Goa: Systematic data collection and conservation intent of Goa Bird Conservation Network has led to the inclusion of three new Important Bird and Biodiversity Areas from Goa in the latest book “Important Bird and Biodiversity Areas (IBA): Priority Sites for Conservation” authored by noted ornithologist Dr. Asad Rahmani along with two other co-authors, published by Bombay Natural History Society. This has raised the total tally of IBA’s to seven from the state. IBA’s are sites of international significance for conservation of birds and their habitats at the global, regional and local level. The selection of IBA’s is a particularly effective way of identifying conservation priorities. IBAs are key sites for conservation – small enough to be conserved in their entirety and often already part of a protected area network.
Before 2017, Goa had four IBA’s identified and recognized which included Bhagwan Mahavir Wildlife Sanctuary and Mollem National Park, Carambolim Wetlands, Cotigao Wildlife Sanctuary and Mhadei Wildlife Sanctuary. With the new book being released, Bondla Wildlife Sanctuary, Navelim Wetlands bordering the villages of Navelim and Kudne in Bicholim Taluka and Netravali Wildlife Sanctuary are the three new IBA’s which have been recognized by BirdLife International as priority sites for bird and bird habitat conservation in the state. Apart from three new areas, the extent of Carambolim Wetland has been increased to include the very important and fragile region of Dhado which has recently become a very important wintering ground for many species of migratory birds.
“While analyzing data on birds of the State we realized that we have two species of Critically Endangered, eight species of Vulnerable and 11 species of Near Threatened birds which have been documented with sufficient data from Goa” says Pronoy Baidya, Vice President of GBCN and one of the contributors of the Goa chapter in the new book. He further adds that “Goa harbors a good population of the vulnerable Lesser Adjutant and Nilgiri Wood-pigeon in certain pockets of the State apart from the identified IBA’s”.
“Goa probably has more sites than the seven identified which also deserve to be notified as IBA’s, but a lack of systematic effort in the past to document birds created a void of data because of which we could not propose more sites to BNHS who coordinates the IBA program in India, but with the continuous efforts of GBCN members and other birdwatchers from the State we will be able to fill this gap in the future” says Parag Rangnekar, President of GBCN and one of the contributors of the Goa chapter in the new book.
The most interesting and important decision however was that of including Navelim Wetlands in the proposal of new IBA’s from Goa. In 2012-13, Zoology students from Government College Sanquelim monitored this wetland for an entire year documenting birds and their population in this region along with other wildlife. “At the end of the monitoring period when we looked into our data, we clearly knew that this area is a suitable candidate to be declared as an IBA and being primarily a marsh land with paddy fields bordered by mangrove growth which is under community control, it was also important to highlight the importance of this area for conservation at a global platform” says Harshada Gauns who lead the team which monitored this wetland and Joint Treasurer of GBCN. “Hailing from Navelim village, I took this as an opportunity also to highlight the importance of this area for our village and for the entire state. The declaration of this site as an IBA will help in bringing our community together and work towards protection of the migratory species of birds that visit this wetland” adds Gauns.
“Declaring an area as IBA does not ensure that the site gets legal protection or becomes inaccessible to people, instead BirdLife International encourages National and State Government to recognize IBA’s as sites of vital importance for conservation of wildlife and adopt them within the existing policy and management framework especially if they are already in protected areas and to empower local community based conservation initiatives in areas outside protected areas to provide natural resource dependent groups to participate in local decision- making” adds Baidya.
“In Goa, the Forest Department has already provided support to GBCN in setting up the Long Term Bird Monitoring Project which has completed one year in Cotigao Wildlife Sanctuary, generating vital information from this IBA which will help the Forest Department in planning their management strategies while the department has also been taking care of Carambolim Wetlands over the years. With the new IBA declarations it is hoped that more government departments come on board and take up the task of conserving important bird habitats in the State”, concludes Rangnekar.
