Population status and distribution of the critically endangered Indian Courser (Cursorius coromandelicus) on Delft Island, Sri Lanka

2021 ◽  
pp. 175815592110528
Author(s):  
Nitharsan Aloysius ◽  
Shashi Madhushanka ◽  
Chathuri Chandrika
Keyword(s):  
Sri Lanka ◽  
Bird Species ◽  
Critically Endangered ◽  
Feral Horses ◽  
Sampling Locations ◽  
Sampling Points ◽  
Minimum Number ◽  
Holistic Conservation ◽  
Number Of Individuals ◽  
Resident Bird

The critically endangered Indian Courser ( Cursorius coromandelicus) is a rare resident bird species in Sri Lanka. This bird species is restricted to the northern avifaunal region of Sri Lanka, and even there it has been recorded from only a few locations. Thus, it is identified as one of the rarest birds in Sri Lanka. A 1-year study was conducted to investigate Indian Courser population and their distribution within the Delft Island from 5th of January to 20th of December 2020. Ten (10) randomly selected points were investigated in this study. Of the 10 sampling points, the Indian Courser was observed within three (03) sampling points year around while several sightings were recorded in points 8, and 9 during 3 months of the year. Their abundance significantly varied among sampling locations (one-way ANOVA, F = 15.04, p < .05). The maximum number of individuals recorded was 18 ± 4.64 in December and the minimum number was 4 ± 4.64 during the non-migrant season. Although most of the area in the island is covered with dry grasslands, their distribution in Delft is largely confined to a few grassland patches where human activities are minimum. Hunting, egg collection, and trampling of their nest by the Delft ponies (feral horses) can be identified as the main threats of this species. It is of utmost importance to immediately implement holistic conservation measures to save this critically endangered bird as Delft is the only known location where a viable resident population of Indian Courser is found.

scholarly journals First record of the Woolly-necked Stork Ciconia episcopus Boddaert, 1783 (Aves: Ciconiiformes: Ciconiidae) breeding in the lowland wet zone of Sri Lanka

2017 ◽  
Vol 9 (1) ◽  
pp. 9738 ◽  
Author(s):  
Hemachandra Kularatne ◽  
Susantha Udagedara
Keyword(s):  
Sri Lanka ◽  
Bird Species ◽  
Heavy Rain ◽  
First Record ◽  
Nesting Behavior ◽  
Breeding Cycle ◽  
Dry Zone ◽  
First Time ◽  
Resident Bird ◽  
Wet Zone

The Woolly-necked Stork Ciconia episcopus is a resident bird species commonly found breeding in the dry lowlands of Sri Lanka, preferably nesting in remote areas with minimal disturbance, although the breeding and nesting behavior has not yet been adequately documented.  Here we report its nesting behavior, for the first time in lowland wet zone Sri Lanka, from Thalagolla, Beddawela in Kegalle District.  Although its usual breeding season is in the dry zone from February to March with a second breeding cycle from November to early January, here we report breeding in the lowland wet zone from July–October in 2013–2014.  Further, it was interesting to note presumably the same couple of birds used the same nest in 2014 with minimum renovation.  In 2015 the nest had disintegrated and fallen due to continuous heavy rain and there have been no records till June 2016.  Breeding was again recorded from June–September in 2016 with a new nest in a different platform of twigs in the same tree.  

Where have all the sawfishes gone? Perspectives on declines of these Critically Endangered species in Sri Lanka

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Akshay Tanna ◽  
Daniel Fernando ◽  
Ramajeyam Gobiraj ◽  
Buddhi M. Pathirana ◽  
Sahan Thilakaratna ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Sri Lanka ◽  
Endangered Species ◽  
Critically Endangered ◽  
Critically Endangered Species

scholarly journals Threatened birds of Guatemala: a random subset of the avifauna?

