The HUMAN Effect on the population of animals

Describes human impact on animal population

1. The HUMAN Effect on Animal Population Animal population decline and the conservation efforts being made Sarthak Anand Roll no.- 100 BSc. Life Sciences Year 1 Section A

2. ACKNOWLEDGEMENT I would like to express my gratitude to my teacher Dr. Pallavi Singh for providing me with the support, guidance and opportunity to work on this project on “The Human Effect on Animal Population”. I got to learn a lot more about the Biodiversity decline crisis and the efforts being made to tackle it, all of which will be very helpful for me in the future. I would also like to express my delight on the fact that I got to work onn a project given to me by my esteemed institution, Ramjas College.

3. Table of Contents 1)I ntroduction a)Biodiversity Decline b)Causes for Biodiversity Decline c)The HUMAN Effect d)Conservation Efforts 2)Case 1- House Sparrow Population Decline a) The House Sparrow b)Ecological Impact c)Trends in Sparrow population d)Reasons for Population Decline e)Effect of network tower radiation f)Conservation Activities 3)Case 2-Gharial Population Decline a)Gharial b)Trends in Gharial population c)Reasons for Population Decline d)Conservation Activities e) Kukrail Forest Reserve 4) Conclusion & Future Line of Action

4. Introduction

5. Biodiversity Decline Our planet lost 7 out of every 10 vertebrate species in the last 5 decades. In these 5 decades, 84% of the freshwater species went extinct. In India, over 12% wild mammals and 3% bird species face the threat of extinction. And 19% of the amphibians are also threatened or critically endangered The Asia Pacific saw a 45% drop in biodiversity, the second largest only after Latin America and Caribbean which lost 94%. The biggest threat to biodiversity in the Asia Pacific was change in land use (accounting for 45% of the threat) followed by species overexploitation (26.9%) and invasive species and disease (14%) A Black-tailed Godwit

6. The HUMAN Effect Biodiversity loss is caused by five primary drivers: habitat loss, invasive species, overexploitation (extreme hunting and fishing pressure), pollution & climate change associated with global warming. In each case, human beings and their activities play direct roles .  Even though species loss, whether from a single area or from the planet as a whole, results from natural causes (such as disease, natural disasters, and competition with other species over resources), the effects of humans and their activities have come to far outweigh those caused by nature . A Fisherman casting his net

7. The main Human activities causing Biodiversity decline are- DEFORESTATION- The rate of deforestation between 2015-2020 was assumed to be over 10 million hectares per year. And deforestation at such an alarming rate is one of the main causes of biodiversity decline. HABITAT LOSS- caused due to increasing encroachment for urban development. POLLUTION HUNTING & OVEREXPLOITATION INVASIVE SPECIES and SPREAD OF DISEASES- which occur directly or indirectly due to human activities. CLIMATE CHANGE- Ecologists believe that in the 21 st Century, Climate change will become the primary cause for biodiversity decline in the world.

8. Conservation Efforts While the talk of Biodiversity in peril seems gloomy, it isn’t the entire picture. In the past three decades, conservation efforts have picked up pace. In 1992, 150 countries signed the UN Convention on Biological Diversity(CBD), to promote sustainable development and prevent biodiversity loss. And ever since 1993, the conservation efforts have been fairly effective as reports suggests that had these efforts not been made, the rate of extinction of mammals and birds would have been as much as 4 times higher.

9. Even though we still have a lot of problems up ahead, Conservation efforts do work as is evident from the successful conservation of- Tiger (Panthera tigris )- with only 3200 wild tigers left in the world in 2010, due to the conservation efforts being made there has been a slow but steady rise in the population which has now grown close to 3900 individuals in the wild. Mountain Gorilla (Gorilla beringei beringei )- while the population of these giants fell close to 250 in 1981, they now have a minimum wild population of 1063. Indus River Dolphin (Platanista gangetica minor) – with their historical range of 3000 km all across the Indus river decreasing to just 1300 km and their population shrinking to 1200, the species looked in peril. However in recent years their numbers have went up to 1800. Giant Panda ( Aileuropoda melanoleuca) – the poster animal of conservation, had a population of just 1100 in mid 1980s. The Chinese government took action and set up 67 Panda reserves, which has lead to an increase in their population to about 1800. A Tiger

10. CASE 1- House Sparrow ( Passer domesticus ) Population Decline

11. The House Sparrow The  house sparrow  ( Passer domesticus ) is a  bird  of the sparrow family Passeridae , found in most parts of the world. It is a small bird that has a typical length of 16 cm (6.3 in) and a mass of 24–39.5 g. Females and young birds are coloured pale brown and grey, and males have brighter black, white, and brown markings. The bird is strongly associated with human habitation, and can live in urban or rural settings. Though found in widely varied habitats and climates, it typically avoids extensive deserts, grasslands & woodlands away from human development Its intentional or accidental introductions to many regions, including parts of Australasia, Africa, and the Americas, make it the most widely distributed wild bird. A Male House Sparrow

