Winged guests’ count declining at Punjab’s Harike wetland

Tribune News Service

GS Paul

Amritsar, January 7

A declining trend has been witnessed on the arrival of birds from Siberia, Russia, Kazakhstan and other cold regions to Punjab’s protected wetlands, including the Harike, known as Hari-ke-Pattan, in Tarn Taran for the past few years.

The dwindling number of winged guests in the past four years suggests an alarming indication of overall biodiversity loss and anthropogenic situation, increasing human intervention, to an extent.

Falling numbers

• In 2019-20, over one lakh birds arrived
• The largest number of birds’ arrival at Harike was 1,23,128 comprising around 83 species in 2019-20
• In 2020-21, the species number was increased to 90, yet the total count stood at 91,025
• During 2021-22, 88 species were located yet the count was 74,869 only
• Only 65,624 birds were recorded during 2023, making it the lowest count at Harike

As per the Harike Wetland Census 2023, conducted by the Punjab Forests Wildlife Department and Worldwide Fund (WWF)-Punjab, the largest number of birds’ arrival at Harike was 1,23,128 comprising around 83 species in 2019-20. In the following season (2020-2021), the species number was increased to 90, yet the total count stood at 91,025. During 2021-22, 88 species were located yet the count was 74,869 only. However, there was no census in 2022, yet only 65,624 birds were recorded to have arrived during 2023, making it the lowest count at Harike.

For 2023-24, it is estimated that around 40,000 to 50,000 migratory birds are estimated to have arrived at the Harike wetland so far.

Gitanjali Kanwar, coordinator, aquatic biodiversity, WWF India, confirmed that the decline in birds’ arrival might be due to delay in the winter season.

She said the real picture would emerge only after the annual waterbird census exercise would complete by March-April as the arrival of birds was still on and there was an expectation of an increase in the number in the coming weeks.

“We have yet to ascertain the reason behind the dip or it could be a global dip,” she said.

The Harike Wetland, which is spread over 41 sq km, is an important stopover for migratory birds. At present, this wetland is home to a variety of bird species, including bar-headed geese, common teal, coots, godwits, northern pintail, ruddy shelduck, and common pochard, among others.

Punjab has seven protected wetlands, including the Harike Wildlife Sanctuary, Nangal Wildlife Sanctuary, Ropar Conservation Reserve, Kanjli Wetland (Kali Bein Conservation Reserve), Beas River Conservation Reserve and Keshopur-Miani Community Reserve.

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