Dr.salim ali[1]

about his biography and contributions

1. WELCOME

2. PRACTICUM Presented By, Asha Cherian Natural Science Auxilium College, Kidangoor EDU 104.18: UNDERSTANDING THE DISCIPLINE OF NATURAL SCIENCE EDUCATION

3. LIFE AND CONTRIBUTIONS OF DR. SALIM ALI

4. SALIM ALI (1896-1987) Name :- Salim Moizuddin Abdul Ali. Birth :- 12 November 1896. Born in :- Khetwadi, Mumbai. Parents :- Moizuddin and Zeenat-un-nissa. Guardians :- Amiruddin Tyabji and Hamida Begum. Nationality :- Indian. Profession:-Ornithologist and Naturalist. Awards :- Padma bhushan, Padma Vibhushan Known as :- " Birdman of India " / Grand old man of India. Died :- 20 June 1987, Mumbai .

5. CHILDHOOD He was born into a Sulaimani Bohra Muslim family on 12 November 1896, in Bombay (now Mumbai). He was the nineth and the youngest child of Moizuddin and Zeenat-un-nissa. His father died when Salim was just a year old, and his mother too expired after a couple of years. The orphaned children were then raised by a childless uncle and aunt.

6. When he was ten years old, Salim shot a strange looking bird with his toy air gun. Unable to identify the bird, he showed it to his uncle Amiruddin who introduced the boy to W. S. Millard, secretary of the Bombay Natural History Society (BNHS). Millard was impressed by the boy’s curiosity and kindled his interest in ornithology by offering to train him.

7. INTERESTS Salim Ali have a passion about studying birds in detail. He had interests in playing cricket and hunting. Fascinated by motorcycles having Sunbeam, Harley-Davidsons (three models), and others. Ali was not very interested in the systematic and taxonomy of birds. His interest was in studying "living bird in their natural environment."

8. EDUCATION Primary education : Bible and Medical Mission Girls High School at Girgaum. Matriculation: Bombay University (1913). Left studies and went to Burma. Returned to India (1917) he decided to continue formal studies. Commercial law and accountancy at Davar's College of Commerce. B.Sc Zoology at St. Xavier's College. (under Prof. J.P.Mullan and Prof. E. Blatter). Special Training : Berlin University Zoological Museum, Prof. Ervin Stresemann.

9. FIRST STEP First prize: Our Animal Friends. Interested in books on hunting. Encouraged by foster-father Amiruddin Tyabji. Yellow-throated Sparrow ( Petroia xanthocollis ) event (1908) as the turning point. Salim was introduced to the serious study of birds by W. S. Millard, secretary of Bombay Natural History Society (BNHS). Journey of collection and study begins.

10. FIRST NOTE ON BIRDS BEHAVIOUR First note Salim Ali made concerned to a hunting experience at Khetwadi stable. Observation made was on a female sparrow. First behavioural study. After 60 year it was published in Newsletter for Birdwatchers more or less in its original form.

11. MARRIED LIFE December 1918, Salim Ali married Tehmina, a learned scholar from England. Tehmina help him to improve his English prose. Bird watcher and his script editor .

12. Salim Ali desperately wanted the ornithologist's position which was open at the Zoological Survey of India but could not get it due to the lack of a formal university degree. In 1926, he took assignment as guide lecturer at Prince of Wales Museum in Bombay Dealing with blind students of the Victoria Jubilee School for the Blind. CAREER

13. After two years, he took a study leave and went to Germany where he worked under Professor Erwin Stresemann at the Berlin Zoological Museum . He gained useful experience in Berlin and made acquaintance with many of the major German ornithologists of the time including Bernhard Rensch, Oskar Heinroth and Ernst Mayr. He also gained experience in bird ringing at the Heligoland Bird Observatory.

14. SINGLE EVENT WITH GREATEST PLEASURE His work on nesting habit of baya weavers ( Ploceus megarhynchus salimali ) , d one after his return from Germany 1931. He and his wife moved to Kihim, a coastal village near Mumbai. Study the breeding of the Baya Weaver and discovered their mating system of sequential polygamy.

