WAJAHAT SHABIR
SRINAGAR: The National Green Tribunal (NGT) has been presented with a detailed scientific assessment warning that Ladakh’s exceptionally rich birdlife is facing growing pressure from rapid infrastructure development, expanding tourism, habitat alteration, climate change, exotic plantations, feral dogs and other human-induced disturbances.
The assessment, prepared by the Sálim Ali Centre for Ornithology and Natural History (SACON), Wildlife Institute of India, was submitted before the Principal Bench of the NGT in Original Application No. 1339/2024, following the Tribunal’s notice seeking inputs on the conservation of birds in Ladakh in view of multiple threats, including tourism.
The report paints a detailed picture of the Union Territory’s avian diversity, stating that 464 bird species have been recorded from Ladakh, while 197 species are known to breed in the region. Of these, 87 are resident species that breed and remain in Ladakh throughout the year.
The assessment says Ladakh’s bird habitats are particularly important because the region forms part of the Trans-Himalayan Biogeographic Zone, an ecosystem characterised by extreme climatic conditions, high elevations and limited ecological resources.
According to the report, the latest statistics available through eBird indicate that 464 species have been recorded in Ladakh. The assessment is based on the India Birds Checklist and other available information.
Of the 197 breeding species, the report categorises Ladakh’s avifauna into resident and migratory groups. The broader list includes 110 winter visitors and passage migrants, 20 winter visitors/summer migrants, 64 passage migrants and 16 vagrants, besides the 87 resident species.
The seasonal variation in birdlife is particularly significant because Ladakh receives birds from Central Asia and northern Tibet during different parts of the year. The report says around 50 species of visitors from Central Asia and northern Tibetan Plateau are recorded in the region, adding to the diversity of Ladakh’s avifauna.
The report highlights several species that are closely associated with Ladakh’s high-altitude ecosystems.
These include the Tibetan Snowcock, Tibetan Partridge, Black-necked Crane, Tibetan Sandgrouse, Himalayan Snowcock, White-browed Tit-Warbler, Brown Accentor, Tibetan Grey-backed Shrike and several species of waterbirds and waders.
The report says Ladakh’s wetlands, marshes, riverine areas and grasslands are particularly important for breeding and migratory birds.
It also notes that some birds use the region only during particular seasons, while others remain year-round, making protection of habitats across different ecological zones essential for maintaining the entire avian cycle.
A major concern highlighted in the report is the number of species requiring greater conservation attention.
The State of India’s Birds Report 2023, based on two decades of bird data, identified 65 species from Ladakh as being of “High Conservation Concern.”
The assessment lists species falling under different conservation categories, including Critically Endangered, Endangered, Vulnerable and Near Threatened.
Among the species listed are the Yellow-breasted Bushchat, Egyptian Vulture, Steppe Eagle, Pallas’s Fish-Eagle, Saker Falcon, Steller’s? [not supported in parsed text], Long-billed Bush Warbler, Common Crane, Black-necked Crane, Eurasian Curlew, Black-tailed Godwit, Ruddy Turnstone and several other birds.
The report cautions that these national-level assessments need to be complemented by local population monitoring and habitat-specific studies to understand how individual species are responding to changes in Ladakh.
The Black-necked Crane receives particular attention in the assessment. The report describes it as an iconic species of Ladakh and points out that the region is an important breeding area for the bird.
Because the species depends on specific high-altitude wetland and grassland habitats, disturbances around breeding areas can have significant consequences.
The report consequently stresses the need to protect breeding habitats and minimise human interference during sensitive periods.
The report identifies development and infrastructure projects as one of the major emerging threats to Ladakh’s birds.
It states that planned and ill-conceived infrastructure activities can directly affect high-altitude wilderness areas through habitat alteration and fragmentation.
As an example, the report refers to the proposed geothermal plant at Puga Hot Spring, noting that the project area is important habitat for several species.
