Srinagar (Jammu and Kashmir): With the arrival of winter in Kashmir, where tourists from different countries come to enjoy the picturesque beauty, migratory birds from Western countries also have kept the date with their arrival after traveling long distances. The migratory birds arrive in Kashmir to make Kashmir their temporary abode.
The water bodies of the valley become colorful with these visiting birds and also offer a beautiful sight to the tourists and locals. Continuing this journey of hundreds of years, migratory birds have started arriving in Kashmir valley this year too and according to official figures, about 20,000 birds are perching in Jammu and Kashmir's wetlands so far, of which 5,000 are at Srinagar's Hokersar.
In this regard, Wildlife Warden (Wetlands) Ifshan Dewan told ETV Bharat on phone that there was no delay in the arrival of the migratory birds. “They are coming here gradually and in batches. This year at the end of February, when the census will be done, it will become clear how many birds have come here. Moreover, it will also be known how many new birds have come to the valley," Dewan said.
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Dewan informed that last year Kashmir valley was visited by more than 12 lakh migratory birds, several of them visiting here for the first time. Dewan said that to provide suitable habitat for these birds, the Wildlife department has taken several initiatives to maintain the water level in the wetlands. “Apart from this, teams have also been formed to prevent poaching of these birds.
There has been a significant reduction in poaching of migratory birds in the last few years, which is a welcome development," she said. It should be noted that apart from Hokersar, the migratory birds also come to Wular Lake, Haigam, Shalbugh, Dal lake and Mirgund in winters for about five months. Meanwhile, on the occasion of the 75th year of India's independence, the central government has included two more wetlands of Kashmir valley in the list of Ramsar sites.
With the declaration of Shalbugh (in Ganderbal district) and Haigam (in Srinagar) as Ramsar sites, the number of such sites in Jammu and Kashmir has gone up to five. Earlier Hokarsar, Surinsar, and Wular lake were already included in Ramsar. Among the migratory birds that visit the valley every year are Tufted Duck, Gudwal, Brahminy Duck, Gargantuan, Greylag Goose, Mallard, Common Merganser, Northern Pintail, Common Pochard, Ferruginous Pochard, Red Crested Pochard, Ruddy Shelduck, Northern Shoveler, Common Teal and Eurasian Wagtail.
These birds start returning from the valley in the last week of March.
