Birds Facing Extinction in Manipur

By Sobhapati Samom

Imphal, Aug 2 : Use of insecticides, deforestation and urbanisation, coupled with climate change, have threatened the State’s rich biodiversity and forcing certain bird species of Manipur to extinction.

Loktak, the largest fresh water lake in the region and it’s nearby marshlands were the favorite habitat of more than 30 rare migratory birds, such as duck, geese, snipe, etc., arriving particularly in winter months from places as far as Siberia.

“But now hardly around 20 water birds visit the State, mainly due to over-hunting, gradual decrease in the size of habitats and most importantly climate change,” State’s noted environmentalist Dr Kh Shamungou said. Sparrow, swallow, owl, myna, pigeon, nightingale, kingfisher, wood pecker, heron, kite, crow, etc., are the common birds found in Manipur.

Migratory birds such as Mandarin duck, Nganu Thangogng, Umu are no longer spotted in numbers as in the past, in and around the lake after their habitats were disturbed, Dr Shamungou explained. Interestingly, even Nong-in (hume’s pheasant), the State bird, is hard to come by.

The sudden decrease of crow population in Manipur has led to the dwindling of Heikreng, an important tree having inflammable property.

It is used as a ‘lighter’ during the funeral rites of the Hindus since time immemorial. Heikreng seeds germinate very fast, but only after it was softened inside the stomach of a crow. Thus vanishing crow population means disappearance of these trees, the environmentalist explained.

Similarly, Loktak, which once had over 70 species of indigenous fish varieties, now has only 54 varieties.

The State’s hill districts are no exception to the loss and drifting pattern of biodiversity species. The Siberian migratory bird, Shiri stopped making its annual winter stop at Shiroy in Manipur’s Ukhrul district largely due to over-hunting and destruction of its habitat (Leihao trees) by timber merchants since the last five years, Dr RK Ranjan, another environment activist said.

Shiroy villagers catch hundreds of Shiri birds every season as its meat is considered to be a delicacy, while timber merchants cut down its habitat Leihao trees every year.

Interestingly, Koyal (Eudynamys Scolopacea), a bird of the warm climate, has started appearing in Manipur.

“This shows that the climate and environment in Manipur has changed to such an extent that Koyal can now live here comfortably,” Dr Shamungou observed. But immediate action and creation of widespread awareness may save the highly threatened species of the State, he opined.