Latest news with #NatureMates
Time of India
a day ago
- General
- Time of India
Buxa home to over 8.5k hornbills, key species score high in Mahananda belt
Kolkata: In a first, a long-term study for abundance and density estimation has been done for hornbills in Bengal. The study conducted between 2018 and 2024, covered north Bengal's Buxa Tiger Reserve, Mahananda Wildlife Sanctuary, Latpanchar, a fringe village outside Mahananda, Neora Valley and adjoining forests of Kalimpong. Bengal is home to five species of hornbills — great Indian hornbill, rufous-necked hornbill, grey hornbill, oriental pied hornbill and wreathed hornbill. The study is a Nature Mates-Nature Club and Nature Conservation Foundation collaboration, currently funded by Habitat Trust. You Can Also Check: Kolkata AQI | Weather in Kolkata | Bank Holidays in Kolkata | Public Holidays in Kolkata While Buxa and Mahananda have scored high in terms of density-abundance and encounter rate of oriental pied hornbill — considered to be among the smallest of Asian hornbills — Latpanchar has recorded good density of rufous-necked hornbills — considered 'vulnerable' on IUCN Red list. "To estimate hornbill density, abundance and distribution in Buxa, an occupancy-based survey was done over Sept-March of 2019-2020 and 2020-2021," said Sitaram Mahato of Nature Mates. "The estimated density of the three large-bodied species was low — less than 1 bird per sqkm — while that of the oriental pied hornbill was around 11 birds per sq km. Abundance estimates — number of individuals in a population — ranged from a mean of 27 birds for rufous-necked hornbill, 161 for great hornbill, 375 for wreathed hornbill and 8,050 for oriental pied hornbill at Buxa," said Shilpita Mandal of Nature Mates. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Selanovtsi: Unsold Furniture Liquidation 2024 (Prices May Surprise You) Unsold Furniture | Search Ads Learn More Undo Since Dec 2021, transect surveys to estimate hornbill population, abundance in Latpanchar, a fringe village of Mahananda located at an elevation of 1,100 m, was also conducted. From Dec 2021 to Dec 2023, in a total effort of 344.9 km, density estimate for rufous-necked hornbill was 9.6 /sq km. "Average encounter rates for direct sightings of Rufous-necked hornbill was 0.3/km and for the great hornbill was close to 0.1," said Kesang Dukka of Nature Mates. "We also conducted a park-wide survey in Mahananda between Nov 19 and Dec 12, 2023. In a total effort of 40.5 km, there were 16 detections of oriental pied hornbill. There were 5 detections of great hornbills. But, during the survey, there were no detections of rufous-necked and Indian grey hornbill. Overall encounter rate (detections/km) for oriental pied hornbills was 0.4/km. The same for great hornbills was 0.1/km," NCF's Karishma Pradhan said, adding that in 2018, in a rapid survey at Neora Valley, there were at least 10 detections of rufous-necked in an effort of about 60 km. It also highlighted breeding biology of hornbills, with nesting success of 81% in Buxa and 88% in Mahananda-Latpanchar. Hornbill conservation action plan was done with funding from Conservation Leadership Programme.
Time of India
20-07-2025
- General
- Time of India
Moth Week kicks off at Eco Park, Banabitan
1 2 Kolkata: The National Moth Week kicked off on Saturday with enthusiasts conducting a count after dark at Eco Park and Banabitan. The participants set up a moth trap using strong lights and a white sheet to do an hourly count of moths that were attracted by the light and landed on the sheet. "The moths are photographed and shared with Nature Mates. We identify them and publish a report," said Nature Mates founder Arjan Basu Roy. The Kolkata-based NGO, focused on wildlife conservation and awareness, is known for its butterfly and moth conservation efforts. The group has created butterfly gardens at Banabitan, Eco Park, and Rajabhatkhawa, restored wetlands, and promoted urban biodiversity gardening, using butterflies as "ambassador species." You Can Also Check: Kolkata AQI | Weather in Kolkata | Bank Holidays in Kolkata | Public Holidays in Kolkata There are around 1,000-plus moth species in Bengal and over 200 in and around Kolkata. The highest concentration of moths is in Tinchule, Darjeeling. Neora Valley National Park is also rich in moth diversity. "We are trying our best to involve people in our butterfly conservatories in Eco Park, Banabitan, and Rajabhatkhawa, where we conduct butterfly walks, show people various caterpillars and pupae, and give them seeds to promote butterfly-friendly plantations," said Basu Roy.
