(IN): Migratory birds disappear from Delhi

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Link:

http://www.ndtv.com/convergence/ndtv/story.aspx?id=NEWEN20070035369 & ch=12/9/2007\

%209:44:00%20AM

 

*Migratory birds disappear from Delhi*

 

Sushmita Mukherjee

Sunday, December 9, 2007 (New Delhi)

There are many species of exotic birds that visit the Capital in winters

from distant parts of the world. But much as nature lovers may welcome them,

the rising threat to their habitats means there are fewer birds migrating to

Delhi this season.

 

Okhla Bird Park is where migratory birds come when they visit Delhi. This

Bird Park is one of the three bird sanctuaries in the city.

 

Together they played host to nearly 4,500 birds last year. Every year the

number of birds coming to the city is becoming lesser and lesser, much to

the dismay of the bird watchers.

 

Common migratory birds like the Painted Stork, Coots and Herons no longer

come to the bird sanctuaries in the Capital, mainly because of the rise in

water pollution and poor maintenance of the reserves.

 

While some bird sanctuaries are suffering the brunt of pollution, efforts

like that of the Yamuna Biodiversity park go a long way to ensure that

migratory birds keep coming back.

 

''There are two wildlife support systems in Delhi, Yamuna and Aravalli. Both

have degraded, Sultanpur reserve is nothing but sewage,'' said Faiyaz

Khudsar, Wildlife Biologist.

 

''We get students from schools and colleges to the park to ignite young

minds so that when they join the bureaucracy and pass regulations, there is

some green in it.''

 

Delhi has long been a haven as much for the migratory birds as the bird

watchers but with rising levels of water pollution and lack of adequate

ecological intervention, this haven may soon be a thing of the past.

 

 

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