- Web Master
- June 11, 2019
Narinjara News, 4 March 2023
On the occasion of the 50th anniversary of World Wildlife Day, a United Nations international day to
celebrate all the world's wild animals
and plants, the Rakhine State biodiversity and nature conservation association called for protecting and preserving the wintering bird species and aquatic animals in Nantha island of
Rakhine State.
Nantha island is designated as a Marine National Park of Myanmar.
U Yan Naung Soe, the biodiversity conservation association president, observes that disturbing activities like
capturing birds and aquatic animals,
growing deforestation and unauthorised transportation of sand still continue in Nantha island.
He also added that their call was due to lack of actions by the relevant ministry while addressing
these issues.
"Spoon-billed Sandpiper is a globally endangered bird
species. In 2007, we found
37 of these birds in Nantha island, but their population is dwindled now to 5 only. We demand necessary
protection measures so that other
birds and marine animals can also be conserved,”
he said.
Nantha island, located under Rathedaung township, is situated between the Bay of Bengal and Mayu delta. The
island in 10 miles northwest of Sittwe
township covers an area of 22,979 acres and it is the largest wintering site for the
critically endangered Spoon-billed Sandpiper in the world.
Other migratory and native birds like Great Knot and Nordmann Greenshank along with Arakan dolphins,
sea turtles and other aquatic animals
are also observed in the locality.
On 21 February 2022, Nantha island was designated as the second Marine National Park by the Myanmar natural
resources and environmental protection
ministry on 21 May 2020. It was also declared as a Ramsar site for protecting its wetland area.
With this initiative, the environmentalists hoped that conservation efforts would be strengthened, but in
reality the concerned department's
actions turned out to be weak.
Yan Naung Soe expressed his concern over the gradual extinction of Spoon-billed Sandpiper and other rare
species of birds along with marine
animals in the island. He cited relentless poaching, capture, and sale of marine animals, including
the wintering birds, as the primary causes for the decline in population.
He also noted that Spoon-billed Sandpiper birds frequently visit the gulf of Mottama in Mon State, Mein Ma
Hla island in Irrawaddy division,
Mergui in Tanintharyi region besides Nantha island.
"In the Mottama area too, their population has been decreasing by every year and if it goes on they may
disappear in a decade," he cautioned.
About 50 species of wintering birds arrive in Rakhine State every autumn, but in 2022 only 30 species
were observed, as the Rakhine biodiversity
and nature conservation association reported.
Fifty years back, there were over 5,000 Spoon-billed Sandpiper birds, but their numbers have declined to 500
individuals in 2011.
The said bird species is native to Siberian plains of Chukotka region in Russia. Their breeding season starts
in the months of June and July.
With only four eggs laying at a time, only two or three chicks are hatched successfully.
Speaking to Narinjara News, he emphasised on the government initiatives as well as public support
for protecting such rare species of
birds. He mentioned that the wldlife day, celebrated annually on 3 March as the birthday of CITES (the
Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora, signed in 1973) helps in creating awareness about the
conservation of wildlife and plant species
globally.