Survey discovers six new species from Periyar Tiger Reserve in Keralam

A four-day faunal survey conducted within the Periyar Tiger Reserve (PTR) in Keralam's Thekkady has resulted in the discovery of six previously undocumented species, highlighting the reserve's rich biodiversity. Among the newly recorded species are a bird, a butterfly, and four odonate species. The golden-headed cisticola (Cisticola exilis) was identified as the bird species, making it the first of its kind to be found in the reserve.

With the addition of this bird, the cumulative bird count within the reserve has reached 347. Additionally, the survey documented 192 butterfly species, raising the reserve's total butterfly species count to 284. Four odonate species, which include dragonflies and damselflies, were also observed for the first time in the reserve: the parakeet darner (Gynacantha millardi), fraser's clubtail (Acrogomphus fraseri), spiny horntail (Burmagomphus chaukulensis), and nilgiri clawtail (Lamelligomphus nilgiriensis).

The total number of odonate species documented in the reserve has now reached 111. The survey, which took place from September 10 to 13, involved 75 delegates from 21 NGOs, academic and research institutions, along with Forest department officials and frontline staff. The results of the survey underscore the importance of the reserve's elevational gradient, evergreen forests, grasslands, and ecotonal habitats in supporting a diverse range of wildlife.

The findings emphasize the necessity of regular biodiversity surveys, as adding six new distribution records to the area, which is already intensively studied, highlights the importance of such systematic assessments.