The Okhla Bird Sanctuary (OBS) in Uttar Pradesh’s Noida, which is spread over four sq km of area, recorded lesser species of migratory water birds this year as compared to the previous years of 2023 and 2022. A total number of seven species were seen in the sanctuary as compared to 11 in 2023 and 10 in 2022.
A small sanctuary in Noida covers 70 per cent wetland area on Okhla dam on the river Yamuna and 30 per cent land area around the sanctuary partial forest habitat under the National Chambal Sanctuary Project, Agra but Okhla, due to far distance from Agra headquarter for its conservation, management responsibility has been attached to Gautam Budh Nagar Forest Division in Noida.”
Ecologist T K Roy said, “It was a good habitat for water birds especially for winter migratory in large numbers and few terrestrial migratory birds’ species too as the sanctuary falls under the Central Asian Flyway.”
Global climate change impact is the prime reason for delay in the onset of winter which results in comparatively lesser migratory water birds arrival almost everywhere. However, Okhla Bird Sanctuary is as special example where apart from climate changes other major factors for the arrival of lesser numbers of winter migratory water bird species till December 2024.
“It is the most declining habitat due to drying up of the wetland several times in a year even in late autumn and beginning winter. Further, human disturbance and poor management of the sanctuary by Gautam Budh Nagar Forest Division are also some other reasons for the decline in species,” Roy said.
He added that the sanctuary has been converted for entertainment tourism by name of ecotourism which resulted it in becoming unprotected sanctuary and damaged overall biodiversity/wildlife habitat for foraging, roosting of birdlife due to concretized several constructions violating the WPA, 1972 and mismanagement of the wildlife habitat violating the Supreme Court decision.
The species that have not come to the sanctuary include Great Cormorant, Black-headed Gull, Gadwal and Tufted Duck.
