Harike Sees Fewer Avian Guests this Year

According to the latest bird survey in north India’s largest wetland, Harike Wildlife Sanctuary, 50,529 migratory birds were spotted this year. The Harike sanctuary spreads over 86 square kilometers in the Tarn Taran, Ferozepur, and Kapurthala districts of Panjab. The wetland is located on the confluence of the Satluj and Beas rivers. Every year, migratory birds from Siberia, Mongolia, Uzbekistan, Russia, and other parts of the world arrive after water bodies get frozen at their native places in winter. The birds stay at Harike till March or April. Last year, the number was 65,624. A total of 114 species of migratory and resident water birds visited the wetlands this season as compared to 107 species last year. In 2021, the number was 74,869 migratory birds of 88 species had arrived. In 2020, the number was 91,025 from 90 species. The survey was conducted by Punjab State Forest and Wildlife Department and the World Wildlife Fund (WWF). The reasons for the 22% decrease in avian visitors are climatic conditions, less snowfall in Europe, and the ongoing Ukraine-Russia war. It is encouraging that there were rare sightings of water birds and raptors, such as crested serpent eagle and great and black-necked grebe, this year. Lesser birds but more species of birds point to distress in the native habitats of the avian visitors. Apart from the Harike wetland, Panjab has five more protected wetlands: Keshopur Miani, Nangal, Ropar, Kanjli, and Beas river. Besides these, the Ranjit Sagar Dam conservation reserve has also been recognized as a national wetland.