West Bengal Forest Dept documents 1,23,675 waterbirds in recent study

The West Bengal Forest departmenthas documented 1,23,675 waterbirds in a recent study, a seniorofficial said on Wednesday.

Chief Wildlife Warden V K Yadav told PTI on Wednesdaythe study was conducted from January 12 to February 2 thisyear in 54 different locations in West Bengal.

More than 65 species were documented during theexercise which involved more than 800 people including foreststaff, NGOs and bird lovers, Yadav said.

The senior forest official said wetlands are extremelyrich in biodiversity and waterbirds such as herons, egrets,swans, ducks and geese and waders use wetlands during themajority of their lifetime.

Yadav said water birds were recorded in 54 wetlands injust 3 weeks time which is a remarkable feat.

The recorded water birds include 7,110 at Gajaldoba,1,476 in Gorumara National Park, 1,538 in Jaldapara NationalPark, 6,936 in Fulbari, 4,219 in Rasikbill, 10,173 inBakreswar, 15,457 in Ballavpur, 6,020 in Purbasthali birdsanctuary, 5,651 in Santragachi jhil, 8,304 in Jambudwip,9,574 in Sunderbans among others, he said, At least 12 per cent of all Globally Threatened Birds(146 species) depend on wetlands as the most important typesof wetlands for these birds are lakes and pools, rivers andstreams, bogs, marshes and swamps, and coastal lagoons, theforest department said in a statement issued on the WorldWetlands Day on February 2.

Advocating the need to preserve waterbodies, thedepartment said a waterbody provides the habitat to supportone or more breeding pairs of waterfowl, supports the resting,feeding, staging or roosting habitat to waterfowl migration,provides a buffer for a nest site, supports one or morebreeding pairs of any migratory bird that requires wetlandhabitat for breeding, nesting, rearing.