Sea Eagles of Malabar Coast

Its goose like nasal honking-call alarms the fishermen on fish shoals that form ”Chakara” and the turning of the tide.  In their mating falls with locked talons from greater heights to the ground they honk in unison. It has more than ten local Malayalam names says Dr Jafer Palot who did his Ph D on the White-bellied Sea Eagle.  People in north Malabar call it Mukorachan (forefather of fisherfolk) and Kamala (as it kills sea snakes as if by a magical mantra used by the indigenous medics called Kamala).

According to eco-activist and author Dr E Unnikrishnan (Kavunni) it is a grace and legend of the sea.  This big, awesome grey and white bird is a rare delight for human eye and the reflective mind.  Its soaring flight and elegant movements against the blue sky are blissful and enthralling for the imaginative and visually sensitive.

Unfortunately this unique avian creature is vanishing in this part of the world though they are present all over the south Asian coast  up to Australia.  Even in Australia their numbers are dwindling.  Once it was present all along the long coastline of India from Gujarat to Bengal.  But today It is diminished to Kannur and Kasaragod coastline alone, in Kerala.  Around 30 adults are left in Kerala.  It is literally absent from the Kochi and Travancore coasts.

The Kerala Forest and Wildlife Department conducted a survey of Kasaragod coast from Payyannur to Kumbala today (26 Jan. 2011) under the initiative of DFO, Mr Joju C T of the flying squad in collaboration with Jafer Palot, V C Balakrishnan, Praveen Neythal and Kavunni.  The Government is also planning to financially assist the families having nests in their plots to conserve them. I was fortunate to join the party near Kanjangad this morning.

The team visited around 15 nesting sites of the White-bellied Sea Eagle along this coastline.  Most of them were formerly identified and visited by Jafer as part of his doctoral research.  The Sea Eagles use the same nest every year.  They may have one or two chicks but mortality is high among the juveniles because of various unconfirmed reasons.  That is why their population is shrinking.

These graceful marine predatory birds use tall mango trees, Palai trees, Casuarinas etc. to build their nest within the vicinity of the sea .  The typical nest is around one meter in diameter and is made up of large twigs.  Both parents guard their young ones and bring sea food to them.  The bones of sea-snakes, eels, fish and even sea gulls are seen beneath along with the white droppings.

Most of the nests  are sheltered in ancient shrines or Kavus as in Palakunnu in Thalangara or Sastha temple Kavu in Kalanad (Kizhur) near Chandragiri.  Kavunni says he is in hot pursuit for the last fifteen years.  Some sympathetic families are also protecting the nests like the Shenoys of Bekal and Basheer family of Muttam north of Kumbala.

It was a great and illuminating experience for me to be with stalwarts like Jafer, Kavunni, V C B, Joju and Neythal Praveen.  I learn a lot from them and nature at large and the ongoing struggles of this great bird for survival.  I salute my maverick friends who follow the flight and fight of this unique creature against extinction within the boundaries of Kerala.