15. Later commentators have suggested that this study was in the tradition of the Mughal naturalists that Salim Ali admired and wrote about in three part series on the Mughal emperors as naturalists. Eventually, he received an opportunity to conduct systematic bird surveys of the princely states that included Hyderabad, Cochin, Travancore, Gwalior, Indore and Bhopal with the sponsorship of the rulers of those states. He was aided in his surveys by Hugh Whistler.

16. SALIM ALI’S WIFE TEHMINA In 1939, Tehmina died suddenly after minor surgery. Her death was one of the greatest tragic experiences of Salim Ali, but, perhaps it drove him deeper into the world of birds. The Black-rumped Flameback Woodpecker, first collected in Kerala by Ali, is named after his wife, Tehmina.- Dinopium benghalense tehminae. Dinopium benghalense tehminae.

17. LITERARY CAREER Salim Ali was a prominent writer, he penned number of books, scientific studies , and research papers . Books Handbook of the Birds of India & Pakistan (1964-1974). Common Indian Birds (1968 ). Hamare Parichit Pakshee (1969). Bird Study in India (1979). The Great Indian Bustard (1982). A Pictorial Guide to the Birds of the Indian Subcontinent with Dillon Ripley, Bombay: OUP (1983) The Fall of a Sparrow (1985). The Book of Indian Birds (1996).

18. THE BOOK OF INDIAN BIRDS A wise old Chinese proverb “One picture is worth 10,000 words” I t includes 56 coloured plates depicting 296 species . Birds described in term of size, distribution, habits, food and nesting . It is considered as the landmark book on Indian ornithology.

19. TERMINOLOGY OF BIRD’S PARTS AND PLUMAGE

20. Dillon Ripley & Salim Ali S. Dillon Ripley & Salim Ali Dillon Ripley (Secretary of the Smithsonian Institution from 1964 to 1984) is a close friend of Salim Ali . They are joint authors of “Handbook of the Birds of India and Pakistan" published in 1964 - 1974. This book has 10 volumes describing more then 2000 birds species and sub-species of Indian subcontinent. This book laid the foundation of Indian bird life . It covered the birds of the subcontinent, their appearance, habitat, breeding habits, migration, etc.

21. Under museum diagnosis the measurements given for wing, bill, tarsus and tail by this standard method. Wing :- Carpal joint to longest feather. Bill :- By help of divider with one end at culmen and other at tip of beak . Tarsus :- Knee joint to base of middle toe . Tail :- End of body to tip of longest feather. MEASUREMENTS

22. THE FALL OF A SPARROW Salim record his evolution from a young school boy to a celebrated ornithologist. It contains memorable bits about Salim’s life, his influences, his travels and his activities. The journey in search of some bird, Afghanistan, Flamingo city, and Bharatpur. The entertainment value of bird watching.

23. SYSTEMATIC BIRD SURVEYS The places where he did Surveys 1.Burma(Myanmar) 2.DehraDun(Uttarak h and ) 3.Travancore(Kerela) 4.Bahawalpur(Pakistan) 5.Eastern Himalayan 6.Afganisthan 7.Tibet 8.Kutch Wrote Regional Guides of many regions .

24. MALABAR TROGON Harpactes fasciatus Most colourful bird identified and studied by Salim Ali . Described as a "bird with a play of colours". Generally silent. Trogon is known for its musical calls.

25. GREAT INDIAN BUSTARD S cientific n ame : Ardeotis nigriceps Salim Ali strongly pushed the case of the Great Indian Bustard to be choosed as the national bird of India. In 1981, Dr . Salim Ali assessed the deteriorating status of the great Indian bustard. Book “The Great Indian Bustard” in 1982 . The Bombay Natural History Society embarked on a five-year project to study the ecology and distribution of the Great Indian Bustard.

