In News:

Pong Dam Lake Wildlife Sanctuary, located in the Kangra district of Himachal Pradesh, has witnessed a record-breaking influx of migratory birds in 2025, according to the latest annual bird census conducted on February 1, 2025.

The sanctuary, a designated Ramsar Site (since 2002) and a Wetland of National Importance (1994), recorded a total of 1,53,719 birds across 97 species, indicating a sharp rise in avifaunal population and reaffirming its ecological significance.

Key Highlights from the 2025 Census

• Migratory birds recorded: 1,44,371 individuals from 55 species.
• Total bird count: 1,53,719 birds from 97 species.
• Increase from 2024: 83,555 more birds.
• Bar-headed Goose population: 90,959 (up from 37,501 in 2024) — highest ever recorded since the census began in 2004.

Other dominant waterfowl included:

• Eurasian Coots – 10,785
• Common Pochards – 9,692
• Common Teals – 8,497
• Northern Pintails – 8,053

Lesser-spotted species included the Greater and Lesser White-fronted Goose, Red Crested Pochard, and Northern Lapwing.

Reasons Behind the Surge

• Experts attribute the significant increase in bird numbers to a decline in the water level of Pong Dam Lake, which exposed additional lakebed areas, creating new feeding grounds. This has made the sanctuary increasingly attractive to birds migrating from Tibet, Central Asia, Russia, Siberia, and the Trans-Himalayan region.

Survey and Conservation Collaboration

• The census was conducted by over 100 participants, including officials from the Himachal Pradesh Forest Department, experts from the Bombay Natural History Society, Wildlife Institute of India, and local birdwatchers. The sanctuary was divided into 25 zones for comprehensive coverage.
• To further conservation efforts, a new Interpretation Centre was inaugurated on January 18, 2025, aimed at promoting awareness about the wetland's role in sustaining biodiversity and supporting migratory birds.

Ecological and Geographical Profile

Pong Dam Lake (Maharana Pratap Sagar)

• Type: Manmade reservoir formed by construction of Pong Dam on the Beas River.
• Location: Wetland zone of the Shivalik hills, Kangra district, Himachal Pradesh.
• Area: Approx. 307 sq. km — among the largest man-made wetlands in northern India.
• Importance: Key stopover on the Trans-Himalayan flyway for migratory birds.

Flora

• Vegetation types: Submerged aquatic vegetation, grasslands, forests.
• Dominant species:Eucalyptus, Acacia, Shisham.

Fauna

• Avifauna: Over 220 bird species recorded; 54 waterfowl species.
• Notable birds: Bar-headed Geese, Pintails, Pochards, Coots, Grebes, Cormorants, Herons, Storks, Grey Partridge, Peafowl.
• Mammals: Sambar, Barking Deer, Nilgai, Wild Boar, Clawless Otter, Leopard.