At Harike, count of migratory birds at six-year low

GS Paul

Amritsar, February 19

The fall in the number of migrant birds at Harike wetland in Tarn Taran has compelled wildlife enthusiasts and the Forest Department to study the reasons behind it.

Water pollution to blame?

• If forest and wildlife officials are to be believed, water pollution caused by the factories located along the bank of the Sutlej could be one of the factors behind the decline
• Normally, 90,000-95,000 migratory birds arrived at the wetland from different countries, including Siberia, Mongolia, Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan and Russia, in the past

According to the Harike Water bird Census 2023, 65,624 birds arrived at the wetland between November-February. This is the lowest count in the past six years at Harike.

Normally, 90,000-95,000 migratory birds arrived at the wetland from different countries, including Siberia, Mongolia, Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan and Russia, in the past. In 2018-2019, as many as 94,771 birds of 94 species had converged at Harike. In 2019-2020, the highest-ever 1,23,128 birds of 83 species arrived at Harike, followed by 91,025 birds of 90 species in 2020-2021.

If forest and wildlife officials are to be believed, water pollution caused by the factories located along the bank of the Sutlej could be one of the factors for the decline. Cement and paint manufacturing plants, leather, dying industries located along the river discharge untreated waste that flows to the Harike wetland.

Gitanjali Kanwar, Coordinator, Aquatic Biodiversity, World Wildlife Fund (WWF), India, thinks otherwise. “I do not believe that the river pollution is the cause. The reason being that during 2019-2020, when a record number of more than one lakh birds were spotted at Harike, the pollution level was the same,” she said.

She maintained that the exact cause of low turnout of birds was being closely studied by experts to see if there was a global dip. “The decreasing migration of birds was observed in the whole of north India, not only at Harike. There could be multiple reasons which need to be scrutinised. The study is being conducted at all the wetlands by experts,” she said.

Giving the count, she said this year out of 85 species of birds, 34,523 were Eurasian coot, 8,381 greylag goose, 7,432 gadwall, 2,262 common pochard and 1,807 northern shoveller. Apart from Harike, these water birds also arrive at other wetlands.

Punjab has six wetlands designated as Ramsar sites. Apart from Harike (notified in 1990), the others are Ropar, Kanjli, Keshopur Miani Wetland, Nangal Wildlife Sanctuary and Beas Conservation Reserve.

The Department of Forest and Wildlife department in technical assistance with the WWF-India has been conducting the annual bird census and the nature of the winged habitat. In addition, the other institutions like Avian Habitat and Wetland Conservation Society, Punjab Biodiversity Board and students of the Guru Nanak Dev University, Punjab Agriculture University and Indian Institute of Science Education and Research, too assisted in conducting the bird census.