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- A rare group of northern pintail ducks has been recently sighted at an extraordinary height of 13,500 feet in Tawang, Arunachal Pradesh, a sighting that is unprecedented for this species.
- About the Northern Pintail Duck:
- This elegant, migratory waterfowl is known for its distinctive appearance and intriguing behavior.
- Scientific Name: Anas acuta
- Habitat & Migration:
- Often called the northern nomads, northern pintails have wide-ranging migratory paths. They are found across every continent, except Antarctica, though they tend to avoid breeding and living south of the equator.
- Physical Characteristics:
- These ducks are named for their long central tail feathers, which end in a point. The male northern pintail is characterized by a buff-gray plumage with a chocolate-colored head, a broad white stripe down its chest, and black markings on its back. Females and non-breeding males are mottled brown with a lighter chest and neck.
- These ducks can grow to over 60 centimeters in length and weigh more than a kilogram. Their wingspan can reach up to 91 centimeters. With their streamlined bodies, they are fast fliers, reaching speeds of up to 48 mph. In the wild, northern pintails can live up to 22 years.
- Conservation Status:
- IUCN Red List: Least Concern
- In a recent development, 32 fishermen from Tamil Nadu were detained by the Sri Lankan Navy on charges of illegal fishing in the Palk Straits.
- About Palk Strait:
- The Palk Strait is a body of water that lies between southeastern India and northern Sri Lanka, forming an inlet of the Bay of Bengal.
- It is bordered to the south by Pamban Island (India), Adam’s (or Rama’s) Bridge (a series of shoals), the Gulf of Mannar, and Mannar Island (Sri Lanka).
- The southwestern section of the strait is often referred to as Palk Bay.
- Named after Robert Palk, the Governor of Madras Presidency from 1755 to 1763 during the British colonial era, the strait spans 40 to 85 miles in width, is about 85 miles long, and has a maximum depth of under 330 feet (100 meters).
- The strait is fed by several rivers, including the Vaigai River from India, and is home to many islands on the Sri Lankan side.
- The port city of Jaffna, the commercial hub of northern Sri Lanka, lies along the strait.
- The presence of shoals and numerous islands has historically restricted passage through the strait to smaller vessels.
- A recently discovered bat coronavirus, HKU5-CoV-2, which shares similarities with the virus that caused the COVID-19 pandemic, has been identified in China.
- About HKU5-CoV-2:
- HKU5-CoV-2 is a newly identified bat coronavirus that closely mirrors SARS-CoV-2, the virus responsible for the COVID-19 pandemic.
- It is classified under the merbecovirus subgenus, which also includes the virus that causes Middle East Respiratory Syndrome (MERS).
- Similar to SARS-CoV-2, HKU5-CoV-2 has the ability to bind to human ACE2 receptors, indicating a potential for animal-to-human transmission. However, it has a weaker binding affinity to human ACE2 compared to SARS-CoV-2, and its ability to cause widespread human infection is still uncertain.
- In addition to human ACE2, the virus can bind to receptors in multiple mammalian species, suggesting the possibility of an intermediate animal host before transmission to humans.
- As of now, there have been no confirmed human cases of HKU5-CoV-2, and therefore, the symptoms it may cause remain unknown.
- This discovery was made by a team of virologists led by Shi Zhengli, a prominent researcher known as "Batwoman" for her extensive studies on coronaviruses at the Wuhan Institute in China.