Number of bar-headed geese declines at Pong

lit Mohan

Tribune News Service

Dharamsala, February 5

The number of bar-headed geese coming to Pong Dam Wetland has been decreasing since the past three years. As per the animal waterfowl estimation completed by the Wildlife Department, this year, 29,443 bar-headed geese visited the Pong Dam Wetland area.

According to the data available from wildlife officials, there has been considerable reduction in the number of bar-headed geese coming to the Pong Dam. In 2017, 52,530 bar-headed geese were reported at the Pong Dam lake. It was the biggest concentration of bar-headed geese in the country. In 2018, the bird reported in the area came down to 35,000. This year, it has further reduced to 29,443.

DS Dadwal, DFO, Wildlife Department, Dharamsala, when asked about the reducing number of bar-headed geese in Pong Dam Wetland said high water level in the lake this year might be one on the reasons for that. Due to the high water level, the bar-headed geese do not have open spaces to stay put. Due to this reason, they might be migrating to other lakes in the region, he said.

Pradeep Thakur, Conservator, Wildlife Department, said the annual waterfowl estimation exercise was carried out on January 28 and 29, 2019 for monitoring the numerical size of the birds’ population during 2018-19 in Pong Dam Wetland. Experts from various organisations and bird groups viz. Birds of Himachal Pradesh, Himachal Bird Club, Wetland International, Dharamsala Bird Club and many wildlife enthusiasts, bird watchers, volunteers along with officials and officers from the HP Forest Department, participated in the exercise.

Entire Pong Dam Lake Wildlife Sanctuary was divided into 26 sections. As many as110 persons participated in the exercise. Each section was thoroughly traversed on land and water by a team of three to six members headed by an expert.

After concerted efforts of two days by various experts and forest officials, it was concluded that 1,15,229 birds of 103 different species had been recorded at Pong Dam Lake this year, that include 1,04,230 migratory water fowls of 58 Species,10,231, resident water birds of 29 species and 768 birds of 16 other local species.

Dominant species are bar-headed geese (29,443), northern pintails (17,934), common pochards (17,742), Eurasian coots (16,313), common teals(7,918), great cormorants (5,600), Eurasian wigeons (1,481), gadwals (1,408), greylag geese (1,249) and ruddy shelducks (1,164) have been noticed this year.

Other uncommon bird species recorded in the lake are common shelducks (52),northern lapwings (39), common mergansers (31) greater white-fronted geese (24), water pipits (22), pied avocets (6),ospreys(5), black-bellied terns (2), Sarus cranes (4), Eurasian curlews(2),white-tailed lapwings (2), lesser white-fronted goose(1),common ringed plover(1) and hen harrier(1).

A few noticeable species are great crested grebes, red crested pochards, ferruginous pochards, mallards, tufted ducks, Eurasian spoonbills, curlew sandpipers and many other species of larks and pipits, the Conservator said.

The population of wetland birds has shown increase from last year. Last year, the total count was recorded at 1,10,203 birds of 62 migratory water fowls and 29 species of resident water fowls. There is an overall increase of 5,026 birds as compared to last year.

Most of these birds migrate from their breeding places in trans-Himalayan region in Tibet, Central Asia, Russia and Siberia. Over the last few years, Pong Dam Lake also a Ramsar site, has become an ideal destination for winter sojourn for many species of migratory birds.

In general, 425 species of birds have been known to occur in Pong Dam lake Wildlife Sanctuary.