Journal of Threatened Taxa | www.threatenedtaxa.org
| 26 March 2018 | 10(3): 11410–11415
Spatial and temporal patterns of stork
sightings (Aves: Ciconiidae) in National Chambal
Sanctuary of Gangetic River system
R.K.
Sharma 1 & L.A.K. Singh 2
1 National
Chambal Sanctuary, Morena, Madhya Pradesh 476001,
India,
2 Puspaswini, 1830-Mahatab Road, Old Town, Bhubaneswar, Odisha 751002, India
1 rksharma_ncs@yahoo.com,
2 laksinghindia@gmail.com (corresponding author)
Abstract:
During 1984–86 and 1995–2016 winter surveys five stork
species were observed in 12 study zones of the river Chambal in the Ganga
tributary system. Comparative
temporal and spatial analyses of stork distribution are presented from two
broad stretches of the river, 205km of Pali-Rajghat
in the upstream and 230km of Rajghat-Pachhnada in the
downstream. Different species show
different distribution patterns.
Study zones IV+V comprising 113km in the upstream and XI+XII comprising
75km in the downstream accounted for 66% of total stork sightings. About 56% of total sightings were
recorded downstream of Rajghat. The Painted Storks Mycteria leucocephala comprised
52% of total stork sightings.
Eleven districts adjoining river Chambal recorded low rainfall prior to
2008 when sighting of storks abruptly increased, particularly in the
downstream. It is important to
continue the monitoring of water birds in the National Chambal Sanctuary as it
could lead to initiating conservation interventions in habitats in the region
which experience extreme ecological conditions and fluctuations in populations.
Keywords: Long term
ecological monitoring, National Chambal Sanctuary, spatial and temporal, storks
of Chambal.
doi: http://doi.org/10.11609/jott.3817.10.3.11410-11415 | ZooBank:
urn:lsid:zoobank.org:pub:1149827F-F98C-4E03-A503-6D8D3413233C
Editor: K.S. Gopi
Sundar, International Crane Foundation, Baraboo, USA. Date of publication: 26 March 2018 (online & print)
Manuscript details: Ms # 3817 | Received 28 September 2017 | Final received 03 March 2018 |
Finally accepted 06 March 2018
Citation: Sharma, R.K, L.A.K. Singh (2018). Spatial and temporal
patterns of stork sightings (Aves: Ciconiidae) in
National Chambal Sanctuary of Gangetic River system. Journal of Threatened Taxa 10(3): 11410–11415; http://doi.org/10.11609/jott.3817.10.3.11410-11415
Copyright: © Sharma & Singh 2018. Creative Commons Attribution 4.0
International License. JoTT allows
unrestricted use of this article in any medium, reproduction and distribution
by providing adequate credit to the authors and the source of publication.
Funding: None.
Competing interests: The authors declare no competing interests.
For Hindi abstract please see end of this article.
Author Details: R.K. Sharma: Former Research Range
Officer, National Chambal Sanctuary (NCS); with LAKS authored the first reports
on bird and dolphin in NCS; superannuated from service in Madhya Pradesh Forest
Department in September 2016. L.A.K. Singh: Former Asst. Director /
Officer-in-Charge, erstwhile Central Crocodile Breeding and Management Training
Institute, Hyderabad, Government of India; started the Field Camp of Crocodile
Research Centre, Wildlife Institute of India at Deori,
National Chambal Sanctuary in 1983. Superannuated from service with Forest and
Environment Department- Odisha in December 2010.
Author Contribution: RKS: member of the study team started in NCS by LAKS in 1983; collected
and maintained all data on birds till 2016. LAKS: developed the protocol for
collection of data on gharial and ecological
associates like birds from 1983-84 onwards; analysed
and developed the contents in this paper with RKS.
Acknowledgements: The authors are thankful to all the Principal Chief Conservators of
Forest (Wildlife) of Madhya Pradesh, all Divisional Forest Officers
and Superintendents of National Chambal Sanctuary (NCS)- Morena for providing valuable support and motivation to
carry out the survey works continuously from the winter of 1983. We also wish to thank Mr. A.K. Bhatt,
IAS-Retd for holding timely discussions with RKS
concerning Chambal avifauna. We are indebted to the field staff of Madhya
Pradesh, Rajasthan and Uttar Pradesh for valuable discussions and help during field work. We
record our revered thanks to Sri V.B. Saharia former
Director, Wildlife Institute of India, Dehradun for infusing interest from the
initial days of the Government of India Field Camp and the Deori
Gharial Research Centre to incorporate bird
observations into gharial monitoring in NCS.
