Salim Ali (ornithologist)

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Sálim Ali, born Sálim Moizuddin Abdul Ali, (November 12, 1896 - July 27, 1987). was an Indian ornithologist and naturalist. Known as the "Birdman of India", Salim Ali was among the first Indians to conduct systematic bird surveys in India and his books have contributed enormously to the development of professional and amateur birdwatching in India.

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Early life

Salim Ali was orphaned at a young age and was brought up by his maternal uncle, Amiruddin Tyabji, in a middle-class muslim household in Khetwadi, Mumbai. He was introduced to the serious study of birds by W. S. Millard, secretary of the Bombay Natural History Society (BNHS) who helped him identify an unusually coloured sparrow that he had shot for sport. Millard identified it as a Yellow-throated Sparrow, and showed him around the Society's collection of stuffed birds. This was a key event in his life and led to Salim's pursuit of a career in ornithology, an unusual career choice in those days. Salim Ali's cousin Humayun Abdulali also became an ornithologist.

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Burma and Germany

Following a difficult first year in college, Salim Ali dropped out and went to Tavoy, Burma to look after the family mining and timber interests there. The forests surrounding this area provided an opportunity for Ali to hone his naturalist (and hunting) skills. On his return to India in 1917, he resumed his education, graduating with a Bachelor of Arts (Honors) degree in Zoology. He married a distant relation, Tehmina in 1918.

Ali failed to get an ornithologist's position at the Zoological Survey of India due to lack of sufficient academic qualifications. He however decided to study further after he was hired as guide lecturer at the newly opened natural history section in the Prince of Wales Museum in Mumbai. He went on study leave to Germany where he trained under Professor Erwin Stresemann.

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The Princely States

On his return, still unable to find a suitable job, Ali undertook systematic bird surveys of the various princely states under the sponsorship of the rulers of those states. He was aided in his surveys by advice from Hugh Whistler. Salim wrote "My chief interest in bird study has always been its ecology, its life history under natural conditions and not in a laboratory under a microscope. By travelling to these remote, uninhabited places, I could study the birds as they lived and behaved in their habitats."

Hugh Whistler also introduced Salim to Richard Meinertzhagen and the two made an expedition into Afghanistan. Although Meinertzhagen had very critical views of him, they continued to remain good friends. Meinertzhagen later made his diary entries available to Salim.

30.4.1973 'I am disappointed in Salim. he is quite useless at anything but collecting. he cannot skin a bird, nor cook, nor do anything connected with camp life, packing up or chopping wood. He writes interminable notes about something-perhaps me... Even collecting he never does no hsi own initiative...'
20.5.1937 'Salim is the personification of the educated Indian and interests me a great deal. He is excellent at his own theoretical subjects, but has no practical ability, and at everyday little problems is hopelessly inefficient... His views are astounding. He is prepared to turn the British out of India tomorrow and govern the country himself. I have repeatedly told him that the British Government haave no intention of handling over millions of uneducated Indians to the mercy of such men as Salim:that no Englishman would tolerate men being governed by rats.'

Ali rediscovered a rare weaver-bird species, Finn's Baya in the Kumaon Terai region, but was unsuccessful in his expedition to find the Mountain Quail (Ophrysia superciliosa).

He was accompanied and supported on his early ornithological surveys by his wife, Tehmina, and he was shattered when she died in 1939 following a minor surgery.

Salim Ali was very influential in ensuring the survival of the BNHS and managed to save the 200-year old institution by writing to the then Prime Minister Pandit Nehru for financial help.

Although recognition came late, he received numerous awards including the J. Paul Getty International Award, the Golden Ark of the International Union for Conservation of Nature, the golden medal of the British Ornithologists' Union (a rarity for a non-Britisher), the Padma Shri and the Padma Vibhushan from the Indian Government, three honorary doctorates, and numerous other awards. He was nominated to the Rajya Sabha in 1985. Dr. Ali's influence helped save the Bharatpur Bird Sanctuary and the Silent Valley National Park. In 1990, the Salim Ali Centre for Ornithology & Natural History (SACONH) was established at Kalayampalayam, Coimbatore, aided by the Ministry of Environment and Forests (MoEF), Government of India.

He took an interest in bird photography along with his friend Loke Wan Tho.

Dr. Salim Ali died in 1987 at the age of 91 after a prolonged battle with prostate cancer.

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Writing

Salim Ali wrote a number of popular and academic books, many of which continue to be standard references for the study of birds in the Indian subcontinent. He is the author of

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Regional Guides

  • Birds of Bhutan with Biswas, B. & Ripley, D., Calcutta: Zoological Survey of India (1996)
  • The Birds of Bombay and Salsette with H. Abdulali, Bombay: Prince of Wales Museum (1941)
  • The Birds of Kutch, London: OUP (1945)
  • Indian Hill Birds Bombay: OUP (1949)
  • The Birds of Travancore and Cochin Bombay: OUP (1953)
  • The Birds of Gujarat Bombay: Gujarat Research Society (1956)
  • A Picture Book of Sikkim Birds Gangtok: Government of Sikkim (1960)
  • The Birds of Sikkim Delhi: OUP (1962)
  • Birds of Kerala Madras: OUP (1969)
  • Field Guide to the Birds of the Eastern Himalayas Bombay: OUP (1977)
  • The Vernay Scientific Survey of the Eastern Ghat; Ornithological Section—Together with The Hyderabad State Ornithological Survey 1930-38 with Hugh Whistler, Norman Boyd Kinnear (undated)
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Technical Studies and Reports

  • Studies on the Movement and Population of Indian Avifauna Annual Reports I-4. with Hussain, S.A., Bombay: BNHS (1980-86)
  • Ecological Reconnaissance of Vedaranyam Swamp, Thanjavur District, Tamil Nadu Bombay: BNHS (1980)
  • Harike Lake Avifauna Project (co-author) Bombay: BNHS (1981)
  • Ecological Study of Bird Hazard at Indian Aerodromes (Vols. I & 2). with Grubh, R. Bombay: BNHS (1981-89)
  • Potential Problem Birds at Indian Aerodromes with Grubh, R. Bombay: BNHS
  • The Lesser Florican in Sailana with Rahmani et al. Bombay: BNHS (1984)
  • Strategy for Conservation of Bustards in Maharashtra (co-author) Bombay: BNHS (1984)
  • The Great Indian Bustard in Gujarat (co-author) Bombay: BNHS (1985)
  • Keoladeo National Park Ecology Study with Vijayan, S., Bombay: BNHS (1986)
  • A.Study of Ecology of Some Endangered Species of Wildlife and Their Habitat. The Floricans with Daniel J.C. & Rahmani, Bombay: BNHS (1986)
  • Status and Ecology of the Lesser and Bengal Floricans with Reports on Jerdon’s Courser and Mountain Quail Bombay: BNHS (1990)
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External links

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