Our environment ministry had rated the Sambhar Lake among the eight worst-rated wetlands in the country for ecosystem management – some 20,000 birds died due to botulism, a neuromuscular illness caused by bacteria . Yet , this year around migratory birds have come flocking, and more so than last year.
This is as per Asian Waterbird Census (AWC) 2020. The census carried out at India’s largest inland saline lake on January 6 and 7 found that 43,510 birds of 31 species, including four species categorized as threatened birds in the red list of International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN), were present at the lake. In 2018 census, the number was 1,161 of 25 species and 1,389 birds of 20 species was counted in 2019.
How did this change happen within two months? Well, it seems the monsoons came in plenty and washed away the fatal bacteria and now the Sambar lake is more clean than before. Such large number of birds are being spotted after almost 10 years.
Its heartening to read such small wonders of nature persistently coming back and unfolding its beauty despite mankind destroying it.