Thomas Jones Roberts commonly known as T. J. Roberts was an expert on the wildlife of Pakistan and an internationally acclaimed ornithologist. He wrote many books on the biodiversity of his adopted country. His two-volume work on the avifauna of Pakistan entitled Birds of Pakistan was a generous contribution to birdlife. For his contribution in the field of birds and animals (he is also the author of Mammals of Pakistan, the definitive text on the subject), T.J. Roberts was awarded Sitara-i-Imtiaz in 1994. On July 5, 2013, he passed away but what he did for the country is invaluable.
However if he was alive, he would be disappointed to see the current state of Pakistan’s wildlife, though even during the end of his years, he noted increasing environmental degradation, adversely affecting birdlife.
The great apathy towards environmental issues can be judged from the fact that since the inception of Pakistan no concrete studies on birds have been conducted by wildlife authorities, indicating their ignorance and the failure of government departments in addressing wildlife issues.
'Sadqa' gone wrong
Today birdlife counts are decreasing in urban areas as the trend of felling trees in housing societies catches on. However, the exponential growth in the human population has benefitted certain species over others, especially the house crow (Corvus splendens) which has adapted remarkably well to urban ecology.
Anthropogenic food resources and their ability to prey on other species has increased their numbers manifold. Since they are omnivorous, these crows can feed on anything and everything such as insects, termites, grain, nectar, fruit, eggs, young birds, kitchen waste, and dead livestock, thus ensuring their high survival rate. They have also become a general nuisance in urban settlements as crows largely roost in the city. Rubbish dumps, slaughterhouses, poultry sheds and garbage collection points have provided them the opportunity to enjoy great abundance of food, making them dominant over specialist bird species such as sunbirds, sparrows, bulbuls, pigeons, and mynas (feeding on nectar, grains, insects etc). These scavengers have superseded specialist species, which has now become a matter of concern for wildlife experts.
[quote]Crows do not allow other birds close to the food[/quote]
The International Union for Conservation of Nature’s (IUCN) Red List of Threatened Species listed crows as a species of least concern, stating that their population trend is stable and indicating that they do not face any threat in the near future. When birds are fed, crows appear in large numbers and do not allow other birds close to the food, leaving little for sparrows and mynas.
Former Director General Wildlife, Punjab, Abdul Aleem Chaudhry, expressed his concern over increase in the number of crows in urban areas especially Lahore and urged researchers to study the population ecology of the common crow in order to access the impact of its population on smaller song birds along with their impact on the general environment of Lahore. However, he mentioned that the crow population can be contained if garbage dumps are managed, and waste collection streamlined and recycled.
T J Roberts, expert on the wildlife of Pakistan
Another scavenger benefitting from this scenario is the Pariah kite (Milvus migrans) locally known as “Cheel” as it inhabits urban settlements and also feeds on garbage dumps. They are however mostly maintaining their population.
The trend of giving sadqa by feeding meat to crows is another reason for the increase in the crow population. Helping poor people in the name of sadqa is probably a better idea. Sadqa meat sellersare often seen on busy roadswith plastic bags full of discarded meat in their hands, feeding crows.
[quote]Reforestation of indigenous trees is one effective remedy[/quote]
We must create a balance between the environment and development by all means necessary. Reforestation of indigenous trees is one effective remedy (unlike the palm trees that are currently in favour) to increase tree cover which can help increase the habitat of other birds and ultimately restore their population.
The provincial wildlife departments also need to play an effective role in this regard by imposing a ban on meat sellers for sadqa. Media should serve the important role of watch dog, keeping a strong eye over government policies and adopting a rational approach towards any development that may threaten the ecosystem. There’s a dire need to strengthen the provincial wildlife and environment protection departments and the public should be sensitized on environmental and wildlife issues in order to generate support for sustainable projects.
The writer is a freelance contributor. He tweets at @SyedMAbubakarand can be reached at smabubakar@wwf.org.pk