Time of India
24-05-2025
- Science
- Time of India
SE Asian clearwing moth recorded for first time in India at Buxa
1 2 3 Kolkata: A clearwing moth species first spotted in Myanmar in 2004 and later sighted in South China, Vietnam, and Malaysia has now been recorded at the Buxa Tiger Reserve in north Bengal. This is the first record of the moth and the genus, Scoliokona, in India. Nature Mates founder Arjan Basu Roy and Titli Trust founder trustee Sanjay Sondhi spotted the clearwing moth in 2022 near Jayanti village along a stream, Gue Nullah, that flows into the Jayanti river in the Buxa Tiger Reserve (BTR). The discovery occurred during a butterfly diversity project at BTR from 2018 to 2022. "We initially thought it was a wasp, but on closer inspection with binoculars, Sanjay realised it was a moth. Since it was unlike anything we saw in India before, we netted it for future reference," recounted Basu Roy. After completing the project in Buxa, they examined the specimen and began referencing material on moths. That is when they suspected it could belong to the genus Scoliokona, recorded by lepidopterists Axel Kallies and Yutaka Arita in the Philippines in 1998. The species they recorded was named after the duo as Kallies & Arita, 1998. Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Alerta: Você tem zumbido no ouvido? Dica de ouro pode aliviar! Zumbido no ouvido Undo However, Basu Roy and Sondhi were unsure. After preparing the specimen and photographing the upper side, underside, and lateral view of it with the head close-up as well as the genitalia, they approached Prof Kallies for confirmation. After studying the photographs, Kallies confirmed that the moth was indeed from the genus Scoliokona, and the species is one named after him. A scientific note was subsequently published in Tropical Lepidoptera Research to record the first confirmed record of the species Scoliokona Kallies in India. It is also the first record of the genus Scoliokona from India. Tropical Lepidoptera Research is a full-colour journal published twice a year by the Association for Tropical Lepidoptera at McGuire Center for Lepidoptera and Biodiversity, Florida Museum of Natural History, University of Florida, Gainesville, US. 'This is the extension of the western boundary of the moth species found in South-East Asia. The genus Scoliokona was first spotted in the Philippines in 1968 but described by Kallies and Arita three decades later. The species recorded in Buxa is one among 15 species to be recorded in the South-East Asian region, with its type locality from Myanmar," said Basu Roy. "The first record of this genus from India shows how little we know about moths in India. Moths are important pollinators and play a crucial role in nature. We need to protect their habitats and continue to document our biodiversity. Loss of habitat, increased light pollution, and use of pesticides are looming anthropogenic threats faced by moths in India," says Sondhi. The pinned specimen is currently at the Biodiversity Lab Research Collections at the National Centre for Biological Sciences, Tata Institute of Fundamental Research (TIFR), Bengaluru.
Time of India
24-05-2025
- Science
- Time of India
Rare clearwing moth species spotted for first time in Buxa Tiger Reserve
KOLKATA: A clearwing moth species, previously known only from Myanmar, South China, Vietnam and Malaysia, has been recorded for the first time in India's Buxa Tiger Reserve in north Bengal. The moth belongs to the genus Scoliokona , which had never been documented in India before. Nature Mates founder Arjan Basu Roy and Titli Trust trustee Sanjay Sondhi discovered the insect in 2022 near Jayanti village, during a butterfly diversity project conducted between 2018 and 2022. 'We initially thought it was a wasp, but on closer inspection, we realised it was a moth unlike any we had seen in India before,' said Basu Roy. After detailed study and consultation with lepidopterist Professor Axel Kallies—who originally described the species in 1998—the identification was confirmed. The discovery was published in the journal Tropical Lepidoptera Research . 'This finding extends the known western boundary of the species, previously recorded only in South-East Asia,' Basu Roy explained. The moth's presence highlights the limited knowledge about India's moth biodiversity, experts say. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Trade Bitcoin & Ethereum – No Wallet Needed! IC Markets Start Now Undo Moths are important pollinators, but face threats from habitat loss, light pollution and pesticide use, said Sondhi. The specimen is now preserved at the Biodiversity Lab Research Collections at the National Centre for Biological Sciences, Bengaluru.
