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FLORA AND FAUNA IN AND AROUND LONAR

LAKE RESERVOIR

1 Vinayak Rathod , Yeshwant Mahavidhyalay , Nanded

**Research Scholar .

ABSTRACT : An annotated checklist of flora and fauna ,plant and snakes seen in and around Lonar Creator rim from June2017- to june 2018 is presented whereas on the basis of habitat structure and possibility of availability of the species belonging five families of snakes and many families of plants were recorded .16 species of snakes about them 4 poisonous from Elapidar and Viiperidae family whereas 11 snakes non poisonous belongs from family of Typhlopidae ,Colubridae and Pthonidae and remaining 1 species of snakes from Colubridae family , all these snakes are rescued released in their local habitats. This information wiil helps to provide information, awareness and conservation of the fauna in Buldhana district of Maharashtra state .

I- INTRODUCTION

The state of Maharashtra is located in the Deccan region of India .The Arabian sea surrounds the entire western coast of the Maharashtra state. The 1.8 km diameter Lonar Creator in the state of Maharashtra, India includes morphological feature of impact and impacted deposits, including formation and excavation of habitable enviournments.(S.B.Borul,2012).Lonar Creator india is one of the youngest and best preserved impact structure on the Earth. The 1.8 km diameter simple creater formed entirely within the Deccan traps ,making it a useful analogue for small creaters on the basaltic surfaces of the other terrestrial planets and the moon.

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Study Area- The Lonar creater has the attention of world geologists foe investigation of its origin and the source of salinity of lake water. It is Asian only magnificants creater formed by hypervelocity meteorite impact .Unique feature of this lake is its high salinity and alkalinity and its specialized biodiversity .It is situated about a km to south west of Lonar town of Buldhana district of Maharashtra state .It is almost circular depression with its longest and shortest diameters being 1875 km and 1787m resp., with a raised rim about 30m and depth of 135 m.

The Lonar creater is the worlds only salt water lake in basaltic rock ,believed to have been caused by a meteorite hitting Earth around 52000 year ago . It ie surrounded by foreste with a large variety of birds,particularly peacock ,owls,red wattle lapwings and ducks. In the Lonar lake There are number of medicinal and aromatic plants observed .The diverse flora has been observed .

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II- MATERIAL AND METHODS A servey was made from June 2017 to june 2018 with occasional visit the different degreded forest patches and

other probable reptile habitat of in and around Lonar lake reservoir of Buldhana district of Maharashtra.Sampling

was done during both morning and evening hours. Individual species of snakes were located and caught by hands,

sticks through pitfall traps in association with drift fences ,identified and released back to the same sites .after taking

photographs identifications were done following species of poisonous snake are ,

Fauna –snakes species- spectackled cobra (Najanaja),Comman krait (Bunguruscaruleus),Slender coral snake

(Calliophismelanurus ),from the family Elapidae ,Russels vipers (Dabioarusseli )from the family Viperidae.Whereas

non poisonous snakes are Indian rat snakes (ptyas mucosa),common trinket snake(coelonghnathus Helena

Helena)Banded racer (Argyroenafaciolata) Bronze back tree snakes(Dendrelaphistristis) Commom wolf snake

(Lycodonaulicus )Banded kurki snake (oligodonarinesis) checkerredkeelback water

snake(Xenochrophisthophispiscator),stripedkeel back (Amphiiesmastolatum) green keel back of family Colubridae

androck python (Python molurumolurus) of family pythonidae sand boa (gangylophisconicus) from the family

Boidae ,warm sanke of family typhoidae ,semi poisonous snakes of family colubridae .Beside this also taken the help

of secondary information from reliable observer and previous records from a conservationlist, NGO of Buldhana.

Flora –plant species –A series of low hills surround the basin which has an oval shape (almost round ) with

circumferences at top of about 8 km .the sides of basin rise abruptly at angle of about 75 degree .At the base ,the

the lake has circumference of about 4.8 km .The slopes are covers with treesc as ,savannah ,housing teak (Tectona

grandis ), Wrhightia tinctora ,Butea monosperma ,Helictera isora .Shrub savannah with Acacia nilotica and Ziziphus

spp. Cover the creater wall .Along the lake shore ,non native prosopis juliflora sis spreading .The north eastern alivial

terrace ,along lady’s finger ,banana, and papaya are the main cultivated crops. Beside direct observation Ihad also

taken the secondary information from reliable source and records from conservationlist ,NGOs of Buldhana

district.

