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Wetlands loss impairs biodiversity
KATHMANDU, MAY 02 -
The country’s rich biodiversity is under serious threat with the increasing loss and degradation of wetlands, said experts here on Sunday.
Even though the United Nations announced the year 2010 as International Year of Biodiversity to mitigate biodiversity loss, lack of effective measures to conserve biodiversity has resulted in significant decline in the number of important species.
The 24th Midwinter Water Bird Count carried out in January revealed a significant decline in the number of water dependent birds. The number plunged to 28,714 this year from 30,144 in 2009. It was 35,931 in 2008.
The declining population of water birds can be attributed to increasing habitat disturbance, said Hem Sagar Baral, senior ornithologist and coordinator of the Midwinter Water Bird Count.
Ironically, major wetlands -- Koshi Tappu Wildlife Reserve (KTWR), Jagdishpur Reservoir in Kapilvastu and Bishazari Lake in Chitwan -- that are listed in Ramsar Sites are under increasing threat.
Other important wetlands are also facing threats of habitat and biodiversity loss. Sedimentation, habitat disturbance, lack of awareness among local communities and concerned authorities and haphazard use of the wetland resources are major threats.
“In addition to providing habitat for water-dependent birds, wetlands are of crucial importance for the endangered wildlife species like tiger, rhino and elephant,” Baral said. The local communities also depend on wetlands for their livelihood, he added.
Jhamak Karki of the Department of National Parks and Wildlife Conservation (DNPWC) said political interference and injudicious decisions were behind the poor management of these resources. “The international conferences on wetlands lack experts and government has failed to play a proactive role to address problems pertaining to wetlands. These ultimately affect international support and knowledge sharing to promote and conserve wetlands,” he said. “The policy decisions largely affect conservation efforts at the grassroots,” he said.
The DNPWC has recently prepared a site management plan for three Ramsar Sites -- KTWR, Gokyo Lake and Gosaikunda Lake. “We are preparing policies and programmes for the sustainable management of wetlands,” said Karki.
Posted on: 2010-05-03 08:43
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