The Indian issue of 'International Year of Biodiversity'

Left : Indian Eagle-owl (印度雕鴞) ; 
Right : Ruddy Shelduck (赤麻鴨) and Brahminy Kite (栗鳶)
Postmark : Pale-capped Pigeon (紫林鴿)
India (2012)
24th August, 2014. Bhubaneswar
18th October, 2014. Hong-Kong

The United Nations declared 2010 to be the International Year of Biodiversity. It is a celebration of life on earth and of the value of biodiversity for our lives. The world is invited to take action in 2010 to safeguard the variety of life on earth: biodiversity.The International Year of Biodiversity is a unique opportunity to increase understanding of the vital role that biodiversity plays in sustaining life on Earth.

50 years of Nagaland

Great Hornbill (雙角犀鳥)
India (2013)
13th January, 2014. Bangalore International Airport

Nagaland is a state in the far north-eastern part of India. It borders the state of Assam to the west, Arunachal Pradesh and part of Assam to the north, Myanmar to the east and Manipur to the south, it was established on 1 December 1963 to be the 16th state of the Indian Union. Nagaland is rich in flora and fauna. About one-sixth of Nagaland is under the cover of tropical and sub-tropical evergreen forests, the Great Indian Hornbill is one of the most famous birds found in the state.

Kadalundi Bird Sanctuary lies in the Malappuram District of the state of Kerala in India. It spreads over a cluster of islands where the Kadalundipuzha River flows into the Arabian Sea. The Sanctuary hill is around 200 m above sea level. It is 19 km from Kozhikode city centre. It is home for the birds like Painted Stork, Asian Openbill Stork and Common Spoonbill.

Great Hornbill (雙角犀鳥) ; postmark : Painted Stork (彩鸛)
India (2013)
15th January, 2014. Kadalundi Bird Sanctuary, Kadalundi

Biodiversity hotspots in India

From left to right :
25rp : Bugun Liocichla (布坤藪鶥) ; 5rp : Nicobar Megapode (尼柯巴塚雉)
5rp : Hoolock Gibbon (白眉長臂猿) ; 5rp : Venated Gliding Frog (橙腹樹蛙*)
India (2012)
11th September, 2013. Bangalore International Airport

A biodiversity hotspot is a biogeographic region with a significant reservoir of biodiversity that is under threat from humans. The concept of biodiversity hotspots was originated by Norman Myers in two articles in “The Environmentalist” (1988), & 1990 revised after thorough analysis by Myers and others in “Hotspots: Earth’s Biologically Richest and Most Endangered Terrestrial Ecoregions”. In India there has two biodiversity hotspots, one is Indo-Burma, and other one is Western Ghats.

Indo-Burma is a biodiversity hotspot designated by Conservation International, which extends from eastern India and southern China across Southeast Asia, and includes Australia, but excluding the Malay Peninsula. The Conservation International hotspot includes all of the World Wildlife Fund's Indochina Bioregion, but also includes the Meghalaya subtropical forests, which the WWF includes in its Indian Subcontinent Bioregion.

Eagle's Nest Wildlife Sanctuary is a protected area of India in the Himalayan foothills of West Kameng District, Arunachal Pradesh. It conjoins Sessa Orchid Sanctuary to the northeast and Pakhui Tiger Reserve across the Kameng river to the east. Altitude ranges extremely from 500 metres (1,640 ft) to 3,250 metres (10,663 ft).

Those 2 bird species appears on the stamps are endemic to Indo-Burma or Eagle's Nest Wildlife Sanctuary.

Indepex 2000

Clockwise from top-left of block of 4 :
Rosy Starling (粉紅椋鳥) ; Garganey (白眉鴨)
Forest Wagtail (山鶺鴒) ; White Stork (白鸛)
India (2000)
20th June, 2011. Anna Road, Chennai

To be honest, Indian stamps are not my flavour according to the quality not fulfill my demand, the themes not attractive and print quality are not good as other developed countries. Only few quantity I collected and one of them as above, which is a block of four features birds to commemorate Indepex 2000, it is the last Indian stamp set I collected. Four species are very common to southern Asian countries, and Rosy Starling is one of famous pet-bird in Chinese area.

There also has some stamps on the back of cover, please refer to WWF special page.

Asiatic Lion (亞洲獅)
India (1999)

Common birds of India

L : House Sparrow (家麻雀) ; R : Rock Pigeon (原鴿)
India (2010)
27th July, 2010. Kundapura Market, Udupi
6th August, 2010. Hongkong

Few days ago, in August 10, I receive a nice and interesting first day cover which was damaged ! It is the third damaged cover I receive in one week. Actually I dislike my post administration who always damages customers cover without reasonable apologies. Luckily the cover only injured bottom left area so the stamps still in fine situation. The species of stamps, not much special as the subject says Common birds, but the decoration seems beautiful in Indian old fashion style.

Endangered birds of India

From left to right :
Lesser Florican (鳳頭鴇) ; Manipur Bush Quail (阿薩姆林鶉)
Black-chinned Laughingthrush (黃胸噪鶥) ; Greater Adjutant (大鵚鶖)
India (2006)
8th September, 2009. Srinivasapuram

Although it is not first mail from India, it is the first completed cover with Indian bird stamps in my collection. Above stamp set with oddly coloured background released on 2006 and it also the latest bird issue, features four endemic or near-endemic species of India and now they listed as endangered situation, thanks Veeraraghavan of this excellent cover.

Lesser Florican widely lives in southern Asian countries like India, Nepal, Sri Lanka, Pakistan and south-west China. Different than other birds, males of Lesser Florican is smaller than female birds. Manipur Bush Quail is endemic to north-east area of India and Nepal, mostly to be found in Himalayan area, likely appears on dawn and sunset times. Black-chinned Laughingthrush is endemic to the forest of southern India Peninsular, appears on the branch over 3m high in morning and late afternoon. Greater Adjutant is a large wading water bird diets frogs and insects, sometimes it catches small birds. Population breeds in India, Pakistan, Sri Lanka to Borneo ; and migrates to southern countries like Thailand and Burma in winter. The bird also to be found in China before, but as over and illegal hunting, the bird has been extinguished to the country.