00:00Not far from Srinagar lies the Chatland Wetland near Pampore.
00:05It's the largest wetland in the area and one of the most important in the Kashmir Valley.
00:11Every winter, millions of migratory birds arrive here from Central Asia, Northern Europe and Siberia.
00:18They escape the freezing cold and ice in search of food, warmth and open water.
00:28There are gadwalls, widgeons, shovelers and sandhill cranes.
00:33The season begins in mid-October. Many stay until the end of March.
00:39Others only stop to rest before flying further south.
00:43Sirad Ulniza is helping to inspire a new generation of young bird enthusiasts.
00:49Today, the 21-year-old student accompanies schoolgirls and some of her fellow students.
00:55She helps them spot which birds are here right now, what they look like and what species can be found
01:01in the wetlands.
01:06Sirad is the first woman to run a bird-watching club in Kashmir.
01:10Her passion for the cause stems from her childhood.
01:17I was passing by here once with a relative.
01:20I remember saying there are so many birds here.
01:23There were so many you couldn't see anything else, not even the water.
01:28But now, as you see, there are very few birds.
01:34That's because the wetlands around Srinagar are shrinking.
01:38Large areas are being drained to make way for ever-growing villages, towns and farmland.
01:45Untreated sewage flows into the lakes, while plastic and rubbish pile up along the shores.
01:50The birds' habitat is disappearing.
01:52They find less food and fewer safe places to nest.
02:01Susanna Bashir is a botany professor at Women's College Srinagar.
02:06She says that since 1970, the world has lost around 400 million hectares of wetlands,
02:12around a fifth of the total area worldwide.
02:15And that loss matters.
02:17Wetlands protect against extreme weather, absorb heavy rainfall, help cool the air in summer
02:24and soften the impact of monsoons.
02:26They also store carbon, a greenhouse gas driving global warming.
02:31Bashir says most people still don't realise how vital these ecosystems are.
02:36So first of all, people have to understand that these are the areas that save us from the floodwaters,
02:44that recharge our groundwater, they save us from the pollution, water pollution and air pollution.
02:50These are the areas where a number of medicinal plants are growing.
02:53These are the areas which is affecting our local climate.
02:57These are the areas which is affecting our local biodiversity of plants and animals, especially the birds.
03:03So first of all, all that has to be understood.
03:06Studies of the water show just how serious the problem is.
03:09Samples from more than 80 wetlands in the Kashmir Division exceeded safe limits,
03:15revealing high pollution, low oxygen content and dangerously high levels of faecal matter.
03:21The National Green Tribunal, which rules on cases concerning the environment,
03:27has called on the regional government to take immediate action.
03:32Here work is well underway.
03:35We're at the Hukasar wetland, often called the Queen of Kashmir's wetlands.
03:41It's protected under the Ramsar Convention,
03:44a global agreement designed to protect especially valuable wetlands.
03:49So India has pledged to take special care of the area.
03:56Altaf Hussain is a wildlife warden wetlands with the Department of Wildlife Protection.
04:02He ensures that blocked waterways are cleared and works to protect the wetlands in the region.
04:08And he's already seen signs of success.
04:11When we talk about the bird species arriving here, be it migratory or the native birds,
04:19we have made a proper checklist of all the birds that we found,
04:22that we find in the wetlands of the Kashmir.
04:24There's a proper checklist of these birds.
04:27And the bird watchers who have basically expertise in the bird identification and understanding,
04:36they have recorded a large number of the birds which have been visiting our Kashmir wetlands after a long, long
04:41time.
04:42Sirat is delighted at the progress, but she hopes even more birds will return.
04:48She teaches regularly at her little nature school near Pampoor on the importance of the wetlands.
04:54Here the children learn about the different bird species and why they travel thousands of kilometres.
05:00They also learn a lot about the birds' habitat.
05:06We're trying to teach our generation, the future generation, how these wetlands will play a role in our future,
05:12so that they can protect them and preserve them.
05:17What happened in the past has happened.
05:19Whatever humans may have done, we now have to teach them how we can all move forward,
05:24how we can preserve these wetlands and protect them.
05:32She's optimistic about the future of the Chatlam wetland.
05:36Scientists have been calling for some time now for this wetland to also be brought under the International Ramsar Convention.
05:44With more care and protection, the area could slowly recover.
05:49To be continued...
05:53To be continued...
05:58You
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