26. BIRDS MIGRATION Birds migration is a fascinating subject to S alim Ali . Bharatpur sanctuary is the focal point of BNHS for migration studies which Salim Ali directed during his tenure . Nearly 250 species are recorded there including Siberian crane, duck, geese and other birds. Every winter the Siberians cranes, and thousands of ducks, geese and other birds come to Bharatpur escape the bitter cold of Siberia and central Asia, from here many migrant dispersed to other part of India. Dr. Salim Ali at Bharatpur sanctuary .

27. METHODOLOGY The best way to study the birds migration is by ringing the birds. Collection. Particulars of each birds are recoded . Marked with aluminium rings. The serial number is informed to BNHS. When ever the bird is found dead or alive the finder communicates the details to the society. In this way the bird route and destination are determined.

28. MIG R A TION S TUDY OF Anas crecca Commonly known as: Teal Study Area: Bharatpur Bird Sanctuary Financial assistance: WHO Method: Ringing and recovery . Areas of Recovery: India, Pakistan, Bangladesh and Afghanistan on one side and Russian Territories on other. OBSERVATIONS They cross Himalaya during migratory journey. Teals are common visitor of Indian subcontinent from August to April (Ali and Ripley, 1974 )

29. RECOVERY OF BIRDS Number of birds recovered in Russian territories and India had Striking difference. More birds were recovered from Russian territories. REASONS: Illiteracy and unawareness. Keeping rings as mementos of duck shooting days. Delay in postal services . Illegal shooting without license. Wildlife Protection Act 1972.

30. IN SEARCH OF BIRDS In January 1974, Ali visited Great Rann of Kutch to discover breeding ground of lesser flamingo ( Phoeniconaias minor ). Some 70 km on camel back over slippery wet mud. Found few lesser flamingo among herds of greater flamingo. Suspection has been proved when found with chicks and nests. First authentic record of their breeding in Indian sub-continent . .

31.  Ali was also interested in the historical aspects of ornithology in India. In a series of articles, among his first publications, he examined the contributions to natural-history of the  Mughal emperors . In the 1971 Sunder Lal Hora memorial lecture and the 1978 Azad Memorial Lecture he spoke of the history and importance of bird study in India.

32. MOMENTS WITH BOMBAY NATURAL HISTORY SOCIETY Salim Ali ensured the survival of BNHS by seeking help from Jawaharlal Nehru . Dr. Salim Ali was the Society's first Indian Honorary Secretary and also served as its President. Conservation of nature, primarily biological diversity, through actions, based on research, education and awareness .

33. OTHER CONTRIBUTIONS He helped in the establishment of an economic ornithology unit within the Indian Council for Agricultural Research in the mid-1960s.  He was also able to obtain funding for migration studies through a project to study the Kyasanur forest disease, an arthropod-borne virus that appeared to have similarities to a Siberian tick-borne disease. Ali also headed a BNHS project to reduce bird hits at Indian airfields.

34. He also attempted a citizen science project to study house sparrows in 1963 through Indian birdwatchers subscribed to the  Newsletter for Birdwatchers. Ali influenced the designation of the Bharatpur Bird Sanctuary , the Ranganathittu Bird Sanctuary and in decisions that saved the Silent Valley National Park. One of Ali's later interventions at Bharatpur involved the exclusion of cattle and graziers from the sanctuary and this was to prove costly as it resulted in ecological changes that led to a decline in the waterbirds. Some historians have noted that the approach to conservation used by Salim Ali and the BNHS followed an undemocratic process.

35. Ali was a frequent visitor to The Doon School where he was an engaging and persuasive advocate of ornithology to successive generations of pupils. As a consequence, he was considered to be part of the Dosco fraternity and became one of the very few people to be made an honorary member of  The Doon School Old Boys Society .

36. Salim not only researched about birds, but also contributed to the arena of protection of nature. For his extraordinary efforts, he was given an international award of INR 5 lakhs, but he donated all the money to Bombay Natural History Society. He was instrumental in promoting the development of ornithology in india and was a major influence in conservation related issues in post-independence india. This genius man died at the age of 90 on June 20, 1987 after a prolonged battle with prostate cancer. LATER LIFE AND DEATH

37. AWARDS 1953 : Awarded with Joy Gobinda Law Gold Medal by Asiatic Society of Bengal. 1958 : Received doctorate degree from Aligarh Muslim University. 1958 : Honored with Padmabhushan Award. 1970 : Bestowed with Sunder Lal Hora Memorial Medal. 1973 : Received honorary doctorate from Delhi University 1976 : Conferred upon with Padma Vibhushan Award. 1978 : Received honorary doctorate from Andhra University. 1986 : Received honorary doctorate from Kerala Agriculture University.

