The Gujarat Forest Department is reintroducing the Indian Grey Hornbills (IGH) in the largest contiguous forest tract in western India, nearly 90 years after they vanished from Gir forest.
According to Mohan Ram, deputy conservator of forests (DCF), Sasan wildlife division, the department has released 20 IGHs in the forest in three batches in recent months after trapping and capturing them from northern parts of the state where they are resident birds.
Ram, who is also the superintendent of Gir National Park and Wildlife Sanctuary (GNPWL), said the first batch of four hornbills was released on October 28 last year, followed by a second batch of five on December 27. The third set of 11 hornbills was released on Thursday (February 24) on the birth anniversary of late ornithologist Lavkumar Khachar.
Of the more than 1,200 species of birds found in India, around 600 occur in Gujarat – more than 300 species in Gir forest alone, the DCF said.
Almost 48% of the 62 species of hornbills across the globe are under threat today, Ram said, adding that while 10 species of hornbills are found in the Indian subcontinent, IGH is the only species in Gujarat.
“Historically, it (IGH) was not an uncommon species in Gir and was specifically plentiful during the months of winter. In Gir, the presence of IGH was recorded till 1936, and after that there were rare records of sporadic sightings in or around Gir. Eminent ornithologist R S Dharmakumarsinhji had suggested reintroducing the IGH in Gir as they play a pivotal role in the forest ecosystem,” the sanctuary superintendent said.
The DCF said that before releasing them, one male IGH from each of the first two batches and two males from the third batch were tagged with solar-powered satellite gags connected to a high-tech monitoring unit located in Sasan. Ram said that the third batch of 11 hornbills were released in the Gir forest after what he termed as the success of the previous two batches.
“A unique step of reintroduction of the IGH with prior permission from the competent authorities has been initiated by Gujarat Forest Department, which may help to bring back its population in Gir,” said the officer who has also overseen satellite-tagging of lesser floricans, vultures and cranes to study their migration pattern and ecology.
“Proper methodology and safety measures were taken while transporting and tagging the individuals. The work may bring back an important forest bird species to Gir after many decades. The satellite tagging will help to understand their ecology and movement in the area. It will also generate immense data, which will serve as a baseline for the conservation of the IGH in the Gir landscape,” he said, pointing out that this will be a baseline study in understanding the ecology of the species.
Interestingly, one of the tagged hornbills has been named after Dharmakumarsinhji, the late royal of the erstwhile princely state of Bhavnagar and a renowned ornithologist, while the other has been named LK in honour of Lavkumar Khachar, a late ornithologist who belonged to the royal family of the erstwhile princely state of Jasdan in present-day Rajkot district.
“Moreover, these 11 birds were also marked by coloured rings on their left leg, which will help identify them in future,” the DCF said.
The exercise is being led by Shyamal Tikadar, the principal chief conservator of forests (wildlife) and chief wildlife warden of Gujarat, and Dushyant Vasavada, the chief conservator of forests of the Junagadh wildlife circle, which includes the Gir sanctuary.
Devesh Gadhvi, deputy director of the Corbett Foundation, and his team are providing technical assistance to the project.