Purnima Devi Barman

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Purnima Devi Barman
Purnima Devi Barman and her Nari Shakti Puraskar (sq cropped).jpg
Receiving Nari Shakti Puraskar on 8 March 2018
Born
Pub Majir Gaon, Kamrup region, Assam, India
Alma mater Gauhati University
Organization Aaranyak
Known forGreater adjutant conservation, founder of Hargila Army

Purnima Devi Barman is a wildlife biologist from Assam, India. She is known for her conservation work with the greater adjutant stork (Leptoptilos dubius), known locally as the Hargila. She is the founder of the Hargila Army, an all-female conservation initiative. In 2017, Barman was the recipient of both the Whitley Award for her conservation efforts and the Nari Shakti Puraskar, the highest women-exclusive civilian award, presented by the President of India.

Contents

Biography

Purnima Devi Barman attended Gauhati University in Assam, [1] where she obtained her Masters in Zoology, with a specialization in Ecology and Wildlife Biology. [2] In 2007 she started her PhD research, but she delayed finishing it until 2019 in order to focus on community conservation education in villages in rural Assam. [3] Barman has worked as a Senior Wildlife Biologist in the Avifauna Research and Conservation Division at Aaranyak, a non-government organization for biodiversity conservation, where she coordinated Aaranyak’s greater adjutant stork conservation project.[ citation needed ] Barman is also a Director at WiNN (Women in Nature Network) India, [4] and a Member of the IUCN Stork, Ibis and Spoon bill Specialist Group. [5]

Greater adjutant

Greater adjutant Greater adjutant.jpg
Greater adjutant

Barman is known for her work with the greater adjutant, a large stork listed as endangered by the IUCN red list. [6] It has a global population of 800–1,200 mature individuals, with the majority of these individuals (650–800) found in Assam India. [2] [6] [7] In Assam this bird lives in close contact with urban areas, nests in privately owned trees and scavenges at rubbish dumps. [2] [6] As a result, the greater adjutant is threatened by pollution, habitat loss, and felling of nesting trees. [6]

Barman began working with greater adjutants while conducting her PhD research in the remote villages of Dadara, Pacharia and Singimari in the Kamrup district of Assam. [3] In 2007, she witnessed a tree owner cutting down a tree containing a greater adjutant nest with nestlings inside. [3] This led Barman to discover that this bird had a bad reputation among the villagers due to its unattractive appearance, scavenging nature and foul-smelling nests. [3] [8] Barman then decided to postpone her PhD in order to focus on educating local communities about the ecological importance of the greater adjutant. [3] [7] [9]

Barman led a number of conservation campaigns that integrated the culture and traditions of the local villagers. These included presenting conservation messages during religious functions, cooking competitions, street plays and community dances. [3] [10] Other education techniques included involving film celebrities to spread conservation awareness, [2] and throwing celebrations for owners of nesting trees used by the greater adjutant. [2] [11] Education campaigns were also directed at children and young adults, using games and activities to educate them on the ecological importance of the greater adjutant. [3] [2] [11] [10] A scholarship was also developed for children of nesting tree owners. [10] Barman also gathered support from Kamrup district government by inviting government officials to visit greater adjutant habitats [3] [2] and by engaging local forestry and police departments to directly participate in conservation actions. [2] [10]

Hargilla Army

Barman is also the founder of the Hargilla Army, an all female grassroots conservation group named after the local name of the greater adjutant. [3] [8] [12] [13] [9] This name comes from the Sanscrit word for "bone swallower." [14] This group has over 10,000 members including 400 local Assamese volunteers. [15] Their goal is to remove all obstacles that prevent greater adjutant conservation. [13] This movement has been credited with empowering marginalized women and giving them a voice in local conservation issues. [12] [4]

Barman and the Hargila Army also actively rescue and rehabilitate injured greater adjutant nestlings. [7] Villagers place nets around nesting trees to catch nestlings if they fall out of trees on windy days (especially during monsoons), and injured nestlings are given medical treatment, rehabilitated at a local zoo then released by the community. [3] [7] Barman has also developed an artificial breeding platform for the greater adjutant, which was successfully used to hatch a nestling in 2019. [3]

Since the onset of Barman’s conservation efforts, local greater adjutant populations have increased. When conservation efforts began in 2007 only 28 nests were found in the Kamrup district colony, but as of 2019 there were 200 nests [3] making this greater adjutant colony the largest in the world. [7] [16]

