The Ooty Lake has gone from hosting the highest number of wetland birds in the Upper Nilgiris in 2023, to witnessing plummeting numbers in 2024, causing concerns among conservationists about the lake’s continued viability as a key habit for wetland bird species in the district.
The fall in the bird population came to light during the recently-concluded wetland bird census conducted across the State.
According to sources in the Forest Department, only 13 wetland bird species were recorded in 2024, when compared with over 20 that were recorded last year. “The absolute numbers have also witnessed a huge fall, from 602 last year, to 270 wetland birds in 2024,” the official said.
M. Rangasamy, a conservationist based in the Nilgiris, said that the number of Indian spot-billed ducks in the lake in 2023 was over 250 individuals. “However, that number has reduced drastically to less than 100 individuals now,” he said. He added that rare birds such as the Northern pintail, garganey and the Northern shoveler, which have been visiting the lake in recent years during winter, failed to do so in 2024.
N. Moinudheen, an independent researcher and conservationist who has been working on documenting the species diversity of the Ooty lake, said that massive construction projects by the Tamil Nadu Tourism Development Corporation (TTDC), which is building a zipline and rope bridge across the lake, have disturbed nesting and roosting sites of many species of birds that inhabit the Ooty lake.
“Another portion of the area surrounding the lake, which used to be controlled by the Forest Department who operated a deer park is also set to be handed over to the Tourism Department. This area, like many surrounding it, is a key nesting site for cormorants in the Nilgiris. Any protections these birds enjoyed are being systematically dismantled by construction projects that are being undertaken without any Environmental Impact Assessments,” said Mr. Rangasamy.
Keen birders said that among the birds that have declined, or have completely stopped visiting the area are species like the Woolly-necked stork and winter migrants such as the wood sandpiper and the Kashmiri flycatcher.
While the construction projects are part of the reason for the sudden lack of birds within the lake, conservationists also point to other factors, including pollution, an increase in tourism and boating as well as other factors. They want the government to declare the Ooty lake a Ramsar site, so it can be better protected.
When contacted, District Forest Officer (Nilgiris division), S. Gowtham, said that the Forest Department would study whether there were “external” factors that had led to the decline in bird numbers. Mr. Gowtham also said a total of 1,443 birds and 74 species were recorded in the bird survey that was conducted in 14 locations across the division.
