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Wetland bird population drops
KATHMANDU, APR 30 -
Poor management of major wetlands has led to a considerable decline in the number if water-dependent bird species, a report has revealed.
The 24th Midwinter Water Bird Count, the longest-running monitoring of any wildlife conducted on an annual basis in Nepal, has put the total population of water birds from 83 species at 28,714 in 2010, while the number from 79 species was 30,144 in 2009.
Meanwhile, the habitat of Koshi Tappu Wildlife Reserve (KTWR) that hosts over 450 bird species, is in critical condition due to lack of proper plans and programmes.
KTWR is listed as the Ramsar Site designated under the International Ramsar Convention that lists the wetlands of international importance from around the world. Five out of the total nine Ramsar Sites were covered during the count carried out from Jan. 9 to 25 this year.
The number of birds recorded in KTWR was 8,500, 5,300 and 4,100 in 2008, 2009 and 2010 respectively. Altogether 865 bird species, over 10 percent of the world’s total bird population, are recorded in the country as of now.
Jagadishpur Tal in Kapilvastu, Gainda Tal in Rupandehi and wetlands around Lumbini area and Eastern Region of the country are also categorised as wetlands having poor habitat management.
However, the number of birds is satisfactory in wetlands in Chitwan and adjoining areas, Pokhara and Ghodaghodi Lake in the Far West Region. The largest number of mid-winter birds (10,198) were counted in Chitwan this year. Hem Sagar Baral, senior ornithologist and national coordinator of the Midwinter Water Bird Count Programme under the Wetlands International, said degrading state of major wetlands has posed threats to the survival of water-dependent birds.
“Even though wetlands have provided productive breeding environment for many bird species, they are in sorry state in terms of management,” he said. Nepal is a prime habitat for more than 200 wetland-dependent bird species.
Posted on: 2010-05-01 08:58
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