SRINAGAR, Feb 12: After more than a century, the Wular lake in north Kashmir has once again become a thriving habitat for rare migratory birds, marking a significant conservation victory.Officials at Wullar Conservation and Management Authorities (WUCMA) said that Asia’s largest freshwater lake has undergone significant changes in recent years, attracting a number of bird species, including tailed ducks, and solidifying its position as a hub for the wildlife in the region.They said that the Long-Tailed Ducks (Clangula hyemalis), a migrant species last observed in Hokersar wetland in 1939, have only been detected after 83 years, while other smews have been found wading in the waters of Wullar after 112 years.The Wular Conservation and Management Authorities (WUCMA) said that other birds that share the ecosystem of Wular Lake, such as the Common Pochard, Red-Crested Pochard, Common Shelduck, Ruddy Shelduck, and others, had been observed recently. “A record number of migratory birds have visited Wular Lake this year, much to the pleasure of ornithologists, thanks to the eco-restoration of the lake,” it said