Barman is also credited with integrating greater adjutant conservation into the culture of rural Assamese villages. [15] Following Barman’ conservation efforts, villagers of the Kamrup district have become actively involved in greater adjutant conservation [2] [10] and as of 2010, no nesting trees have been cut down. [17] Efforts to change the image of the birds from bad omens or pests into one worthy of representation in celebrated human traditions like marriage and childbirth. [14] The greater adjutant has been incorporated into local folk songs, traditions and cultural festivals. [3] [9] For example, villagers give expecting greater adjutants a baby shower or Panchamrit ceremony, using the same rituals done for expecting Assamese women, [10] and Greater Adjutant Day is celebrated every year on 2 February. [11] Women of the Hargila Army also weave images of the greater adjutant into their fabrics, spreading awareness about conservation while generating income for their families. [13] [11] Another outreach initiative is based around educating elementary-age children in the schools through discussions and games, as well as field trips to the landfills where the scavenger birds can often be found. [14]

Awards and honors

Barman was the recipient of the 2017 Nari Shakti Puraskar (the highest civilian award for Indian women) presented by the President of India, Ram Nath Kovind. [18] Also in 2017, a Whitley Award (also known as a Green Oscar) was presented to her by Anne, Princess Royal of the United Kingdom. [19] In addition, Barman has received the Leadership Award 2015 from the Conservation Leadership Programme (CLP), [20] [21] the Future conservationist award 2009, [22] UNDP India Biodiversity Award 2016 from the United Nations, [22] Royal Bank of Scotland RBS "Earth Hero Award" 2016, [22] Bharat Sanchar Roll of Honour 2017 from BSNL in 2017, [22] Balipara Foundation "Green Guru Award" in 2016, [22] and the FIICI FLO Women Achiever Award from North East in 2017. [22] Barman has been honoured with the UN Environment Programme’s (UNEP) 2022 Champions of the Earth award in the Entrepreneurial Vision category. [23] In 2024, She won the GBP 1,00,000 Whitley Gold Award from the Whitley Fund for Nature (WFN), which supports grassroots conservation leaders from around the world. [24] [25]

Selected works

Related Research Articles

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Storks are large, long-legged, long-necked wading birds with long, stout bills. They belong to the family Ciconiidae, and make up the order Ciconiiformes. Ciconiiformes previously included a number of other families, such as herons and ibises, but those families have been moved to other orders.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Lesser adjutant</span> Species of bird

The lesser adjutant is a large wading bird in the stork family Ciconiidae. Like other members of its genus, it has a bare neck and head. It is however more closely associated with wetland habitats where it is solitary and is less likely to scavenge than the related greater adjutant. It is a widespread species found from India through Southeast Asia to Java.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Black-necked stork</span> Species of bird

The black-necked stork is a tall long-necked wading bird in the stork family. It is a resident species across the Indian Subcontinent and Southeast Asia with a disjunct population in Australia. It lives in wetland habitats and near fields of certain crops such as rice and wheat where it forages for a wide range of animal prey. Adult birds of both sexes have a heavy bill and are patterned in white and irridescent blacks, but the sexes differ in the colour of the iris with females sporting yellow irises and males having dark-coloured irises. In Australia, it is known as a jabiru although that name refers to a stork species found in the Americas. It is one of the few storks that are strongly territorial when feeding and breeding.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Painted stork</span> Species of bird

The painted stork is a large wader in the stork family. It is found in the wetlands of the plains of tropical Asia south of the Himalayas in the Indian Subcontinent and extending into Southeast Asia. Their distinctive pink tertial feathers of the adults give them their name. They forage in flocks in shallow waters along rivers or lakes. They immerse their half open beaks in water and sweep them from side to side and snap up their prey of small fish that are sensed by touch. As they wade along they also stir the water with their feet to flush hiding fish. They nest colonially in trees, often along with other waterbirds. The only sounds they produce are weak moans or bill clattering at the nest. They are not migratory and only make short-distance movements in some parts of their range in response to changes in weather or food availability or for breeding. Like other storks, they are often seen soaring on thermals.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Asian openbill</span> Species of bird

The Asian openbill or Asian openbill stork is a large wading bird in the stork family Ciconiidae. This distinctive stork is found mainly in the Indian subcontinent and Southeast Asia. It is greyish or white with glossy black wings and tail and the adults have a gap between the arched upper mandible and recurved lower mandible. Young birds are born without this gap which is thought to be an adaptation that aids in the handling of snails, their main prey. Although resident within their range, they make long distance movements in response to weather and food availability.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Kamrup district</span> District of Assam in India

