Securing a long term future for critically endangered Jerdon’s Courser

(Rhinoptilus bitorquatus) and its habitat

Funding Agencies

Mohammed Bin Zayed Species Conservation Fund & Royal Society for the Protection of Birds (RSPB).

Jerdon’s Courser (Rhinoptilus bitorquatus)

1) Nocturnal and cursorial

2) Thought to be extinct for 86 years

3) Rediscovered in 1986

4) Restricted distribution – endemic to Andhra Pradesh

5) Sri Lankamaleswara Wildlife Sanctuary

6) One of 13 Critically Endangered bird species in India

7) Single, small, declining population (IUCN 2008)

8) Listed under Schedule I of the Indian Wildlife  (Protection) Act 1972, and

9) Priority species under the National Wildlife Action Plan (2002 – 2016) of the Government of India

    (Government of India, 2002).

Past Studies

1) 'Endangered Species Project' was executed by Bombay Natural History Society with U S Fish and

    Wildlife Service in 1986.

2) BNHS carried out another survey from May 1994 - October 1995 in Sri  Lankamaleswara Wildlife

    Sanctuary to study the distribution and population of Jerdon’s Courser established more sightings of this

    elusive species in Cuddapah district (Samant & Elangovan 1997).

Methodology

Detection is very difficult as it is nocturnal with very limited calling period.

1.      Visual searching at night

2.      Listening for calls at dusk/ dawn

3.      Tape playback

4.      Camera Traps

5.   Tracking strips

Project Team:

Dr. Asad Rahmani, Director, BNHS

Dr. Rhys Green, University of Cambridge, RSPB

Dr. Ken Norris, University of Reading

Mr. Ian Barbar, RSPB

Dr. P. Jeganathan, NCF

Mr. Rahul Chavan, Senior Research Fellow, BNHS

Contact: Dr. Asad R. Rahmani
               Director
               Bombay Natural History Society
               Project Coordinator, ENVIS Center 

               Phone: 91 22 2282 1811

               E-mail: bnhs@bom3.vsnl.net.in