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The Bombay Natural History Society (BNHS) has launched a new conservation project under the National Mission for Clean Ganga (NMCG) at Dehradun to protect the endangered Indian Skimmer in the Ganga Basin.
The project, titled Safeguarding breeding habitats of Indian Skimmer and sympatric birds through monitoring and community participation in the Ganga Basin, was recently inaugurated by Union Minister for Jal Shakti, C R Patil.
The main goal of the project is to protect river sandbars, which are vital nesting sites for the Indian Skimmer and many other river birds.
According to a statement by BNHS, these nesting areas are under serious threat due to sand mining, changing river flows, and human disturbance. The project will address these challenges through regular monitoring, habitat protection, and strong involvement of local communities.
The initiative builds on the successful conservation work done in the National Chambal Sanctuary, where local community support helped improve bird nesting success.
“This approach will now be expanded to important river stretches such as the Chambal River, the Upper Ganga near Bijnor and Narora, the Ganga–Yamuna confluence at Prayagraj, and the Lower Ganga near the Vikramshila Gangetic Dolphin Sanctuary in Bihar,” the statement noted.
As part of the project, local people will be trained as ‘Nest Guardians’ and ‘River Guardians’ to help protect nests, monitor birds, reduce threats, and assist in data collection. This will also create livelihood opportunities for local communities and encourage long-term protection of river habitats.
Apart from the Indian Skimmer, the project will support other declining river birds like the Black-bellied Tern, River Tern, River Lapwing, Great Thick-knee, Little Tern, and Little Pratincole. These birds are important indicators of healthy rivers.
India is home to nearly 90 per cent of the world’s Indian Skimmer population, making the country crucial for the survival of this endangered bird. Over the years, the number of Indian Skimmers has declined sharply due to loss of river habitats, unplanned water release from dams, sand mining, threats from predators, and disturbance caused by people and livestock, according to BNHS.
The project will combine science, community participation, and planning to protect river biodiversity and develop a model that can be replicated across the Ganga Basin, the statement observed.