Kamrup Rural district, or simply Kamrup district, is an administrative district in the state of Assam in India formed by dividing the old Kamrup district into two in the year 2003; other being Kamrup Metropolitan district, named after the region it constitutes. This district, along with Nalbari, Barpeta, Kamrup Metropolitan, Bajali and Baksa districts has been created from the Undivided Kamrup district.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Buxa Tiger Reserve</span> Tiger reserve in West Bengal, India

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">Dibru-Saikhowa National Park</span> National park in India

Dibru-Saikhowa National Park is a national park located in Dibrugarh and Tinsukia districts, Assam, India. It was designated a Biosphere Reserve in July 1997 with an area of 765 km2 (295 sq mi), including a core area of 340 km2 (130 sq mi) and a buffer zone of 425 km2 (164 sq mi).

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Orang National Park</span> National park in the state of Assam, India

Orang National Park is a national park in India located on the northern bank of the Brahmaputra River in the Darrang and Sonitpur districts of Assam. It covers an area of 79.28 km2 (30.61 sq mi). It was established as a sanctuary in 1985 and declared a national park on 13 April 1999. It is rich in flora and fauna, including great Indian rhinoceros, pygmy hog, Asian elephant, wild water buffalo and the Bengal tiger. It is the only stronghold of the rhinoceros on the north bank of the Brahmaputra.

The Whitley Awards are held annually by the Whitley Fund for Nature (WFN) to recognise and celebrate effective grassroots conservation leaders across the Global South. The charity's flagship conservation prizes, worth £40,000 in project funding over one year, are won competitively following assessment by an expert academic panel and are now amongst the most high profile of conservation prizes. Often referred to by others as "Green Oscars", the Awards seek to recognise outstanding contributions to wildlife conservation with a focus on Asia, Africa and Latin America, bringing international attention to the work of deserving individuals committed to precipitating long-lasting conservation benefits on the ground, with the support of local communities. In addition to the funding aspect of the Whitley Awards, WFN also provides media and speech training to enable winners to effectively communicate their work and inspire further philanthropic support.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Greater adjutant</span> Species of bird

The greater adjutant is a member of the stork family, Ciconiidae. Its genus includes the lesser adjutant of Asia and the marabou stork of Africa. Once found widely across southern Asia and mainland southeast Asia, the greater adjutant is now restricted to a much smaller range with only three breeding populations; two in India, with the largest colony in Assam and a smaller one around Bhagalpur; and another breeding population in Cambodia. They disperse widely after the breeding season. This large stork has a massive wedge-shaped bill, a bare head and a distinctive neck pouch. During the day, it soars in thermals along with vultures with whom it shares the habit of scavenging. They feed mainly on carrion and offal; however, they are opportunistic and will sometimes prey on vertebrates. The English name is derived from their stiff "military" gait when walking on the ground. Large numbers once lived in Asia, but they have declined to the point of endangerment. The total population in 2008 was estimated at around a thousand individuals. In the 19th century, they were especially common in the city of Calcutta, where they were referred to as the "Calcutta adjutant" and included in the coat of arms for the city. Known locally as hargila and considered to be unclean birds, they were largely left undisturbed but sometimes hunted for the use of their meat in folk medicine. Valued as scavengers, they were once depicted in the logo of the Calcutta Municipal Corporation.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Dipor Bil</span> Permanent fresh water lake in Assam

