Alarming fall in water-bird count
By George Jacob

KOTTAYAM, DEC. 27. The Department of Forests and Wildlife and the Kottayam Nature Society have scheduled its third water-birds survey in and around the Vembanad Lake for January 2002.

In the light of the alarming findings in the last survey (January 2001) regarding one of the most fragile and endangered wetland eco systems in the country and the new thrust the State Government had given to tourism industry, the bird counting effort in the area, which is also one of the hottest emerging tourist destinations, has elicited a lot of interest among ecologists.

The 2001 survey had established a sharp decline (45 per cent) in the bird population at the Vembanad Lake since 1993, when they had taken up their first bird counting effort. The report of the survey, which is yet to be officially released, has also raised serious questions regarding the present mode of tourism development in the area. The decline in bird population is especially conspicuous in the Kumarakom Tourist Complex apparently due to the sudden transformation of the landscape by the imperatives of tourism development.

Changing Species Composition: However, the report notes that more alarming than the fall in the total number, is the changes in the species composition in some important habitats. The survey has taken special note of the total absence of ducks and teals (belonging to the family of Anatidae) in the open lake, till recently their most favoured roost in Kerala. This change, which has taken place during the last five to six years, could be directly attributed to the tourism related activities like uncontrolled plying of speed boats in the area.

Dubbing this as the most alarming finding of the Vembanad Bird Survey 2001, the report points out that barring a few hundred of the species flying over the lake before dawn during the survey, not even a single duck or teal was found in the lake, where more than 25,000 were recorded during 1993.

The disappearance of the Pintail Duck (from over 2,000 in 1993), Garganey Teals (8,000 in '93) and Common Teal (1,000 in '93) should also be an eye-opener, as these developments point to the fact that many of the birds are deserting the area. The total bird population in the lake area has come down to nearly one-fourth of what it was during 1993, the report noted.

The survey had also found that with the growth of tourism, which was developed in the name of heronry, the Kumarakom mangrove forests which was the biggest heronry in the State till early 1980s, is being systematically wiped out. The population of Night Herons, Cormorants and Darters, which could be counted in thousands during the seventies and early eighties, had come down to a mere 258 in 1993. The 2001 survey spotted 198 birds in the tourist complex area. The number of Little Cormorants had declined to just six.

With their traditional habitats being seriously disturbed, it appears that various species are moving from one area to another within the ecosystem, in search of secure places. Certain types of Teals whose traditional habitat had been the area between Kumarakom and Pathiramanal, have moved to Kaipuzha Muttu area. Their new habitats too are under threat of changes in land use pattern as some of these areas are under private hands.

Pathiramanal: In addition to the spotting of 15 new species in the area, one positive finding of the survey was the recording of increased bird population in the Pathiramanal island. The total population had increased to 1,154 in 2001 from the meagre 254 in 1993. Certain species like Indian Shag had increased from 50 to 100 during the period and Little Cormorants showed a remarkable increase to 1,000 from 75 during the period.

However, with the State Government move to develop Patharamanal island for tourism purpose, it now appears that these birds would be forced to leave their last refuge, unless some drastic steps were initiated immediately.

The report suggested the creation of a protected area with Pathiramanal and adjoining portions of the Vembanad lake as the core area as part of their recommendations to protect this endangered wetland ecosystem. Presently, all protected areas in Kerala are located in a single biogeographic province -- Western Ghat mountains.

However, other representative habitats and ecosystems like wetlands and mangroves have not found a place in the protected area network of the State. While scientists, biodiversity experts, environmental organisations and prominent citizens had highlighted this serious lacuna in biodiversity conservation in the State, little had been done so far.

Instead of going by the traditional models, new models ensuring people's participation and involvement of local bodies could be evolved for this purpose, the report says. One major drawback of the efforts so far made from different quarters to protect the area was the piece-meal approach and adhocism, in the absence of a master plan and a vision to treat the entire Vembanad lake as one conservation unit, the report says.

Uncontrolled and haphazard intrusion into every nook and cranny of the lake have played havoc with the migratory bird population. Steps have to be taken to develop a sustainable model of tourism. According to the report, the most important thing, however, would be to build up people's participation in the conservation and regeneration of the eco system.