Asad Rahmani: “We need to bring back vultures to restore ecological balance”

The ornithologist and author of Where Have The Birds Gone?on the factors driving avian decline in India, and the dire need to save bird species and their habitats

India has witnessed a decline in many bird species over the past two decades. What are the principal factors driving this decline?

Asad Rahmani, author, Where Have the Birds Gone? (Courtesy the subject)

There are a combination of factors, not one. The major reason is habitat destruction and habitat deterioration. Hunting, shooting and trapping on a large-scale was another major factor, but it is much reduced in most of better-governed states, but still rampant in some states of north India and northeast India. To these ongoing factors, we now have added a network of high-tension wires and wind mills that kill millions of birds every year, from cranes, bustards, and eagles to small passerine birds. Most of these killing go undetected as no one is counting them. Bird carcasses also disappear or deteriorate fast, leaving little evidence. I have seen about three dozen vultures and eagles lying below high-tension wires in Jaisalmer in 10 days of my survey, and I also know during my studies on the sarus cranes in Uttar Pradesh, 8-10 known cases of Sarus being killed by high-tension wires. These are known cases – most deaths remain undetected.

Wind mills also kill thousands of birds when they hit the blades. Solar panel farms take a large area and destroy or alter the habitat. Electricity generated from the solar panels is carried by high-tension wires to the national grid, so both create problem for wildlife.

For some species, solar panels in the night look like simmering water so birds and insects land on them to be killed or injured. All these issues are not studied so well in India. If my book generates interest and helps in policy changes, I will consider it a success.

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How can bird deaths be minimised?

Many solutions are technical which anyone can get in scientific papers and books. I am not an expert on these subjects.

Glass buildings that are totally unsuitable to our tropical climate are fast coming up in India. Studies in the USA, Europe and Japan show that millions of birds are killed or injured after hitting glass panes that reflect trees (on the lower floors) and the sky and clouds (on the upper floors of tall buildings). The confused birds think they are flying towards trees or in the clear sky, and are killed after they hit the glass panes. There are solutions to minimize bird hits, but these solutions and alterations should become a policy framework when a glass-window building is being built.

There are many other threats that I have described in my book. Lastly, I will add that free-ranging stray dogs are one of the biggest threats to some large ground nesting birds (eg bustards, florican, cranes). We all are dog lovers, so we should keep only pet dogs. Let every dog have an owner.

How have the fragmentation and degradation of grassland habitats affected species such as the black-breasted parrotbill, slender-billed babbler, swamp prinia, and marsh babbler?

Many species of animals are generalists, ie they can live in all sorts of habitats and environments (eg bulbuls, mynas, crows, kites, etc), but some are habitat specialists that need a special habitat, either grassland, wetland, thick tropical forest, thorn forest, etc. The black-breasted parrotbill, the slender-billed babbler, the swamp prinia, the marsh babbler and many more are habitat specialists and live only in tall wet grasslands of the Brahmaputra floodplains. These grasslands are surviving only in some Protected Areas (PAs) such as Kaziranga, Orang, Burachapori, Manas, Sonai-Rupai, Dibru-Saikhowa in Assam, and Loktak Lake in Manipur. There are some smaller grassland patches that are non-PAs. These protected grasslands are fragmented and sometimes the distance between two PAs may be 100 km or more. The birds that I have mentioned are weak flyers, so as far as we know they cannot fly from one grassland to another. Hence, the populations are fragmented. We do not know what is the long-term effect of the fragmentation. We need field, genetic and telemetry studies on this issue.

You write that the daily killing of vultures, eagles, cranes, flamingos, and smaller passerines rarely makes it into news reports or headlines. Why have people in India become desensitised to these deaths?

It may not be the question of desensitisation, but more of lack of information. The silent killing of birds does not make a dramatic story – unless a famous species like the Great Indian Bustard hits the wire and dies. It is the duty of scientists, conservationists, and journalists to write stories that the public can understand. We need more science-based stories in newspapers, magazines, podcasts, social media, and interviews in a language which the general public can understand. Pictures also grab attention. An aware public will think and force the government to take action.

If my book generates this awareness and concern, I will be happy. Conservation action is my goal.

Vultures feed on animal carcasses and their populations have declined dramatically. Why is the loss of vultures both an ecological and a public-health concern?

Vultures, like other groups of animals, are an integral part of the ecological web that keeps the environment liveable. Their near absence has increased the chances of the spread of disease, particularly in rural areas, and resulted in an increase in dog numbers.

We need to bring back the vultures to restore the ecological balance.

The use of toxic pesticides affects birds. How can pesticide use be regulated and reduced without undermining farmers’ livelihoods?

I do not have an easy solution. We need to use pesticides to increase the crop yields – no question about this. But shouldn’t we use pesticides that kill only the targeted insects. We also have to use pesticides that decompose quickly after doing their job. Why should we use “forever chemicals” that persist in soil, water, and living tissue for decades or longer? We in India use many chemicals that are officially banned in European countries. For example, Paraquat is a highly toxic herbicide forbidden in the EU for its acute toxicity and links to neurodegenerative conditions like Parkinson’s disease. It is still widely used across India. Chlorpyrifos, an organophosphate insecticide banned in the EU over brain development and nervous system risks, is also utilized for various crops in India.

The prognosis for India’s avifauna is not good, yet you remain hopeful. Where does that hope come from?

For conservationists like me, failure is not an option. I know many species, such as the Mauritius kestrel and the Seychelles magpie robin, and mammals like the Arabian oryx and the Eurasian otter that have been saved from the brink of extinction. If we have the will, we can do wonders; otherwise, there are always excuses.

In India, we have to do much more to save birds. Some threatened species, such as the lesser florican, the Bengal florican, and the greater adjutant need species-specific targeted actions, while for others, habitat restoration, control of free-ranging stray dogs, and the protection of grasslands and wetlands will be helpful. For large flying birds, preventing death by high-tension wires, wind mills, and glass-buildings by taking technological measures will help. Planting native species in gardens, gated housing colonies, avenues and beside canals will be helpful for common species. A total ban on certain chemicals/pesticides and research on less-destructive biocides is also required.

Lastly, we have to think beyond tigers, elephants and snow leopards and give attention to total biodiversity, not only glamorous species. India has played a stellar role in the conservation movements of the world. We need to enhance this by our actions and policies – we need to become a vishwaguru in saving species and their habitats.

You urge people to become more aware of the birds around them and to take action in their own communities. What practical steps can individuals take to protect birds and their habitats in and around their immediate surroundings?

The basic principles of attracting birds is to plant local trees and bushes that provide them fruits, shelter and nesting sites. Also attach bells to pet cats that will warn birds. In summer, we can provide them water, but make sure that local cats do not catch birds when they come to drink water. Some organisations provide nest boxes and food (grains), which is good for some birds but more for people who are doing this. They get goody-goody feelings and think that they have done something great. It helps certain species but birds will be happier if their natural habitats are protected. In certain urban areas, there should be a strict ban on Chinese manja that injures birds badly. Actually, I would recommend that kite-flying should be restricted to certain open areas and for a certain time/period. It should not be free-for-all, anytime, anywhere.

In rural areas, people who have a large space, should plant native trees/bushes and maintain some areas as naturally wild. Manicured lawns are not useful for birds. Pesticides should be strictly prohibited by individuals. There are alternatives to pesticides. Develop a Nature Club in your area to educate people about nature conservation.

Lastly, if you see birds being sold, please inform the forest authorities immediately or the nearest police officer. The sale of all native Indian birds is strictly prohibited under the Wildlife Protection Act.

Majid Maqbool is an independent journalist from Kashmir.