With aquatic birds under threat a count starts

CHITWAN, Jan 13: Following concern expressed by experts at the extinction of aquatic birds over time, a counting of birds living in the major wetland areas of the country kicked off from Friday.



In order to find out the situation of endangered aquatic birds in Nepal, the bird count was launched as a joint venture of Bird Education Society, Himalayan Nature, Nepal Ornithologists´ Association and Chitwan National Park (CNP). [break]Bird experts believe the count will help establish the number of aquatic birds accurately, unlike any bird census in the past.Bird counts have been conducted in Nepal since 1987.



Around 300 bird enthusiasts participating in the two-week survey are going to 60 different wetlands of the country for the count.



According to bird expert Basu Bidari, a count was conducted in wetlands from Sunachuri area of Chitwan through Saurahaghat to Kasara ghat of CNP on Friday.

Counting will also take place in four other major wetlands, including the buffer zones of Koshi Tappu Wildlife Reserve and CNP, Bishajari lake of Chitwan, Jagdishpur lake in Lumbini and Ghodaghodi lake in Kailali.





With the expansion of human settlements and change in climatic conditions, the number of aquatic birds migrating to the wetlands of the country has witnessed a significant fall, state the bird experts.



Out of 871 bird species found in Nepal, 139 have been identified as aquatic. However, nearly 200 bird species are dependent on the wetlands.



A few months ago, bird experts had said that an additional 10 aquatic bird species were now in the endangered list. With this, a total of 159 species are on the verge of disappearance, say experts. “Aquatic birds in particular are adversely affected by change in enviroment,” they added.



The aquatic birds are threatened as the wetlands are drying up due change in rainfall patterns, use of insecticides for crop cultivation and discharge of drainage into water resources by humans, bird expert Bidari added.



Experts also said that bird conservation initiatives have not been effective.



"If effective initiatives are not taken, the extinction of endangered species is not far away." said conversation activists who had gathered for the bird count.

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