More than 40 migratory birds died recently in Sambhar Lake of Rajasthan and this has aroused the concerns of wildlife department and environmentalist. This prominent site is one of the largest of its kind in the country and acts as a breeding ground to different migratory birds such as flamingos, pelicans, storks among others. But this latest event has given a painful and terrible signal and the adversity of the environment and human intervention to these birds.
Sambhar Lake has been historically stop point for the migratory birds which used to fly along the Central Asian Flyway. The avian fauna which frequent the aquatic environment of this lake is the most appropriate place for these birds to get some respite during the lengthy migration process. Nevertheless, the lake has been experiencing some ecological challenges in the recent past such as pollution, salting mining and water rationing. These factors have changes the conditions within the lake as well as ability of the water body to support wildlife.
The shocking deaths of the migratory birds have therefore attracted the attention of wildlife authorities. Initial findings lead to speculation that the birds could have suffered the fate due to outbreaks they ingested in water and food. Pollutants in the water could be industrial effluents or agriculture drainage or discharges of pollutants not approved by the authority. Also, the currents pollution has increased with the reduction in water levels of the lake and this now pose a serious danger to the birds.
This is not something that could happen only once in the history of the state, or world for that matter. Thus, over the years there have been cases of bird die-out, which have occurred at Sambhar Lake. In each of them, the root has been attributed to effects caused by ecological pollution and human activities. Such occurrences exaggerate the need and the actualization of improved and sustained efforts to conserve this natural asset; the Lake.
The appropriate regulation and control of the norms should be implemented to intensively lower pollution levels in the lake. Also special attention should be paid to functional water regime associated with restoration of normal inlet and outlet water streams. Measures should be put in place to curb unlawful mining of salt in the lake and work should be done to guarantee appropriate water feed in the lake; especially from the catchment regions.
The other vital factor is social sensitisation of the inhabitants of the region about the importance of Sambhar Lake and birds. By embracing community participation, there is an improved management and protection of the lake. This way, local stakeholders can be made to feel like part of the environment by conducting exercises including the setting up of bird sanctuaries and eco-tourist related projects.
Migratory bird deaths at Sambhar Lake also reveal general problem of wetland protection in India. Wetlands remain some of the most productive systems throughout the world and yet provide immeasurable ecological, economic, and societal values. But they are also very sensitive to human impacts and climate change as well. Now considering the implication that emanates from the loss of wetlands the impact is not only felt by the animal life but also human life.
For this reason, there is a need to develop a broad management framework on wetlands at the national levels. This should involve the conservation, especially of the threatened wetland types; reclaiming the unnecessarily degraded wetlands; and the promotion of optimum utilization of wetland goods and services. It is recommended that any policy or program embraced in an attempt to conserve wetlands should be informed by a sound literature and community involvement.
Causes
Pollution has been ranked among the leading causes of such deaths. Sambhar Lake has further suffered enhanced pollutive forces of industrial effluence, agricultural leachates, and prohibited fluid outlets. These pollutants seep into the water body polluting the water and the food wild migratory birds feed on. The toxic chemicals like heavy metals and pesticide build up in the carcass and body of the birds and it results in severe illness of the birds and ultimately, it kills the birds.
Lack of water at Sambhar is still another factor that has been identified to be leading to death of migratory birds. The lake is for instance shrinking in size because the water is used extensively in agriculture and industries, and due to long periods of drought. This reduction in the water volume is very disadvantageous to the birds not only because it provides a less space where the birds can inhabit but also because any pollutants existing in water are more condensed and dangerous to the birds in terms of searching for water to drink or in which they could forage for food.
Sambhar Lake has been worse off due to some illegitimate mining of salt. Such operations cause interferences in the free flow of water into the lake and changes in salinity levels. The situation worsens more as the salinity levels in the lake rises meaning that there will be scarcity of food and hence migration birds are likely to face habitat insecurity. In addition, the mining activities are able to eradicate the nesting and roosting sites of these birds hence migrating to areas that may not favour their lives.
Another probable reason for the deaths of the birds is diseases outbreaks. Avian influenza and bacterial infections are diseases that affect migratory birds. There is stress due to long-distance migration and poor environment at the stop over areas exposes them to infections due to weakened immune response. These diseases are often water and food borne, which give them an opportunity to swiftly spread through populations of birds.
Climate alteration can be a cardinal cause that affects the health and existence of Migratory birds at Sambhar Lake. Extreme conditions such as changes in relative temperature and precipitation have the potential of disturbing the lakes ecosystem and hence its availability of food and water. Climate change may also affect the timing of migration of birds, and therefore, birds may reach the lake at a wrong time when the conditions here could not support their survival.
Environmental factors including; habitat destruction, and man’s expansion activities for instance urban development also pose other challenges to migratory birds. Human development activities that include expansion of human settlements and infrastructure projects around Sambhar Lake affect the availability of critical habitats and increasing human bird conflicts. Also interference from the aspects of tourism and recreation can be very disruptive and cause much stress in feeding, resting, and especially breeding of the birds.
