The Hindu : Encroachments posing threat to wetlands

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Saturday, Jun 01, 2002

Southern States

Southern States - Kerala-Thiruvananthapuram

Encroachments posing threat to wetlands

By C. V. Gopalakrishnan

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM May 31. The coastal brackish water wetlands of Kerala are listed among the predominant wetland types requiring priority attention for ecological protection.

Encroachments and reclamation of wetlands for farming are the threats faced by the rapidly diminishing area of wetlands. An aspect of the encroachments resulting from agricultural expansion is that while this may add to the country's grain production, the shrinking of the wetlands will eventually have a negative impact on agricultural output itself.

The Sasthamkotta wetland of Kerala spreading over 375 hectares is among the wetlands of national and international importance in India. Wetlands are "the traditional zones that occupy an intermediate position between dry land and open water,'' says a recent study. As unique ecosystems placed close to waters, the range of habitats extend "from rivers, flood plains and rainfed lakes to swamps, estuaries and salt measures''. This should give an idea of the diverse and heterogeneous nature of the wetlands. It is perhaps not widely known that the wetlands play a major role in assisting flood control measures, ensuring protection from wave erosion, the recharging of aquifers and they are winter habitats for migratory birds. A little over 25 plant varieties and 22 animal groupings in the country's wetlands figure in the list of endangered species. Among the other points highlighted by the study is that the actual forest cover of Kerala is not more than 10,336 sq. km in spite of its geographical area having a spread of as much 38,863 sq. km. This reveals the extent of deforestation, which the State has suffered over the years.

Among the other revealing findings made by the study relates to longevity in wildlife, with the hardy tortoise heading the list with an estimated 152 years, followed by the killer whale (90), Indian elephant (70), horse (62), the pigeon (35), dog (25), cow (40) and goat (18). The lifetime of the ostrich is stated to be 62, followed by the cat (34) and rabbit (18). The housefly takes the last place in the list with a life span of not more than 0.2 years. The other interesting finding is that dragon fly flies at between 25 and 55 kilometres per hour and flaps its wings at anywhere between 25 to 40 beats per second. The wing beat of the mosquito is stated to be 600 per second while flying at a speed of one to two km per hour.

A message from the study appears to be that the human race would seem to have not only been alone among the world's species in posing a threat to the living presences and inflicting irreparable damage to the world's ecology. The threat to the other species was becoming intensified from 1500 A.D, prior to which it was limited to hunting, intensification of agriculture by ploughing and the building of large empires. Since 1500 A.D., land and marine exploration, revolution in transport and engineering construction and the resulting deforestation have been destroying the other species. The University Grants Commission has put together these and other facts in its just published `Economics of Protected Areas and its effect on diversity' by Ram Bir Kushwah and Vijay Kumar.

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