Published on: January 28, 2022

SPOT-BILLED PELICANS

SPOT-BILLED PELICANS

NEWS

A nematode infestation has led to mass mortality of spot-billed pelicans (Pelicanus philippensis) at Telineelapuram Important Bird Area (IBA) in Andhra Pradesh.

Spot-billed Pelicans

  • Scientific name – Pelecanus philippensis
  • Also called grey pelican
  • Breeds in southern Asia from southern Iran across India east to Indonesia.
  • Bird of large inland and coastal waters, especially large lakes.
  • Breeding population of these pelican species is limited to India, Sri Lanka and Cambodia.
  • In the non-breeding season they are recorded in Nepal, Myanmar, Thailand, Laos and Vietnam.
  • Conservation status
    • IUCN status: Near Threatened
    • Wildlife (Protection) Act, 1972: Schedule IV (Hunting prohibited but the penalty for any violation is less compared to the first two schedules)