December 1, 2002  Mayank Bhatnagar


To:


Subject: An appeal to protect Sarus Cranes in U.P. from illegal trade and prevent of loss of habitat.


Dear Mr. Berry,

It was disturbing and shocking to read recent media reports about threats to Sarus Cranes in U.P., specially as the Sarus happens to be the State Bird of U.P. and the largest known populations are found in the state.

Reports about Sarus being openly sold in the bird markets of Lucknow are a matter of shame - not only for the state authorities, but also for all the people of India, as the Sarus happens to be one of the finest representatives of India's rich bio-diversity and a fabulous flagship of the health of our bountiful wetlands.

It was also quite disappointing to learn about plans by the authorities (Uttar Pradesh Usar Sudhar Nigam - Development Board) to "develop" agriculture in the state, particularly in Etawah and Mainpuri, which are known to support up to 30 per cent of the world's population of the Indian Sarus.

As you may be aware, these two districts have immense ecological and historic value - documented first in the early 20th century by Sir Allan Octavian Hume, the British administrator, bird watcher and poet. There are enormous tracts of natural wetlands and marshlands in the area, indeed in the whole state, which help to maintain nature’s balance in these critical times of global warming, ultimately benefiting humans. The areas also offer tremendous eco-tourism potential - which could benefit the people living here.

The Sarus is a "K-selected species" in an ecologist's vocabulary: they raise very few young every year, and this makes them specially vulnerable. The "tip-of-the-iceberg" phenomena seen in illegal animal trade could be true for the Sarus as well, where for every one bird seen in captivity, nine may have been dead!

It has now been recommended by the Crane Working Group of the IUCN that the Sarus be shifted to appendix 1 of the CITES (Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species), so any trade, capture and associated disturbances must be dealt with severely. BirdLife International, based on information relating to the deterioration of the Sarus’ habitat in the country, was forced to designate "Globally Threatened" status to the species as recently as June 2001.

While this certainly does not speak well of the country, it is an opportunity for us to work harder to conserve the Sarus, and get its name removed from the infamous Red Data List by preserving crucial wetland habitats.

I hereby make an earnest appeal to you to immediately crack down on people engaged in the cruel and illegal trade in Sarus Cranes, and particularly on those who have encouraged the trade by buying these birds and are keeping them in captivity.

I also request you to do your best to protect the two ecologically rich districts of Mainpuri and Etawah, which are certainly stars in the geographical map of Uttar Pradesh and which offer tremendous eco-tourism and revenue earning potential.

Sir, I bestow my faith in you to take the desired action without delay, and make us all proud of the rich, life-giving natural heritage of our country.

Thank you.

Yours sincerely,




Your Name
Your address
(Or your designation and organization address if applicable)


December 1, 2002


To:
Shri T. Balu
Minister of Environment and Forests
Paryavaran Bhawan, C.G.O. Complex
Lodhi Road
New Delhi
India


Subject: An appeal to protect Sarus Cranes in U.P. from illegal trade and prevent of loss of habitat.


Respected Mr. Balu,

It was disturbing and shocking to read recent media reports about threats to Sarus Cranes in U.P., specially as the Sarus happens to be the State Bird of U.P. and the largest known populations are found in the state.

Reports about Sarus being openly sold in the bird markets of Lucknow are a matter of shame - not only for the state authorities, but also for all the people of India, as the Sarus happens to be one of the finest representatives of India's rich bio-diversity and a fabulous flagship of the health of our bountiful wetlands.

It was also quite disappointing to learn about plans by the authorities (Uttar Pradesh Usar Sudhar Nigam - Development Board) to "develop" agriculture in the state, particularly in Etawah and Mainpuri, which are known to support up to 30 per cent of the world's population of the Indian Sarus.

