Migratory bird count down by 7,000 in Pong

DHARAMSHALA: The avian influenza outbreak has impacted migratory bird population in Pong, one of the largest manmade wetlands in the foothills of the Himalayas, forest officials said.

An estimation of waterfowls, both local and migratory, by the wildlife wing of state forest department conducted at the start of this month found their numbers had declined by approximately 7,000 against last year’s count of around 1.15 lakh birds.

Around 5,500 migratory have died due to bird flu in Pong area since December-end.

“A census was conducted under restrained conditions due to the prevailing avian influenza outbreak in Pong Lake as well as the Covid-19 pandemic,” said forest minister Rakesh Pathania. Fifty-seven forest officers participated in the exercise.

As many as 1,08,578 birds belonging to 96 species were recorded at the lake this year. Of these 1, 01,431 birds belonged to

51 migratory species; 6,433 to 29 local species; and around 714 birds of 16 other species were also recorded.

Principal chief conservator of forests (wildlife) Archana Sharma said, “The total population of birds as well as number of species this year is marginally less than last year, probably due to the impact of the avian influenza outbreak.”

This winter, 40,570 barheaded geese were spotted at the lake against 50,000 last year. Though the geese were the worst-affected by the influenza and accounted for 90% of the 5,500 avian deaths reported on the wetland, they are still the most abundant species on the lake. The geese are the world’s highest altitude migratory bird species.

In 2015, a record 71,800 barheaded geese had visited the lake, which was the largest population of the species across the world in a non-breeding season. During the counting exercise, a collared bar-headed goose and grey-lag goose were also spotted.

Other prominent species in the wetland were the Eurasian coot (24,163), northern pintail (12,702), common teal (8,444), little cormorant (3,649), great cormorant (3,410), grey lag goose (2,297), northern shoveler (2,275) and common pochard (2,138).The red-necked grebe, great bittern, lesser whitefronted goose, red-crested pochard, ferruginous pochard, pied avocet, northern lapwing and peregrine falcon were also spotted.

The Pong Dam Lake, constructed on the Beas in 1960, was declared a bird sanctuary in 1983 and given the status of the wetland of national importance in 1994. In 2002, it became a Ramsar site.

Since 1988, 425 bird species have been spotted on the wetland. Most of these birds migrate from their breeding places in the trans-himalayan region, including Tibet, Central Asia, Russia and Siberia.

Ban on fishing lifted

The Kangra district administration on Monday lifted the ban on fishing in Pong Lake after deaths of migratory birds due to avian influenza came to a halt.

Kangra deputy commissioner Rakesh Kumar Prajapati said no migratory bird death was reported in Pong Lake area in two days.