Abstract
The birds of prey or raptors in the National Chambal Sanctuary (NCS) assume importance as they are among the top predators of the region, predating on small crocodilians, turtles, and birds. Our checklist of 30 species of raptors is developed from observations made during winter surveys conducted between 1983 and 2016. The study area covered the course of river Chambal including its confluence with river Kuno that leads from Palpur-Kuno Sanctuary in Madhya Pradesh. The raptors which use the steep and inaccessible mud cliffs of the Chambal landscape include Bonelli’s Eagle Aquila fasciata, Laggar Falcon Falco jugger, Egyptian Vulture Neophron percnopterus, White-rumped Vulture Gyps bengalensis, Spotted Owlet Athene brama, and the Indian Eagle-Owl or Rock Eagle Owl Bubo bengalensis. Most of the other raptors noted in NCS appear to visit from and around the adjoining wildlife areas of Rajasthan and Madhya Pradesh. According to two methods of classification the study comes in the semi-arid biogeographic zone or Khathiar-Gir dry deciduous forest ecoregion. The list of raptors from NCS-Kuno has been compared with previous reports and the list available for Sariska Tiger Reserve and Ranthambhore Tiger Reserve in Rajasthan. The present work is the outcome of a long-term ecological monitoring that primarily focused on the Gharial Gavialis gangeticus and its ecological associates in water and the riverine shores. The birds of prey demanded time and attention for looking above and away from the water surface or the shorelines. Yet, our meticulous records maintained over 34 years have generated a basal profile that is expected to inspire focused studies on parameters that sustain ecological association of raptors of NCS adjoining forest habitats and wildlife sanctuaries in the ecoregion.
Highlights
Background to the study The UNDP/FAO/Government of India Project for Conservation of Crocodiles which was initiated in 1974– 75 (Bustard 1999) concluded in 1982 (de Vos 1984) with several significant contributions to a scenario in Indian wildlife conservation (Singh 1999)
We present a list of raptors that were incidentally sighted during our annual river surveys in the National Chambal Sanctuary and the Kuno confluence leading to Palpur-Kuno Sanctuary in Madhya Pradesh
The National Chambal Sanctuary (NCS) was marked into twelve stretches of smaller study zones (Figure 2 based on Singh 1985) and the area was surveyed by travelling on a motor boat as well as by walking on foot
Summary
Background to the study The UNDP/FAO/Government of India Project for Conservation of Crocodiles which was initiated in 1974– 75 (Bustard 1999) concluded in 1982 (de Vos 1984) with several significant contributions to a scenario in Indian wildlife conservation (Singh 1999). The steep and inaccessible mud cliffs appear to be preferred sites of Bonelli’s Eagle, Laggar Falcon, Egyptian Vulture, White-rumped Vulture, Spotted Owlet, and Indian Eagle Owl. In this note, we present a list of raptors that were incidentally sighted during our annual river surveys in the National Chambal Sanctuary and the Kuno confluence leading to Palpur-Kuno Sanctuary in Madhya Pradesh. Locations of Wildlife Sanctuaries (PA, protected area boundary) with respect to River Chambal, National Chambal Sanctuary bordering the states of Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh, and Uttar Pradesh within Khathiar-Gir dry deciduous forest ecoregion (inset, right bottom) in northwestern India. About 30 km upstream of the Kuno-confluence, the PalpurKuno WS was established in 1981 in the state of Madhya Pradesh with an initial area of about 344.68 km2 It is a dry deciduous forest forming a part of the Vindhyan hill range
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