Excelsior Correspondent
SRINAGAR, Feb 12: More than 350 participants today joined a Valley-wide Asian Waterbird Census across 27 wetlands in Kashmir, as the Department of Wildlife Protection, Jammu and Kashmir, in coordination with the Wular Conservation and Management Authority (WUCMA), carried out one of the region’s largest field-based biodiversity monitoring exercises.
A spokesperson said the census began at 8:00 am and was conducted simultaneously at 58 designated census points across north, central and south Kashmir. He said the exercise followed a preparatory orientation programme held a day earlier to familiarise participants with standard census protocols and scientific methods.
Key wetlands covered during the census included Hokersar, Shalbugh, Haigam, Wular Lake, Dal Lake, Anchar Lake, Nigeen Lake and Chatlam, among others. “These wetlands lie along the Central Asian Flyway and provide crucial wintering and staging habitats for migratory birds arriving from Siberia and Central Asia,” he said.
The Asian Waterbird Census is an annual, the spokesperson said, globally coordinated, citizen-science initiative carried out across Asia and Australasia. It generates long-term data on waterbird populations, which supports wetland management, conservation planning and global biodiversity assessments.
He said participants included scholars and students from Sher-e-Kashmir University of Agricultural Sciences and Technology (SKUAST-Kashmir), the University of Kashmir, colleges from Srinagar, Ganderbal and Budgam districts, and students from local schools. “Conservation NGOs, trained volunteers, birdwatchers and civil-society groups also joined the exercise,” he said.
Wildlife Warden, Wetland Division, Altaf Hussain said the census was not just about counting birds but about estimating population trends. “These trends help us assess the suitability of wetlands for migratory and resident birds and act as important ecological indicators,” he said.
Regional Wildlife Warden Kashmir, Tawheed Ahmad Deva, IFS, said early field observations were encouraging, but final results would be known only after detailed data analysis.
WUCMA Chief Executive Officer Manzoor Ahmad Qadri said strong inputs had been received from Wular Lake regarding the presence of migratory birds and noted that ongoing conservation efforts were beginning to show positive results.
WUCMA coordinator Owais Farooq Mir said census points at Wular Lake were increased from five last year to ten this year to ensure better coverage.
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