Kashmir is known for its beauty as well as the diversity of wild birds and animals across the globe. One of the beautiful and known places is Wular lake (a Ramsar site) which is one of the largest freshwater lakes in Asia & located at Haramuk Mountain’s base. Its length is over 24 km, and its width is 10 km, for a total area of 200 sq km. It is located close to Baramula Road, between Sopore and Bandipora, and the river Jhelum is the primary supply of water for Wular Lake. Moreover, a tiny island known as the “Zaina Lank” may be found in the middle of this lake. During his reign, King Zainul-Abi-Din built this artificial island. It has been hypothesized that the present-day Wular Lake is all that’s left over from the much larger ancient Satisar Lake. This lake and its surrounding area are popular gathering places for local, national and international tourists.
However, what surprised the local people and bird-watching community this time was the presence of a new duck species. On 22 January 2023, rare duck species were spotted at the iconic Wular lake, which were later identified as Long-tailed ducks (globally vulnerable) and were five in number. These duck species were spotted in Kashmir after 84 years, and the last time they were sighted in Hokersar was in 1939 by F Ludlow. The ducks were first reported and captured on camera by a Wular Conservation and Management Authority (WUCMA) employee Mr Showkat Ahmad, and later the news spread among local birders and ornithologists like fire.
Only after 3 days, another rare duck species called smew was spotted and captured on camera. This time, a single female smew was first spotted by Bilal Nasir Zargar (Director, Wildlife Conservation Fund, YPJK), Umer Nazir, Sheikh Harris, Irfan Ul Shamas, and Showkat Ahmad, followed by Ansar Ahmad. To the ornithologists’ surprise, these duck species have been spotted in Kashmir after a huge period of 116 years. This means the last record of this species in Kashmir was in 1907. Before discussing why such rare bird species have started visiting Kashmir valley again after so much time, let’s discuss the biology of these duck species. Apart from this, other rare bird species, such as common shelduck, ruddy shelduck, white-tailed eagle, imperial eagle, tufted duck, Northern lapwing, etc., can be seen in Wular lake.
Long-Tailed Duck
Long-tailed ducks (Clangula hyemalis) occur all the way around the Arctic and Antarctic. Its breeding grounds in North America span the Canadian tundra and the Arctic coastline from Alaska to Greenland. On surrounding offshore islands and coastal tundras, long-tailed ducks frequently nest in large colonies. On the whole, long-tailed females produce 7 eggs per clutch.
Moreover, the Long-tailed ducks are slim, colourful sea ducks with long tails. They fly quickly and low, often forming and reforming tight clusters. The long-tailed duck goes through an intricate change of plumage. In the winter, a male long-tailed duck’s head, neck, and upper breast are white, while the cheek is patched with grey, and the lower cheek is largely black. Its head is black outside of the breeding season but develops a white or grey patch across its cheek and eye. The female’s head and body are brown and have a white eye patch and a white patch under the tail. The long centre tail feathers of the males are always black and present in all long-tailed duck plumages. They have a yodelling call that can be heard throughout both coastal and tundra habitats.
Furthermore, the long-tailed duck is a good diver whose preferred food consists of marine invertebrates like crabs & molluscs. Breeding populations of long-tailed ducks can be found across much of the Arctic Coastlands and northern Canadian Tundra. In the northern United States, they prefer to spend the winter near major bodies of water like the Great Lakes and the Atlantic and Pacific coasts. Due to their widespread Arctic breeding habitat and very inaccessible location, it is challenging to conduct a reliable population estimate of this species. Over the past two decades, their population size has generally shrunk.
Long-tailed ducks migrate all the way to British Columbia on their way west from Alaska and Russia. The ones raised in the east eventually make their way to the Great Lakes, the Chesapeake Bay, and the southern coast of Greenland. They migrate as far north as the oceans are free of ice during the winter. The western population spends the winter at sea near the Alaska Peninsula and the Aleutian Islands, with only infrequent sightings off the coasts of British Columbia, Washington, and Oregon.
Smew
Smews (Mergellus albellus) are medium-sized ducks that are part of the Anatidae family. The smew is a species found in both Eurasia and Europe. They rarely visit the different parts of the Indian subcontinent.
