PAMPORE: The Department of wildlife protection, Wetlands Division Kashmir in collaboration with the Wildlife Conservation Fund (WCF) on Tuesday conducted an Asian water bird census in four wetlands of Pampore in south Kashmir’s Pulwama district.

As part of the Asian water bird census, a special census to record the number of water birds was conducted at four wetlands in Pampore, officials told Kashmir Reader. The officials of the department told Kashmir Reader that five teams conducted the day-long census in Chatham, Fashkoori, Manibugh and Krenchoo wetlands in Pampore Tehsil.

During the census, a total of 95,146 birds were counted in four Pampore wetlands.

Taking to Kashmir Reader, Environmental lawyer, Adv Nadeem Qadri, who heads Wildlife Conservation Fund, said that today the department of wildlife protection conducted the Asian Migratory bird Census (AMC) in four wetlands of Pampore. He said that 25 students from the government degree college Pampore under the supervision of block officer wildlife, Mohammed Ameen took part in the census.

“Our volunteers conducted the census in all four wetlands and we found thousands of migratory birds have visited the wetlands despite the start of reverse migration,” he said, adding that they appreciate the wildlife protection department who work shoulder to shoulder with us in promoting the wetlands of Pampore as best category wetlands.

He also thanked other higher authorities of the department of wildlife protection including the Chief wildlife warden, Suresh Kumar Gupta, the Divisional wildlife warden, Rashid Naqash and Ifshaan Deewan.

“It is because of their efforts that wetlands of Pampore have been included into one of best wetland ecosystems,” he said, adding that he appreciates these officers and extends gratitude to them on behalf of WCF.

” Yesterday we had an orientation program and today we are on the fieldwork for carrying the census,” Parveez Yousuf, an official WCF and a bird expert, told Kashmir Reader, adding that they are participating in the census as volunteers in four quality wetlands, Chatlam, Fashkoori, Manibugh, and Krenchoo.

“Every year lakhs of migratory birds from different Eurasian countries visit these wetlands,” he said, adding that the census becomes a basic thing for scientific research. He added that the data helps in understanding the trend of various migratory birds with respect to their numbers.

Block officer wetlands of wildlife in Pampore, Mohammad Ameen told Kashmir Reader that a total of 95147 migratory birds have been found in four wetlands of Pampore during the Asian water bird census at Chatlam, Fashkori Meanbugh and Khrnchoo wetlands.

The Chatlam wetland is spread over 850 kanals of land and the Fashkoor wetland is over 340 kanals. The various birds which visit these wetlands include Mallard, Gadwall, Common Teal, Northern Shoveller, Pintail, Grey Leg Geese, Eurasian Wigeon, Ruddy Shelduck, Common Pochard, and Red Crested Pochard, wildlife officials told Kashmir Reader.

The migratory birds arrive from Siberia, China, Mongolia and Central Asia from where they leave in the month of October when freezing temperatures in these regions make food scarce for them.

BILAL HABIB