Daily routine of captive Asian elephants (Elephas maximus) in three
management systems of Tamil Nadu, India and its implications for elephant
welfare

Abstract :

Population dynamics of wetland birds in the Kole Wetlands of Kerala, India were examined from November 1998 through October 2001. The species richness of avifauna varied in different months with highest being recorded in the month of December and lowest in June. The total number of birds in the area varied from 35 to 8033 individuals in a month with tthe highest being recorded during November 2000 and lowest during June 1999. Shannon Index (H’) for the whole wetland bird community was 3.11, which indicated a high diversity of birds. The highest density of birds was recorded in December (29,158 birds/ha) followed by November (24,373 birds/ha). The species-abundance distribution of birds in this wetland followed the truncated lognormal model, which indicated the presence of a natural bird community. The seasonal abundance of selected species correlated with the rainfall and the water depth, namely, Bubulcus ibis (rainfall, r = -0.7080; water depth, r = -0.7730); Egretta garzetta (rainfall, r = -0.3704; water depth, r = -0.4296); Phalacrocorax niger (rainfall, r = -0.4051; water depth, r = -0.4967); Ardea cinerea (rainfall, r = -0.5110; water depth, r = -0.5191); Ardeola grayii (rainfall, r = -0.5274; water depth, r = -0.6073).