Migratory birds dwindle at Loktak
Source: The Sangai Express
Imphal, December 24 2017:
The number of migratory birds which usually migrate to Loktak Lake during winter season has dwindled drasti-cally this time .
According to the Loktak Development Authority (LDA) and bird watchers, fishing by lighting the lake with LED lamps during night led to drastic reduction in the number of birds which migrated to Loktak Lake in January this year.
The number of migratory birds which have reached the lake during the current month is also quite low .
Indian Bird Conservation Network, State coordinator RK Birjit said that fishing during night by lighting the lake with LED lamps is one major factor for the reduced number of migratory birds at the lake .
The water surface of the lake is higher than the normal height generally recor- ded during this period of a year .
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Around 80,000 LED lamps are being used to catch fishes in the lake during night, said Birjit while lamenting that Asian water bird census which would be conducted on January 21 next year would yield very little positive result .
The total number of birds recorded during the bird census conducted in January this year was just around 5000, and the species variety was lesser as compared to previous years .
If one goes by the number of birds which migrated to Loktak Lake in the previous years, it's time one would see around 30,000 to 40,000 birds, Birjit said .
Over 50,000 birds and around 68 different species were observed in and around Loktak Lake during the bird census of 2016 .
Nonetheless, arrival of around 30 Nganu Thangong has been reported from Tangjeng Pat which is a part of Loktak Lake .
DFO (Park and Sanctuary) Arun RS said that migratory birds come to Loktak Lake but they don't stay here long .
Nevertheless, there is a plan to count birds this year too .
LDA Project Director L Bhagaton while taking due note of the reduced number of migratory birds said that they would discuss about illegal activities at Loktak Lake during a general body meeting of LDA.