Destinations of migratory birds depleting fast in Pakistan

Islamabad : The unfavourable conditions have forced the migratory birds to start leaving their destinations in Pakistan before the end of the winter season.

According to the details, the designated sites where migratory birds land in Pakistan are also decreasing due to the loss of green areas, pollution in water bodies, and illegal hunting especially in the Sindh province. The migratory birds that arrived in November last year stayed in different areas including Thatta, Rann of Kutch, Thar coastal areas, and Margalla Hills National Park (MHNP). Some arrived from Siberia, over the Karakoram, Hindu Kush, and Suleiman Ranges along the Indus River, and moved down to the delta through the Indus Flyway.

There are 218 species of birds in the Margalla Hills Range. Out of these, 82 are residents, 32 are summer visiting and breeding species, 73 are winter visitors, and 31 are transit migrants mainly from and to the Himalayan heights.

The harsh winter in Russia forces birds to leave their home in search of warmer places, and Pakistan is one of such destination where these birds including some rare species stay for quite some time. The experts have also pointed out that the deterioration of the natural environment due to the devastating floods also deprived the migratory birds of their desired atmosphere during their temporary stay in Pakistan. Water in some of the lakes near the coastal areas has turned saline due to the intrusion of seawater, drastically affecting the quality of life of marine animals and plants, and causing the number of migratory birds visiting the lakes to decline.

An official said, “As far as the twin cities of Rawalpindi and Islamabad are concerned the migratory birds were seen in rivers, lakes, and waterways including Ayub Park, Chahan Dam, and Rawal Dam.”

“Human activities in other provinces including land reclamation and deforestation, and indirect human influences, such as climate change and fragmentation and degradation of habitats have adversely affected the destinations of the migratory birds in Pakistan,” he said.