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Central Asian Flyway

Posted on October 11, 2021 by admin1  27

In News

  • A virtual two-day CAF range countries’ meeting was held recently.

About

  • What is a Flyway?

It is a geographical region within which a single or a group of migratory species completes its annual cycle – breeding, moulting, staging and non-breeding.

Image Courtesy: TOI

  • Background:
    • At the 13th meeting of the Conference of Parties (CoP) to the Convention on Migratory Species (CMS), held at Gandhinagar in February 2020, a resolution was adopted under the leadership of India with the aim to agree on conservation action for migratory birds.
    • With a view to fulfil its commitment, India organized a two-day online meeting recently, with CAF Range Countries, anchored in the Wildlife Institute of India.
  • Central Asian Flyway
    • Area Covered
      • CAF covers a large area of Eurasia between the Arctic and Indian Oceans.
    • Including India, there are 30 countries under the Central Asian Flyway.
    • Extent 
      • It involves migration routes of waterbirds, extending from the northernmost breeding grounds in Siberia to the southernmost non-breeding wintering grounds in West Asia, India, the Maldives and British Indian Ocean Territory.
    • These wintering areas are geographically separate and present entirely different ecological, historical and cultural situations.

Image Courtesy: DeccanHerald

What is migration? Why is it significant?

  • Migration is an adaptation mechanism to help birds overcome weather adversities and the unavailability of food in colder regions.
  • The importance of bird migrations on the health of the ecosystems is well-established.
  • Saving migratory birds means saving the wetlands, terrestrial habitats and saving an ecosystem, benefiting communities dependent on wetlands.

 Challenges faced by migratory birds

  • Increased habitat loss globally during the last decade.
  • The decreased area under water bodies, wetlands, natural grasslands and forests.
  • Increased weather variability and climate change have resulted in the loss of biodiversity for migratory birds.

Major Migratory Birds

Critically Endangered

Northern bald ibis, white-bellied heron, Baer’s pochard

Endangered 

Greater adjutant

Vulnerable

Black-necked crane, Indian skimmer, lesser adjutant, masked finfoot, Socotra cormorant, wood snipe

Near Threatened

Black-headed ibis, lesser flamingo, pygmy cormorant, white-eyed gull

Why do countries need to protect Flyways? 

  • Approximately one in five of the world’s 11,000 bird species migrate, some covering enormous distances.
  • Safeguarding flyways means protecting the birds from poachers, rejuvenating wetlands among others. Saving the wetlands, terrestrial habitats help in fulfilling the bigger purpose of saving an ecosystem. 

Way Forward

  • Conserving migratory birds requires cooperation and coordination along the entire Central Asian Flyway (CAF) between countries and across national boundaries.

Source: PIB

 
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