A scientist from the Bombay Natural History Society (BNHS) spotted the rare and endangered bird species — the Jerdon’s Courser early this month.
According to Dr Asad Rahmani, director of BNHS, “The bird was considered to be extinct as it was first spotted in 1900 and after that in 1986 by our scientist Bharat Bhushan.”
The bird was spotted in the Cuddapah district of Andhra Pradesh this time.
The sightings occurred in the core area of Sri Lankamalleswara Wildlife Sanctuary, Cuddapah at 6.40 am on August 6, 2009 by Rahul Chavan of BNHS and his local assistant Rahim. The duo spotted two Jerdon’s Coursers.
“Our research had revealed that it is a nocturnal bird. So the claims made by locals of seeing the bird in the day cannot be considered authentic,” Rahmani said, adding that Chavan heard the Jerdon Courser’s call during a field study over the past six months.
BNHS has been conducting field research on Jerdon’s Coursers for the last nine years to help conserve the species, in collaboration with UK-based Royal Society for the Protection of Birds (RSPB), Andhra Pradesh Forest Department, University of Cambridge and University of Reading, funded by the Darwin Initiative.
Ian Barber, RSPB’s international officer for India, said, “Although there is international cooperation to prevent this bird’s global extinction there are many pressures, especially habitat loss that could force it into oblivion.”
