KOZHIKODE: A total of 75 species were recorded during a survey of dragonflies in the Wayanad Wildlife Sanctuary (WWS). As many as 49 enthusiasts from various parts of south India participated in the survey, which was conducted jointly by the Kerala Forests and Wildlife Department and the Malabar Natural History Society (MNHS).
Of the 75 species, 44 were dragonflies and 31 damselflies. With this survey, the total tally of the species of Wayanad WWS has reached 82. The highlight of the survey was the spotting of the mountain reedling Indolestes gracilis, an endemic species reported earlier only from the southern part of Kerala.
The survey was conducted in 12 locations in the sanctuary: Muthanga, Muthumalakallu, Kallumucku, Palpathur, Golurvayal, Narimanthikolly, Ottippara, Chethalyam, Doddadi, Punchavayal, and Begur, covering all the four forest ranges of Muthanga, Bathery, Chethalayam and Tholpetty. The maximum number of species were recorded in the Punchavayal-Begur area of Tholpetty Range with about 50 species.