Introduction
One of the significant achievements of the
crocodile conservation programme (Singh 1999) comprises information collected
on ecological associates of crocodiles.
In the present paper we have analysed the spatial and temporal patters
of sightings on five species of storks of the National Chambal Sanctuary (NCS)
during 1984–2016.
Methods
River Chambal is being monitored every year
since 1983–84 after recession of the monsoon
floods to locate populations of Gharial Gavialis gangeticus. The survey team consists of at least six
members, each one with identified roles to perform. One of the members was exclusively
responsible for maintaining notes on birds. Data on five species of storks collected
during 1984–85 to 2015–16 is given in Table 1 (Image 1).
All five species of storks discussed here are in
Schedule-IV of the Wildlife (Protection) Act, India. According to IUCN Red List the status of
Black-necked Stork Ephippiorhynchus asiaticus (BirdLife International 2016a) and the
Painted Stork Mycteria leucocephala (BirdLife International 2016b) are ÔNear
ThreatenedÕ, that of the Black Stork Ciconia nigra (BirdLife
International 2017a) and Asian Openbill (formerly
named Open-bill Stork) Anastomus oscitans (BirdLife International 2016c) are ÔLeast
ConcernÕ, and the Asian Woollyneck (formerly named
White-necked Stork) Ciconia episcopus is ÔVulnerableÕ (BirdLife International
2017b).
Since the data is secondary to the gharial survey these may be considered preliminary in
nature. Data refers to field work started around the last week of December in the
previous calendar year and continuing sometimes till early February. Surveys were carried out from boats and
everyday a distance of 30–35 km was covered going downstream. Sightings were made through standard binoculars
and occasionally a spotting scope was used (Images 2–7). Field notes were made directly on A-4
size field map-sheets (Singh 1985) or note books.
The study area comprised 12 study zones that are
name-based and easily identifiable (Table 2, Fig. 1). For analysis of data the study zones are
clubbed under two broad stretches with reference to bridge at Rajghat. Study
zone I to VI (205km) are in the upstream and VII to XII (230km) in the
downstream. Rajghat
is a standard reference point used in our studies in NCS to separate upstream
data from downstream. The National
Highway-3 leading to Delhi via Gwalior-Morena crosses
river Chambal at Rajghat and proceeds through Agra.
Rainfall data available on the website of India
Meteorological Department (IMD 2017) for 11 districts in the Chambal region was
consulted for possible explanations to certain temporal sighting patterns. It is in the context that birds
determine habitat preferences on their ability to obtain food and shelter
against predators and weather (Alonso et al. 1991). The districts consulted in this work are
close to the river Chambal or are in the catchment areas of rivers Kali-Sindh
and Parbati which bring most of the water to Chambal in the post
monsoon period (Fig. 1. inset). Six
of the districts namely, Baran, Kota, Tonk, Sawai-Madhopur, Karauli and Dhaulpur (Dholpur) are in Rajasthan. The districts of Sheopur,
Morena and Bhind are in
Madhya Pradesh (MP) and the districts Agra and Etawah
are in Uttar Pradesh (UP). Rainfall
during October to May was negligible or nil. Therefore, data on total rainfall in
each calendar year has been used for interpretation of stork sighting patterns.
Results
and Discussion
(1)
Stork sighting - overall pattern
(a) All five species of storks were seen every
year in Chambal during the entire study period that started from
1984–85. Year to year,
zone-wise and species-wise numbers of storks was highly variable.
(b) Out of total sightings, the Painted Stork
(PS) comprised the maximum at 52% followed by Asian Openbill
(OBS) 24%, Black Stork (BS) 11%, Asian Woollyneck
(WNS) 10%, and Black-necked Stork (BNS) 4%.
(c) Total sighting of storks was 56% downstream.
(2) Zone-wise sighting pattern
(a) Sightings of storks were more in study zones IV, V, XI and XII (Table
2). Zones IV and V comprise a 113km
river stretch starting 35km away from Rajghat in the
upstream stretch, where the river course is largely rocky. Zones XI and XII comprise 75km starting
155km away from Rajghat in the downstream stretch.
