New Push for protection of Migratory Birds by Government of India

The Ministry of Environment, Forests and Climate Change in November 2018, launched the Central Asian Flyway Action Plan, which is set to be a game-changer in conservation of migratory birds in India. This is the first National Plan for migratory birds and wetlands in the Central Asian Flyway (CAF) which is one among the nine bird flyways in the world.

The Plan has 6 targeted components created after a consultative process. These include species conservation, habitat conservation and sustainable management, capacity development, communication and outreach, research and monitoring and international cooperation. The CAF Plan has prioritized 20 wetlands and further wetland clusters for immediate work which include Keoladeo, Coringa, Bhitarkanika, Point Calimere, Pulicat, Sunderbans, Harike, Gulf of Mannar, Nal Soravar and others. It will also create Single Species Action Plans for 20 species, including Greater Flamingo, Great Knot, Lesser Flamingo, Eurasian Curlew, European Roller, White-headed Duck, Yellow-Breasted Bunting, Ferruginous Duck etc. India hosts hundreds of thousands of migratory birds each year, including ducks, geese, falcons, warblers, etc. However, this is the first attempt to create an institutionalised plan for migratory birds.

The Government of India is a signatory to the convention on Conservation of Migratory Wild Animals (CMS) since 1983. Under the CMS, nine major flyways have been recognized globally. India falls in the Central Asian Flyway (CAF) which is one among the nine flyways in the world, encompasses overlapping migration routes over 30 countries for different water birds linking their northern most breeding grounds in Russia (Siberia) to the southernmost non-breeding (wintering) grounds in West and South Asia, the Maldives and the British Indian Ocean Territory.

To develop the CAF Action Plan, the Environment ministry has set up the CAF-India Secretariat at the office and developed CAF - National Action Plan. The Secretariat includes scientists from the Bombay Natural History Society (BNHS).

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