Conservation Of Waterbirds

Extract only - complete publication at www.jncc.gov.uk/worldwaterbirds

Waterbirds around the world A global overview of the conservation, management and research of the world's waterbird flyways

Edited by G.C. Boere, C.A. Galbraith and D.A. Stroud Assisted by L.K. Bridge, I. Colquhoun, D.A. Scott, D.B.A. Thompson and L.G. Underhill

EDINBURGH, UK: THE STATIONERY OFFICE

Extract only - complete publication at www.jncc.gov.uk/worldwaterbirds

© Scottish Natural Heritage 2006

First published in 2006 by The Stationery Office Limited 71 Lothian Road, Edinburgh EH3 9AZ, UK. Applications for reproduction should be made to Scottish Natural Heritage, Great Glen House, Leachkin Road, Inverness IV3 8NW, UK. British Library Cataloguing in Publication Data A catalogue record for this book is available from the British Library ISBN 0 11 497333 4 Recommended citation: Boere, G.C., Galbraith, C.A. & Stroud, D.A. (eds). 2006. Waterbirds around the world. The Stationery Office, Edinburgh, UK. 960 pp.

Names used for geographical entities do not imply recognition, by the organisers of the Waterbirds around the world conference or other supporting organisations or governments, of the political status or boundaries of any particular territory. Names of territories used (and any alternatives) are included solely to help users of this publication apply information contained within this volume for waterbird conservation purposes. The views expressed in papers included within this volume do not necessarily represent views of the editors or the organisations and governments that supported the conference and this publication.

Cover photography:

Whooper Swans Cygnus cygnus arriving at Martin Mere, England. Photo: Paul Marshall. (www.paulmarshallphotography.com)

Copyright of all photographs used in this publication resides with the named photographers.

Waterbirds around the world

Conservation of waterbirds and wintering areas through Important Bird Areas in India M. Zafar-ul Islam Bombay Natural History Society, Hornbill House, Shaheed Bhagat Singh Road, Mumbai – 400 023, India. (email: [email protected] or [email protected]) Islam, M.Z. 2006. Conservation of waterbirds and wintering areas through Important Bird Areas in India. Waterbirds around the world. Eds. G.C. Boere, C.A. Galbraith & D.A. Stroud. The Stationery Office, Edinburgh, UK. p. 687. programme BNHS has been working on wetland conservation since 1999, and has been involved with activities such as waterbird counts, education and public awareness work, and lobbying with the government, at both Union and State level. There is now a fully-fledged, sustained conservation programme focusing on wetlands which has evolved from these initial activities. Analysis of the 466 IBAs shows that 425 sites have globally threatened species, 205 sites hold restricted range species, and 99 sites qualify as biome restricted assemblages, and 136 sites fit in the congregatory criteria. Many sites fit more than one criterion, and some sites such as Keoladeo National Park and Chilka Lake qualify for all four criteria (Islam & Rahmani 2004). Around 90% of IBAs in India are important for one or more of the 78 globally threatened species in India, and 47% for the 74 restricted range species found in India. Almost all IBAs fall under at least one biome and hold some of the 374 bird species that fall in the biome criterion. The IBAs are also important for congregatory terrestrial birds, wintering and passage waterbirds and breeding seabirds, and almost 17% of IBAs have been identified for these. However, identification of these important areas is alone not sufficient to conserve India’s biodiversity. Even many protected areas face serious conservation problems, despite their status. Also, very few of India’s protected areas were chosen to specifically conserve birds. The IBA approach is one of the ways to conserve bird species through the protection or conservation of important sites. Most of the Red Data Book species are distributed across the Indian sub-continent, with 17 migratory species and 57 others that seasonally migrate within India. Migratory species face severe threats from hunting and loss of habitat. To protect those that cross one or more border, where conservation deficiencies in one country will affect the measures undertaken by other countries, the Indian IBA program, together with the Convention on the Conservation of Migratory Species of Wild Animals (Bonn Convention) will try to facilitate international agreements between countries to protect and manage migratory species with an unfavorable conservation status.

India is among the top ten nations of the world for high levels of biodiversity. Its immense biological diversity represents about 7% of the world’s flora and 6.5% of its fauna. It embraces 10 biogeographical zones and 26 biotic provinces (Rodgers et al. 2000). There are 614 amphibians and reptiles, 1 300 birds and 350 species of mammals in India. Among the larger animals, 173 mammals, 78 birds (BirdLife International 2001), and 15 reptile species are considered endangered. This large range of species inhabit the country’s various habitats, from its crowded and colourful corals reefs to icy, alpine grasslands. However, there is very little information on the biology of the vast majority of these, many of which have not yet been named. Their value as sources of genes, food, medicine, or as essential parts of ecological systems, has been little assessed. Wetlands in India include marshes, swamps, flood-plains, bogs, peatlands, shallow ponds, littoral zones of larger water bodies, tidal marshes etc., and are hugely diverse. But whether they are ponds, marshes, coral reefs, peatlands, lakes or mangroves, they all share one fundamental feature: the complex interaction of their basic components - soil, water, animals and plants. This feature fulfils many functions and provides many products that have sustained humans over the centuries. In India, wetlands are distributed in all the biogeographic regions and exhibit significant ecological diversity, primarily because of the variability of climate conditions and the changing topography. They provide a multitude of ecosystem services - including water purification; regulation of flow; fisheries; habitats for plants, animals and micro-organisms; opportunities for recreation and tourism; and so forth. Their hydrological processes buffer against such extremes as droughts and flooding. Many wetlands have been converted for agriculture, industry and settlements, some have been affected by industrial effluents, sewage, household waste and sedimentation due to degradation of catchments. Indian wetlands support spectacular concentrations of wetland-dependent wildlife, such as the million or more shorebirds visiting Point Calimere Wildlife Sanctuary (Tamil Nadu), Chilika Lake (Orissa), Pitti Islands (Lakshadweep), and the islands of Gujarat. BirdLife International, its UK partner, the Royal Society for the Protection of Birds (RSPB) and the designated partner in India, the Bombay Natural History Society (BNHS), have come together to establish the Indian Bird Conservation Network (IBCN), which includes NGOs and individuals wishing to contribute towards bird conservation in India. One of the aims of the Network is to identify and protect Important Bird Areas (IBA) throughout the country, and an IBA Programme was officially launched in March 1999. For identified sites, the IBA programme collects information including bird populations, conservation issues, management problems and threats. Through this

REFERENCES BirdLife International 2001. Threatened Birds of Asia: the BirdLife International Red Data Book. Cambridge, U.K.: BirdLife International. Islam, M.Z. & Rahmani A.R. 2004. Important Bird Areas in India: Priority sites for conservation. Indian Bird Conservation Network, Bombay Natural History Society and BirdLife International (UK). 1,200 pp. Rodgers, W.A., Panwar, H.S. & Mathur, V.B. 2000. Wildlife Protected Area Network in India: A Review, Executive Summary. Wildlife Institute of India, Dehradun.

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