THANE: Armed with binoculars, high-tech cameras and environment encyclopedias, hundreds of avifauna experts, birding enthusiasts and nature photographers across Mumbai Metropolitan Region (MMR) are participating in the pan-Asia water-bird census.
To gauge the population of local and migrant water birds Bombay Natural History Society (BNHS) has organized the Asian Water-birds Census, in coordination with Wetlands International, between January 7 and 22, 2017.
As part of this census, birding enthusiasts are expected to venture into wetlands in their areas and monitor the count of different species of water birds. They have to submit this list and details of condition of the wetland, salinity and pollution levels of the water that passes through it to BNHS by February-end.
Avifauna researchers will analyze the data gathered and propose solutions and suggest ways to conserve wetlands to the government.
Raju Kasambe,, project manager (important bird areas) at BNHS, said, "Monitoring of water-bird numbers and wetlands has played an important role in understanding the threats to and the decline of water-birds around the world. Over the years, urbanization has resulted in growing pollution of wetlands. This is bound to have an impact on the bird species. Pockets like Uran, Sewri, Thane creek and Bhandup pumping station still have a few wetlands that house the greater and lesser flamingos, Gadwalls, Shelducks and other such water-birds. We need to ensure they are protected."
"During this month, Asia attracts migratory birds apart from local birds, making this region avifauna-rich. Birdwatchers can contribute to the global data of water-bird numbers and help in decision-making and conservation efforts, such as bringing these ecosystems in the list of nationally protected sites," Kasambe added.
Local birding enthusiasts here believe that initiatives like these bird census and eco-drives will help change the title of these eco-systems from wastelands to wetlands.
"Wetlands have been ignored as useless wastelands and have always lost the battle with development and construction. However, they house an entire cycle of ecosystem from small micro-organisms, fish and plant life to birds which feed on them. It is essential that the effect of urbanization on this ecosystem is brought out through this Census. Maharashtra doesn't comprise even one Ramsar sites till today, and it is high time that these sites are put on that list," said Clara Correia, Thane-based zoologist and bird watcher.
