Shades of Habitat: Field notes from Palani hills and beyond
Satheesh Muthu Gopal
It was early ‘80s. We kids in early primary school would go to the Netaji Playground, a grand icon of small town Udumalpet. Just beside the ground was the municipal bus stand and about 200 metres to its east was a municipality run abattoir in operation. In the evenings we could see a flock of vultures - at least a dozen - preying on the pieces of carcasses just outside the abattoir. Those birds were really giant. When their wings are spread wide, they would be easily 2 to 3 meters, tip to tip. With their sharp and strong beaks, they would be feasting on the remaining flesh and bone marrows of the dead cattle. Though it would be a bit scary for us kids, we still go there to watch those giant birds.
Little did we know then that they were White rumped vultures, which were about 40 millions in number in India, but by ‘90s close to 99.5% of them would be lost :( Yes !! The vultures were almost extinct by ‘90s. Just in the span of 10 years :( And why? As it is always, it is not nature’s play but we humans were the sole cause. A decade later, it was found the sole cause of their rapid decline is due to medicines containing “diclofanac”, an NSAID (aka painkiller) administered to the cattle.
Once the findings were confirmed and acknowledged, various countries including India banned the drugs with diclofanac to be given to the livestock. However, as always, the toxic compound finds its way into the drugs camouflaged under different names :(
The vultures live in flocks and their reproductive rate is also far too low. A vulture lays just one egg at a time. As they collectively feed on the carcasses, they all die :( Vultures were a saviour to mankind by clearing the carcasses and thereby stopping the spreading of deadly diseases through various bacteria and viruses. But, do we humans ever think of living together in harmony with the flora, fauna, birds, fish, bugs, insects… which mother nature has brilliantly set up a food chain to keep things in balance? We are a curse to this planet.
Coming to this book by a dear friend Satheesh, who hails from Palani, has recorded his observations of birds in and around Palani hills. He has passionately described his birding trips and how enthusiastic and empathetic he is towards - not only the birds - but the ecology in whole.
As I read through the book, I went down my own memory lanes on bird sightings, though I have not done them intentionally. Now I count them all as my blessings to watch all those birds in various parts of India and around the world. In Udumalpet, birds like Koels, Red headed parrots, Coucals, Grey Fancolins, Spotted Doves, Drongos… are quite commonly sighted. Of these, the Coucals being near to ground, we have seen them preying on snakes. They dodge the snakes for sometime making them tired and finally overpower them. Their red colored wings, red eyes and bigger size are quite imposing.
In ‘80s, there used to be a yard just next to the railway station where Gypsum was stored and transported to the ACC cement factory located at Madhukkarai, between Coimbatore and Palakkad. The vast place would be muddy and slippery during rains and parched with cracks during summer. We were lucky enough to watch some migratory birds like storks, cranes, egrets nesting on the trees and bushes there. Though they were not in big numbers as seen in regular migration spots like Vedanthangal, they stayed there for some time. Along the railway lines were thorny bushes and trees like rain tree, camel foot trees. Many palm trees and neem trees too. In some seasons, we see hundreds of weaver bird nests hanging in the trees. I am sure that they won’t be there now as the town has grown in all directions, just like any other town. Even if they are there, only a handful would be aware of them and enjoy such sights. Pitifully, people are so glued to a small screen which they think is the real world :(
Cormorants are quite common in all the ponds and lakes around our town. They also live in flocks of hundreds. They fly swiftly skimming just a foot above the water and dip in to catch their prey. And they spread their wings and pose for a long time drying and waxing their wings.
We often went to Munnar, about 80kms from Udumalpet, to see Nilgiri Tahr, Giant squirrels, deers and elephants too. The reserved forest area starting from Chinnar, Maraiyur, Munnar and beyond in the Western Ghats is home to a wide spectrum of animals and birds. Deer hunting was common, though illegal. Some seasoned hunters sit with bushes in their hands to hide themselves and wait for the deer cubs that come to the water streams. They stealthily move near to the deer and hunt them down with bare hands :( One could see the meat packed in black plastic bags being sold at the foot hills in another couple of hours. These hunters were later arrested and vigilance was enhanced to curb the hunting.
In Singapore, near our home, I am lucky enough to watch a pair of Orioles every morning, just out of my window. There are also some Oriental Pied Hornbills around our estate which I watch quite often. Water monitors are quite a common sight in my regular running trail along the punggol river. Even near our office, right in the centre of the city, we have a good amount of greenery where we see Hornbills, Parrots, Kingfishers and even a Malyan Monitor Lizard. Many times in the mornings, a poor Hoopie tries to peck the glass windows as the canopy reflected on the glasses is deceptive. An otter family used to stay near Lorong Halus bridge and Coney Island. The otter cubs are so cute and playful. It is a delight to watch them playing around despite the foul smell they emit :)
My elder brother is also an avid bird watcher like Satheesh. He started sharing his bird sightings and I too got hooked on slowly. He introduced me to the world of Pipits, Swallows, Thrashes, Tits, Sparrows, Starlings, Hummingbirds, Robins, Sunbirds, Flycatchers, Bee eaters….. Together, we both learnt how the birds are named and recognised with the color of their feathers, neck, breast, rump… features like crests, crowns, length and form of their tails… size and shape of beaks, bills… feet, claws, nails.. they are meticulously observed and named. Names like greater, lesser, little, short… identify the variations within the same species.
The bird world is really interesting and amazing. Once you are into it, you will really enjoy it. Thanks to Satheesh Muthu Gopal, whose book has made me recall all those golden memories that were lying subconsciously.
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Thank you so much Mahesh for taking time to read and share your thoughts. - Satheeh
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