Idukki . The off-season faunal survey of Idukki Wildlife Sanctuary concluded with the addition of 14 birds, 15 butterflies and 8 odonates. The survey was conducted jointly by the Trivandrum-based Travancore Nature History Society (TNHS) and the Kerala Forest and Wildlife Department from 21–23 February. The sanctuary lying in the catchment of the Idukki Dam was surveyed for 3 days by 45 delegates from various NGOs and research institutions from different parts of southern India using 7 basecamps.

A total of 174 species of birds were observed in the survey including 14 new records. The additional species recorded were Grey Heron, Indian Spotted Eagle, Steppe Eagle, Bonelli's Eagle, Western Marsh-Harrier, Montagu's Harrier, Eurasian Sparrowhawk, Savanna Nightjar, Blue-Faced Malkoha, Blue-Eared Kingfisher, Great Black Woodpecker, Rosy Starling, Long-Billed Pipit, and Indian Silverbill. Currently with the additions the total number of birds in the Idukki Sanctuary is now 245. Other interesting findings are Legge’s Hawk Eagle, Black Baza, Rufous-Bellied Hawk Eagle, River Terns, Brown Fish-Owl, Forest Eagle Owl, and Great Eared Nightjar.

With 155 species of butterflies recorded in the survey with 15 additions, the total number of butterflies is raised to 212 species. The additional records were Lesser Albatross, Tawny Coster, Sahyadri Redspot Duke, Oriental Grass Jewel, Asian Zebra Blue, Dark Ceylon Six-Lineblue, Indian White-tipped Lineblue, Dark Grass Blue, Indian Purple Leaf Blue, Karwar Many-tailed Oakblue, Sahyadri Silver-streaked Acacia Blue, Indigo/Lazuli Flash, Oriental Orchid Tit, Bengal Broad-tail Royal, and Indian Dart. Congregations of thousands of Blue Tiger, Dark Blue Tigers, and Crows were observed in the catchment area, awaiting the rains for initiation of migration to the Eastern Ghats.

The total number of odonates reported in the survey was 48 with 8 additions, and the current checklist is 73 species. Gomphidia kodaguensis Fraser, 1923, Paragomphus lineatus (Selys,1850), Orthetrum glaucum (Brauer, 1865), Orthetrum triangulare triangulare (Selys, 1878), Tramea basilaris (Palisot de Beauvois, 1805), Ischnura senegalensis (Rambur, 1842), Lestes praemorsus decipiens Kirby, 1893, and Protosticta anamalaica Sadasivan, et al., 2022 were the latest additions.

In addition to the above 202 species of moths, 52 species of ants, 10 species of Mandids and 6 species of Cicadas were also observed. The presence of elephants, otters and small mammals was also noted in the three-day composite survey. The data generated by this off-season survey was much higher than that was expected, and we are planning a follow-up survey in the post-monsoon season, said Mr Jayachandran G, Wildlife Warden Idukki Wildlife Sanctuary.

The survey was coordinated by Mr. B. Prasad Kumar Asst. Wildlife warden, K C. Anandan Section forest officer, Sajimon SFO, and K. R. Santhosh SFO from the Forest Department side. The meeting concluded at Idukky on the third day where data compilation was done and final checklists prepared. Besides TNHS, STEAR Nilambur, Green Caps Thrissur, BSB Thrissur, Aranyakam Nature Foundation, MAARC, Annamalai University, Kerala University, Bharathiyar University, Sacred Hearts College, NEST Trivandrum, participated in the survey.