S. A. Hussain
Encyclopedia
Syed Abdulla Hussain was an Indian ornithologist. He is best known for the work he undertook at the Bombay Natural History Society
(BNHS) along with Salim Ali
. A species of frog Nyctibatrachus hussaini
from Kudremukh
near his home, was named after him but the species name later became embroiled in controversy.
Hussain was born in Karkala
, near Mangalore (then a part of the Madras Presidency
) where his father was a noted lawyer. His early education was at Basti Mission School and obtained a university degree in science from Sri Bhuvanendra College at Karkala. He applied for a field research position in the Bird Migration study project of the Bombay Natural History Society and although he had no formal education in zoology, Salim Ali found him very observant and accepted him. Hussain accompanied Ali on numerous expeditions and later conducted surveys on his own. Hussain became assistant curator of the BNHS in 1979, a senior scientist from 1985 to 1990 and then a deputy director of research until 1992. He later moved to Malaysia where he headed the Asian Wetland Bureau. He was also briefly the vice-chairman of BirdLife International. In 1974, he was part of a group that went in search of the Forest Owlet
at a locality falsely claimed by Richard Meinertzhagen
.
After retiring from work, he moved back to live in Karkala, where he started the Biodiversity Initiative Trust. The organization worked locally, particularly for conservation of the Kudremukh region. In 2003, he suggested a plan for the conversion of the Kudremukh Iron Ore Company township into a biodiversity research station as mining in this biodiversity hotspot had been stopped by the Indian government. He died of a heart attack at his home on 30 December 2009.
Cypsiurus parvus infumatus (north of the Brahmaputra river) In the course of his travels he noted several range extensions including the Brown-winged Kingfisher
from Chilka, Cetti's Warbler
from Bharatpur
, Purple Cochoa
from Mussoorie (western most limit). His finding of the Broad-tailed Grassbird
from Point Calimere opens up the possibility of the species in Sri Lanka, from where an old questionable specimen record exists. In 1972 he visited Narcondam Island to study the Narcondam Hornbill
, capturing two adult hornbills and their chicks. The two hornbill chicks were taken to Bombay, the male died on the ship journey while the female escaped in Madras, never to be found. The chicks lived for about 6 years, the female showed aggression to the male sibling and an injury to the male resulted in death. Based on his observations he suggested that the species was closer to Rhyticeros plicatus than to Rhyticeros undulatus. In the summer of 1977 he and Salim Ali, went to Bhutan to look for the Yellow-rumped Honeyguide
. He noted the opportunistic behaviour of the honeyguides, making use of the attacks of Vespa mandarinia on the hives of Apis dorsata laboriosa
. He also saw a honeyguide in the Valley of Flowers which he suggested should belong to the little known subspecies radcliffi described by Allan Octavian Hume
. He described a new subspecies of the Bay Owl Phodilus badius (P. b. ripleyi) in 1977. In 1983 he surveyed the Black-necked Crane
in Ladakh. He published several observations made during ringing camps, particularly at Point Calimere. In 1992 he wrote about the distribution and status of the White-winged Tit
in Kutch.
In 1987, he coordinated the midwinter "Asian Waterfowl Census" conducted by volunteers across India. He produced an identification booklet with illustrations by Carl D'Silva to aid volunteers identify water birds.
A partial list of publications includes:
Bombay Natural History Society
The Bombay Natural History Society, founded on 15 September 1883, is one of the largest non-governmental organizations in India engaged in conservation and biodiversity research. It supports many research efforts through grants, and publishes the Journal of the Bombay Natural History Society. Many...
(BNHS) along with Salim Ali
Salim Ali
Sálim Moizuddin Abdul Ali was an Indian ornithologist and naturalist. Known as the "birdman of India", Salim Ali was among the first Indians to conduct systematic bird surveys across India and his bird books helped develop ornithology...
