January 23, 2024
NAYPYIDAW – There are more than 20,000 water birds taking shelter at Indawgyi Lake in Kachin State, according to those collecting data of birds.
Among the 43 bird species, there are 18 local bird species and 25 winter bird species at the Indawgyi Lake. About 6,000 lcocal birds and over 15,000 winter birds are at the Lake, sources said.
“This year, we just collected just the bird species as the winter birds arrival was later than last year,” said a man who was in the group collecting data.
They formed four groups and collected data for the front and west sides of the lake, around Indawgyi creek and another group, he added. According to those who went field trips, illegal gold digging businesses are paying money to various armed groups to dig gold illegally around Maingnaung River, between Maingnaung and Indawgyi, upper Nyaungbin village and along Nant Tain River.
Gold digging began since 2000 and as a consequence, forest depletion, destroying of plantation and farmlands, scarcity of fish species and other things were happened, according to locals.
Locals are gradually experienced the danger of getting fresh water for drinking, destruction of farmlands, scarcity of fish species and trees in their areas, according to villagers from Maingnaung and Mamon villages.
It is also the third largest freshwater lake in Southeast Asia and home to more than 160 bird species including globally threatened rare water birds. The lake was designated as an ASEAN (Association of Southeast Asian Nations) heritage park due to its ecological importance in 2004 and as a Ramsar (wetland) Site due to its unique bird population and wetlands in 2016.
The 29th United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) designated Indawgyi Lake as a reserve in June 14, 2017.