TAUSEEF AHMAD
BANDIPORA, Jan 12: Centuries old relationship of migratory birds with Asia’s second largest freshwater lake Wular continues till date. Lakhs of migratory birds visit this lake with the onset of the winter season in Kashmir.
Every year with the inception of winter, the wetlands of Kashmir valley hosts lakhs of migratory birds as they start arriving in Kashmir valley from October and stay till March.
“This year a festive look have been seen from November as different kind of species had been starting arriving in Wular lake, however, poaching and shrinking of water bodies continue to pose a big challenge to the future of Wular lake”,said Mohammad Sultan Dar a local fisherman from Lankreshipora village of Bandipora district.
As per the local fisherman community, lakhs of migratory birds mainly Mallards, Coots, Little Grebe, Grey Lake Goose and Pintail had already arrived in Wular this season.
From the month of October, these birds migrate from Siberia, China, Philippines, Eastern Europe and Japan to the valley and stay here for about five months as the Valley presents them a comparatively hospitable alternate habitat compared to the extreme freezing conditions in their natural habitats in the northern hemisphere.
Talking to the Kashmir Despatch, Ghulam Hassan a local fisherman from Lahrwalpora village of Bandipora said that earlier poaching was a big threat for these migratory birds, but this year forest department has controlled it and this is because of these efforts the birds have been seen dancing in Wular lake.
He also said that the Forest Protection Force has intensified the surveillance operations in and around Wular Lake to stop illegal hunting of Migratory birds in Wular lake.
The locals hailed the efforts of the forest protection force for stopping illegal hunting of birds in the lake.
“Recently four punt guns had been seized from Saderkot Payen village of Bandipora, Punt gun is an extremely long shotgun that is used to silently sneak and hunt down different types of birds in wetlands. In the past, departments have seized several such guns from Wular Lake due to rampant poaching and illegal trade of the migratory birds”,said Aijaz Ahmad deputy director forest protection force Bandipora.
According to the official, there was almost negligible poaching of migratory birds in Wular Lake this season given the ‘strict vigilance’ of the anti-poaching squads, who were utilizing every source to crack down on poachers.
