Water bird habitat in Mumbai far from safe

The recent destruction of tree branches in Bandra, a suburb in Mumbai, that housed a thriving group colony of water birds and resulted in the death of several young ones, has concerned wildlife enthusiasts. The Bombay Natural History Society has said that egrets, herons and their habitats need to be protected and that water birds play an important role in the coastal ecosystem.

Atul Sathe of the Bombay Natural History Society noted that the lopping off the branches of a tree in Bandra which led to the demise of a huge section of birds and their nests with hatchlings, has turned the spotlight on the fact that the water bird habitat in the city is far from safe.

Asad Rahmani, Director, Bombay Natural History Society, said, “It is a criminal and inhuman act to destroy the home of birds and their young ones. Egrets and herons are protected species and play a vital role in the ecosystem. The culprits should be punished as per the law so that such incidents do not occur in future.”

He added that the insensitive action such as cutting branches and trees where nests are located, and habitat destruction in the form of mangrove reclamation, pollution in creeks and removal of terrestrial trees for unsustainable development activities, have put the survival of water birds in grave danger.