As you may be aware, these two districts have immense ecological and historic value - documented first in the early 20th century by Sir Allan Octavian Hume, the British administrator, bird watcher and poet. There are enormous tracts of natural wetlands and marshlands in the area, indeed in the whole state, which help to maintain nature's balance in these critical times of global warming, ultimately benefiting humans. The areas also offer tremendous eco-tourism potential - which could benefit the people living here.

The Sarus is a "K-selected species" in an ecologist's vocabulary: they raise very few young every year, and this makes them specially vulnerable. The "tip-of-the-iceberg" phenomena seen in illegal animal trade could be true for the Sarus as well, where for every one bird seen in captivity, nine may have been dead!

It has now been recommended by the Crane Working Group of the IUCN that the Sarus be shifted to appendix 1 of the CITES (Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species), so any trade, capture and associated disturbances must be dealt with severely. BirdLife International, based on information relating to the deterioration of the Sarus’ habitat in the country, was forced to designate "Globally Threatened" status to the species as recently as June 2001.

While this certainly does not speak well of the country, it is an opportunity for us to work harder to conserve the Sarus, and get its name removed from the infamous Red Data List by preserving crucial wetland habitats.

I hereby make an earnest appeal to you to immediately crack down on people engaged in the cruel and illegal trade in Sarus Cranes, and particularly on those who have encouraged the trade by buying these birds and are keeping them in captivity.

I also request you to do your best to protect the two ecologically rich districts of Mainpuri and Etawah, which are certainly stars in the geographical map of Uttar Pradesh and which offer tremendous eco-tourism and revenue earning potential.

Sir, I bestow my faith in you to take the desired action without delay, and make us all proud of the rich, life-giving natural heritage of our country.

Thank you.

Yours sincerely,




Your Name
Address
(Or your designation and organisation address if applicable)
 

Sarus update - Aniruddha Mookerjee, March 20

New Delhi, March 20: The Allahabad High Court Tuesday stopped the draining of five wetlands crucial for the survival of the world's largest concentration of the endangered Sarus cranes. These five wetlands in the northern Indian state of Uttar Pradesh, which are home to over 33 per cent of the global Sarus crane population, were being drained under a World Bank funded wasteland reclamation project. There are only about 9,000 Sarus cranes left in the world. 
Delivering the final order on the PIL filed by the Wildlife Trust of India, the division bench of Chief Justice S K Sen and Justice R K Agrawal, directed that "further conversion of land and extension of canals be stopped." The judges also held the chief wildlife warden of Uttar Pradesh, Dr R.L. Singh, who was present in the court, to be personally responsible for protecting the Sarus and its habitat in the districts of Etawah and Mainpuri. The order said: "All measures to be taken by the chief wildlife warden present here for conserving and protecting the Sarus and its habitat." The judges gave the state government one month to do the needful. 
"This is a major victory for the conservation fraternity," Aniruddha Mookerjee, Director Programmes, who filed the case said, "the wetlands were being drained with impunity. Even the district magistrate's orders were being flouted. We are glad that the court understood our point of view and paved the way for these wetlands to be declared sanctuaries for the state bird of Uttar Pradesh." 
"The Allahabad High court has shown the way to quick justice," WTI counsel Sudhir Mishra, who specializes in wildlife matters, said. "This is one of the quickest judgements pronounced on a PIL by any court in the country," he said. 
Mr Mookerjee, had expressed concern in his petition that the situation in these two districts was grim, as work on the wetland conversion projects was in full swing and canals, which in some areas were nearly 20 feet wide, were rapidly draining the wetlands. 
The five wetlands in Etawah and Mainpuri, districts namely: Sarsai Nawar, Garh, Sauj, Ambarpur and Kodaiya support more than 3000 Sarus cranes, which is more than one third of the global population. The Wasteland Development Board of the government of Uttar Pradesh had declared these as saline wastelands and was draining them for conversion for other uses. The petition followed the published findings of a two and half year research project done by K.S. Gopisunder of the Wildlife Institute of India working on a national management plan for the protection of Sarus. 
The petition pointed out that the Chief Wildlife Warden (CWC) of Uttar Pradesh had visited these sites in Etawah and Mainpuri. After assessing the ground situation, the CWC wrote to the administration and the Districts Magistrates who immediately issued orders against drainage. The respective District Magistrates of Mainpuri and Etawah also stopped the issuance of pattas(ownership papers) in these wetlands on the grounds that they are important Sarus habitat, despite which the work was carrying on.
It was also pointed out that the construction of a culvert at Kudaiyya in Mainpuri has resulted in the draining of one of the wetlands and has resulted in the decline of the resident Sarus population from over 200 to 22 only.
Mr. Mookerjee said in the petition that any further draining of water from the wetland will render the flocks homeless and force them to look for roosting sites in the nearby crop field where they can wreak havoc, leading to conflict situations that have historically never existed between man and this revered bird. "Since this is the only known site of its size and quality in the country, it is beyond doubt that it is irreplaceable and we can not develop any alternative site," Mr. Mookerjee said in the petition.

