Kashmir wetlands abuzz with the arrival of migratory birds

“Migratory birds continue to face threat from hunters and poachers around Kashmir Wetlands despite initiatives from Wildlife Department to protect them”

The migratory birds visiting Kashmir travel from colder areas of the world, flying over continents in flocks. The birds that arrive here every year are mallards, greylag geese, pochards, common tails, shovelers, pintails and ghadwals, which visit the region between October and April. Twelve lakh migratory birds from Eastern Europe and Central Asia visited Kashmir’s wetlands the previous year, as per the Wildlife Department Kashmir’s annual census.

Every year, the Wildlife Department Kashmir, in collaboration with several other agencies and stakeholders, conduct a census to determine the number of migratory birds that visit Kashmir during the winter. The season also attracts hobbyists, wildlife photographers and bird watchers, many of whom frequent these spots to catch glimpses of special guests as many of them look forward to this season to see a lot of them gathering near Dal Lake.

As the birds arrive, however, there is also a lurking threat from the poachers and hunters. The Wildlife Department seized more than 30 guns, including a rifle worth more than Rs 5 lakh, in the past two years. Around the same time, the Forest Protection Force (FPF) in north Kashmir’s Bandipora, where Wullar Lake is one of the main sites for bird visits, claimed to have seized as many as 11 punt guns – about 9 feet long – from the poachers.

The Wildlife Department has implemented multiple measures to transform all wetlands into habitable spaces, resulting in a noticeable surge in bird activity. Last year, the Kashmir valley hosted more than 12 lakh migratory birds, some visiting for the first time. The department has taken several initiatives to maintain suitable habitats for these birds, ensuring an adequate water level in the wetlands. Apart from Hokersar, other locations such as Wullar Lake, Hygam, Shallbough, Dal Lake, and Mirgund attract migratory birds during winter.

The migratory period extends until March, when the birds return to their distant homelands, completing a cycle that has played out for centuries as the recent influx of migratory birds, numbering in lakhs, has infused the wetland reserves of Kashmir with vibrant hues and melodious sounds.

(*The author is a Kashmir-based columnist and can be mailed at m.hanief@gmail.com X/Twitter: @haniefmha)

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