Waterbirds has gradually decreased on the coast of Bhola District, Barishal, Bangladesh
Bhola District is an administrative district in south-central Bangladesh, including Bhola Island. It locates in the Barishal division and the largest sea island of Bangladesh.
“In the past 22 years, the arrival of waterbirds in the coastal area of Bhola has decreased by 70%.” The Bangladesh Bird Club released the information after a nine-day bird census in 60 islands in the coastal area of Bhola.
According to the survey from 2000 to 2022, the number of birds on the coast has decreased by about 70 percent. The bird census has been started of the beach since 1996. Like every year, this year, too, the bird census has ended.
During the first census of waterbirds in 2000, the number of birds was about 0.5 million. But in 2022, it has decreased to 33,084. Bird researchers think that is very concerning.
The Bangladesh Bird Club delegation enumerated 60 coastal islands in Bhola, Barisal, Patuakhali, Noakhali, and Laxmipur districts.
Birds are counted on the banks of the Meghna River and the Tentulia river. The members of the Bangladesh Bird Club count the birds using modern technology, including telescopes. At the same time, the team is determining the location of the waterbird by putting rings on the legs of the birds and putting satellite tags. Their research has come up with various information.
Bangladesh Bird Club, Sustainable Forest and Livelihood Project (SUFAL) of the Forest Department, Nature and Life Foundation, International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) jointly conducted the “Asian Waterbird Census (AWC) 2022” on the central south coast of Bangladesh from 9 January to 16 January 2022.
The census started from the Bhola dock. Vice President of Bangladesh Bird Club Siam U Chowdhury, members MA Muhith, Shafiqur Rahman, Nazim Uddin Khan, and Mohammad Faisal took part in the census.
The survey listed 33,064 waterbirds of 58 species. Globally endangered species like local Indian skimmer (540) and brown-headed gulls (4,162) are notable in the list. The delegation counted birds from coast to coast through fishing trawlers.
Some important islands, locally known as Char, are Char Tajammal, Char Patila, Dhalchar, Shibchar, Char Nizam, Velumiya Char, Damar Char, Char Kukri Mukri, Char Shahjalal, Char Monpura, Char Montaz, Sonar Char, Rozina Char, etc. highest number of birds (10,065) counts in and around Nijhum Island.
MA Muhith, a member of the Bangladesh Bird Club, said, “Innumerable migratory birds come to the coast of Bangladesh during winter from different countries, including Siberia, Mongolia, and Tibet. Around 58 species of aquatic birds were listed this year compared to the previous years. But the overall result shows that the arrival of migratory birds has decreased by about 70 percent. When I took part in the first bird census in 2000, about 0.1 million birds. But this year, it decreased to only 33 000,” he said
“The number of birds has decreased due to the roaming of humans, including cows and buffaloes in the habitat of birds, food crisis, the violence of bird hunters, climate change, and various other environmental factors,” he added.
