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Koshi Tappu turns harsh for avian fauna
KOSHI TAPPU (SUNSARI), AUG 09 -
Bird population inside the Koshi Tappu Wildlife Reserve (KTWR) is dwindling due to the lack of proper habitat, human encroachment and unchecked poaching.
Experts say the KTWR may be rich in terms of the number of bird species--492 according to the latest count--but the total population of the fowls is shrinking.
After the Koshi floods massively damaged the bird habitat two years ago, the creatures of flight inside the reserve suffered a great crisis of shelter.
“Lakes and wetlands inside the reserve began to dry up making it impossible for the birds to survive. Human encroachment and poaching also took their toll on the birds,” Sivnarayan Sah, Assistant Conservation Officer at the KTWR, says.
Some of the security posts inside the KTWR have long been without any occupant, much to the relief of encroachers as well as poachers. Human encroachment is rife on the Saptari side.
“Birdwatchers and tourists visiting the KTWR need to wait for days to catch a glimpse of the bird of their wish,” Hemsgar Baral, a senior ornithologist, says. “There should be efforts from both the government and at the local level to protect and rebuild the habitat of these birds.”
Posted on: 2010-08-10 08:59
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