Migratory birds and people have been closely linked throughout history and migratory birds continue to play a very significant cultural, aesthetic and economic role in the lives of people around the world. Migratory birds undertake some of the most daring journeys, often covering thousands of kilometers to migrate.
There is also a growing trend among bird tour operators to practise sustainable and socially responsible ecotourism, while relying on local goods and services or supporting local conservation projects. Hundreds of thousands of birdwatchers travel to various places in the world to watch birds, hoping to glimpse rare species.
To conserve migratory birds and their habitats, World Migratory Bird Day (WMBD) is celebrated on May 11-12 every year since 2006. For 2014, the theme of the day is “Destination Flyways: Migratory Birds and Tourism”. This year’s theme is linked to the topic of tourism and migratory birds, focusing on the global bird and sustainable tourism. Each year, millions of migratory birds set out to travel the world, flying along the same routes, known as flyways. The flyways represent one of the most spectacular and valuable assets of the world’s natural heritage. The WMBD works as a network to increase public knowledge about migratory birds and their importance.
During their travels, migratory birds depend upon a chain of vital sites for breeding and wintering. Due to their natural values, these sites are often managed under different conservation schemes and also endowed with great tourism potential. Bird-watching tourism typically involves travelling away from home to a bird-watching destination. This destination may be a particular location such as a well-known, bird-rich site. Bird-watching tourism has attracted attention in recent years as an apparently environment-friendly way of producing income for operators,
local communities and
whole countries.
Odisha’s Chilika lagoon, the largest brackish water lake in Asia covering an area of over 1,100 sqkm, is a great attraction for tourists for bird-watching. Chilika, which is also a hotspot for biodiversity, has been named ‘Destination Flyways’ by the United Nations World Tourism Organisation (UNWTO). The lagoon was so named for its sustainable and resilient destination for migratory birds. The UN’s body arm, under the project “Destination Flyways”, will help the Chilika Development Authority (CDA) to develop strategies for protection of migratory birds through creation of innovative tourism and livelihood products with funding support from Federal Ministry for the Environment, Nature Conservation and Nuclear Safety of Germany. The UN body’s arm on tourism and biodiversity would assist in development and implementation of strategies and projects linking sustainable tourism and livelihood resources.
Chilika is the only site to be selected from Asia by the UNWTO and was recommended by international agencies such as Secretariat of the Convention of Biological Diversity, Convention of Migratory Species, Ramsar Convention Secretariat, World Heritage and Man and the Biosphere Programmes of UNESCO.
By providing an adequate framework for sustainable tourism management and diversifying the tourism offer along the flyways, Destination Flyways will generate revenue for improved management of biodiversity and spread the benefits of tourism to local communities, while creating attractive experiences for tourists. This can be done by developing and implementing site management plans bringing together environmental and tourism objectives.
Recognised as a Ramsar Wetland of International Importance for its biodiversity, Chilika attracts an impressive array of bird life, with over a million migratory waterfowls and shorebirds during winter. The lake is also the largest wintering ground for migratory birds in the Indian sub-continent. In the peak season, as many as 160 species of birds can be found here. Birds seeking wintering ground come from as far as the Caspian Sea, remote parts of Russia, Central and South-East Asia, the Himalayas, etc. They are sea eagles, grey lag geese, purple moorhen, jacana, herons, flamingos, etc. The lake is one of the best places for bird-watching. Besides, the tourists can enjoy dolphin watching, boating, fishing, wetland viewing and camping. There are numbers of ecotourism points like the Nalabana bird sanctuary and island, Satpada wetland and dolphin viewpoint, Mangalajodi conservation centre, Parikuda Island, Kalijai and Chilika Ecopark.
Bird-watching plays a significant part in the tourism industry and creates direct and indirect economic benefits for many countries and communities. Bird-watching is a highly popular recreational activity. Ecotourism involves local community for conservation of the areas’ ecology and biodiversity and, in return, provides economic incentives to the community. Ecotourism can help conserve important habitats of migratory birds and biodiversity on a much great scale. This results in economic benefit by disbursing funds for travelling, accommodation and entrance fees. A key aspect is raising awareness among local communities and involving them in safeguarding the endangered species. They provide tour guides, accommodation, transportation and necessary infrastructure. Besides, local people might engage in long-term monitoring which is crucial for designing an efficient conservation strategy.
The open air and scenic natural flora and fauna of the Chilika lake are an attraction for ecotourism. This is expected to provide a degree of alternate employment to the local community and generate environmental awareness among local residents as well as visitors about conservation and wise use of the lake’s natural resources.
In general, anthropogenic pressures have a major impact on the general wildlife and avifauna in Odisha. However, natural processes also cause several types of degradation. For example, Odisha is located in the cyclone-prone zone having frequent storms and heavy winds resulting in erosion and large-scale destructions. Pollution is also another factor. The alarming decline in the bird population indicates that air pollution levels in many cities are rising dangerously. Since many birds are mainly grain eaters, it could mean that the grains contain higher amount of pesticides than before. Besides, land-use change and overall increase of human settlements may threaten the bird population.
Unfortunately, there has been a decline in the number of migratory birds arriving in Chilika due to habitat loss and wetland pollution. This season, around 7.19 lakh migratory birds have been sighted in this 1,100-sqkm lagoon, which is 1.58 lakh less than the previous year. Around 8.77 lakh birds visited the lake in 2013. This may be due to the pressure on land, conversion of lake area to agriculture and deforestation in the catchment area. If this trend continues then the number of migratory birds will reduce in the coming years. This may result in a substantial decrease in international tourists.
However, the number of tourists coming to Chilika is increasing each year. An estimated 1.7 million tourists visit Chilika every year and the duration of their stay is increasing. It is also expected that Chilika with all its ecotourism assets can attract a much larger number of tourists in future.
Creation of tourism awareness is of prime importance in promoting tourism in any destination. It involves educating the local people about the benefits incurred from tourism industry and the necessity of developing tourism. In Chilika, conservation of migratory birds requires continuous adaptation based on a review of the changes in various components of ecological character of the wetland. There is a need for ecosystem conservation and sustainable resource development and livelihood improvement supported by institutional development, communication, education and public awareness. The ecosystem conservation would comprise catchment conservation, water management and biodiversity conservation. Siltation is the major problem of the lake. There is a need to reduce this load by suitable plantation and watershed development programme in the catchment areas. Besides, research and collaborative efforts are needed to better understand relationships between bird-watching and ecotourism and ensure meaningful benefits for conservation of the lake ecosystem.
(Dr Mayarani Praharaj works in the Department of Architecture, College of Engineering and Technology, Bhubaneswar)