We surveyed water birds in Haripura-Baur Reservoir using total count method between 2013 and 2015. A total of 65 species were recorded representing eight orders and 14 families. Numerically Anatidae was the dominant family followed by Ardeidae and Scolopacidae. Common Coot Fulica atra, Red-crested Pochard Netta rufina, Common Pochard Aythya ferina, Gadwall Anas strepera, and Tufted Pochard Aythya fuligula were dominant species in the reservoir. The Shannon diversity of water birds was more or less consistent over the years and ranged between 2.56 (2013–14) and 2.23 (2015–16). The reservoir supports water birds having declining population trends globally (41% of species), including three Vulnerable (Asian Woollyneck Ciconia episcopus, Lesser Adjutant Leptoptilos javanicus, and Sarus Crane Grus antigone and four Near Threatened species (Oriental Darter Anhinga melanogaster, Painted Stork Mycteria leucocephala, Black-necked Stork Ephippiorhynchus asiaticus, and River Lapwing Vanellus duvaucelii). Bird species belong to four feeding guilds with the domination of the carnivore group. The current information is expected to serve as preliminary database of water birds for further research and monitoring.
The Terai Arc Landscape (TAL) is an important region of biodiversity in India. Situated in the foothills of the Himalaya, it is spread across India and Nepal. We describe the herpetofauna of the western part of TAL encompassing Ramnagar Forest Division, which falls in Uttarakhand state of India. We primarily used visual encounter survey method for sampling. A total of 47 species of herpetofauna belonging to three orders, 17 families and 36 genera were recorded from 10 habitat types (6 terrestrial and 4 aquatic). Highest species richness (n=32) was recorded from the human settlement and least (n=4) species richness was reported from pond habitat. In this paper, the diversity of amphibians and reptiles in each habitat type is discussed.
Amphibian and reptiles are weather sensitive, poikilothermic group of animals, and their occurrence varies with the change in seasons. Present study was conducted in Ramnagar Forest Division of Uttarakhand state of India. Ramnagar Forest Division is the western part of Terai Arc Landscape which is an important ecoregion of the world. Sampling was done with Visual Encounter Surveys along with other methods, in all the seasons of a year. A total of 47 species of herpetofauna was recorded in the study, including 10 species of frogs, 13 species of lizards, 20 species of snakes and 4 species of testudines. The maximum number of herpetofauna species was observed during monsoon season, while the least number species were found in winters. The general pattern of herpetofauna species richness that observed in Ramnagar Forest Division was, found to be highest in monsoons, which then started decreasing in autumns and a rapid decrease was noticed in pre-winter and reached minimum in winters. In springs it started rising again and continue to rise in summers to reached maximum in monsoons
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