LUCKNOW: The endangered Indian Skimmer was spotted along the Ghaghra river at Dudhwa Tiger Reserve.
The sighting occurred 5km upstream of the Zalim Nagar Bridge on Ghaghra, within the Dhuaraha range in Dudhwa buffer zone. It indicates the importance of Ghaghra river in Bahraich district as a vital habitat for the endangered Indian Skimmer, suggesting the possibility of more individuals, inhabiting the upstream areas.
Indian Skimmer is an unusual looking bird with a striking red, orange beak where the lower bill is longer than the upper bill. It feeds by opening its mouth and skimming the top of river water with its lower bill for fish, larvae and shrimps. They breed between February to June and raise one to three chicks per clutch. The bird is endangered and needs conservation.
The bird was sighted by a volunteer at the Habitats Trust. Ghaghra, a sanctuary for numerous threatened species, serves as one of the last strongholds for the critically endangered gharial and Gangetic dolphin in UP. Both Gharial and Indian Skimmer need suitable sandbars to nest. Ghaghra has many sand islands all along its length.
Sand mining, agricultural activities, cattle movement and human disturbance are major threats to sandbar habitats of the bird, which are seasonally formed during summers. Protection of the sandbars from conversion to agriculture, mining and sudden water release from barrages is crucial for survival and breeding success of the Indian Skimmers.
Kaushik Sarkar, wildlife biologist at The Habitats Trust, said, "Indian Skimmers are highly threatened species and are extremely vulnerable to habitat loss."
He said that with less than 6,500 Indian Skimmers globally, every potential breeding site is vital for their conservation.
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