(b) At the species level, the Black Stork and
Asian Openbill were sighted more upstream, at 97% and
70%, respectively out of their total sightings. The water amid rocky patches upstream
appeared to be favoured by Openbill Storks and Black
Storks. Black Storks which are winter visitors were
observed every year mostly at Nadigaon (in Study
zone-IV, at 72km point with reference to Palighat)
and Hauaapura (Study zone-V, 120km point) and Chorfandni (Study zone-V, 123km point).
(c) The Black-necked Stork and Painted Stork had
92% and 77% of their total sightings downstream. The Asian Woollyneck
(WNS) had 44% of their presence upstream and 56% downstream (Tables 1 and 2).
(d) The total number of storks sighted upstream
was higher from 1984–85 till 2008, after which the sightings are more
downstream (Figs. 2, 3). In the year 2008 the numbers of Painted Stork were
abruptly high (Table 1; Fig. 4), particularly downstream (Table 2).
(3) Rainfall and stork sighting
(a) Sighting of storks increased in the year
2008 when rainfall was also the highest.
(b) Rainfall in Chambal region was 21% less in
2006 and 2007 compared to the year 2005.
In 2006, 10 out of 11 districts had less rainfall.
(4) Implications of the study
(a) The presence of water birds offers indications
about ecological conditions and productivity of wetland ecosystems (For
example, Scott 1980, 1989; Li et al. 2009). The present study on
the sighting of stork species in Chambal has been possible because it has
overcome most of the problems which otherwise limit long term ecological
monitoring (LTEM). The present
study has been a part of the annual monitoring of prominent ecological
associates of Gharial that started in
1983–84. NCS is a difficult
terrain and LTEM is difficult for academic institutions or researchers to
initiate and sustain because of various reasons like, a ribbon-like 570km long
study area of the river, difficulty in negotiating the river or approaching the
river bank, security issues, and overcoming the difficulties of targets set through
limited time and funding (For example, Fausch et al.
2002; Muller et al. 2010). Therefore, it is an
ideal option with academic bodies to remain associated with NCS management by
stationing a set of researchers who offer service continuity for LTEM in
Chambal counted in terms of decades.
(b) The LTEM of stork and other birds in Chambal
have not been presented properly to draw attention of specialist bodies like
the International Waterfowl and Wetlands Research Bureau (Scott 1980, 1989) and
Wetland International (Li et al. 2009).
With advances in internet search and enhanced
mechanisms of indexing the present work is expected to stimulate more organized
and detailed LTEM of waterfowl over ecological time scale in the entire Chambal
region.
(c) The present study indicates that river
Chambal may have played a crucial role in supporting local stork populations as
well as giving alternate refuge for local migrants during years with extreme
ecological conditions. This aspect needs more studies and better understanding
as there is national as well as international concern for the status of storks
and other water birds.
Table
1. Sighting record of storks in National Chambal Sanctuary during 1985 to
2016. Rajghat
separates upstream (205km) from downstream (230km).
