference, sheep rearing and drastic shift in predator-prey ratio due to a sudden increase in the leopard population inside the Dachigam park. While catch-phrases like 'habitat management','long term Hangul conservation project', 'artificial breeding centre', 'RFID tagging' are freely being used in seminars and press-releases, this noble animal is softly passing into extinction.

May you rest in peace, Noble Hangul.


Update:
Kashmiri Hangul faces extinction threat

News Links:
Kashmir stag on verge of extinction

A case for Hangul

Kashmir's Wildlife Department officials today set ablaze furs worth over 2 million dollars. In a grand symbolic gesture - to celebrate the 'World Wildlife Week' - reportedly 77 lots comprising 29 sackfuls of animal skins were set ablaze on J&K High Court orders by Wildlife authorities in presence of senior court officials and representatives of the State Pollution Control Board (SPCG), Srinagar Municipal Corporation, and Forest Department officials.

Update:
2 more truckloads of banned fur destroyed




News Links:
Truckload of banned fur destroyed

Skin of rare species found in surrendered stock

Image copyright Greater Kashmir

It is heartening to hear the Principal Chief Conservator of Forests describe birds as the best indicators of the state of biodiversity, and to realise that he is aware that national parks and sanctuaries of Jammu and Kashmir have been recognized as globally important Bird Areas .

I hope that the PCC puts his money where his mouth is and ensures that Kashmir's threatened wetlands, including a number of Ramsar sites, are aggressively protected.





Number of Migratory Birds visiting Kashmir in winter: 600000
Number of Important Bird Areas as identified by BNHS : 21


News Links:
In winter 6 lakh migratory birds visit valley

Encroachment of Haigam Wetland

Image copyright Dr. Bakshi Jehangir

The war of attrition between two ferocious groups of predators - humans and large carnivores - continues with fatal results for an unfortunate few. How long is it before the latter are wiped out from the valley in the absence of any concrete measures being taken by the concerned authorities to minimise the Man-Animal Conflict?


Read More:
Man-Animal Conflict