Measures to be taken
- Pollution Control and Monitoring: One of the main action steps is to create an effective pollution control and monitoring mechanism. Various social economical activities such as industries and farming that are being undertaken along the shores of the lake have to meet very high standard of environmental laws on pollution discharge of effluent and run off. Effective measures that have to be implemented include having a treatment plants to treat industrial waste prior to discharge to the lake. Water quality and pollutant concentrations should be assessed continuously so that the levels set in the environment should be met.
- Restoration of Natural Water Flow: Specifically, the fluctuation of water in the Sambhar Lake must be restored in order to preserve its natural environment. This can be achieved by stopping people from mining salt illegally and controlling the water activities. Proper regulation of water flow from catchments into the lake will go along in diluting pollutants thus supporting the lake’s biological communities. Also, water-saving measures for consumption in the neighbouring areas will reduce water scarcity problems as well.
- Habitat Protection and Conservation: Conservation and sustainable use of habitats around Sambhar Lake is crucial for safeness of migratory birds. Measures should be taken to prepare the necessary documentation for the lake and its surroundings to be transformed into protected zones where no activities that will negatively impact the existing environment will be allowed to take place. Measures like setting up bird sanctuaries or nature reserves can be used to protect the place where the birds can rest, find food or breed. Measures to improve the lake’s ability to sustain wildlife include restoration of ripped off habitats through activities such as planting indigenous vegetation and establishing artificial ecology such as wetlands.
- Disease Surveillance and Management: One cannot overemphasize the need to carry out coordination of disease surveillance and management with a view of avoiding instances of disease outbreaks of among migratory birds. Health surveillance of bird populations means visiting bird sites from time to time to check for health complications. They should come up and be administered alongside veterinary professionals with regard to vaccination and treatment policies. Furthermore, certain steps need to be emplaced to ensure that the lake does not prove to harbour some diseases that can easily spread within the region.
- Climate Change Mitigation and Adaptation: More effective solutions for the problem which threatens the existence of Sambhar Lake and birds inhabiting it, one has to focus on climate change. Reducing emissions of greenhouse gases and combating the effects of climate change should be treated as important actions at all levels: local and global.
- Community Engagement and Awareness: Incorporation of the local public in the endeavours of conservation is very important in the outcomes of the preventive action. Public sensitisation programmes should be initiated to pay special attention to spreading the word about Sambhar Lake and its flora and fauna. In order to empower the people near lake, efforts should made to help the individuals responsible for the management of the Wetland and develop their own programs including citizen science programs and eco-tourism projects. Engaging the public can also improve on some goals of monitoring and conservation activities.
- Policy and Legislation: the sound policy and legislations are required to implement and sustain conservation measures. Local and central governments should ensure and advance laws which guard wetlands from encroachment through legislations that check adverse impacts on the wetlands. They pointed out that more effort on conservation, as well as stakeholders such as the government bodies, NGOs, and research institutions, must come up with better ways of putting into practice policies.
Sambhar Lake
Sambhar Lake which is in Rajasthan is one of the largest inland Saline lake in the India. It is spread over 230 square kilometres of area and located in the desert having Jaipur, Ajmer, and Nagour nearby districts. This large freshwater lake has equal value of geographical, cultural, historical and even modern social and ecological importance.
As initial thoughts on its etymology show, this lake has a mythological background typical for many water sources. This idol is assumed to have been placed in the lake by the goddess Shakambhari, for whom the lake is in fact named. This particular single legend has it that the goddess turned a great forest into a great sea in order that the people might have water in a time of drought. This divine connection has rendered the lake a sacred place and people visit or give pilgrimage from all corners.
Sambhar Lake provides a home to a rich avifaunal culture. This forms one of the Ramsar sites supporting a number of migratory birds. Annually thousands of flamingos, pelicans storks and other wetland birds visit the lake bringing colour to the scenery. Such birds prefer regions with saline water and the lake offers favourable conditions for such birds as they migrate between their breeding and wintering grounds.
It becomes clear that the home of this lake is one of the most fragile and well-ordered ecosystems on the planet. It is supplied by several river inflows such as the Mendha, Rupangarh, Khari and Khandela rivers. These inflows help to maintain salinity and therefore foster growth of micro-organisms which are the foundational foods for the migrating birds. It also carries special types of wetlands, such as saline swamp and tidal flats, a critical habitat for reproduction and foraging of such birds.
However, Sambhar Lake has number of challenges that threaten it’s existence. Water pollution from industrial effluents, agricultural leaching, and Dumping of wastes has become a severe problem for the rivers. Unauthorised mining activities in this area have affected the water regime and enhanced the salt content making the environment even worst. Besides, climate change, water scarcity factors influenced the above conditions putting extra pressure on the lake.