|
YEAR |
Pali-Rajghat 205km (Upstream) |
Rajghat - Pachnada
230km (Downstream) |
|
||||||||
|
BNS |
BS |
PS |
OBS |
WNS |
BNS |
BS |
PS |
OBS |
WNS |
Total |
|
|
1985 |
0 |
82 |
31 |
35 |
0 |
7 |
0 |
21 |
2 |
15 |
193 |
|
1986 |
0 |
0 |
28 |
22 |
0 |
7 |
1 |
20 |
0 |
17 |
95 |
|
1995 |
0 |
0 |
16 |
23 |
7 |
5 |
0 |
10 |
3 |
4 |
68 |
|
2003 |
0 |
6 |
55 |
165 |
5 |
4 |
0 |
20 |
14 |
11 |
280 |
|
2004 |
0 |
3 |
28 |
31 |
19 |
2 |
0 |
23 |
8 |
3 |
117 |
|
2005 |
0 |
0 |
10 |
43 |
4 |
5 |
12 |
17 |
5 |
3 |
99 |
|
2006 |
0 |
2 |
22 |
32 |
9 |
10 |
1 |
8 |
11 |
0 |
95 |
|
2007 |
3 |
24 |
17 |
45 |
12 |
6 |
0 |
88 |
12 |
0 |
207 |
|
2008 |
0 |
108 |
27 |
7 |
8 |
26 |
0 |
910 |
37 |
6 |
1129 |
|
2009 |
1 |
97 |
40 |
74 |
53 |
3 |
0 |
72 |
25 |
69 |
434 |
|
2010 |
1 |
7 |
34 |
124 |
5 |
13 |
0 |
81 |
72 |
7 |
344 |
|
2011 |
2 |
0 |
69 |
5 |
22 |
9 |
0 |
9 |
34 |
27 |
177 |
|
2012 |
0 |
30 |
7 |
11 |
5 |
4 |
0 |
45 |
17 |
9 |
128 |
|
2013 |
2 |
20 |
8 |
12 |
6 |
3 |
0 |
48 |
15 |
14 |
128 |
|
2014 |
0 |
9 |
14 |
32 |
20 |
1 |
0 |
38 |
8 |
19 |
141 |
|
2015 |
2 |
6 |
50 |
36 |
7 |
17 |
0 |
86 |
8 |
7 |
219 |
|
2016 |
1 |
26 |
47 |
10 |
7 |
17 |
0 |
142 |
28 |
3 |
281 |
|
Total |
12 |
420 |
503 |
707 |
189 |
139 |
14 |
1638 |
299 |
214 |
4135 |
|
Average ± SD |
2 ±1 |
32 ±38 |
30 ±18 |
42 ±43 |
13 ±13 |
8 ±7 |
5 ±6 |
96 ±213 |
19 ±18 |
14 ±17 |
243 ±249 |
Key: BNS –
Black-necked Stork, BS - Black Stork, PS - Painted Stork, OBS - Asian Openbill, WNS - Asian Woollyneck
Table
2. Zonewise record of storks in river Chambal during 1985–2016.
|
|
|
Study
Zone |
Length-km |
Progr. km |
BNS |
BS |
PS |
OBS |
WNS |
Total
Storks |
|
Pali-Rajghat |
I |
Pali-Rameshwar |
22 |
22 |
0 |
1 |
5 |
55 |
15 |
76 |
|
II |
Rameshwar-Khirkhiri |
15 |
37 |
0 |
67 |
10 |
76 |
2 |
155 |
|
|
III |
Khirkhiri-Baroli |
20 |
57 |
0 |
11 |
42 |
80 |
20 |
153 |
|
|
IV |
Baroli-Atar |
48 |
105 |
2 |
131 |
199 |
364 |
59 |
755 |
|
|
V |
Atar-Sarsaini |
65 |
170 |
2 |
210 |
111 |
104 |
51 |
478 |
|
|
VI |
Sarsaini-Rajghat |
35 |
205 |
8 |
0 |
136 |
28 |
42 |
214 |
|
|
Total
in Upstream (Zones I-VI) |
12 |
420 |
503 |
707 |
189 |
1831 |
||||
|
Rajghat-Pachhnada |
VII |
Rajghat-BSGher |
35 |
240 |
19 |
9 |
62 |
23 |
30 |
143 |
|
VIII |
BSGher-Usedghat |
40 |
280 |
41 |
4 |
44 |
22 |
38 |
149 |
|
|
IX |
Usedghat-Ater |
40 |
320 |
14 |
0 |
93 |
44 |
52 |
203 |
|
|
X |
Ater-Barhi |
40 |
360 |
17 |
1 |
154 |
85 |
52 |
309 |
|
|
XI |
Barhi-Chakarnagar |
38 |
398 |
32 |
0 |
835 |
54 |
20 |
941 |
|
|
XII |
Chakarnagar-Pachnada |
37 |
435 |
16 |
0 |
450 |
71 |
22 |
559 |
|
|
Total
in Downstream (Zones VII-XII) |
139 |
14 |
1638 |
299 |
214 |
2304 |
||||
|
12 zones:
Total number |
151 |
434 |
2141 |
1006 |
403 |
4135 |
||||
|
12 zones:
Average ± SD |
13 ±13 |
36 ±68 |
178 ±239 |
84 ±92 |
34 ±18 |
345 ±278 |
||||
|
Upstream
zones (I to VI): Average ± SD |
2 ±3 |
70 ±85 |
84 ±78 |
118 ±123 |
32 ±22 |
305 ±260 |
||||
|
Downstream
zones: (VII-XII) Average ± SD |
23 ±11 |
2 ±4 |
273 ±313 |
50 ±25 |
36 ±14 |
384 ±314 |
||||
Key: BNS -
Black-necked Stork, BS - Black Stork, PS - Painted Stork, OBS - Asian Openbill, WNS - Asian Woollyneck.
