BENGALURU: To ensure that water bodies of Karnataka get international recognition, conservation benefits and better protection, the forest department will conduct the first ever state-level water census.
The census is part of the Central Asian Flyway project on migratory birds, a meeting on which will be held in Gujarat in the second week of February. The census will cover all the water bodies of Karnataka, where birds, especially migratory ones rest and roost. The exercise will be held on January 25 and must be completed before January 26. All the deputy conservators of forests (DCFs) have been directed to make arrangements for the exercise and rope in local bird watchers.
The Flyaway project covers continental Eurasian countries where migratory birds travel to and from and the countries they pass by and make stopovers in. It assess the migratory pattern of the birds and the regions where attention needs to be paid.
Principal Chief Conservator of Forests (Wildlife) Sanjai Mohan told The New Indian Express that this is the first time such a census will be held across the state. Birders will have to stay at water bodies and note the species of the birds from 6 am to 12 noon. The data collected will be presented at the Flyway project meeting. “It will help create a safe passage and habitat for birds. Birds have been coming to Karnataka and other parts of India for many years and it is high time a survey was done. The idea of the CAF is to promote habitat preservation,” Mohan added.
“This will help us and the state government know which water body needs maximum attention and what needs to be done. We will also get to know which birds prefer which lake and how lake conservation projects need to be undertaken. The exercise will also help get international attention to the water bodies, which in turn will draw the attention of the state government departments,” said another forest department official.
The census will also help the government know the exact number of water bodies in Karnataka. According to estimates, there are around 40,000 wetlands in the state, apart from reservoirs and river banks. The High Court has also sought to know from the government the number of water bodies in the state.
Ornithologist Subramanya from GKVK, who is working with the department said if not every wetland, at least “the maximum” will be covered in the census. “It is great that the department is doing the census as they have a larger project of protecting wetlands under the Central Asian Flyway. In Bengaluru, the survey is being done by BNG Birds at 180 lakes,” he said.