M A I N   N E W S

Migratory birds under threat
Ehsan Fazili
Tribune News Service

Srinagar, December 22
“Take nothing but photographs. Leave nothing but footprints. Kill nothing but time”. This message inscribed at the entry to Hokersar Wetlands, 10 km north of here, conveys volumes about the presence of the priceless natural treasure of migratory birds that throng the water reserve mainly during winter months.

Not only does this wetland reserve, that serves as a home to migratory birds from Siberia, faces closure, a few other such reserves are faced with the imminent danger of disappearing. These wetlands include Haigam Reserve with an area of 9.5 sq km, Mirgund Wildlife Reserve with an area of 150 hectares and Shallabugh near Srinagar, which lacks bird life for being absolutely dry. Though the number of birds visiting Hokersar during winters has not dwindled, it is faced with the problem of siltation and encroachment on its peripheries. An area of about 2 sq km of Haigam Reserve near Sopore in the north Kashmir is already reported to have been encroached upon, according to official sources here, though measures are under way to retrieve the land from the encroachers. While the Hokersar reserve gets migratory birds from colder regions in winters, it also serves as a home to the migratory birds during the summer months. A record number of 4,31,538 birds visited Hokersar in the peak season last winter, while over 3.50 lakh have made it their home so far this season, according to Mr M R Dar, Assistant Conservator, Wildlife Protection. The number is further expected to rise to the level of 5 lakh during the next two months. At least 40 per cent of the total area of Hokersar reserve has shrunk due to siltation from the Doodgangha stream that passes through the reserve.

All these reserves, according to experts, were major revenue-yielding natural habitats growing different types of vegetation and fodder without any expenditure during the major portion of the last century. But these do not serve the purpose with the areas getting diminished in size due to many reasons, including official apathy. Due to the declining areas, the number of fish, birds and other vegetation has drastically come down.

Since early 1990 when the problems with the wetland reserves were identified, concrete measures to check these problems are yet to be taken. The encroached land has been evicted but “no programme for rehabilitation of the area has been undertaken”, said another official here. “If the neglect continues, the reserves will vanish after a few floods”, warned an official. Deforestation that leads to erosion of land in the catchment areas flushing down large reserves of silt into the water reserves is the major threat to these reserves, according to experts. This could be prevented by construction of walls or bundhs along the course of these flood channels that flow into the water reserves, claims Mr M R Dar, Assistant Conservator of Wildlife Protection. Both short-term and long-term measures are needed to check the problem to save the reserves for maintaining environmental, ecological and commercial values. These reserves are used by hundreds of species of birds both in summer and winter that visit only the Hokersar reserve unlike in the past when all other reserves and wetlands would be full with migratory birds.

The population of birds visiting Hokersar due to certain remedial measures and natural phenomenon have not decreased over the years. But the habitat is fast diminishing, which if not prevented may lead to an end to the natural process of environmental and ecological balance, thereby adversely affecting the commercial value, claims Mr Dar. He said that the protection of areas of the reserves was as necessary as protection of the birds visiting these areas. While the number of birds that visited Hokersar in 1991-92 was estimated at 25,270, their number had touched the highest of 4,31,538 last winter. This winter the number has been estimated at over 3.50 lakh, which is expected to touch the 5 lakh mark by the middle of this season.