Over 7,000 more migratory birds flock Pong Dam reservoirs this time than last year

Dharamsala: Over 1.17 lakh migratory birds have flocked the Pong Dam wildlife sanctuary in Kangra District of Himachal Pradesh this time, more than 7,000 than last year, an official said.

According to Chief Conservator of Forest (wildlife) Upasana Patial, the figures were received on January 31 following a two-day count.

"Our teams sighted Long Tail Duck for the first time in this Ramsar site. The number of Northern Pintail has increased from 4,500 last year to 15,700 this year. There is also an increase in the number of Bar Headed geese this year," she said.

A Ramsar site is a wetland designated to be of international importance under the Ramsar Convention -- an international treaty for the conservation and wise use of wetlands.

Patial said the lake may have more avian visitors in the coming days as these Siberian birds are returning from south India and they tend to take a break at the Pong Dam reservoirs.

Asked about the reason for this increase in the number of birds at the site, she said the birds get plenty of food here and they feel more protected now as not a single poaching incident has been reported in a year.