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References

  1. ↑ GU fraternity felicitates two conservationists. The Assam Tribune. 2017 Jul 1 [accessed 2019 Nov 6]. http://www.assamtribune.com/scripts/detailsnew.asp?id=jul0117/city058 Archived 12 January 2021 at the Wayback Machine
  2. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 Barman PD, Das AK, Das BK, Biswas S. Conservation initiatives for Greater Adjutant Stork in Assam, India. Aaranyak; 2011. Report No.: Final Report CLP project ID: 331509.
  3. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 Wangchuk, Rinchen Norbu (1 August 2019). "How One Woman With a Special Plan Saved Assam's 'Hargila' Storks From Extinction". The Better India. Retrieved 13 February 2024.
  4. 1 2 "Recent News". Women In Nature Network. Retrieved 13 February 2024.
  5. ↑ "Meet our members - Stork, Ibis and Spoonbill Specialist Group". 29 June 2016. Retrieved 13 February 2024.
  6. 1 2 3 4 BirdLife International. Leptoptilos dubius. IUCN Red List of Threatened Species 2016. 2016 [accessed 2019 Nov 3]. https://www.iucnredlist.org/species/22697721/93633471 Archived 12 January 2021 at the Wayback Machine . doi:http://dx.doi.org/10.2305/IUCN.UK.2016-3.RLTS.T22697721A93633471.en
  7. 1 2 3 4 5 6 Barman PD, Ali S, Deori P, Sharma DK. Rescue, Treatment and Release of an Endangered Greater Adjutant Leptoptilos dubius. Zoo’s print. 2015;30(9):6–9.
  8. 1 2 Purnima Barman, India - Whitley Awards 2017 , retrieved 13 February 2024
  9. 1 2 3 Perinchery, Aathira (30 December 2017). "Purnima Barman works with communities to protect a scruffy, endangered stork in Assam". The Hindu. ISSN   0971-751X . Retrieved 13 February 2024.
  10. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 Barman PD, Borthakur M, Das AK, Da J. Greater Adjutant Conservation Through Community Participation in Assam, India. Aaranyak; 2014. p. 76pp. Report No.: CLP Project ID F03110012. Final Project Report.
  11. 1 2 3 4 "Welcome to official Website of Aaranyak | Home". aaranyak.org. Archived from the original on 12 January 2021. Retrieved 8 January 2021.
  12. 1 2 "Assam Conservationist Purnima Barman Has Won The 'Green Oscars'". HuffPost. 18 May 2017. Retrieved 13 February 2024.
  13. 1 2 3 "Village forms ' hargila army'". www.telegraphindia.com. Retrieved 13 February 2024.
  14. 1 2 3 Rhodes, Carla (29 March 2021). "A Biologist, an Outlandish Stork and the Army of Women Trying to Save It". The New York Times. ISSN   0362-4331 . Retrieved 28 September 2022.
  15. 1 2 "Meet the Indian Scientist Who Gave the Greater Adjutant Stork an Image Makeover". All About Birds. 22 June 2020. Archived from the original on 12 January 2021. Retrieved 8 January 2021.
  16. 1 2 Barman PD, Sharma DK. Largest breeding colony of Greater Adjutant, Leptoptilos dubius Gmelin, in Dadara-Pasariya-Singimari Villages in Assam, India. Zoo’s print. 2015;30(11):5–6.
  17. ↑ "The Greater Adjutant's All-Woman Army | RoundGlass | Sustain". Archived from the original on 12 January 2021. Retrieved 20 October 2020.
  18. ↑ "Assam's Purnima Devi Barman achieves Nari Shakti Puraskar from President". www.guwahatiplus.com. Retrieved 13 February 2024.
  19. ↑ "Green Oscar for Assam conservationist". www.telegraphindia.com. Retrieved 13 February 2024.
  20. ↑ Knight T. Endangered giant stork protected by all-female army. Fauna and Flora International. 2018 Apr 18 [accessed 2019 Nov 3]. https://www.fauna-flora.org/news/national-recognition-indian-conservationist-mobilised-female-army Archived 12 January 2021 at the Wayback Machine
  21. ↑ "Conservation initiatives for greater adjutant stork in Assam, India". Conservation Leadership Programme. Retrieved 13 February 2024.
  22. 1 2 3 4 5 6 "European Environment Foundation". Archived from the original on 12 January 2021. Retrieved 24 February 2020.
  23. ↑ "India's Purnima Devi Barman honoured with U.N.'s highest environmental award". The Hindu. PTI. 22 November 2022. ISSN   0971-751X . Retrieved 23 November 2022.
  24. ↑ "Assam's Purnima Devi Barman Receives 'Green Oscar' Whitley Gold Award 2024". NDTV. NDTV. 2 May 2024. Retrieved 26 May 2024.
  25. ↑ "Assam's Wildlife Conservationist, Dr. Purnima Devi Barman Conferred Whitley Gold Award For 2024". AIR India. Aakashbani_Prasar Bharati. 2 May 2024. Retrieved 26 May 2024.
  26. ↑ Barman PD, Sharma DK. Behavioural ethogram of the endangered greater Adjutant Stork Leptoptilos dubius (Gmelin). International Journal of Zoology Studies. 2017;2(6):272–281.
  27. ↑ Barman, Purnima Devi; Sharma, D. K. (1 June 2020). "Foraging analysis of Endangered Greater Adsjutant Stork Leptotilus dubios Gemlin in certain habitat of Assam, India": 2020.05.31.125328. doi:10.1101/2020.05.31.125328v1.full.{{cite journal}}: Cite journal requires |journal= (help)
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