Abstract
Marsh Mongoose Herpestes palustris is the only extant endemic mammal of the East Kolkata wetlands, which has been declared a RAMSAR site in 2002. Since its first description by the scientists of the Zoological Survey of India, the population of this species has dwindled to an alarming state due to reclamation of the Salt Lake City and Rajarhat expansion, as well as from other anthropogenic causes. Recently, during a field survey only a small population of this endangered mongoose was found in a single location. Immediate conservation measures are required to be taken by the concerned authorities to stop its probable extinction in the near future.
Highlights
About 11% of Indian mammalian species are endemic, with the Western Ghats being the prime endemic zone, followed by the Deccan Peninsula and the Andaman & Nicobar Islands
One species of mammal, namely the Marsh Mongoose Herpestes palustris, 44 species of water birds and 223 species of fish are known to be endemic to the Indian wetlands (Alfred & Nandi 2000)
The study, conducted by Nature Environment and Wildlife Society, Kolkata, in the Nalban Fishery, 4 No Bheri, Sarder Bheri, Noter Bheri, Sahebmara Bheri, Chinta Sing Bheri, Goltala Fish Project, Chokher Bheri and Gopeswar Bheri within East Kolkata Wetland through random trapping during 2005-06, reports that the whole population of mongoose in north Salt Lake bheri areas is constituted of Herpestes palustris as no other sympatric species of this genus was found to be trapped during the same study
Summary
About 11% of Indian mammalian species are endemic, with the Western Ghats being the prime endemic zone, followed by the Deccan Peninsula and the Andaman & Nicobar Islands. Endemism in wetland fauna is poorly known. One species of mammal, namely the Marsh Mongoose Herpestes palustris (reported as a new species from Salt Lake swamp of West Bengal in 1965), 44 species of water birds and 223 species of fish are known to be endemic to the Indian wetlands (Alfred & Nandi 2000). Information regarding the socio-biology and present status of the endemic Bengal or Salt Lake Marsh Mongoose is scanty given its distinctive features, compared to the other species of the same genera sharing the same wetland habitat, i.e. H_auropunctatus (Hodgson 1836), pointed out by the scientists of the Zoological Survey of India about 42 years ago. Formulation and implementation of a species-specific conservation action plan for this dwindling endemic mongoose is urgently needed. Studies show that urgent conservation measures have to be taken up for the long-term sustenance of the Marsh Mongoose against anthropogenic threats (Sanyal 1999; Walker & Molur 1999; Dey 2007)
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