Impacts of pesticides on Black kites, Milvus migrans govinda in Bundelkhand region of India

Ragni Gupta* , Amita Kanaujia
Page No. 6-15

Milvus migrans govinda is a helpful raptor that helps in controlling animals those are harmful for
agriculture. It is a member of Accipitridae family. It’s feeding habit involves small animal such as
small mammals (mice and rats), snakes, lizards and insects. This shows that Milvus migrans
govinda is a helpful raptor that helps in controlling animals that are harmful for agriculture.
Organochlorine pesticides are well known as persistent contaminants that accumulate in the upper
trophic levels of food chains. Pesticides injure birds both directly and indirectly and birds are often
affected by a combination of different kinds of effects. When birds in the wild are harmed by
pesticides, acute mortality, indirect impacts and sub-lethal effects occur together in a multi-faceted
combination. Twelve Milvus migrans govinda found dead between 2007-2011 in Bundelkhand
region were examined to investigate the health status, including the causes of death and the burden
of organochlorine contaminants. Concentrations of organochlorine pesticides were examined by
gas chromatography. Death of three Milvus migrans govinda attributed to contamination of
pesticides found in lethal concentration due to bioaccumulation in food chain. Thus, lethal
concentrations found in present study may be contribute a serious environmental factor affecting
the survival of considered population. There is a possibility for some interesting research to come
from this present research.
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Keywords: Raptor, wild, pesticides, harmful, agriculture, mortality.