. A species of frog Nyctibatrachus hussaini
Nyctibatrachus hussaini
Nyctibatrachus karnatakaensis is a species of frog in the Ranidae family.-Geographic range:It is endemic to the Western Ghats of India in the Kudremukh region.-Habitat:...
from Kudremukh
Kudremukh
Kudremukh also spelled Kuduremukha is a mountain range in Chikkamagaluru district, in Karnataka, India. It is also the name of a small hill station town situated near the mountain, about 48 kilometers from Karkala and about 20 kilometers from Kalasa...
near his home, was named after him but the species name later became embroiled in controversy.
Hussain was born in Karkala
Karkala
Karkala is a town and the headquarters of Karkala taluk in the Udupi district of Karnataka, India. Located about 380 km from Bangalore, it lies near the Western Ghats....
, near Mangalore (then a part of the Madras Presidency
Madras Presidency
The Madras Presidency , officially the Presidency of Fort St. George and also known as Madras Province, was an administrative subdivision of British India...
) where his father was a noted lawyer. His early education was at Basti Mission School and obtained a university degree in science from Sri Bhuvanendra College at Karkala. He applied for a field research position in the Bird Migration study project of the Bombay Natural History Society and although he had no formal education in zoology, Salim Ali found him very observant and accepted him. Hussain accompanied Ali on numerous expeditions and later conducted surveys on his own. Hussain became assistant curator of the BNHS in 1979, a senior scientist from 1985 to 1990 and then a deputy director of research until 1992. He later moved to Malaysia where he headed the Asian Wetland Bureau. He was also briefly the vice-chairman of BirdLife International. In 1974, he was part of a group that went in search of the Forest Owlet
Forest Owlet
The Forest Owlet is an owl that is endemic to the forests of central India. This species belongs to the typical owls family, Strigidae. After it was described in 1873 and last seen in the wild in 1884, it was considered extinct until it was rediscovered 113 years later in 1997 by Pamela Rasmussen...
at a locality falsely claimed by Richard Meinertzhagen
Richard Meinertzhagen
Colonel Richard Henry Meinertzhagen CBE DSO was a British soldier, intelligence officer and ornithologist.- Background and youth :Meinertzhagen was born into a socially connected, wealthy British family...
.
After retiring from work, he moved back to live in Karkala, where he started the Biodiversity Initiative Trust. The organization worked locally, particularly for conservation of the Kudremukh region. In 2003, he suggested a plan for the conversion of the Kudremukh Iron Ore Company township into a biodiversity research station as mining in this biodiversity hotspot had been stopped by the Indian government. He died of a heart attack at his home on 30 December 2009.
Contributions to ornithology
Several of his early publications were based on studies of the bird collection at the BNHS. These include the extension in the range of Dinopium shorii in the Eastern Ghats, the validity of Otus bakkamoena stewarti, an extension of the range of Asian Palm SwiftAsian Palm Swift
The Asian Palm Swift is a small swift. It is very similar to the African Palm Swift, Cypsiurus parvus, and was formerly considered to be the same species....
Cypsiurus parvus infumatus (north of the Brahmaputra river) In the course of his travels he noted several range extensions including the Brown-winged Kingfisher
Brown-winged Kingfisher
The Brown-winged Kingfisher is a species of bird in the Alcedinidae family.It is found in Bangladesh, India, Malaysia, Myanmar, and Thailand.Its natural habitat is subtropical or tropical mangrove forests....
from Chilka, Cetti's Warbler
Cetti's Warbler
Cetti's Warbler , Cettia cetti, is an Old World warbler which breeds in Europe, northwest Africa and east southern temperate Asia as far as Afghanistan and NW Pakistan. It is the only bush warbler to occur outside Asia...
from Bharatpur
Bharatpur, India
Bharatpur is a city in the Indian state of Rajasthan. It was founded by Maharaja Suraj Mal in 1733. Located in the Brij region, Bharatpur was once an impregnable, well-planned and well-fortified city, and the capital of Jat kingdom ruled by Sinsinwar Maharajas.The trio of Bharatpur, Deeg and...
