Russia-Ukraine conflict to blame for fewer migratory birds in Haridwar this Winter!

By Nityam Pal and Srishti Chourasia | December 04, 2022

With a harsh winter setting in over the North Pole, migratory birds from Russia have started flocking in to Haridwar in Uttarakhand, thousands of miles away from their original habitat. However, the exotic fowls flying in from far-off lands are a little less in number than recorded in previous years and their arrival, too, was delayed by at least 3 weeks, said a globally renowned ornithologist.

On the relatively fewer numbers of migratory birds arriving from polar countries this year, Dinesh Bhatt, a globally renowned ornithologist from the Gurukul Kangri University, told ANI, “The air in Russia and its midst has been rendered extremely toxic from the shelling and bombing in the ongoing conflict of Ukraine. Radiation levels have also gone up, making the air extremely hazardous for the migratory birds. Hence, relatively fewer number of birds took the long flight from their orginal habitat to Hardiwar this year."

With a biting chill taking North India under its grip slowly but steadily, migratory birds are starting to nest in Haridwar after a long flight, quite literally across the seven seas. The exotic fowls can be seen flocking at various ghats of Haridwar, a holy city.

Their mating season started a few months ago. Due to the ongoing Russia-Ukraine conflict, the heat, smoke and toxic dust in the air must have affected them in a big way. I fear that many of them might even have died Bhatt said, “As much as 19 per cent of known bird species migrate every year. India receives a majority of Ruddy Shelducks, Red-crested Pochards, Northern Pintails, Wagtails, Storks, Gulls, Pieds, Geese, Palla’s Fish Eagle and Flamingos during the migration season.”

WAR AND ITS EFFECTS

• The war in Ukraine that began on 24 February 2022 is having devastating effects on wildlife, including farm animals and migrating birds. This includes many challenges such as all out destruction of protected sites, wildfires that have destroyed forests killing the wildlife and their homes, chemical pollutions caused by the shelling, soil and water pollution including oil spillages harm marine biocenosis forming, air pollution, waste water flows directly into the Dnipro River, and the sheer loss of biodiversity that once enjoyed the conservation areas of the region.

• The industrial, atomic energy, and nuclear waste dumps are cause for real concern. An expert on how wars impact our environment, Thor Hansen, says, “If we are concerned about biodiversity and conservation in the world, we need to be worried also about conflict and patterns of conflict.”

• The wetlands around the Dnipro River are destroyed or threatened.

OTHER CHALLENGES TO MIGRATORY BIRDS

• Habitat destruction

• Hunting for pleasure

• Climate change

• Global heating Global heating has a huge impact on our raptors as we have seen from the heat domes that have killed chicks in the Pacific Northwest. Global heating also causes the ocean, river, and lake waters to warm killing the fish that our beloved ospreys and eagles rely on for food.

• Climate breakdown. Water pollution by microplastics and plastics is causing great harm to migrating birds along with the tonnes of human waste dumped into the oceans.

• Elements of the modern world – glass and electric lighting kill billions of birds.

If you take all of the threats together the most significant single cause has its roots in our lives – human lives.

WHAT HAPPENS AFTER THE WAR IS OVER?

After the war, we will face the consequences of the attacks: destroyed ecosystems, polluted soils, biodiversity losses, and higher amounts of pests in the forests. Moreover, the country will need lots of natural resources to be rebuilt. There is also a risk that Ukraine will fail to reach our declared climate goals for the war is an additional contribution to climate change and the rebuilding will be inevitably related to greenhouse gas emissions.

Since the major chemical pollution of soils and waters is expected, it is crucial to create effective environmental monitoring. It would help to evaluate the overall environmental damage and take necessary measures to avoid further aggravation and recover ecosystems for people and for wildlife.

Now the Ministry of Ecology of Ukraine, civil society and the environmental committee of the Parliament should document all the environmental damage caused by the Russian invasion to make the aggressor pay for it.

WORLD MIGRATORY BIRD DAY

World Migratory Bird Day (WMBD) is an awareness-raising campaign highlighting the need for the conservation of migratory birds and their habitats. It aims to draw attention to the threats faced by migratory birds, their ecological importance, and the need for international cooperation to conserve them. The Day is celebrated bi-annually on the second Saturday in May.

WHAT CAN BE DONE TO SAVE MIGRATORY BIRDS?

• Eliminate pesticides from your yard—even those pesticides that are not directly toxic to birds can pollute waterways and reduce insects that birds rely on for food.

• Join a bird conservation group—learn more about birds and support important conservation work.

• Participate in a bird survey

• Create bird-friendly habitat