Type: Species

Why in the News?

A new study by the Wildlife Institute of India (WII) reveals that wind farms in the Thar Desert, Rajasthan, have the highest recorded bird mortality rates globally.

Bird Mortality at Wind Farms: Key Findings

• Study Details: Conducted across 3,000 sq. km in Jaisalmer, Rajasthan, covering 90 wind turbines and 272 bird species, including the critically endangered Great Indian Bustard.
• Carcass Count: 124 bird carcasses found within 150m radius of turbines.
• Annual Mortality Estimate: 4,464 birds per 1,000 sq. km, after corrections for detection gaps and scavenger interference.
• Control Sites: 28 sites (500–2,000m from turbines) found zero carcasses — indicating turbines as the direct cause.
• Reasons:
  • Policy Gap: Onshore wind projects in India do not require Environmental Impact Assessments (EIAs), which weakens ecological safeguards.

Comparison with Past Studies:

• 2019 Studies: Recorded just 0.47 bird deaths per turbine/year in Kutch and Davangere.
• Thar Desert Rate: 1.24 bird deaths per turbine/month — significantly higher.
• Contributing Factors:
  • High bird density in Thar.
  • Location along Central Asian Flyway.
  • Collisions with turbine-linked power lines included in this study.

Proposed Mitigation Measures:

• Technological:
  • Paint one turbine blade for visibility.
  • Shut down turbines during peak migration or high-risk periods.
• Planning-Based:
  • Careful Site Selection seen as most critical step.
  • Use of tools like AVISTEP (Avian Sensitivity Tool for Energy Planning), which maps avian sensitivity across India.
  • AVISTEP ranks zones as low to very high sensitivity — intended as a guide for site avoidance.

Why in the News?

The Assam Forest Department is conducting DNA profiling of 2,500 rhino horns using the Rhino DNA Index System (RhODIS) to aid wildlife forensics and curb illegal trade.

What is Rhino DNA Index System (RhODIS)?

• Overview: It is a wildlife forensic tool designed to combat rhino poaching through DNA profiling.
• Development: It was originally developed by South Africa and later adapted for use in India.
• Working: The system helps build a genetic database of individual rhinos by collecting DNA from horns, tissues, dung, or blood samples.
• Utility: Each rhino has a unique DNA profile, making it possible to match confiscated horns with individual animals or poaching locations.
• Implementing Agency: In India, the Wildlife Institute of India (WII) is responsible for RhODIS genetic analysis under the RhODIS India program.
• Applications of RhODIS: The system plays a vital role in linking seized rhino horns to poaching incidents, providing admissible forensic evidence in court cases, tracking illegal wildlife trade routes and criminal networks, and monitoring genetic diversity and population health over time.

About One-Horned Rhinoceros:

• Overview: The Greater One-Horned Rhinoceros (Rhinoceros unicornis) is a herbivorous megafauna species native to the Indian subcontinent.
• Distinctive Features: It is also called the Indian rhinoceros and is characterized by its single black horn and thick, armor-like skin.
• Conservation Status: It is listed as Vulnerable on the IUCN Red List, in Appendix I of CITES, and under Schedule I of the Wildlife Protection Act, 1972 (India).
• Major Habitats in India: Its primary habitats include Kaziranga, Pobitora, Manas, and Orang National Parks in Assam; Jaldapara and Gorumara National Parks in West Bengal; and the Dudhwa Tiger Reserve in Uttar Pradesh.
• Population Growth: Its has increased from around 1,500 in the 1980s to over 4,000 in 2024, with Assam alone holding 80% of the global population. Kaziranga National Park houses the largest population, with 2,613 rhinos as per 2022 data.
• Primary Threats: Major threats include poaching for horns driven by illegal wildlife trade and false beliefs about medicinal value, as well as habitat degradation due to floods, encroachment, and climate change.
• Indian Rhino Vision 2020 (Project Rhino):  It was launched in 2005, aimed to spread the rhino population across seven protected areas.