Avian population fast declining in Vembanad

Kottayam, June 18 (UNI) The avian population around Vembanad Lake, a favourite haunt of migratory birds and resident birds, is fast showing a decrease, registering about 60 per cent decline of the fowls.

The Vembanad Water Bird Count-2006, reveals that there is a drastic reduction in the number of both migrant and resident water birds. The total number of birds counted this year is 11,492 as against 28,256 in the last year.

The report, the sixth in a series on Mid-Winter Water Fowl census held in the Vembanad region by the Forests and Wildlife Department and the Kottayam Nature Society, points out that the reduction is mainly due to the absence of migrant Ducks and Teals.

Only one group of lesser Whistling Teals are present at Kaipuzha Muttu sector. Northern Pintail Ducks and Gargany Teals are very negligible, the report points out.

The number of resident birds have also reduced from 2,602 in 2005 to 1,864 this year. It is only 72 per cent of the previous year. The number of Indian Shag and Darter reported twice their number in the previous year. The little Cormorants has shown a reduction to 60 per cent of the previous year.

The Kumarakom Tourist Complex heronry also supports a lesser bird population. In Pathiramanal Island, the number of birds have decreased by half since 2005, the report adds.

The report recommends that as the migrating Ducks and Teals roost in the uncultivated paddy fields, protection must be provided from organised poaching.

It also calls for creating a protected area with Pathiramanal Island, the heronry of the Kerala Tourism Development Corporation (KTDC) complex and the portion of the lake between these two areas together.

A new model of protected area, involving the Forest department, local Panchayat, NGOs and various stakeholders in its management should be evolved, it recommends.

The study was conducted on January 22, at Vembanad region in Kottayam and Alappuzha districts as part of the International Mid-Winter Water Fowl census.

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