Bird species declining in India, says Jairam Ramesh

Congress leader and former Union Environment Minister Jairam Ramesh on Sunday claimed that bird species have declined in the country.

"The second iteration of the diligently curated State of India’s Birds released couple of days ago, points us to some worrying trends. Out of the 942 bird species assessed, 204 species, i.e. almost one-fourth, have declined in the last 30 years," he wrote on X (formerly Twitter).

"That many species that are rapidly declining are those with a large range in habitats outside the protected areas, especially habitats like grasslands, rivers and coasts."

Ramesh said birds face three major common threats across India — forest degradation, urbanisation, and energy infrastructure. Climate change and illegal hunting and trade continue to be significant threats, he added.

He said protection of birds and many other species requires an approach beyond protected areas incorporating entire landscapes. "Another key takeaway is that the Schedules listed in the recently amended Wildlife Protection Act, which the Parliamentary Standing Committee studied in detail, needs to be periodically reviewed and updated based on the latest scientific evidence and consultation with experts," he added.