06-bioresourcesstatu.. - M. S. Swaminathan Research Foundation
06-bioresourcesstatu.. - M. S. Swaminathan Research Foundation
06-bioresourcesstatu.. - M. S. Swaminathan Research Foundation
Create successful ePaper yourself
Turn your PDF publications into a flip-book with our unique Google optimized e-Paper software.
loris, is vulnerable. This is chiefly due to habitat<br />
destruction and use of this species as a laboratory<br />
animal in experiments. The other mammals<br />
include Macaca silinus - lion tailed macaque. This<br />
is also endangered due to habitat destruction<br />
(shrinkage of vegetation). The Malabar civet -<br />
Viverra megaspila is also one of the species,<br />
which is endangered.<br />
The fishing cat - Felis viverrina live on tidal<br />
creeks, rivers and mangrove forests. Due to<br />
destruction of the habitat their numbers have<br />
reduced. The gaur - Boss. gaurus also lives in<br />
tropical forests but their numbers are also<br />
shrinking.<br />
Among amphibians the Malabar tree toad<br />
Nectophryne tuberculosa is endemic to this area.<br />
But their numbers have reduced to the extent that<br />
it is difficult to sight.<br />
a. Avian fauna typical of the region are:<br />
Thickbilled Warbler - Pharogamaticola aidon<br />
Indian Great Reed Warbler - Acrocephalus ste1wtoreus<br />
Migratory wag tail - MotacWa flara<br />
Greatpied hornbill - Buceros Mcornis<br />
Malabarpied hornbill - Buceros spp.<br />
Langhing Thrushes Garrulax<br />
Mountain Thrushes - Zoothera dauma<br />
Large woodshrike<br />
Fairy Blue bird<br />
Yeilowbacked sun bird<br />
Spider hunters<br />
Woodpeckers<br />
Blue bird bee-eater<br />
b. Mangrove Fauna :<br />
- Tephrodornis virgatus<br />
- Irena puella<br />
- Aethopyga siparaja<br />
- (Anachnothera)<br />
- (Di1wpium javane11$e,<br />
Hemicircus, Dryocopus<br />
Picumnus<br />
- (Ntctoyornis athertoni)<br />
(Salim Ali, 1960).<br />
The distribution and importance of mangrove<br />
fauna is very important. The mangrove faunal<br />
diversification is very few but is exclusive to it.<br />
Species found on the tree are of the rainforest<br />
.origin, whereas, those seen in and on the<br />
substratum are mainly of marine and estuarine<br />
nature.<br />
Bird's in the mangroves seek food and nesting in<br />
the trees. Several species of Phalacrocorax<br />
(Cormorants) are commonly seen. Darters (snake<br />
birds) are mainly represented by Anhinga<br />
Vembanad Lake<br />
anhinga (L). Herons use the mangrove fishing<br />
ground and often nest with cormorants and<br />
Darters communally. While the heron, Egretla<br />
alba (L) is common, the night heron (Nycticorax<br />
nycticorax) is occasionally seen. The bird<br />
sanctuary in Kumarokom abodes about 3000 night<br />
herons. It is also famous for little, cormorant<br />
(Podiceps ruficollis), Egrets, Darters, bitterns,<br />
water hens etc. Teals are winter visitors and is a<br />
common sight in Kuttanad region especially in<br />
Kumarakom. Ardeola greyii (the paddy bird) is<br />
common in lowlands and throughout the<br />
mangroves. Falcons, hacks eagles, Brahminy kite,<br />
Haliasur indus and vultures are usually seen in<br />
the mangroves and adjacent sea coast. Water hen<br />
(Amaurornis sp.), chestnest bittern (Ixobrychus<br />
cinnamomeus) and several species of king fishers<br />
are available Crocodiles and monitors are very<br />
rare. Nerodia piscater (Water snake) Ptyas<br />
mucosus (rat snake), Chersydrus granulatus<br />
etc. are often occurring in mangroves. Fish eating<br />
mammals such as Hespestesare often seen. Lutoa<br />
vulgaris is a common otter in Vembanad Lake.<br />
Mangrove areas are notorious for the mosquito<br />
population.<br />
87<br />
The molluscs are a conspicuous in intertidal<br />
areas. Bivalves and several species of gastropods<br />
such as the mangrove snail Telescopium<br />
telescopium feed on the substratum. Polychaetes<br />
and barnacles attached to trunks and roots of<br />
trees are commonly seen.<br />
The commercially important prawns<br />
Macrobrachium rosenbergii, Penaeus indicus<br />
and Metapenaeus sp form the bulk of the prawn<br />
landings from the backwater and estuaries. The<br />
mud crab Scylla serrata is also abundant<br />
frequently seen. The fiddler crab Uca sp. and the<br />
mud lobster Thallassina anomula are common.<br />
Fishes of the mangrove areas are diverse. It is well<br />
known that many of them enter the mangrove for<br />
breeding. Juveniles of many species spend their<br />
life in mangrove for food and protection from<br />
predators .<br />
c. Commercially important fish species<br />
are as follows :<br />
Mugil cephalus, Liza parsia, Chanos chanos,<br />
Sarotherodon mossambicus, Etroplus<br />
sura tensis, E.maculates, Ambassis<br />
gymnocephalus, Mystus gulio, Trachysurus