Floods Impact Bird Population; New Delhi is Most Polluted Capital in the World

March

2026

The 2026 annual bird census reveals that the 2025 Panjab floods took a visible toll on migratory bird population, with Harike, Keshopur, and Ranjit Sagar wetlands recording a significant decline in bird numbers. The total number of birds across six key wetlands in Panjab fell to 71,129 in 2026 from 77,772 in 2025. The worst-affected sites were Harike Wildlife Sanctuary, where bird numbers dropped to 52,707 from 57,251 and Keshopur Wetlands where numbers dropped to 10,450 from 13,675 in the same years. Despite the decline in total numbers, the census recorded an increase in species diversity from 278 species in 2025 to 304 in 2026. Chief Wildlife Warden Basanta Rajkumar said, ‘The decline in numbers reflects ecological stress due to floods, but the increase in species indicates resilience of wetland ecosystems’. The bird census was carried out by the Forest Department of Panjab in collaboration with Bombay Natural History Society, Wildlife Institute of India, and WWF-India. Meanwhile, a new study shows emerging wildlife crime hotspots in the state which are not randomly distributed but highly concentrated. Using spatial analysis, researchers found that 1% of the state’s area—roughly 509 sq km including parts of Amritsar, Jalandhar, and Ludhiana districts, along with the Shivalik foothills—accounts for extreme-intensity crime hotspots, while nearly 30% falls in low to moderate intensity zones. The study documents 32 incidents of wildlife crime in Panjab between 2019–2024, affecting thousands of animals, many endangered. It identified wild boar as the most frequently targeted species, often linked to bushmeat trade and illegal transport networks. Furthermore, as per the 2025 World Air Quality Report by IQAir, a Swiss air quality technology company, India is the sixth most-polluted country when it comes to levels of fine particulate matter. Loni in Ghaziabad, Uttar Pradesh was the most polluted city in the world in 2025, recording an annual average PM2.5 concentration of 112.5 µg/m³, which is 22 times more than the World Health Organization permissible guidelines. New Delhi ranked as the most polluted national capital, with an average PM2.5 concentration of 82.2 µg/m³. In Panjab, Mandi Gobindgarh remained the most polluted city, followed by Ludhiana (earlier coverage).