Porul

 CRITICALLY ENDANGERED SPECIES

(C) REPTILES AND AMPHIBIANS:

4.The Gliding Frog (Rhacophorus pseudomalabaricus)

The Gliding Frog

The Gliding Frog (Rhacophorus pseudomalabaricus) is endemic to the Western Ghats. This species is confined to the rain forests of the Western Ghats and occurs at elevations of greater than 1000m. This species has been recently described in the year 2000.

CONSERVATION STATUS: Critically Endangered.

HABITAT: Rainforests above 1000m altitude.

DISTRIBUTION: Indira Gandhi National Park and surrounding areas of Anamalai hills, Tamil Nadu.

THREATS: Conversion of forested areas for timber and non-timber plantations, and timber extraction activities.

ALSO READ: Four-toed River Terrapin

 CRITICALLY ENDANGERED SPECIES

(C) REPTILES AND AMPHIBIANS 

3. Four-toed River Terrapin or River Terrapin (Batagur baska)

Four-toed River Terrapin

Four-toed river terrapin or Northern River terrapin (Batagur baska) is a critically endangered turtle. The omnivorous diet of the river terrapin and other terrapin species, makes them an essential part of the effi cient clean-up systems of aquatic habitats.

CONSERVATION STATUS: Critically Endangered.

HABITAT: Freshwater rivers and lakes.

DISTRIBUTION: Bangladesh, Cambodia, India, Indonesia, Malaysia.

THREATS: Use of flesh for medicinal purposes, demand for eggs, which are considered a delicacy.

ALSO READ: Leatherback turtles.

 CRITICALLY ENDANGERED SPECIES

(C) REPTILES AND AMPHIBIANS:

Leatherback Turtles

Leatherback turtles (Dermochelys coriacea) are the largest of living sea turtles weighing as much as 900 kg. Adult leatherback turtles are excellent swimmers – they swim on an average of 45-65 km a day, travel upto 15,000 km per year and can dive as deep as 1200 m.

Jelly fish are their primary prey. The population spikes of leatherbacks coincide with abundance of

jelly fish, making them important top-predators in marine environments.

CONSERVATION STATUS: Critically Endangered

HABITAT: Tropical and subtropical oceans.

DISTRIBUTION: Found in tropical and temperate waters of the Atlantic, Pacific, and Indian Oceans.

THREATS: High sea fi shing operations, harvesting of eggs, destruction of nests by wild species

and domesticated species such as cats, dogs and pigs. Artifi cial lighting disorients hatchlings and

adult and causes them to migrate inland rather than back to the sea. Threats to habitat include

construction, mining and plantation of exotics.

 CRITICALLY ENDANGERED SPECIES

(C) REPTILES AND MAMMALS:

The Gharial

 CRITICALLY ENDANGERED SPECIES

(B) MAMMALS:

The Pygmy hog

The Pygmy hog (Porcula salvania) is the world’s smallest wild pig, with adults weighing only 8 kg. This species constructs a nest throughout the year. It is one of the most useful indicators of management status of grassland habitats.

The grasslands where the pygmy hog resides are crucial for the survival of other endangered species such as Indian rhinoceros (Rhinoceros unicornis), swamp deer (Cervus duvauceli), wild buffalo

(Bubalus arnee), hispid hare (Caprolagus hispidus), Bengal florican (Eupodotis bengalensis) and swamp francolin (Francolinus gularis). In 1996, a captive-breeding programme of the species was initiated in Assam, and some hogs have been reintroduced in Sonai Rupai area also in 2009.

CONSERVATION STATUS: Endangered

HABITAT: Relatively undisturbed tall ‘terai’ grasslands.

DISTRIBUTION: Formerly, the species was more widely distributed along the southern Himalayan

foothills but now is restricted to only a single remnant population in Manas Wildlife Sanctuary

and its buffer reserves.

THREATS: The main threats are loss and degradation of grasslands, dry-season burning, livestock

grazing and afforestation of grasslands. Hunting is also a threat to the remnant populations.

Also Read: Bengal Florican

 CRITICALLY ENDANGERED SPECIES

(A) BIRDS:

5. BENGAL FLORICAN (Houbaropsis bengalensis)

Bengal Florican

Bengal Florican is a rare bustard species that is very well known for its mating dance. Among the tall grasslands, secretive males advertise their territories by springing from the ground and fl itting in the air to and fro.

CONSERVATION STATUS: Critically Endangered

HABITAT: Grasslands sometimes intersperesd with scrublands. 

DISTRIBUTION: Native to only 3 countries in the world - Cambodia, India and Nepal. In India, it occurs in 3 States namely Uttar Pradesh, Assam and Arunachal Pradesh.

THREATS: Ongoing conversion of the bird’s grassland habitat for various purposes including agriculture is mainly responsible for its population decline.

ALSO READ: Vultures

 CRITICALLY ENDANGERED SPECIES

(A) BIRDS: 

Vultures

Out of nine species of vultures, population of three species ( White-backed Vulture Gyps bengalensis, Slender-billed Vulture Gyps tenuirostris and Long-billed Vulture Gyps indicus) have declined by 99%. Vultures keep the environment clean, by scavenging on animal carcasses.

The decline in vulture populations has associated disease risks including increased risk of spread of rabies and anthrax, besides adversely impacting the observance of last rites by the Parsis in the tower of silence.

• Varying vultures have different conservation statuses. The three species (White-backed Vulture Gyps bengalensis, Slender-billed Vulture Gyps tenuirostris and Long-billed Vulture Gyps indicus) are now classified as critically endangered.

Long-billed Vulture

Slender-billed Vulture

White-backed Vulture

Habitat: Forests, habitation, villages etc.

Distribution: Across India.

Threats: A major threat to vultures is the use of the painkiller diclofenac for veterinary purposes.

On consumption of carcasses, diclofenac gets into the system of vultures which they are unable

to metabolize. Accumulation of diclofenac results in gout-like symptoms such as neck-drooping

ultimately leading to death.