86% jump in winged visitors at Kapurthala’s Kanjli wetland this year
KAPURTHALA:AS many as 712 migratory birds, belonging to 11 species, reached the Kanjli wetland this season, an increase of over 86% as compared to the previous season.
Last year, 381 birds, belonging to eight migratory species, visited the wetland.
A common pochard, which is a critically endangered species, was also spotted at the wetland after years, according to a survey conducted by World Wildlife Fund (WWF), India, in association with Phillaur Wildlife Division, which concluded on Friday.
Common pochard, which inhabits eutrophic lakes and marshes, has been classified as critically endangered due to 90% decrease in its population in two decades. The International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) has included this bird among red-listed threatened species.
The other winged visitors that reached the wetland this season belonged to species including marsh harrier, gadwal, greylag geese, citrine wagtail, yellow wagtail and coot. The number of birds has improved from the previous year as wetland was cleaned as part of 550th Parkash Purb of Guru Nanak Dev in November last year. But the number of migratory species has come down over the years, said a wildlife officer, part of the survey. Also, the population of the dominating resident species, common moorhen, also fell down to 121 as against 161 two years ago.
Gitanjali Kanwar, coordinator, aquatic biodiversity, WWF India, said, “The total of number of migratory birds have improved compared to last year due to better condition of the wetland. The spotting of common pochard, an endangered species, after a long gap is a good sign.”
However, some bird lovers are feeling disappointed due to poor maintenance of Kanjli wetland, ahead of the World Wetland Day that falls on February
2. “The wetland is in a pitiable condition as most of its surface area is covered by hyacinth, the reason behind fewer winter species visiting the wetland over the past years. This wetland was once a popular picnic hub,” said Amarjot Singh, a local resident.
The state government in September announced to revamp the wetland at a cost of Rs 450 crore, but the work is yet to be begun.
The district officials claimed that tenders have been floated and the renovation work will start soon.
The Kanjli wetland is a riverine wetland habitat for aquatic biodiversity, especially water birds.