It also highlights road construction and associated infrastructure as potential sources of disturbance, particularly where new roads open previously relatively undisturbed areas to greater human movement.
The assessment says the effects of such development can include habitat alteration, increased invasive species, increased human activity and fragmentation of habitats, all of which can affect birds dependent on relatively undisturbed ecosystems.
The introduction and spread of exotic plantations is another concern identified by the report.
It says Ladakh is fundamentally a barren mountain landscape where native woody vegetation is naturally limited. The introduction of trees such as poplar and willow, therefore, can alter the ecological characteristics of habitats.
The report says such plantations can affect native biodiversity and potentially change habitats used by birds.
It specifically points to species including the Great Tit, European Goldfinch, Long-tailed Shrike, Blue-capped Redstart and Brahminy Starling, among others, as birds whose habitats can be affected by changes in vegetation.
The assessment also highlights the Tibetan Grey-backed Shrike, noting its association with high-altitude subalpine environments and the importance of retaining its natural habitat. The report has separately flagged feral dogs as a serious threat.
It says feral dogs have become established in parts of Ladakh and are known to prey on small mammals as well as birds.
Ground-nesting species are particularly vulnerable because their nests and chicks are exposed to predators.
The report specifically identifies birds such as the Himalayan Snowcock, Chukar Partridge and Black-necked Crane as among the species that can be affected by such predation and disturbance.
It also notes that ground-nesting birds are particularly vulnerable during their breeding season, when increased human movement and other disturbances can compound predation risks.
Tourism has emerged as one of the central issues in the report submitted to the NGT. The assessment says Ladakh has witnessed a dramatic increase in tourist arrivals, particularly over the past decade.
Tourist numbers rose from about 2.5 lakh in 2017 to around 5.25 lakh in 2024, according to the report.
While tourism is economically important, the report warns that increasing visitor numbers have brought greater pressure on fragile habitats.
Wetlands, marshlands, streams and high-altitude meadows are among the areas most frequently visited because of their scenic value. However, these are also important feeding and breeding habitats for birds.
The assessment links increasing tourism and human activity with trampling, waste generation, disturbance, road traffic and modification of wetlands and surrounding habitats.
It further notes reports of sporadic hunting of wild birds and animals, including observations of hunting in parts of the region.
Unregulated tourism a specific concern
The report traces the rapid growth of tourism in Ladakh to the past decade, when the region became increasingly accessible to domestic and international visitors.
It warns that tourism infrastructure and increasing visitor movement can put pressure on habitats that evolved under extremely harsh environmental conditions and have limited capacity to absorb disturbance.
The assessment consequently calls for tourism to be managed in an ecologically sustainable and locally inclusive manner, rather than allowing unrestricted expansion into sensitive habitats.
Climate change adds another layer of risk
The report also identifies climate change and global warming as major long-term threats to Ladakh’s birds.
It says the region’s mountain peaks, glaciers and high-altitude habitats are particularly vulnerable to climate change.
Changes in temperature, precipitation, glacier and snow conditions, wetland availability and seasonal patterns can affect the habitats and food resources on which birds depend.
The assessment says climate change can influence breeding patterns, migration timing, habitat availability and food resources.
For migratory birds, even relatively small changes in the availability or timing of wetland resources can have implications because these birds rely on particular habitats during specific stages of their annual migration.
The report further warns that climate change can interact with other human pressures, potentially making already vulnerable habitats even more susceptible to degradation.
Ladakh already has major protected areas
The report notes that Ladakh already contains several major protected areas.
These include: Hemis National Park, Changthang Wildlife Sanctuary and Karakoram (Nubra-Shyok) Wildlife Sanctuary. Together, the protected areas cover a substantial portion of the landscape and provide protection to important bird habitats. However, the report indicates that protected-area status alone cannot address all threats, particularly when pressures arise outside protected boundaries or from activities that affect ecological connectivity.
