THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Climate change is a reality and can majorly impact numerous species that are endemic to the Western Ghats. If climate change continues like this, by 2050 the habitat of high-altitude species like Black-and Orange Flycatcher and Nilgiri Flycatcher would be affected, said a recent study. It proposed urgent action to realign the boundaries of the protected area network.
Named ‘Impact of climate change on two high-altitude restricted and endemic flycatchers of the Western Ghats, India’ the study was done by E R Sreekumar and P O Nameer of the Department of Wildlife Science, College of Forestry, Kerala Agricultural University. Carried out as part of Sreekumar’s doctoral research, it sheds light on how climate change has been affecting bird species.
The study was done on two high-altitude species — Black and Orange Flycatcher (BOF) and Nilgiri Flycatcher (NIF) — to find out how they respond to varying climate change scenarios. The study was published in the November 25 edition of ‘Current Science.’ As part of the study, an extensive survey was carried out on the two species which are endemic to Western Ghats.
“Currently, the habitat is only 12700 sq km for Nilgiri Flycatcher and around 6500 sq km for BOF. This is so much less than the already known distribution-range of these species. Going by this pace, by 2050 close to 45%of habitat of NIF and close to 30% habitat of BOF would be further lost,” said Nameer.