12. Ecological Importance- Sparrows mostly prefer seeds of millet, thistle, weed and sunflower seed. However, they also eat fruits and berries. During this process, sparrows spread seeds to places away from the fruit tree. This is important for germination of the seeds, because if the seeds fall close to the parent plant, they would have to compete for nutrition with the mature plant. This would reduce the chance of germination of the seed as well as growth of the plant once the seed germinated. By spreading seeds, sparrows help the survival of many plants that are the producers in an ecosystem

13. Recent trends in Sparrow Population According to an ornithological survey conducted by the Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR), the sparrow population in Andhra Pradesh alone has dropped by 80% and in other states like Kerala, Gujarat and Rajasthan it has fallen by 20%, while the turn down in coastal areas was as sharp as 70% to 80%. In recent years , ornithologists have observed sharp decline in house sparrow population across India in Uttar Pradesh, West Bengal, Punjab, Rajasthan, Delhi, Haryana, Bangalore, Mumbai and Hyderabad. In parts of Thiruvananthapuram, (Kerala), they had disappeared without a trace by 2003. In Lucknow (Uttar Pradesh) recent surveys reveal the complete absence of House sparrows in several sites since 2013. According to Bombay Natural History society (BNHS) the population of sparrow have indeed declined and low number of nests. A survey organised by the Bombay Natural History Society (BNHS) along with the Central Ministry of Environment and Forests indicate that the Hyderabad-Ranga Reddy zone saw a steep drop in the number of house sparrows from 2005 onwards

14. Reasons for the Population decline Several studies carried on house sparrow have cited varied reasons for their decline. According to Bergtold , the early phase of the decline is likely to be linked to the gradual replacement of horse-drawn transport by automobiles. However, Baker and Shaw stated that any population under stress, when affected by detrimental factors in the environment, would badly affect the populations to cause local extinctions and this would have lead to the large scale decline of the house sparrow. Some studies have demonstrated a number of relationships between density of house sparrows and human population density , conditions of buildings and hence availability of nest-sites, food supply, and amount of vegetation (green space) on breeding grounds . The consensus emerging from these studies on the cause of urban sparrow declines was summarised by Shaw , who reasoned that variation in the development and maintenance of urban landscapes explains the evidence that sparrows have declined less in areas with lower socio-economic status. Besides these, network tower radiations have also impacted the house sparrow population. Its effects are mentioned in further slides.

15. Effects of Network Tower Radiations on Avian Health Indian cities have observed a decline in the overall abundance in birds in various parts of the country. Bird population and density declined closer to the cellular phone base stations. This could be attributed to reduced reproductive success in the birds. In the state of Punjab, birds of different species were observed to have lowered breeding success close to cell phone base stations. Similar observations were made in the town of Bijapur in the state of Uttar Pradesh. A reduction in bird population was recorded in ten species of the birds commonly found in the city. Scenario was no different in the central parts of the country

16. In the town Durg in the state of Madhya Pradesh, population density in 13 species of birds declined where 27 cell phone base stations were installed.In Southern Parts of the country in Chennai, four of the 200-odd Chennai birds; house sparrow, red whiskered bulbul ( Pycnonotusjocosus ), brahmini kite ( Haliasturindus ) and spotted dove ( Streptopeliachinensis ) have virtually disappeared. These are birds which have always been around. Now they are nowhere to be seen. Disappearance of house sparrows has been reported from different parts of the country. Birds are known to be sensitive to magnetic radiation. Increasing number of cell phone towers in cities apparently are bringing down bird population. The microwaves (300 MHz to 300 GHz) emitted by cell phone towers and handsets has been found to be responsible for damaging eggs and embryos of sparrows The current scientific evidence indicates that prolonged exposure to electromagnetic fields at the levels encountered in the environment, may affect the immune system function. Pulsed magnetic fields can influence the development and incidence of abnormalities in chicken embryos while a stressed immune system may increase the susceptibility of a bird to infectious diseases .

17. Conservation Activities In order to tackle the serious population decline issues of the House sparrow , various governmental and non governmental organizations have been making efforts, with the first recognized step being spreading awareness. And in order to do so, World Sparrow day is celebrated every year on 20 th March starting from the year 2010. In 2012, sparrow was declared the state bird of Delhi by the then Chief Minister Late Smt. Sheila Dikshit. The Nature Forever Society in association with the Burhani Foundation (India) started ‘SOS’ (Save Our Sparrow), an initiative in which they distributed 52,000 bird feeders across the world on a non-profit basis. The biodiversity and wildlife conservation lab of LU also rolled out the initiative ‘ Gharaunda 700’ in October 2015. The initiative was aimed at ensuring the installation of 700 sparrow nest boxes in the city .