Progr. km - Ôkm pointÕ progressively
ending for the study zones, read from Ôzero-kmÕ at Pali.
References
Alonso,
J.C., J.A. Alonso & L.M. Carrascal (1991). Habitat selection by foraging White Storks, Ciconia ciconia,
during the breeding season. Canadian
Journal of Zoology 69: 1957–1962.
BirdLife International
(2016a). Ephippiorhynchus asiaticus. The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species 2016: e.T22697702A93631316.
Downloaded on 10 September 2017; http://doi.org/10.2305/IUCN.UK.2016-3.RLTS.T22697702A93631316.en
BirdLife International
(2016b). Mycteria leucocephala. The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species 2016: e.T22697658A93628598.
Downloaded on 10 September 2017; http://doi.org/10.2305/IUCN.UK.2016-3.RLTS.T22697658A93628598.en
BirdLife International
(2016c). Anastomus oscitans. The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species 2016: e.T22697661A93628985.
Downloaded on 10 September 2017; http://doi.org/10.2305/IUCN.UK.2016-3.RLTS.T22697661A93628985.en
BirdLife International
(2017a). Ciconia nigra. (amended version published in 2016) The IUCN
Red List of Threatened Species 2017: e.T22697669A111747857.
Downloaded on 10 September 2017; http://doi.org/10.2305/IUCN.UK.2017-1.RLTS.T22697669A111747857.en
BirdLife International
(2017b). Ciconia episcopus. (amended version published in 2016) The IUCN
Red List of Threatened Species 2017: e.T22727255A110064997.
Downloaded on 10 September 2017; http://doi.org/10.2305/IUCN.UK.2017-1.RLTS.T22727255A110064997.en
Fausch, K.D., C.E. Torgersen, C.V. Baxter & H.W. Li (2002). Landscapes to riverscapes: bridging the gap
between research and conservation of stream fishes. BioScience 52(6): 483–498. Downloaded from https://academic.oup.com/bioscience/article-abstract/52/6/483/240337
on 24 February 2018.
IMD (2017). India Mateorological
Department, Ministry of Earth Sciences, Government of India.
http://www.indiawaterportal.org/disclaimer. Downloaded on 12 December 2017.
Li,
Z.W.D., A. Bloem, S. Delany, G. Martakis
& J.O. Quintero (2009). Status
of Waterbirds in
Asia -
Results of the Asian Waterbird Census:
1987–2007. Wetlands International, Kuala
Lumpur, Malaysia.
MŸller, F., C. Baessler, M. Frenzel, H. Schubert & S. Klotz (2010). Long-term ecosystem research between theory and application
- an introduction. In: MŸller, F., C. Baessler, S.
Klotz & H. Schubert (eds.). Long-term
Ecological Research. Springer, Dordrecht. Abstract viewed on 11 Feb 2018 at https://link.springer.com/chapter/10.1007/978-90-481-8782-9_1
Scott,
D.A. (1980). A Preliminary
Inventory of Wetlands of International Importance for Waterfowl in West Europe
and north-west Africa. IWRB Special Publication No. 2.
International Waterfowl and Wetlands Research Bureau, Slimbridge,
UK.
Scott,
D.A. (1989). A
Directory of Asian Wetlands. IUCN, The
World Conservation Union, Gland, Switzerland, and Cambridge, UK, xiv+1181pp+33
maps.
Singh,
L.A.K. (1985). Gharial Population Trend in NationalChambal
Sanctuary with notes on radio-tracking. Study Report Dec. 1985. Crocodile Research Centre, Wildlife Institute of
India, Hyderabad, vii+167pp with 3 plates, 10, Figs., 21 tables.
Singh,
L.A.K. (1999). Significance and achievement
of the Indian Crocodile Project. Envis
(Wildlife and Protected Areas), Wildlife Institute of India, Dehra Dun, June
1999, 2(1): 10–16.