2011 ◽  
Vol 22 (3) ◽  
pp. 348-353
Author(s):  
ANDREA NÁJERA ◽  
JAVIER A. SIMONETTI
Keyword(s):  
Body Size ◽  
Geographical Distribution ◽  
Scientific Information ◽  
Bird Species ◽  
Critically Endangered ◽  
Aquatic Species ◽  
Random Subset ◽  
The Pacific ◽  
Taxonomic Affiliation

SummaryIdentifying attributes that affect the vulnerability of a species to extinction is important as it allows conservation efforts to be focused on more susceptible species. We assessed whether threatened birds of Guatemala are a random subset of the avifauna, considering their taxonomic affiliation, body size, diet and geographical distribution. We found that threatened bird species in Guatemala were neither taxonomically nor geographically randomly distributed. Large-bodied species and Psittaciformes, Galliformes, Falconiformes and Ciconiformes were among the most threatened groups, and the Pacific slopes of the country hosted more threatened birds than would be expected. Published scientific information regarding Critically Endangered bird species in Guatemala is scant and biased against nocturnal and aquatic species. Research and conservation efforts ought to be oriented toward these species and regions to safeguard the Guatemalan avifauna. This study allows an overall consideration on whether we are conserving the species and areas that are important for threatened birds.

scholarly journals Long-term species richness-abundance dynamics in relation to species departures and arrivals in wintering urban bird assemblages

2019 ◽  
Vol 5 (1) ◽  
pp. 1-10 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jukka Suhonen ◽  
Jukka Jokimäki
Keyword(s):  
Species Richness ◽  
Bird Species ◽  
Total Abundance ◽  
Bird Species Richness ◽  
Abundance Dynamics ◽  
Local Species Richness ◽  
Local Species ◽  
The Mean ◽  
Urban Bird ◽  
Number Of Individuals

Abstract Temporal dynamics of local assemblages depend on the species richness and the total abundance of individuals as well as local departure and arrival rates of species. We used urban bird survey data collected from the same 31 study plots and methods during three winters (1991–1992; 1999–2000 and 2009–2010) to analyze the temporal relationship between bird species richness and total number of individuals (abundance). We also evaluated local departures and arrivals of species in each assemblage. In total, 13,812 individuals of 35 species were detected. The temporal variation in bird species richness followed the variation in the total number of individuals. The numbers of local departure and arrival events were similar. Also, the mean number of individuals of the recently arrived species (8.6) was almost the same as the mean number of individuals of the departed species (8.2). Risk of species departure was inversely related to number of individuals. Local species richness increased by one species when the total abundance of individuals increased by around 125 individuals and vice versa. Our results highlight the important role of local population departures and arrivals in determining the local species richness-abundance dynamics in human-dominated landscapes. Local species richness patterns depend on the total number of individuals as well as both the departure-arrival dynamics of individual species as well as the dynamics of all the species together. Our results support the more individuals hypothesis, which suggests that individual-rich assemblages have more species.

scholarly journals Can We Compare Effect Size of Spatial Genetic Structure Between Studies and Species Using Moran Eigenvector Maps?

2021 ◽  
Vol 9 ◽  
Author(s):  
Celia Hein ◽  
Hossam E. Abdel Moniem ◽  
Helene H. Wagner
Keyword(s):  
Genetic Structure ◽  
Effect Size ◽  
Stationary Process ◽  
Isolation By Distance ◽  
Spatial Genetic Structure ◽  
Meta Analysis ◽  
Empirical Studies ◽  
Sampling Locations ◽  
Number Of Individuals ◽  
Moran Eigenvector Maps

As the field of landscape genetics is progressing toward comparative empirical studies and meta-analysis, it is important to know how best to compare the strength of spatial genetic structure between studies and species. Moran’s Eigenvector Maps are a promising method that does not make an assumption of isolation-by-distance in a homogeneous environment but can discern cryptic structure that may result from multiple processes operating in heterogeneous landscapes. MEMgene uses spatial filters from Moran’s Eigenvector Maps as predictor variables to explain variation in a genetic distance matrix, and it returns adjusted R2 as a measure of the amount of genetic variation that is spatially structured. However, it is unclear whether, and under which conditions, this value can be used to compare the degree of spatial genetic structure (effect size) between studies. This study addresses the fundamental question of comparability at two levels: between independent studies (meta-analysis mode) and between species sampled at the same locations (comparative mode). We used published datasets containing 9,900 haploid, biallelic, neutral loci simulated on a quasi-continuous, square landscape under four demographic scenarios (island model, isolation-by-distance, expansion from one or two refugia). We varied the genetic resolution (number of individuals and loci) and the number of random sampling locations. We considered two measures of effect size, the MEMgene adjusted R2 and multivariate Moran’s I, which is related to Moran’s Eigenvector Maps. Both metrics were highly sensitive to the number of locations, even when using standardized effect sizes, SES, and the number of individuals sampled per location, but not to the number of loci. In comparative mode, using the same Moran Eigenvector Maps for all species, even those with missing values at some sampling locations, reduced bias due to the number of locations under isolation-by-distance (stationary process) but increased it under expansion from one or two refugia (non-stationary process). More robust measures of effect size need to be developed before the strength of spatial genetic structure can be accurately compared, either in a meta-analysis of independent empirical studies or within a comparative, multispecies landscape genetic study.

