Panaji: Concern is mounting among wildlife enthusiasts and ecologists in Goa after four bird species were recently uplisted to the ‘near threatened’ category by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN). Three of these are open grassland- and plateau-dependent birds found in the state. Among them is the Indian Courser, which was recorded at Quitol plateau on Feb 11, marking a new record for Goa.“Just because plateaus are devoid of dense trees, people think they are of no use. But these are home to a lot of migratory birds, such as the Indian Courser, and other ecosystems,” said Parag Rangnekar, birder and former member, Goa State Biodiversity Board.Recognised for its strong black-and-white brow pattern, orange-suffused crown and chest, the Indian Courser inhabits dry open spaces, including rocky plains and arid areas with scattered scrubs.He further quoted data from eBird, wherein as many as 192 bird species were sighted at Quitol plateau. Besides avifauna, the Quitol plateau is said to harbour high plant diversity, including species that are endemic and highly habitat-specific.“Among the species found in the broader landscape is the herb locally known as Dipkadi, which blooms around Sep and is characteristic of lateritic plateau ecosystems,” Rangnekar said.MK Janartham, retired senior professor of botany at Goa University, who studied plateaus for three decades, told TOI that during the monsoon, a remarkable diversity of herbaceous plants emerges, many of which are endemic, making them highly vulnerable to disturbance.Recently, India Energy Week was held from Jan 27–30 at the ONGC Advanced Training Institute at Quitol.Pradip Sarmokadam, member secretary, Goa State Biodiversity Board, said, “Waste generated during the event was found at the plateau site recently. We alerted ONGC and asked them to initiate action to clear it. However, a visit the next day revealed that additional waste remained at the site.”
