NILGIRIS: Around 50 Odonata (the insect order comprising dragonflies) species were identified on the first day of the two-day Odonata survey that commenced in Mudumalai Tiger Reserve (MTR) on Saturday. It is the first time an Odonota survey has been conducted in MTR.
Along with the forest department field-level staff, members of the Society for Odonata and volunteers of ACT NGO have been participating in the survey, which will reveal the population of dragonflies and damselflies along with other Odonata species in the coming days. A team of five members, consisting of students from Ooty Arts and Science College and Mettupalayam Research Institute with an Odonata expert, are involved in the counting of 37 forests. Till Saturday evening, the team has identified over 50 such species.
Deputy Director of MTR (Mudumalai Tiger Reserve) C Vidya said, “Tamil Nadu forest department is on a mission to record the biodiversity inside the forest in which we have already completed a synchronised bird and vulture survey along with enumerating elephant population count. Likewise, a census of the tiger population will also be carried out soon. A survey of butterflies was conducted last year.
“As per the experts, some Odonata species live only in polluted water and the identification of these species will give us a clear picture of the water quality in MTR. We have lifted 105 samples from water sources and sent them to TN Agriculture University for testing. We will correlate the results which will be received in mid-November,” she added.