scholarly journals Non-scientific Archaeological Recovery of Human Remains from an Ancient Well in India

2017 ◽  
Vol 1 (1) ◽  
pp. 79-92 ◽  
Author(s):  
J. S. Sehrawat ◽  
R. K. Pathak
Keyword(s):  
Nineteenth Century ◽  
Human Remains ◽  
Scientific Discipline ◽  
Existing Structures ◽  
Forensic Archaeology ◽  
Human Bones ◽  
Scientific Disciplines ◽  
Minimum Number ◽  
Minimum Number Of Individuals ◽  
Number Of Individuals

Forensic archaeology is a scientific discipline that can expose past crime(s) against humanity by recovering the bodies of victims and meticulously documenting any proof of torture, trauma or human rights violations. Archaeological recovery of human remains deposited in pre-existing structures or features such as wells, potholes, natural ravines, roadside trenches, sewage systems etc., have been reported from many sites worldwide. In April, 2014, thousands of human bones, teeth as well as a number of personal effects including coins, medals and beaded armbands were unscientifically excavated from a well—presumably dating from the nineteenth century—located under a religious structure in the heart a North Indian town. Without the assistance of scientific expertise or local administration, locals excavated the remains to verify whether the well containing human bones was a result of an event which had been documented in the written records. The unscientific excavation by locals with no formal qualifications in archaeology or anthropology, resulted in the enhanced damage and commingling of human remains limiting information on the minimum number of individuals, age-at-death, sex, pathological conditions, trauma, etc. which may have assisted in identification and a stronger corroboration with the historical records. This paper aims to emphasize that if scientific protocols had been followed—including the participation of a multidisciplinary excavation team with experts from diverse scientific disciplines like forensic archaeology, anthropology, geology, skeletal biology, history, forensic medicine etc.—data and context would have been greatly enhanced and information may have been obtained about the deceased individuals and whether they were the victims of crimes dating to the nineteenth century.

scholarly journals Osteoarkeologi Rangka Manusia Situs Leang Kado’4, Maros, Sulawesi Selatan

2021 ◽  
Vol 19 (2) ◽  
pp. 143-160
Author(s):  
Fakhri Fakhri ◽  
Delta Bayu Murti Murti ◽  
Budianto Hakim Hakim ◽  
Muhammad Nur Nur ◽  
Akin Duli Duli ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Skeletal Remains ◽  
Karst Area ◽  
Average Height ◽  
Human Skeletal Remains ◽  
Data Set ◽  
Analytical Process ◽  
South Sulawesi ◽  
Minimum Number ◽  
Minimum Number Of Individuals ◽  
Number Of Individuals

Pembahasan utama dalam penelitian ini adalah uraian osteoarkeologis terkait temuan rangka manusia situs prasejarah Leang Kado‘ 4 di kawasan karst Simbang, Maros, Sulawesi Selatan. Sebagai bagian dari kajian bioarkeologi, uraian ini meliputi penentuan jenis kelamin, usia kematian, rata-rata tinggi badan, afinitas ras, dan jumlah individu minimal yang ada di Situs Leang Kado‘ 4 sebagai bagian aktivitas penguburan. Metode penelitian menerapkan langkah kerja analisis dalam kajian bioarkeologi yang juga diterapkan dalam disiplin antropologi ragawi. Langkah kerja analisis tersebut, meliputi: identifikasi, pengukuran, komparasi, dan penghitungan estimasi jumlah individu minimal dalam sebuah himpunan data.  Penelitian ini berkesimpulan bahwa sisa rangka manusia di situs Leang Kado‘ 4 memiliki kesamaan dengan dua jenis ras manusia, yaitu ras populasi Sahul-Pacific dikenal pula sebagai Australo-Papuan atau Australomelanesoid dan ras populasi Asia atau Mongoloid. Hadirnya data ini diharapkan menjadi salah satu bahan pertimbangan rekomendasi kebijakan berwawasan pembangunan karakter budaya bangsa yang mengedepankan kebhinekaan asal usul dengan data temuan rangka manusia.    This research aims to provide an osteoarchaeological analysis of the human skeletons found at the prehistoric site of Leang Kado‘ 4 in Simbang karst area, Maros, South Sulawesi. As a part of bioarchaeological studies, the analysis included the determination of sex, age at death, average height, racial affinity, and the minimum number of individuals at the site as part of the burial activities. The research employed the analytical process that is commonly carried out in bioarchaeological and physical anthropological studies. The analytical process consists of identification, measurement, comparison, and estimation of the minimum number of individuals in a data set.  It is concluded that the human skeletal remains at Leang Kado‘ 4 site share several similarities with two human races, i.e. Sahul-Pacific race also known as Australo-Papuan or Australomelanesoid and Asian or Mongoloid race. It is expected that all this data can be used as a base for developing policies oriented to the development of the national character and culture by emphisizing the diversity of the people’s origins, which is supported by data on human skeletal remains.