18. CASE 2 GHARIAL ( Gavialis gangeticus ) Population Decline

19. Gharial The  gharial  ( Gavialis gangeticus ), also known as the  gavial  or the  fish-eating crocodile , is a  crocodilian in the family Gavialidae  and among the longest of all living crocodilians. Mature females are 2.6–4.5 m (8 ft 6 in–14 ft 9 in) long, and males 3–6 m (9 ft 10 in–19 ft 8 in). Adult males have a distinct boss at the end of the snout, which resembles an earthenware pot known as a  ghara , hence the name "gharial". The gharial is well adapted to catching fish because of its long, thin snout and 110 sharp, interlocking teeth A Gharial

20. Trends in Gharial Population The wild gharial population has declined drastically since the 1930s, and is limited to only 2% of its historical range today. Conservation programmes initiated in India and Nepal focused on reintroducing captive-bred gharials since the early 1980s. Loss of habitat because of sand mining and conversion to agriculture, depletion of fish resources and detrimental fishing methods continue to threaten the population. It has been listed as critically endangered on the IUCN Red List since 2007. Currently close to 650 adults are present in the wild which is nearly 98% less than the population a century ago.

21. Reasons for the Population Decline The three main reasons for gharial population decline are: Changes to the Freshwater habitat- due to rampant water pollution, the water quality of rivers has decreased drastically which has contributed to the decline. Hunting for skin- Gharial skin is used for making leather products. Depletion of fish resources- fish serves as the primary food source of the gharial and overhunting of these fishes affects the gharial population

22. Conservation Activities Since the late 1970s, the gharial conservation approach was focused on reintroduction. Rivers in protected areas in India and Nepal used to be restocked with captive bred juvenile gharials. Gharial eggs were incubated, hatched and juvenile gharials raised for two to three years and released when about one metre in length. In 1975, the Indian Crocodile Conservation Project was set up under the auspices of the Government of India initially in Odisha's Satkosia Gorge Sanctuary. It was implemented with financial aid of the United Nations Development Fund and the Food and Agriculture Organization. The country's first gharial breeding center was built in  Nandkaran zoological park. In 1976, two breeding centres were established in Uttar Pradesh, one in  Kukrail Forest Reserve and one in Katarniaghat Wildlife Sanctuary, with facilities to hatch and raise up to 800 gharials each year for release in rivers .

23. Kukrail Reserve Forest Kukrail Reserve Forest  an urban forest created in 1950s as a plantation forest, is located about 9 km northeast from Lucknow city centre in Uttar Pradesh state of India. [1]  It has a captive breeding and conservation center for the gharials, one of the 3 native species of crocodiles in India . The Kukrail Gharial Rehabilitation Centre breeds Gharials and till 2016 total of 5410 gharial juveniles have been released into various rivers Kukrail Gharial Rehabilitation Centre

24. Conclusion & Future Line of Action Though the Biodiversity decline is a big crisis we are facing, it is not the end. Conservation efforts have been shown to work. But th e key here is understanding the problem and the reasons behind it.  Food production uses an enormous amount of land, and increasingly, forests and grasslands are being converted to farmland. Other major causes are climate change, over-exploitation of populations, pollution, and invasive species. The World Resources Institute outlined 21 steps to improve land usage. This includes everything from assuring bio-energy and food do not compete for land, increasing the productivity of farms, and improving soil and water management. Other steps that need to be taken are making sure we do not waste too much food in order to improve the land usage. The International Institute for Applied Systems Analysis (IIASA) published a study in Nature, a part of the larger WWF’s Living Planet Report. And in this report they stated that bold conservation efforts need to be made which include converting 40% of th e total land area into reserved areas. So with proper conservation efforts and meaningful actions taken at every level, the Biodiversity Decline crisis, occurring primarily due to human activities, can be slowed down if not stopped completely. We just need to be patient and keep on working in the right direction .

25. References World Wildlife Fund for Nature(WWF) THE LIVING PLANET Report 2020 IUCN Red List Statistics Summary britannica.com- Primary drivers for biodiversity loss Royalsociety.org- How Humans impact biodiversity The decline of population of house sparrow in India by Pratibha Sharma & Manpreet Binner W.H. Bergtold , The English sparrow (Passer domesticus ) and the motor vehicle Auk, 38, 1921 L.M. Shaw, Investigating the role of socioeconomic status in determining urban habitat quality for the House Sparrow, Passer domesticus , PhD Thesis, University of Exeter,2009. L.M. Shaw, D. Chamberlain, M. Evans, The house Sparrow Passer domesticus in urban areas: reviewing a possible link between postdecline distribution and human socioeconomic status, J. Ornithol . 149, 2008 Fernie KJ, Reynolds SJ. The effects of electromagnetic fields from power lines on avian reproductive biology and physiology: a review. J Toxicol Environ Health B Crit Rev . 2005;8(2):127–140. Balmori A, Hallberg O. The urban decline of the House Sparrow (Passer domesticus ): a possible link with electromagnetic radiation. Electromagn Biol Med . 2007;26(2):141–151. A House for the House Sparrow by Akhilesh Kumar, Amita Kanaujia , Sonika Kushwaha and Adesh Kumar wwfindia.org- Gharial ircf.org- Gharial Wikipedia- Kukrail Reserve Forest Forbes.com- 68% Of Animals Are Gone - Yet Conservation Can Work. Here’s How by Elizabeth Fernandez on September 13,2020 Image credits- Pinterest