466 important bird areas identified in India

MUMBAI: India requires a holistic development model to protect its bird species.

With increasing development pressures the bio-diversity and bird habitats in the country are likely to shrink posing threat to many bird species found in the country, said a release by the Bombay Natural History Society (BNHS).

The BNHS release came along with a research conducted on Asian birds, which revealed that most bird habitats in the region face danger and may even result in local extinction of some birds.

The BNHS release said tha the research identified 466 important bird areas (IBA).

This included many non-protected areas having diverse habitats like forests, grasslands and wetlands. Many of these are also potential IBAs.

The IBAs were identified on the basis of these areas having population of globally threatened bird species.

These areas also have restricted range species, biome-restricted species and congregatory species.

Many examples of birds co-existing with humans in semi-urban, rural and natural areas were also found in most regions of India including the north-east and the Western Ghats.

"In order to conserve the biodiversity and habitats, which is so vital for human survival, it is necessary to have a holistic development model, which ensures the survival of not just protected areas, but also the vast network of non-protected habitats, which link the protected areas and also serve as alternative habitats," the BNHS statement said.