Examining the Decline of Avian Populations
Ornithologist Asad Rahmani has released a new book titled 'Where Have the Birds Gone? Empty Nests. Quiet Skies. One Question,' published by Indian Pitta, an imprint of Juggernaut Books. The work addresses the conservation crisis facing birds in India and globally, focusing on the steady erosion of safe skies and habitats rather than isolated incidents.
Rahmani, a 76-year-old former director of the Bombay Natural History Society, states that the crisis unfolds through continuous environmental degradation. He identifies habitat loss, fragmentation, alien species, wind farms, power lines, dams, illegal pet trade, pesticides, poaching, glass buildings, and free-ranging stray dogs as primary factors threatening bird existence.
The book is dedicated to lost species, including the mountain quail and pink-headed duck, with an apology from humankind for their extermination. Rahmani evaluates threats to 14 of India’s most threatened birds in the text, specifically naming the white-bellied heron, green munia, Bengal florican, and Jerdon’s courser.
Specific Threats and Species at Risk
Rahmani highlights specific dangers posed by domestic animals to wildlife. He writes that in India, dogs are reported to have attacked 80 wild species, including 31 threatened species and four critically endangered ones. In Ladakh, he states that free-ranging dogs kill nearly 60 percent of the chicks of the black-necked crane, a species listed by the IUCN as vulnerable to extinction.
According to BirdLife International and the IUCN, 1,256 bird species, representing about 11.5% of all birds, are currently threatened with extinction. Rahmani notes that fewer than 120 great Indian bustards persist in two pockets in Rajasthan.
Conservation Strategies and Global Context
Rahmani proposes several conservation solutions to address these challenges. He suggests expanding protected areas, implementing conservation breeding programs, undergrounding power lines along migratory routes, and reducing free-ranging dog populations.
Despite the grim statistics, Rahmani cites success stories for the greater adjutant, painted stork, and spot-billed pelican as evidence of his optimism regarding conservation efforts.
Rahmani explains that birds serve as an effective entry point for exploring wildlife because they are non-dangerous and culturally significant. He notes that birdwatching is the second-most common nature-related hobby globally.
Broader Implications for Leadership
In the book, Rahmani asserts that if India aspires to be a Vishwaguru, leadership must extend beyond economics and geopolitics to encompass sustainability, climate stability, environmental protection, equity, human rights, and wildlife rights.