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Survey calls for naming wetland sites as bird sanctuaries

By Our Staff Reporter

KANNUR MAY 12. Bird population in the wetland and mangrove areas in the district that are identified as sites frequented by migratory waterfowls and associated birds will continue to decline due to the ongoing largescale reclamation of these areas for developmental activities, unless urgent efforts are made by the authorities to protect these sites as bird sanctuaries, according to a survey conducted in such areas and their bird population.

The survey of the wetland areas of Pazhayangadi, Ezhom Moola, Madakkara, Mattul and Kattampally in the district and the waterfowls found in these areas conducted by the ornithologists and environmental activists, Khaleel Chovva and C. Rajeevan, focuses on the urgency of protecting the wetland and mangrove areas in the district that provide a congenial environment for breeding, nesting and feeding of a number of waterfowls.

"Construction and reclamation works in the areas identified as sites frequented by migratory birds, including globally threatened birds and birds included in the Schedule One and endemic birds, should be banned by the authorities for checking further destruction of habitats of birds,'' Dr. Khaleel, who is the Reader and Director of Botany Department at the Sir Syed College, Taliparamba, said at a press conference here recently.

The survey, which has been submitted to the Forest Department, has found that intensive poaching of ducks and waders, burning of grass in the dykes and use of insecticides and pesticides by farmers are the major problems facing the bird population of the wetlands here.

Some of the birds found by the survey in the areas included those enlisted in the Red Data Book prepared by the International Union for Conservation of Nature and Natural Resources, Dr. Khaleel said.

The survey of resident and migratory birds conducted to observe seasonal changes in the occurrence and number of migratory birds, their behaviour and flight pattern during breeding and non-breeding season has found that Kattampally and Pazhayangadi areas are important as they provide regular wintering area of greater spotted eagle, a globally threatened species classified as vulnerable in the Asian Red Data Book. The presence of the lesser spotted eagle, which is rare, threatened and endemic to India, has enhanced the importance of these wetland areas, the survey says.

It also claims that it is the first report about the presence of streak-throated swallow in the wetlands of the district. The presence of the species such as Common Stone Chat, Great Spotted Eagle, Lesser Spotted Eagle, White Necked Stork, Pheasant Tailed Jacana, Darter and Peregrine Falcon are also first reported from Pazhayangadi and Ezhome wetland areas as is the presence of 13 Pheasant Tailed Jacana, a pair of Lesser Spotted Eagle and Shovelles observed in the Kattampally area.

The survey says that as many as 139 of the 149 species of birds located in the coastal areas out of the total 475 species reported from the State are found in the wetlands here. Among them, 94 species are migratory in nature coming from the Himalayas, it says. Migratory birds use the wetlands as stepping stones, it says. The survey has found that the important trans-oriental migratory birds found in the district are Garganey, Northern Pin Tail, Lesser Whistling Teal, Cotton Teal, Shoveller, Marsh Harrier, Golden Plover, Little Ringed Plover, among other species.

A checklist of different species found in these areas has also been prepared as part of the survey. The total number of species of birds observed at Pazhayangadi and Ezhome Moola is 107, which is 74 in Kattampally, 65 in Madakkara and 64 in Mattul. The Kattampally wetland has already been identified as Important Bird Area (IBA) under the IBA Programme of the Birdlife International.

The survey says that the number of birds has dropped over the years in the Kattampally area due to the ecological damage caused by the Kattampally Irrigation Project which, though originally started to check saline water intrusion, has wrought havoc on traditional `kaipadu' paddy cultivation in the area. The study reveals that the Pazhayangadi and Ezhome Moola areas are having maxmum number of waterfowls among the sites studied. The aim of the survey, according to Dr. Khaleel, is to highlight the urgency of protecting the wetlands and mangroves which are now facing survival threat from `developers'.

The Kannur DFO, K. K. Chandran, who was present at the press meet, said that the Forest Department could protect the wetland and mangrove areas if they were included in the ecologically fragile areas. The ornithologist, C. Sasikumar, said that though there was growing awareness among the local people on the need to protect migratory birds, what often caused largescale disturbance to the habitats of birds was developmental works such as construction of roads across a wetland area.