, Purple Cochoa
Purple Cochoa
The Purple Cochoa is a brightly coloured bird found in the temperate forests of Asia. It is a quiet and elusive bird species that has been considered to be related to the thrushes of family Turdidae or the related Muscicapidae...
from Mussoorie (western most limit). His finding of the Broad-tailed Grassbird
Broad-tailed Grassbird
The Broad-tailed Grassbird is a species of Old World warbler in the Locustellidae family. It is endemic to the Western Ghats of India with the possibility of occurrence in Sri Lanka. A small, mostly brown bird, it has a broad rounded and graduated tail...
from Point Calimere opens up the possibility of the species in Sri Lanka, from where an old questionable specimen record exists. In 1972 he visited Narcondam Island to study the Narcondam Hornbill
Narcondam Hornbill
The Narcondam Hornbill is a species of hornbill in the Bucerotidae family. It is endemic to the Indian island of Narcondam in the Andamans. Males and females have distinct plumages.-Description:...
, capturing two adult hornbills and their chicks. The two hornbill chicks were taken to Bombay, the male died on the ship journey while the female escaped in Madras, never to be found. The chicks lived for about 6 years, the female showed aggression to the male sibling and an injury to the male resulted in death. Based on his observations he suggested that the species was closer to Rhyticeros plicatus than to Rhyticeros undulatus. In the summer of 1977 he and Salim Ali, went to Bhutan to look for the Yellow-rumped Honeyguide
Yellow-rumped Honeyguide
The Yellow-rumped Honeyguide is a sparrow-sized bird in the honeyguide family that is found in Asia, mainly in montane forests along the Himalayas. They are very finch-like but the feet are strong and the feet are zygodactyl, with two toes facing forward and two backward. They perch on honeycombs...
. He noted the opportunistic behaviour of the honeyguides, making use of the attacks of Vespa mandarinia on the hives of Apis dorsata laboriosa
Apis dorsata laboriosa
Apis dorsata laboriosa, the Himalayan honey bee, is the world’s largest honey bee; single adults can measure up to in length. Before 1980, Apis dorsata laboriosa was considered to be a subspecies of the widespread Apis dorsata, the giant honey bee, but in 1980 and for almost 20 years thereafter...
. He also saw a honeyguide in the Valley of Flowers which he suggested should belong to the little known subspecies radcliffi described by Allan Octavian Hume
Allan Octavian Hume
Allan Octavian Hume was a civil servant, political reformer and amateur ornithologist in British India. He was one of the founders of the Indian National Congress, a political party that was later to lead the Indian independence movement...
. He described a new subspecies of the Bay Owl Phodilus badius (P. b. ripleyi) in 1977. In 1983 he surveyed the Black-necked Crane
Black-necked Crane
The Black-necked Crane is a medium-sized crane that is found on the Tibetan Plateau of Asia. It is 139 cm long with a 235 cm wingspan, and it weighs 5.5 kg . It is whitish-gray, with a black head, red crown patch, black upper neck and legs, and white patch to the rear of the eye...
in Ladakh. He published several observations made during ringing camps, particularly at Point Calimere. In 1992 he wrote about the distribution and status of the White-winged Tit
White-winged Tit
The White-winged Tit sometimes called the White-naped Tit is a passerine bird in the tit family Paridae. It is endemic to India where it is found in dry thorn scrub forest in two disjunct populations, in western India and southern India...
in Kutch.
In 1987, he coordinated the midwinter "Asian Waterfowl Census" conducted by volunteers across India. He produced an identification booklet with illustrations by Carl D'Silva to aid volunteers identify water birds.
A partial list of publications includes:
External links
- An interview
- http://lip2000.com/scientists/page2.html
- S. A. Hussain's own blog
- Memories of S A Hussain (2010)