With the arrival of migratory birds in the City Beautiful, UT Forest and Wildlife Department has stepped up its efforts to provide a safe habitat to the winged guests.
The Department has joined hands with UT Police to ensure a protected environment to the winged beauties at city’s prime tourist spot—Sukhna lake. Earlier this year, unnatural diet had proved fatal for eight migratory birds in Chandigarh. To avert such unpleasant incidents this time, the UT Forest and Wildlife Department has asked the Police officials deployed at Sukhna lake to keep vigil on the activities like poaching and human feeding, which are harmful for migratory birds.
Besides, the forest guards and field officers have been deployed to watch over the winged guests at Sukhna lake. The Department has already put up signages of warning against human feeding to migratory birds. According to the UT Forest and Wildlife Department, the arrival of migratory birds started a month back and so far, about 13-15 species of migratory birds have reached here. The total count of migratory birds is likely to increase in the coming days while the number of species is expected to remain same.
Migratory birds namely red crested pochards, mallards, commom pochards, tufted ducks, common teal, goose, bar headed geese among others have arrived here to enjoy their annual winter date with the city. Santosh Kumar, UT Conservator of forests-cum wildlife warden while talking to The Pioneer said that after the deaths of eight migratory birds earlier this year, the Department is making an all out effort to provide a protected habitat to the migratory birds in the city. “Signages of warning against human feeding to migratory birds are already been put up at the lake. Besides, the Department’s staff is keeping a vigil in the area where migratory birds have gathered,” he said.
The migratory birds are often seen flocking around the walkway at Sukhna lake where the visitors feed them bread crumbs, chips, roasted gram among other things.
Kuldeep Sharma, UT deputy Conservator of forests said, “This time, the Department has also asked the Police officials deployed at the lake to keep a check on visitors’ activities and warn visitors against feeding the migratory birds, if they are observed doing so. Signages against such acts have been put with warning of imprisonment in such cases.”
Earlier this year, eight migratory birds of species including common pochard and common coots were found dead at Sukhna lake. According to the reports with the UT Wildlife and Forest Department regarding the cause of death of migratory birds, seven birds died due to enlarged liver caused due to food poisoning while one died due to the harsh cold conditions in the city during last winter.
The migratory birds reach Chandigarh every year by mid-November from Siberia, Central Asia, China, Afghanistan and the upper Himalayas and their stay lasts till March or April. last year, the Department had claimed that about 4000 migratory birds reached Chandigarh escaping the severe cold conditions in their areas and braving the high snow-laden peaks of Himalayas. The regular winged guests to the city include common pochards, tufted ducks, common coot, Brahmi duck, gray heron, grey leggy, white-eyed pochards, green sand piper, redshanks, goose, siberian ducks, crane, shell duck, red-crusted pochard.
For the bird watchers, the UT Forest and Wildlife Department have also installed a spotting scope at the regulator end of lake. Spotting scope, a small portable telescope with additional optics is helping in presenting a better picture of birds to the visitors. The portable telescope is used for bird-watching, surveillance every year here.