(IN): Threat to habitat

January 23, 2009

Threat to habitat

OUR CORRESPONDENT

*Siliguri, Jan. 22:* Disappearing waterbodies and pollution are the main

reasons behind the drop in avian numbers in north Bengal. Waterfowl in

particular and even some raptors have borne the brunt, a census has

revealed.

A few of the species can no longer be sighted in Darjeeling, Jalpaiguri and

Cooch Behar districts.

" In the course of the Asian Waterfowl Census, at least one raptor and three

varieties of ducks which could be seen in numbers even a couple of years

ago, could no longer be sighted, " said Animesh Bose, the programme

coordinator of the Siliguri-based Himalayan Nature and Adventure Foundation

(Hnaf) today.

The AWC is conducted by Wetlands International, an NGO working around the

globe on the conservation of birds. In north Bengal, its network partner is

Hnaf.

" The population of birds like the ruddy shelduck and the cotton teal has

substantially reduced, " he said. " Among the raptors that are water-based,

the Pallas's fish eagle could not be sighted and we suspect it has vanished

from this part of the country now. "

The Indian Bird Conservation Network, another partner of the census, has

identified 465 important bird areas or IBAs, of which 10 are in Bengal. Of

these, three each are in wildlife sanctuaries and national parks, two in

tiger reserves while two are yet to be officially marked.

" Climatic changes, encroachment and pollution of waterbodies and poaching

have led to the decline in the population, " Bose said.

The condition of the waterbodies is also being checked during the census.

" We will send our findings to the IBCN which in turn will compile the

national data and forward them to the Asia Pacific office of the Wetlands

International at Horapark in The Netherlands. All reports would be collated

there to get the global scenario, " Bose said.

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