Sarus update - Aniruddha Mookerjee, February 2002

New Delhi, January 25: The Allahabad High Court today admitted a writ petition that seeks to stop the Uttar Pradesh State Government from draining the wetlands in the districts of Etawah and Mainpuri, which provide shelter to the world’s largest concentration of Sarus Cranes.A division bench of Chief Justice S K Sen and Justice R K Agrawal heard the petition filed by the Wildlife Trust of India (WTI), and directed the Secretary,Uttar Pradesh Forest Department, to submit a status report on the draining of the Sarus Crane’s habitat in these two districts, within two weeks.The court also issued notices to Union Ministry of Agriculture, Union Ministry of Environment and Forests, UP Ministry of Irrigation and UP Ministry of Agriculture. The court patiently heard the WTI counsel, Mr. Sudhir Mishra and expressed concern over the gravity of the Sarus Crane’s situation.Mr. Aniruddha Mookerjee, Director (Programmes) WTI, who filed the petition on behalf of the organization, said that the situation in these two districts was grim, as work on the wetland conversion projects had already begun in some areas. The petition pointed out that the Chief Wildlife Warden (CWC) of Uttar Pradesh had visited these sites in Etawah and Mainpuri. After assessing the ground situation, the CWC wrote to the administration and the Districts Magistrates who immediately issued orders against drainage. The respective District Magistrates of Mainpuri and Etawah also stopped the issuance of pattas in these wetlands on the grounds that they are important Sarus habitats, despite which the work was carrying on. It was also pointed out that the construction of a culvert at Kudaiyya in Mainpuri has resulted in the draining of one of the wetlands and has resulted in the decline of the resident Sarus population from over 200 to 22 only. Mr. Mookerjee told the court that any further draining of water from the wetland will render the flocks homeless and force them to look for roosting sites in the nearby crop field where they can wreak havoc, leading to conflict situations that have historically never existed between man and this revered bird. Since this is the only known site of its size and quality in the country, it is beyond doubt that it is irreplaceable and we can not develop any alternative site, Mr. Mookerjee said. There are five main wetlands in these two districts, which need immediate protection for the survival of Sarus Crane: Sarsai Nawar, Gaad, Sauj, Ambarpur and Kudaiyya. The most important habitat is Sarsai Nawar, which is in Etawah district and has the largest population of this threatened species of Sarus Crane. Ten Sarus Crane pairs breed regularly in this wetland which is more than twice the number of breeding pairs in Bharatpur Bird Sanctuary in Rajasthan the best known for bird in the country. In winters, more than 40,000 migratory birds use Sarsai Nawar wetland. The second major wetland is Gaad, in Mainpuri. This wetland has a yearlong congregation of over 300 Sarus Cranes that feed on specific tubers of aquatic plants that abound in these wetlands. The third crucial wetland is Sauj Lake, also in Mainpuri, home to 4,000 Great white pelicans in winter. The last crucial wetlands are Ambarpur, which has nearly 450 Sarus Cranes, and Kudaiyya. The petition has sought that these five crucial wetlands be declared as `protected’ as per the definition of the Wildlife Protection Act.1972. It was also pointed out to the court that sensing the alarming situation, the Bombay Natural History Society (BHNS) Director, Mr. Asad R. Rahmani, had written letters to the Chief minister of Uttar Pradesh, Mr. Raj Nath Singh and to the Prime Minister of India, Mr. Atal Bihari Vajpayee, requested them to conserve the wetlands in these two districts. The Ministry of Environment and Forests has estimated that India has about 4.1 million hectares of wetlands (excluding paddy fields and mangroves) of which 1.5 million hectares are natural and 2.6 million hectares man-made, Mr Mookerjee said. Some facts about the Sarus Crane: The Sarus Crane (Grus antigone antigone) is the state bird of Uttar Pradesh. Sarus Cranes have long been associated with Hindu mythology, with verses describing their ritualistic pair bonding appearing in the Ramayana. They are part of a group of birds technically called Gruidae and are adapted to living in wetlands and marshlands. The Sarus holds the distinction of being the tallest flying bird in the world. Of the three subspecies of the Sarus found in the world, the Indian subspecies is the largest and the biggest population is India’s responsibility. Uttar Pradesh has the largest population and concentration of Sarus Cranes in the entire world. Nearly 15-20% of the world’s population of the Indian Sarus Cranes has made Etawah and Mainpuri their permanent home. Breeding pairs hold permanent territories that they protect fiercely from other pairs. Pairs build an untidy nest using aquatic plants, which they pile up haphazardly. One or two eggs are laid, and after about a month of incubation, during which both adults take turns to sit on the eggs, the chicks hatch. After the young hatchlings leave their parents’ nests, they herd together in large congregations where they select their mates. Wetlands are coveted sites for the congregations where the young cranes dance, sing, eat and form pair bonds. The International Union for Conservation of Nature and Natural Resources (IUCN), an apex world body that classifies species with respect to their status, has classified the Sarus Crane as globally threatened. 

