Lesser Adjutant Leptoptilos javanicus Horsfield, 1821 (Ciconiiformes: Ciconiidae) in the dry lowlands of Sri Lanka: distribution, ecology, and threats
<p>The<strong> </strong>Lesser Adjutant <em>Leptoptilos javanicus</em> is a globally threatened species of stork; in Sri Lanka, it is a scarce resident breeder, and the largest bird in the country, yet the population status and ecology of the species is poorly understoo...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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Wildlife Information Liaison Development Society
2015-11-01
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| Series: | Journal of Threatened Taxa |
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| Online Access: | http://threatenedtaxa.org/index.php/JoTT/article/view/2425 |
| _version_ | 1818278815348031488 |
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| author | Thilina N. de Silva Sumudu Fernando Haritha B. de Silva Parami Tennakoon |
| author_facet | Thilina N. de Silva Sumudu Fernando Haritha B. de Silva Parami Tennakoon |
| author_sort | Thilina N. de Silva |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | <p>The<strong> </strong>Lesser Adjutant <em>Leptoptilos javanicus</em> is a globally threatened species of stork; in Sri Lanka, it is a scarce resident breeder, and the largest bird in the country, yet the population status and ecology of the species is poorly understood. This study tracks the stork’s spatial distribution and habitat use within the island, along with aspects of its ecology. Data was collected via field sampling and questionnaire surveys, over a period of five years across the lowlands of the country. The bird was observed 184 times, with numbers per sighting ranging from 1–17 individuals. The species’ distribution was restricted to dry lowlands (rainfall <2200mm, elevation <300m). The bird showed preference for savannah/woody savannahs, dry mixed evergreen forests, permanent wetlands, and croplands, and was prominently found within protected areas. Lesser Adjutants were generally solitary, except in the driest months of the year (i.e., August–September and March–April), which are probably the two breeding periods of the bird in Sri Lanka. Except for an abandoned nest, no active nest was found. Habitat loss and fragmentation, hunting pressure, agricultural intensification, and development projects were identified as potential threats faced by the species, which varied in magnitude across the country.</p><div> </div> |
| first_indexed | 2024-12-12T23:23:26Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-e0c1bdf7138545b19ef96b9375e79f8d |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 0974-7893 0974-7907 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-12-12T23:23:26Z |
| publishDate | 2015-11-01 |
| publisher | Wildlife Information Liaison Development Society |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Journal of Threatened Taxa |
| spelling | doaj.art-e0c1bdf7138545b19ef96b9375e79f8d2022-12-22T00:08:13ZengWildlife Information Liaison Development SocietyJournal of Threatened Taxa0974-78930974-79072015-11-017148089809510.11609/jott.2425.7.14.8089-80951821Lesser Adjutant Leptoptilos javanicus Horsfield, 1821 (Ciconiiformes: Ciconiidae) in the dry lowlands of Sri Lanka: distribution, ecology, and threatsThilina N. de Silva0Sumudu Fernando1Haritha B. de Silva2Parami Tennakoon3Biodiversity Institute, University of Kansas, 1345 Jayhawk Blvd, Lawrence, KS 66045, USABiodiversity Institute, University of Kansas, 1345 Jayhawk Blvd, Lawrence, KS 66045, USADefenders of Wildlife Sri Lanka, PO Box: 42/11, Pragathi Mawatha, Uda Eriyagama, Peradeniya 20400, Sri LankaAssistant Divisional Secretary, Divisional Secretariat, Dimbulagala 51031, Sri Lanka<p>The<strong> </strong>Lesser Adjutant <em>Leptoptilos javanicus</em> is a globally threatened species of stork; in Sri Lanka, it is a scarce resident breeder, and the largest bird in the country, yet the population status and ecology of the species is poorly understood. This study tracks the stork’s spatial distribution and habitat use within the island, along with aspects of its ecology. Data was collected via field sampling and questionnaire surveys, over a period of five years across the lowlands of the country. The bird was observed 184 times, with numbers per sighting ranging from 1–17 individuals. The species’ distribution was restricted to dry lowlands (rainfall <2200mm, elevation <300m). The bird showed preference for savannah/woody savannahs, dry mixed evergreen forests, permanent wetlands, and croplands, and was prominently found within protected areas. Lesser Adjutants were generally solitary, except in the driest months of the year (i.e., August–September and March–April), which are probably the two breeding periods of the bird in Sri Lanka. Except for an abandoned nest, no active nest was found. Habitat loss and fragmentation, hunting pressure, agricultural intensification, and development projects were identified as potential threats faced by the species, which varied in magnitude across the country.</p><div> </div>http://threatenedtaxa.org/index.php/JoTT/article/view/2425Conservationlocal stakeholder communitiesprotected areasrandom distribution valuespecies rangestork-nesting behaviorthreatened specieswildlife questionnaire surveys. |
| spellingShingle | Thilina N. de Silva Sumudu Fernando Haritha B. de Silva Parami Tennakoon Lesser Adjutant Leptoptilos javanicus Horsfield, 1821 (Ciconiiformes: Ciconiidae) in the dry lowlands of Sri Lanka: distribution, ecology, and threats Journal of Threatened Taxa Conservation local stakeholder communities protected areas random distribution value species range stork-nesting behavior threatened species wildlife questionnaire surveys. |
| title | Lesser Adjutant Leptoptilos javanicus Horsfield, 1821 (Ciconiiformes: Ciconiidae) in the dry lowlands of Sri Lanka: distribution, ecology, and threats |
| title_full | Lesser Adjutant Leptoptilos javanicus Horsfield, 1821 (Ciconiiformes: Ciconiidae) in the dry lowlands of Sri Lanka: distribution, ecology, and threats |
| title_fullStr | Lesser Adjutant Leptoptilos javanicus Horsfield, 1821 (Ciconiiformes: Ciconiidae) in the dry lowlands of Sri Lanka: distribution, ecology, and threats |
| title_full_unstemmed | Lesser Adjutant Leptoptilos javanicus Horsfield, 1821 (Ciconiiformes: Ciconiidae) in the dry lowlands of Sri Lanka: distribution, ecology, and threats |
| title_short | Lesser Adjutant Leptoptilos javanicus Horsfield, 1821 (Ciconiiformes: Ciconiidae) in the dry lowlands of Sri Lanka: distribution, ecology, and threats |
| title_sort | lesser adjutant leptoptilos javanicus horsfield 1821 ciconiiformes ciconiidae in the dry lowlands of sri lanka distribution ecology and threats |
| topic | Conservation local stakeholder communities protected areas random distribution value species range stork-nesting behavior threatened species wildlife questionnaire surveys. |
| url | http://threatenedtaxa.org/index.php/JoTT/article/view/2425 |
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