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Detailed Ecological Assessment Report 2008 – Keti Bunder
inhabitants and WWF members and consulting the previous literature citations.
The amphibians are represented by three species belonging to three genera and
two families. Among the reptiles, chelonians are represented by four species
belonging to four genera and two families. Lizards are the second dominant
group of herpetiles, represented by 18 species belonging to 12 genera and six
families. Snakes out numbered all the groups of reptiles in the study area and are
represented by 20 species belonging to 17 genera and seven families.
Birds: The locations visited were: agriculture and fruit areas, inland coastal belt
and creek areas. The main bird habitats are: coastal areas, agricultural fields,
small forest areas having Mesquite, Salvadora, Capparis, Typha and Phragmites
spp., fruit farms, marshes and the creek area. The main creek area comprises of
Hajamro, Chann, Khober and Bhoori creeks. The main habitat here is the
mangrove forest. 68 species of birds were recorded in the summer surveys while
91 species were recorded in the winter surveys. Out of 68 species recorded in the
summer surveys, 22 species were of water birds, 6 birds of prey and 25
passerines along with Pigeons, Doves, Pygmas, Kingfishers, Parakeets,
Cuckoos, Bee-eaters and woodpeckers.
Blue Rock Pigeon, Common Myna and Common Babbler were quite common.
3 over-summering birds viz Curlew, Redshank and Osprey were also recorded.
ied Crested Cuckoo was the summer breeding visitor.36 species were common,6
less common 25 scarce and 1 abundant. A total of 91 pecies of birds were
recorded in the winter surveys out of these, 49 species were resident, and 31
species were winter visitors. 8 were irregular year-round visitors and 3 were
passage migrants. 48 species were common, 36 less common, 5 scarce and 2
rare. The important species recorded were: Painted Stork, Black-headed Ibis,
Common Quail, Black-bellied Tern, Rufous-fronted Prinia, Paradise Flycatcher
and Rosy Pastor.
Zooplankton: Keti Bunder has been a huge resource of ecologically as well as
economically imperatively crustaceans and this area still provides a big platform
for their breeding and dispersal at a remarkably massive level. It is therefore
important to briefly edify about some of the significant biological aspects of these
creatures.
In Keti Bunder the prawn population has decreased tremendously over the recent
years. The Locals of the area told that this decrease is up to fifty percent and this
is mainly due to the constantly increasing fishermen community, equally
damaging is the impact of the illegal netting through the notorious nets ‘Boola‘
and ‘Gujja’ which indiscriminately trap all types of fishery resources including the
small and medium sized fish, prawn and crabs. Prawn population has also
dramatically decreased especially in the winter in Keti Bunder. In winter, owing to
the heavy influx of migratory birds and carnivorous fish which both feed on
prawns, the prawn population decreases dramatically. Somehow the prawn
population tends to stabilize in summer when the migratory birds return and the
hunting is reduced. This trend is repeated with similar pattern every winter. The
locals validated this observation with their annotations and recollections
Crab population has also been declining continuously since the last decade. As
the fish population has already fallen in the area, the fishermen have now swiftly
shifted their focus on the crabs along with the prawns and this has eventually
disrupted the ecological balance of these economically vital crustaceans of the
area. One adult crab is sold for 12 rupees per male specimen and 10 rupees for
every female specimen owing to the difference of the sizes in the two sexes. In
winter the fishermen community tends to avoid the fishing practices due to the
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