38. MEMORIALS SACON (Salim Ali Centre for Ornithology and Natural science ) was established at Coimbatore by the Government of India in 1990. Pondicherry University established the Salim Ali School of Ecology and Environmental Sciences. The location of the BNHS in Bombay was renamed to "Dr. Salim Ali Chowk". In 1972, Kitti Thonglongya discovered a misidentified specimen in the collection of the BNHS and described a new species that he called  Latidens salimalii , considered one of the world's rarest bats, and the only species in the genus  Latidens .

39. The subspecies of the rock bush quail( Perdicula argoondah salimalii ) and the eastern population of Finn's weaver ( Ploceus megarhynchus salimalii ) were named after him by Whistler and Abdulali respectively. A subspecies of the Black-rumped flameback woodpecker ( Dinopium benghalense tehminae ) was named after his wife, Tehmina, by Whistler and Kinnear. Salim Ali's swift ( Apus salimalii ) originally described as a population of  Apus pacificus  was recognised as a full species in 2011 while  Zoothera salimalii , an undescribed population within the  Zoothera mollissima  complex, was named after him in 2016.

40. SALIM ALI - THE NATIONAL FIGURE Salim Ali National Park in Srinagar , Kashmir ( City Forest National Park) :- Mangrove shrubberies comprise of the main flora in the Salim Ali National Park, which happens to be haven for bird watchers and tourists alike. Here, visitors are likely to sight diverse varieties of avian species that fly in from near and far……… Salim Ali Bird Sanctuary in Panjim, Goa : - It  is an estuarine mangrove habitat, which is declared as the bird sanctuary. The smallest bird sanctuary in India, it is spread over an area of 1.8 sq.km

41. The Thattekkad Bird Sanctuary was the first bird sanctuary in Kerala. Salim Ali described this sanctuary as  the richest bird habitat on peninsular India. SACON (Salim Ali Centre for Ornithology and Natural science) in Tamil Nadu. Salim Ali Bird Interpretation Centre at Kriyarkutty , Kerala. A . K Mehrotra in his illustrated History of Indian English Literature, praises him as “Salim is a sort of writer, whose accounts of people are no less interesting than those of birds” .

42. Dr. Salim Ali National Wildlife Fellowship Award National Wildlife Fellowship Award for Research/Experimental projects on avian wildlife (1995) by Ministry of Environment and Forest . A commemorate to Salim Ali and Inspiration for younger generations aimed at conservation and development of the rich wildlife heritage of our country . The fellowship amount is Rs. 20000/- per month and the contingency amount from Rs. 18000/- per annum to Rs. 1,00,000/- per annum, for a period of two years.

43. In case, the Awardee is an employee, he/she is entitled to avail the Fellowship awards along with the salary benefits and other allowances. Only Indian citizens are eligible for the awards. The Dr. Salim Ali National Wildlife Fellowship Award is given in an odd numbered year.

44. SALIM ALI VIEW ON BIRD SANCTURIES “People expect a bird sanctuary like a glorified zoo, they don’t realize that a sanctuary is merely a conserved natural habitat where birds will come if assured of adequate food, protection and nesting facilities”

45. CONCLUSION The Grand Old Man of Indian Ornithology, Salim Ali scaled new heights in the field of ornithology and, with his matchless dedication, left behind works of epic dimensions. He left his family business under the influence of curiosity for nature and started journey with a pair of binocular, a notebook, a pencil and an ample stock of patience and dedication. Today if one can identify or differentiate between two birds, it is all because his accurately illustrated reader friendly birds books. He contributed enormously to the development of Indian Ornithology.