Male smews tend to be larger than females, but both sexes are roughly the same size. The adult male smew is 35–45 centimetres long and weighs 550–950 grams. It’s estimated that females weigh between 500 and 650 grams. Similarly, between 55 and 70 centimetres is the size of its wingspan. With a black-and-white pattern in flight, this smew species is easily recognizable. Moreover, females have a chestnut-coloured forehead and hairline, and hooks and serrations are present at the bill’s extremity.
As far as the habitat is concerned, freshwater lakes, reservoirs, flooded woodlands, ice-free rivers, protected bays, estuaries, lagoons, and tidal creeks are all common habitats for smew. Smew species dive into the water to get their prey which includes aquatic vegetation, insects, crabs, molluscs, worms, frogs, and fish. These birds mate during April each year and live with a single partner during a season. Moreover, they use tree cavities as nesting sites, and the female smew lays 6-9 eggs of a creamy tint.
Moreover, Northern Europe and Asia are home to breeding populations of smew. They spend the colder months in the protected coastal areas and inland lakes of the East Asian countries of East China, Korea, and Japan; the Baltic and Black Seas; Great Britain; the Caspian Sea; and the Japanese islands.
Smews are among the most migratory birds, with arrivals at breeding grounds beginning in April. During the first week of September, they begin to move to the breeding areas en route to their wintering sites.
According to conservative estimates, there are about 130,000 of these birds in the world. There are a lot of territories for these species, and they aren’t very susceptible. The greatest dangers to these migratory birds are human activity (such as hunting) and the degradation of their habitat. These smew species have been classified and appraised by the International Union for the Conservation of Nature (IUCN), which has given them a “Least Concern” status.
What Attracts Them to Wular Lake Now?
Wular lake has changed considerably during the last few years. Facing the serious problems of willow infestation and silt, some serious approach was needed. This is why the removal of willows and the excavation of silt is being continuously carried out in the Wular lake. It is believed that out of a total of 27 square kilometres, only 4.5 square kilometres have been restored.
Furthermore, the UT government approved a Rs 200-crore Wular Action Plan for the lake’s preservation and management in 2018. Around 1 lakh willows have been removed from the lake so far, earning the government Rs 24 crore in cash throughout the restoration process. This removal of trees and dredging has increased the capacity of the lake. Moreover, Anti-Poaching Units (APUs) have been kept in place to ensure no poaching. These units have seized large punt guns from time to time and saved a lot of birds. Thus, these factors may be critical to why these duck species visited Wular lake after so many years.
However, we cannot rule out the possibility of these ducks visiting our wetlands in the past years, but they may not have been spotted earlier. The 2020 “Balcony birding concept” has significantly increased the number of birders observing such bird species. Upon getting restricted to their local areas in 2020 due to covid 19, a large number of birders started birding around their places. This also contributes to increased sightings of other rare bird species. However, the work done by WUCMA, such as carrying out the first-ever water bird census of Wular lake last year, raising awareness, involving local people in conservation efforts, and inviting birders from different parts of the valley for expeditions, has certainly offered good results.
The Ongoing Problem
Although WUCMA is trying its best to conserve the area and its species, the area so big to manage even for a larger force, and tens of villages are either directly or indirectly dependent on Wular lake for their livelihood. The Wular lake generates a good source of income for the UT government as well as people through fisheries, the sale of fodder, water chestnuts, and other economically important products. So, no one can actually stop them from visiting the lake, which is also a problem from the conservation point of view. Although a majority of people support conservation efforts, some still do not understand the importance of conservation. This threatens the existence of all migratory bird species (including long-tailed ducks and smew) in Wular lake. From time to time, the birds get stuck in fishing nets and die. So, proper cooperation from local people is immensely needed for the protection of Wular lake.
Conclusion
Wular lake is a big natural resource that supports a huge number of people residing around it. So, it is vital for all of us to come together and participate in its conservation. Bear in mind that the efforts of government organizations are not sufficient until we, as local residents, join hands with them for implementing a number of conservation measures. These organizations should always support other local non-governmental organizations and develop better cooperation. So, it is the responsibility of all of us to nurture the Wular lake as it nurtures us.
References:
Doornbos, G. (1979). Winter food habits of smew (Mergus albellus) on Lake Yssel, the Netherlands. Ardea, 67, 42-48.
http://www.risingkashmir.in/smew-mergellus-albellus-sighted-at-wular-lake-after-116-years
https://baramulla.nic.in/tourist-place/wular-lake/
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