North Bengal Faces Decline in Migratory Birds: Flood, Dry Spell Blamed for Fewer Waterfowl
Gajoldoba's Avian Appeal Fades: Mamata Banerjee's "Bird Sanctuary" Sees Drop in Migratory Birds
North Bengal-based ornithologists and bird lovers, who began the yearly waterfowl count on Wednesday, voiced concerns about a decline in the number of migrating birds that had shown up this year throughout the region's many bodies of water.
They cited unpredictable weather patterns and the Teesta's October 2023 flash flood, which had an impact on the river's aquatic fauna, as the causes.
The month-long exercise was started on Wednesday by specialists and members of the Himalayan Nature and Adventure Foundation (HNAF) located in Siliguri. Some members who visited various bodies of water for a survey before the count saw fewer birds.
Large silt deposits were left behind by the October 4th flash flood in Teesta, which had an impact on the aquatic life of both plant and animals. One of the main locations where migrating birds may be seen, Gajoldoba, has experienced siltation, which has affected the birds' supply of food. Unpredictable weather has also lowered water levels in many bodies of water, particularly during the last two months' dry spell of "warm winter," which has not seen any rain. Thus, we are concerned about a poor waterfowl attendance this year," the HNAF program coordinator, Animesh Bose, said.
Bose claims that around 10,000 migrating birds from 70 different species were discovered in Gajoldoba the previous year. Falcated Duck, Red-breasted Merganser, Dunlin, Bar-headed Goose, and Northern Lapwing were a few of them.
Situated around 25 miles from Siliguri under the Rajganj subdivision of Jalpaiguri, Gajoldoba is renowned for its massive tourist center.
A local bird lover said, "The chief minister Mamata Banerjee was inspired to name a portion of the tourism hub Pakhi Bitan or a bird sanctuary because of the presence of migratory birds here."
In collaboration with the state forest department and the state biodiversity board, the census is being conducted. Teams will visit several bodies of water throughout the exercise, count the number of ducks, and record the species seen.
Fulbari, which is close to Siliguri, Murti, and Jaldhaka (near Gorumara National Park), Torsha, which is part of Jaldapara National Park, Nararthali, which is in the Buxa Tiger Reserve, Rasikbil, which is in Cooch Behar, Domohani, which is close to the Teesta, and Gosainhat, which is at the meeting point of the Diana and Jaldhaka rivers, are the sites.
"After we've completed counting, we'll send our results to the international wetland bureau, the state forest department, and the state biodiversity board. These findings will be used to create an extensive and current database of wetlands and migrating birds, according to Bose.
