Approximately eight lac migratory birds have arrived in Indian illegally occupied Jammu and Kashmir so far since October this year and Shallabugh wetland in central Kashmir’s Ganderbal district has received around 15,000 of them.
Migratory birds from countries like Siberia, China and Japan arrive in IOJK in the month of October because of freezing temperatures in those countries.
These birds land in Hokersar and Shallabugh wetlands of the occupied territory. Hokersar is located in the Zainakote area on Srinagar outskirts while Shallabugh is spread over thousands of kanals of land from Takenwari Srinagar to Sangan in Ganderbal.
Range Officer Shallabugh Mohammad Ashraf Kabli told the media that the number of migratory birds is expected to increase after the improvement in the weather.
He also said that no new birds have arrived in the valley this year. He said some of the old birds arrived the valley are Geese, Bar Geese, White Heeled Duck, Shoveller, Red-Crested Pochard, White-Eyed Pochard, Common Teal, Pintail, Mallard, Gadwall, Coot, Hoonk and Graylag. Among these, Pintail, Common Teal, and Gadwall arrive this wetland in maximum numbers, he added.
Wildlife experts say these birds are helpful in maintaining the “ecological system” of Kashmir.—KMS
