The air around smells remarkably moist. Amidst the towering trees, we walk through the recently washed undergrowth, as quietly as we can over the forest floor, single file — a motley group of naturalists on a birding trip. Suddenly our guide Sudeesh points to what looks like a couple of dried leaves.
“That, is a pair of elusive Sri Lankan Frogmouths (Batrachostomus moniliger), nocturnal birds found only in the Western Ghats and Sri Lanka, and one of the over 32 pairs found in this sanctuary,’’ he explains. ‘‘During the day, it is so well camouflaged by its plumage that it appears like a leaf or broken branch. At night, it hunts insects and though the flight appears weak and fluttery, they are capable of flying quietly under the forest canopy.”
Just beyond, the swollen Periyar flows majestically by as we soak in the sights and sounds of the Salim Ali Bird Sanctuary at Thattekad, whose geographical diversity supports a spectacular bird life.
This ‘one and only bird sanctuary in Kerala’ was earlier part of the Kuttampuzha Range in the Malayattoor Forest Division, 25 sq km of the area to the northern banks of the Periyar declared as Thattekad Bird Sanctuary by the state government in 1983. The renowned Salim Ali had, in 1930, recorded 167 species in the area. Resident ornithologist Dr R Sugathan, who trained with the veteran himself for 16 years, has recorded over 320 bird species in 2008!
Our early-morning treks generally crossed rocky ridges like the Kallippara (it means ‘rectangle rock’ in Malayalam), from where we got some fantastic views of the forest. The sanctuary, actually on the foothills of the Western Ghats, connects with a large ecological unit comprising of the Malayattoor, Sholayur and Parambikulam ranges on the one side and the Munnar, Eravikulam and Chinar on the other. Natural that the diverse vegetation enables many different bird species in their seasonal migration and diversity!
Wild animals seen include elephant, sambar, barking deer, porcupine, and wild boar. There are also about 57 species of fish, 12 amphibians, 30 reptiles, 76 species of butterflies. The forest is dense with closed canopy and are mostly of soft wood, with undergrowth of ferns and herbs. Maani, our guide, explains to us their intricacies “Around 60 per cent of trees are moist deciduous species — Dalbergia latifolia, Lagerstroemia lanceolata, Pterocarpus marsupium, Terminalia bellirica, Terminalia paniculata and Terminalia chebula….” he reels off effortlessly.
Migratory birds, that form about 40 per cent of the bird count, are generally seen from October to March each year — small sunbirds, high altitude migrants who fly in large numbers during November-December, and long-distance migrants like the warblers, flycatchers which arrive first. Wagtails and drongos are common. The nesting season of the resident birds are from April to August every year. Rare birds seen include the Crimson throated barbet, shrike, Fairy Blue Bird, Grey-headed Flying Eagle, Black Winged Kite, Malabar Trogon and Grey Hornbill.
The construction of the Bhoothanthankettu Dam in 1997 to increase the height of the water level for irrigation purposes has led to a disappearance of the riverine ecosystem, but by default has created changes in structure that are positive for water birds like dabchicks, jacanas, moorhens, whistling teals. The Eastern Swallow can be seen in thousands during certain days, blossom headed and rose ringed parakeets between August-September in large numbers.
The popularity of the sanctuary has also meant more tourists each year. In the 1980s, there used to be about 750 tourists a year, now about 50,000! To build on ecodevelopment programmes with stakeholders in order to strengthen conservation and protection of the sanctuary has been one of the management plans. “Since last year,’’ says Sudeesh, ‘‘the Eco Development Committee instituted has meant more monitoring. Awareness regarding the fragile nature of environment will take some more time though!”
Says P Ramanan, veteran naturalist and wildlife photographer, whose travels have taken him across many Indian forests and sanctuaries, “Over 110 bird species across three days is a very good sighting, and that it includes over 8 types of raptors indicates good jungle health.” Range Officer S Shamsudeen says, “With the sanctuary’s fire line about 23.5 km, there have been no forest fires in the last decade. A guided bird watching trail, better accommodation facilities, sanctuary staff in training programs, and more research facilities are on the cards.”
At the entrance of the dorm we watch the sheets of water that thunder over the asbestos sheets above, before we trek onto undulating tracks in the jungle, one more last time, to experience the beauty and magnificence of Thattekad. Dr Sugathan affirms, “Situated on the foothills of the Anaimudi, the tallest peak in south India, this limited area of 25.1 sq km comprises over 11 different type of habitats — from deep water body to scrub jungle, each with its unique flora and fauna add to the biological richness of this region. Post graduate students and researchers also have easy access to learning opportunities and well-organised baseline data.”
Decidedly, these are the features of the Salim Ali Bird Sanctuary that add to its tremendous value as an education centre for students across the country and as an important field lab for conservation education.
— The writer is founder trustee of Nizhal, a Chennai-based NGO. shobhamenon@airtelmail.in