Conserving Rich Avian Biodiversity - Kerala Agricultural University Shows the Way
TerraGreen|January 2018

We all know that forests, wildlife sanctuaries, and biosphere reserves are the regular choices for conserving biodiversity. Bhavya Khullar informs us that a study from the Kerala Agricultural University in India has opened the possibility of conserving the rich avian biodiversity of the region on its campus.

Bhavya Khullar
Conserving Rich Avian Biodiversity - Kerala Agricultural University Shows the Way

A study from the Kerala Agricultural University, published in a recent issue of the Journal of Threatened Taxa, has opened the prospect of conserving the rich avian biodiversity in Kerala. The research team led by Prof. P O Nameer, professor of Wildlife at the Centre for Wildlife Studies, College of Forestry of the Kerala Agricultural University in India recorded 172 species of birds on their campus. They provide evidence in favour of university campuses as safe havens for these creatures. “Our campus is spread close to 1,000 acres in Thrissur district of Kerala. In an academic set-up, the surroundings are quiet and undisturbed, the natural landscape is well maintained and the students are caring and compassionate to the animals—all of which could play an important role in conserving the rich biodiversity of Kerala Agricultural University premises,” he says. His group conducted a four-year-long survey in

Thrissur district of Kerala. Kerala is one of the favourite tourist destinations in India known for its backwaters and lagoons. “The state is home to nearly 509 species of birds, one-third of which were sighted on the campus, suggesting that similar university enclosures could be important refugia for biodiversity in India”, asserts Professor Nameer. For him, a refugium is an area where species can also survive through a period of unfavourable conditions. The latest census from his campus has 37 new additional species since 2000 when their own study recorded only 135 species. The species fall into 17 orders and 60 families, which accounts for 34.4 per cent of the representative avian diversity of Kerala.

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