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Asian Waterbird Census (AWC)

Posted on January 7, 2022 by admin1  508

In  News 

  • Recently, the Asian Waterbird Census (AWC) found lower waterbird species diversity at East Delhi’s Sanjay Lake when compared to the count from the past three years.
    • It is under way in parts of Delhi-NCR.
    • Data from the census is expected to help with identifying and protecting areas that are important for waterbirds.

Sanjay Lake

  • It is a man-made lake and spans 17 hectares.
  • It  is maintained by the Delhi Development Authority.
  • It is one the largest green areas in east Delhi.

About the Asian Waterbird Census (AWC):

  • The AWC is conducted in January each year and is coordinated by the Wetlands International South Asia and the Bombay Natural History Society in india . 
  • It is an integral part of the global waterbird monitoring programme, the International Waterbird Census (IWC), coordinated by Wetlands International.
  •  It runs in parallel with other regional programmes of the International Waterbird Census in Africa, Europe, West Asia, the Neotropics and the Caribbean.
  • It was initiated in 1987 in the Indian subcontinent and since has grown rapidly to cover major region of Asia.
  • Features
    • It is the longest-running citizen science initiative .
    • Under this initiative, systematic counting and monitoring of waterbirds is undertaken to study trends and condition of wetlands, covering hundreds of sites. 
    • The census witnesses the participation of thousands of volunteers according to the international protocol and methodology to record the status of important wetlands and waterbirds’ diversity with population estimates.
    •  This citizen-science programme supports global conservation of wetland and waterbirds.
    • The report of the census is shared with other national and international organisations for creating a global policy for conservation of wetlands and waterbirds.
  • Objectives:
    • To obtain information on an annual basis of waterbird populations at wetlands in the region during the non-breeding period of most species.
    • To monitor on an annual basis the status and condition of wetlands
    • To encourage greater interest in waterbirds and wetlands amongst citizens
  • This programme supports the conservation and management of wetlands and waterbirds worldwide.

Recent outcomes of Census 

  • It recorded only 13 species, down from 17 species recorded from 2019 to 2021. 
    • Of these, 11 are resident water birds, while only two are winter migratory species.
      • The resident species : the Common Moorhen, the Indian Cormorant, the White-throated Kingfisher, the White-breasted Waterhen, the Little Grebe, and the Red-wattled Lapwing. While the Indian Spot-billed Duck is usually common in such wetlands, only one pair was found 
      • Migratory species : The two migratory species recorded were the Great Cormorant, which migrates from Southeast Asia, and the Eurasian Coot, which migrates from Temperate Asia. 
  • The number of birds has increased from 90 in 2021 to 132 this year.
    • It, however, is smaller than the 190 birds counted in 2019, and the higher figure of 347 birds in 2020. 
    • Only the number of Indian Cormorants has increased from 11 last year to 62 this year.
  • Issues 
    • Sanjay Lake used to be a good habitat for waterbirds, including migratory birds.
      •  But even migratory ducks, which have been recorded here in the past, were not seen this time.
      • The lower species diversity is a sign of degradation of the lake, since waterbirds are an indicator of its health.
      • Human disturbance caused by activities like boating have ruined the habitat and sewage finds its way into the lake and there have been several unsuccessful attempts to plug it.
      • The lake also has the issue of water availability, since there is no sustained supply of good quality water. 
  • Measures 
    • The Delhi Jal Board has agreed to take the issue of water availability up.
      •  The DDA will also try to do in-situ treatment of the water.

What are the Wetlands?

  • Wetlands are land areas, which are seasonally or permanently flooded with water.
  • The Ramsar Convention‘s definition for wetlands includes “areas of marsh, fen, peatland or water, whether natural or artificial, permanent or temporary, with water that is static or flowing, fresh, brackish or salt, including areas of marine water the depth of which, at low tides, does not exceed six meters”.
  • Fishponds, rice paddies, and saltpans are human-made wetlands.

Importance of Wetlands:

  • They protect our shores from wave action, reduce the impacts of floods, absorb pollutants and improve water quality, groundwater recharge, and climate change mitigation.
  • They provide habitat for animals and plants and many contain a wide diversity of life.
  • Wetlands provide an important range of environmental, social and economic services.

Wetlands in India

  • India has nearly 4.6% of its land as wetlands, covering an area of 15.26 million hectares and  India is now a land of 47 Ramsar sites. 
    • The latest on the list is Uttar Pradesh’s Haiderpur wetland. It has been added to the list of Indian wetlands of international importance
  • Wetlands are regulated under the Wetlands (Conservation and Management) Rules, 2017.

India’s Initiatives for Conservation of Wetlands

  • National Plan for Conservation of Aquatic Eco-systems (NPCA) 
    • The Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change (MoEF&CC) is currently implementing this centrally sponsored scheme (60:40, 90:10 for the North Eastern States and 100% Central Govt. funded for UTs).
    • Aim: For conservation and management of identified wetlands in the country on a cost-sharing basis between the Central Government and respective State/ UT Governments.
      • The scheme covers various activities such as interception, diversion and treatment of wastewater, shoreline protection, lakefront development, & in-situ cleaning.
  • World Wetlands Day (WWD)
    • The MoEF&CC organises the National level celebration of World Wetlands Day (WWD) on 2nd February of each year in collaboration with the concerned State Governments.
      • To raise awareness among all sections of the society about the values and functions of wetlands and the utilization of their resources. 
  • Wetlands (Conservation & Management) Rules, 2017
    • The 2017 Rules replaced the Central Wetland Regulatory Authority with state-level bodies and created a National Wetland Committee, which functions in an advisory role.
    • These wetlands authority comprises ministers, officials and experts, in all states.
    • The newer regulations removed some items from the definition of “wetlands” including backwaters, lagoon, creeks, and estuaries.
  • Wetlands Rejuvenation Programme 
    • The MoEFCC implemented this programme within the framework of transformative ideas of the Government of India i.e. “Start work on Restoration & Rejuvenation of at least 100 major wetlands across the country”. 
  • Centre for Wetland Conservation and Management (CWCM)
    • A dedicated centre has been set up under the MoEF&CC, at the National Centre for Sustainable Coastal Management (NCSCM) in Chennai. 
    • It has multiple roles to play in the conservation of wetlands. 
    • It will address specific research needs and knowledge gaps to address wetlands and their management and bring capacity development and cutting-edge research to wetlands in India. 

About the Ramsar Convention:

  • The Convention was adopted in the Iranian city of Ramsar in 1971 and came into force in 1975. 
  • It is one of the oldest intergovernmental agreements signed by member countries to preserve the ecological character of their wetlands of international importance.
  • Aim: To develop and maintain an international network of wetlands which are important for the conservation of global biological diversity and for sustaining human life through the maintenance of their ecosystem components, processes and benefits.

Source: IE

 
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