scholarly journals Observations of cetaceans off southern Sri Lanka, April 2007–2013

2019 ◽  
Vol 20 (1) ◽  
pp. 13-25
Author(s):  
R. C. Anderson ◽  
A. Alagiyawadu
Keyword(s):  
Sri Lanka ◽  
Bottlenose Dolphin ◽  
Sperm Whale ◽  
Abundant Species ◽  
Sperm Whales ◽  
Spotted Dolphin ◽  
Common Bottlenose Dolphin ◽  
Westward Movement ◽  
Number Of Individuals ◽  
Blue Whales

Cetaceans were observed off the South coast of Sri Lanka in the month of April, every year over a seven-year period, 2007–13. During 48 days atsea a total of 290 cetacean sightings were recorded. Blue whales were abundant, accounting for 61% (n = 177) of all sightings. This concentrationof blue whales was predicted and discovered based on a migration hypothesis and there was evidence of the expected net westward movement inApril. Nevertheless, most blue whales seen were not obviously on passage and many appeared to be feeding. Mothers with calves and likelyreproductive behaviour (breaching and rushing) were also observed. There were five sightings of Bryde’s-type whales (B. brydei/edeni); four wereidentified as B. brydei, one was identified as B. edeni. Sperm whales were sighted 16 times within a narrow band centred just outside the 1,000misobath. Modal group size was 10–12; based on size most individuals appeared to be mature females or immatures. Spinner dolphin (n = 35 sightings)was the most abundant species, accounting for 67% of all cetaceans seen by number of individuals. They were frequently associated with tuna andseabirds. Risso’s dolphin was only seen once, despite being reported as common around Sri Lanka in the early 1980s. They were taken in largenumbers by local fisheries, which may have reduced local abundance. Other species recorded were: dwarf sperm whale (n = 3 sightings); shortfinnedpilot whale (n = 3); common bottlenose dolphin (n = 9); Indo-Pacific bottlenose dolphin (n = 3); pantropical spotted dolphin (n = 4); andstriped dolphin (n = 4). Since the discovery of blue whales off southern Sri Lanka, commercial whale watching centred on the fishing port of Mirissahas developed rapidly, bringing new revenue to the region but also the potential for disturbance to the whales.

scholarly journals Recovery of the Critically Endangered Hainan gibbonNomascus hainanus

Oryx ◽  
2015 ◽  
Vol 51 (1) ◽  
pp. 161-165 ◽  
Author(s):  
Huaiqing Deng ◽  
Mingxia Zhang ◽  
Jiang Zhou
Keyword(s):  
Reproductive Age ◽  
Critically Endangered ◽  
Primate Species ◽  
Population Increase ◽  
Historical Sources ◽  
Adult Females ◽  
Group Population ◽  
Solitary Males ◽  
Number Of Individuals ◽  
Hainan Gibbon

AbstractThe Critically Endangered Hainan gibbonNomascus hainanusis one of the most threatened primate species and is now found only in the Bawangling National Nature Reserve of Hainan Province, China. We describe changes in population dynamics, and the current number of individuals, based on historical sources and fieldwork during 2002–2013. The population comprises a total of 20 individuals (including six solitary males) in three separate groups. All are confined to an area of c. 16 km2. The current population developed from two groups that comprised a total of 13 individuals in 2002, and has increased slowly since then, with the addition of one new group. Population increase is hindered by the gibbon's unique social structure of one adult male and two adult females, as well as the reproductive age limit in adult females. An imbalance in the sex ratio of offspring may also have hindered population recovery but further investigation of this is required. Our findings indicate that the Hainan gibbon is likely to remain Critically Endangered in the coming decades.

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