If all goes well, Bangalore will soon be a birdwatcher’s destination. The Sompura Lake in south Bangalore is being restored and conserved to create an experience for researchers, ornithologists and tourists. Being 20 km away from city limits, this nesting place of migratory birds will be packaged as a tourist spot with aquatic sports and other attractions like a landscape garden, walkway and park. As part of the planning stage, a toy train will run along the periphery. The Sompura Lake, located near Kanakapura, is now being dewatered and de-weeded, and will later be de-silted.
No doubt the city’s Merlin Nature Club and Birdwatchers’ Field Club of Bangalore have singled out their favourite bird-watching spots, but Sompura is a Bangalore Development Authority (BDA) initiative. BDA has allotted Rs 105 crore to restore, protect and preserve 12 lakes in Bangalore proper. By March-April 2010, the lakes will be ready to host summer migratory birds. BDA Deputy Conservator of Forest M V Amarnath says a survey conducted last year indicated that the population migratory birds had dwindled to half because the physicochemical parameters of the water had deteriorated. “The underground water is polluted and the ambient atmosphere of the lakes unsuitable for aquatic animals and birds,” he adds.
The migrant bird population has dwindled because the number of lakes has dwindled. “During the Vijayanagara dynasty,” points out biodiversity expert Harish Bhat who is Bangalore’s honorary wildlife warden, “Karnataka had 44,000 lakes which scaled down to 25,000. Bangalore had 595 water bodies five decades ago, which has now reduced by half; pools, puddles and wetlands included.”
Though scientists have highlighted the importance of wetlands, development has carved into them. Says A N Yellappa Reddy, chairman of the BDA’s Lake Development Authority, “Over the last two decades over 60 per cent of wetlands have disappeared due to pollution, debris, breaching, siltation and diversion of sewage water. Migratory birds visit wetlands for aquatic plants and biodiversity. Till 1980, Bangalore’s wetlands attracted up to 50 bird species.”
Historically, lakes and tanks were created for drinking water, irrigation and fishing, and doubled as dhobhi ghats. Lakes were worshipped, de-silted annually and recognised as an ecosystem. The concept lost currency, the respect given to water bodies declined and catchments were encroached upon.
It requires a 360-degree turn to view water bodies differently. But there is hope yet. The Mysore Amateur Naturalists (MAN), a non-governmental organisation in Kokkare Bellur, attempts to orient people towards the environment. Kokkare Bellur, located off the Bangalore-Mysore highway is among India’s few nestling sites of the spot-billed pelican. It’s called the Village of Storks, as birds co-habit with the residents. It is a role model for conservation efforts entailing co-existence of different species, besides encouraging farmers, who use bird droppings as manure. The government has joined hands with them. To promote rural tourism, the Department of Tourism, Government of India, has established an Interpretation Centre in Kokkare Bellur, which will be operational from December and be run by MAN. “The attempt,” explains MAN secretary Manu K, “is to familiarise visitors with birds. This will be done through guided tours, video screening and pamphlet distribution, besides housing a library with environment books. Children’s camps will be included.”
Other bird-friendly zones will take years to evolve. Right now, it’s time to welcome winged visitors who head for cooler climes. Migratory birds make annual journeys across latitudes to tide over harsh winters. “The migrant birds come from distant regions like Siberia, Europe and Afghanistan. They come from different flyways like the African-Eurasian, East Asian-Australasian and Central Asian Flyways," says Bhatt. “At least more than 20 species of winter migratory birds arrive in Karnataka and over 100 species of water birds depend on wetlands."
Migratory birds like the bar-headed goose, pintail duck, blue-winged teal, stilts and sand pipers land in Karnataka around October-November after monsoon. “Bangalore receives an annual rainfall of 970 mm,” informs B Puttanna, senior meteorologist. “This year, there has been an excess of rainfall. The southwest monsoon recorded 721.3 mm of rains and in September the city received 345.8 mm. Overall, Karnataka has received an excess of 23 per cent rain this year.” Though coastal north Karnataka has been deluged, the flight of birds remains unaffected. “With excessive rain,” points out ornithologist M B Krishna, “more dry lakes and tanks will be filled. This translates to a wider dispersion of the migratory water birds. So if one visits a wetland, one would see fewer birds, in comparison with a clustered population in a year with lower rainfall. Birds take a bath whenever opportunities arise and other species that lived on land also visit water bodies to drink.”
While climatic conditions continue to fluctuate, the immediate concern is to create a congenial atmosphere for migrant birds. “In August,” recalls Zafar Futehally, who has edited India Through Its Birds, “there was an influx of 45 spot-billed pelicans in Hebbal Lake, and there have also been recent reports of flocks of grey wagtails in Bangalore. Out of the 1,200 species of birds in India, about 500 species are migrants. Harriers, a migrant species, used to be spotted quite often in north Bangalore. It may be difficult to see these graceful birds in future as the place is getting crowded.”
— kavita@epmltd.com