III -RESULT

Total 16 species of snakes belongs to five families (padmanabhan ) were recorded in and around the lonar lake

reservoir degreded forest habitat of Buldhana district as follows,

Sr.no. common name Scientific name family status

Poisonous snakes

1 Slender coral snake Calliophismelanurus Elapidae U

2 Spectacled cobra Najanajas Elapidae

3 Common krait Bunuruscaeruleus Elapidae C

4 Russel’s viper Daboiarusseli Viperidae C

Non poisonous snake

5 Indian rat snake Ptyas mucosa Colubridae C

6 Banded kurki snake Oligodonarnesis Colubridae C

7 Banded racer Argyogenafasciolata Colubridae C

8 Bronze back tree snake Dendrelaphistristis Colubridae C

9 Common trinket snake Coelonathus Helena Helena Colubridae C

10 Green keel snake Macropisthodonplumbicolor Colubridae U

11 Striped keel back Amphiesmastolatum Colubridae R

12 Worm snakes Ramphotyphlopsbraminus Typhlopidae U

13 Checkredkeelback water snakes

Xenochrophisphiscator Coluridae C

14 Indian rock python Python molurusmolurus Pythonidae R

15 Common wolf snakes Lycodonaulicus Coluridae C

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Semi- poisonous snake

16 Common cat snake Boigatrigonata coluridar C

(C-common ,R-rare spe., Uuncommon ,*Whittaker and Captain (2004)

Table -2 -flora in and around lonar lake reservoir.

Sr.no. Scientific name Status

Trees –flora

1 Tectona grandis C

2 Wrightia tinctoria U

3 Butea monosperma C

4 Helicteres isora U

5 Acacia nilotica C

6 Ziziphus spp. C

7 Prosopsis juliflora R

Cultivated crops

8 Millet C

9 Maize C

10 Banana C

11 papaya C

IV--Lonar Lake reservoir Ecosystem

The chemical characteristic of the lake shoes two distinct regions that do not mix –an outer neutral (pH 7)

and an inner alkaline (pH 11) each with its own for a and fauna. The lake is a heaven for a wide range of

plant animal life. Resident and migratory birds such as black-winged stilts, brahminy ducks ,grebes,

shelducks,shovellers teals, herons ,red watteled lapwings.Among reptiles ,the monitor lizard is reported to

be prominent.

V--DISCUSSION

The present day study revealed that , the existence of species of snakes in their habitat is going to endangered and

some of them are rarev ,it means that it is the indication of of diverse habitats are rapidly changing and it is harmful

to theis Biodiversity and their habitat.The anthropogenic activities are affecting the plant species and animal species

.Initiation of research ,protection measures and public awareness campaigns addressinf local community would go

a long way in conserving the flora and fauna of Lonar lake reservoir of Buldhana district.

VI- ACKNOWKEDGEMENT

The author is grateful to the Chief Wildlife Warden ,Maharashtra forest Department and his subordinates at

buldhana District for permission and corporation.

REFERENCES –

1) Kumbhar Ambolet.al(2012),’’Note on observed snakes in satpura tiger

reserve and record of PsammophisLONGOFORNS Boulenger,1896 Madhy

pradesh ,India’’ Universal journal of enviournmental research and

technology vol.2.4;pp326-365.

2) Borul S.B.(2012),’’study of quality of lonar lake,’’Journalsof

chemical and Pharmaceutical Research,4(3):ISSN:0975-7384,pp.1716-1718

3) https;//enwikipedia.org/wiki/Lonar creator lake.

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4) Book of Indian birds –salim ali

5) Textbook of Botany Vol.III by S.N.Pandey and Ajanta chadha.

6) Treasure of Indian wildlife-Kothari and Chappga.

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