Sarus update - Gopi Sundar  July 7th, 2001

Here is an update on the Sarus/ wetland situation in Etawah - Mainpuri. I will appreciate it if you can put it up on nathist.

There is mixed news from Etawah and Mainpuri regarding the Sarus and the wetlands.

1. In Etawah, the District Magistrate, Mr. S.P. Goyal has issued a directive not to give any portion of the wetland Sarsai Nawar (Etawah) as patta or any other use. This would directly save the wetland from degradation due to ploughing, and is helping the Sarus
to stay on.

2. The DFO of Etawah, Mr. Devendra Kumar has developed an initiative of exchanging some forest land on the outskirts of Sarsai Nawar with those villagers who have land presently in the Sarsai Nawar marshland. There is the feeling that the region will soon be
declared a Sarus sanctuary. I counted 220 Sarus on 27 June in the marshland! Hope that all plans go on.

3. The Mainpuri situation has not changed with canals being constructed in Ambarpur wetlands, a culvert near completion in Kudaiyya wetland. I have heard of no official stand on the issue and hope to meet the concerned officials soon to discuss the matter and
seek a resolution safeguarding the interests of the Sarus. People are encouraged to petition the DM Mr. Naresh Kumar, Mainpuri towards speeding the process. He has already been intimated of the
problem by the Chief Wildlife Warden of the state, Dr.R.L. Singh.

The cranes are still around and the situation is still very much salvable. The nesting of the Sarus has commenced in Etawah - Mainpuri region with the first egg being laid on 6th July early in the morning. So far 6 nests have been discovered in total. It is
expected that more than 100 pairs will breed in the region this year.

I await any further news of the entire situation and will put up updates as and when news trickles in. Thank you for your kind attention and efforts to conserve the Sarus and the wetlands.

Sarus in trouble - Gopi Sundar June 2001

[ Home ] [ Up ]