444
birds. Notably, large fl ocks of greater fl amingo,
consisting of > 1,000 individuals, migrate to
Bundala, probably, from Rann of Kutch. Other
aquatic birds include lesser whistling duck, garganey, little cormorant, Indian cormorant, grey
heron and lesser adjutant stork.
21.4.1.5 Fishes
Bundala contains various types of fi shes like the
fi shes of salt water, brackish water and the freshwater, e.g. Anguilla bicolor , Bald glassy, milkfi sh
and Channa striata .
21.4.1.6 Sustainable Human Activities
The buffer zone includes four villages with c
3,800 residents. The main avocations of these
local stakeholders are animal husbandry, fi shing,
agriculture and mining of fossil shell deposits for
lime production. There are farmer organisations
and fi sheries cooperative societies to regulate
fi shing, create alternative livelihoods for fi shermen and encourage appropriate fi shing methods
in the protected areas. The Kirinda temple is situated in the transitional zone of the NP.
21.4.1.7 Threats
The four main threats to Bundala are (a) habitat
destruction, fragmentation and exploitation of
species; (b) prolonged drought; (c) spread of
invasive alien species; and (d) inadequately
planned land use practices.
Bundala has been suffering due to the spread
of two invasive plant species, which are now estimated to cover c 60 % of its land area. Studies
showed that water in four of the fi ve lagoons in
Bundala was contaminated due to diversion of
agricultural and farming wastes from the development schemes to the lagoons of Bundala park.
This often causes of fi shes, prawns, crabs, etc., on
which the birds feed. The birds have to starve due
to this loss of feed.
21.5 Wetlands of Maldives
The Maldives (Plate 21.4 ) consists of a chain of
coral atolls, 80–120 km wide, stretching 860 km
from latitude 706′ 35″ N to 0042′ 24″ S and lying
between longitude 72033′ 19″ E to 73046′ 13″ E.
In the Maldives, freshwater is a very scarce
resource. The hydrogeology of the country is that
of typical coral islands. The small islands are surrounded by large expanses of seawater, and the
freshwater aquifer lying beneath the islands is
shallow and no more than a few metres thick,
formed by the percolation of rainwater through
the porous sand and coral. Freshwater being
lighter than saline water, the lens fl oats atop the
saline water. The aquifers change in volume with
season and rise and fall with the tide. Such aquifers form the main source of water for human
consumption and agricultural purposes. Increased
extraction, exceeding natural recharge through
rainfall, has dramatically depleted the freshwater
lens in Malé and other densely populated islands.
21.5.1 Investing in Coastal
Ecosystems
The Maldives is an island nation. The country is
rich with mangrove wetlands (Plate 21.4 ), which
are unique and interesting ecosystems. In this initiative of the Maldives, the organisation called
Wetlands International (WI) is a partner of the
programme called Mangroves for the Future
(MFF). It is a unique partner-led initiative, established in the Maldives in 2007, mainly to promote
investment in coastal ecosystem conservation for
sustainable development. It provides a collaborative platform amongst the many different agencies, sectors and countries which are addressing
challenges to coastal ecosystem (particularly the
mangroves) and livelihood issues, to work towards
a common goal.
The principal partners of the programme are
FAO, WI, UNDP, UNEP and IUCN, with collaborations from focal countries: India, Indonesia,
the Maldives, Seychelles, Sri Lanka and Thailand.
The Tsunami of 2004 could be regarded as a
turning point. The partners decided to continue
serious efforts after the Tsunami of 2004. Thus,
MFF builds on a history of coastal management
interventions before and after the 2004 tsunami,
especially the call to continue the momentum
and partnerships generated by the immediate
21 Wetlands of Other Regions in Asia
birds. Notably, large fl ocks of greater fl amingo,
consisting of > 1,000 individuals, migrate to
Bundala, probably, from Rann of Kutch. Other
aquatic birds include lesser whistling duck, garganey, little cormorant, Indian cormorant, grey
heron and lesser adjutant stork.
21.4.1.5 Fishes
Bundala contains various types of fi shes like the
fi shes of salt water, brackish water and the freshwater, e.g. Anguilla bicolor , Bald glassy, milkfi sh
and Channa striata .
21.4.1.6 Sustainable Human Activities
The buffer zone includes four villages with c
3,800 residents. The main avocations of these
local stakeholders are animal husbandry, fi shing,
agriculture and mining of fossil shell deposits for
lime production. There are farmer organisations
and fi sheries cooperative societies to regulate
fi shing, create alternative livelihoods for fi shermen and encourage appropriate fi shing methods
in the protected areas. The Kirinda temple is situated in the transitional zone of the NP.
21.4.1.7 Threats
The four main threats to Bundala are (a) habitat
destruction, fragmentation and exploitation of
species; (b) prolonged drought; (c) spread of
invasive alien species; and (d) inadequately
planned land use practices.
Bundala has been suffering due to the spread
of two invasive plant species, which are now estimated to cover c 60 % of its land area. Studies
showed that water in four of the fi ve lagoons in
Bundala was contaminated due to diversion of
agricultural and farming wastes from the development schemes to the lagoons of Bundala park.
This often causes of fi shes, prawns, crabs, etc., on
which the birds feed. The birds have to starve due
to this loss of feed.
21.5 Wetlands of Maldives
The Maldives (Plate 21.4 ) consists of a chain of
coral atolls, 80–120 km wide, stretching 860 km
from latitude 706′ 35″ N to 0042′ 24″ S and lying
between longitude 72033′ 19″ E to 73046′ 13″ E.
In the Maldives, freshwater is a very scarce
resource. The hydrogeology of the country is that
of typical coral islands. The small islands are surrounded by large expanses of seawater, and the
freshwater aquifer lying beneath the islands is
shallow and no more than a few metres thick,
formed by the percolation of rainwater through
the porous sand and coral. Freshwater being
lighter than saline water, the lens fl oats atop the
saline water. The aquifers change in volume with
season and rise and fall with the tide. Such aquifers form the main source of water for human
consumption and agricultural purposes. Increased
extraction, exceeding natural recharge through
rainfall, has dramatically depleted the freshwater
lens in Malé and other densely populated islands.
21.5.1 Investing in Coastal
Ecosystems
The Maldives is an island nation. The country is
rich with mangrove wetlands (Plate 21.4 ), which
are unique and interesting ecosystems. In this initiative of the Maldives, the organisation called
Wetlands International (WI) is a partner of the
programme called Mangroves for the Future
(MFF). It is a unique partner-led initiative, established in the Maldives in 2007, mainly to promote
investment in coastal ecosystem conservation for
sustainable development. It provides a collaborative platform amongst the many different agencies, sectors and countries which are addressing
challenges to coastal ecosystem (particularly the
mangroves) and livelihood issues, to work towards
a common goal.
The principal partners of the programme are
FAO, WI, UNDP, UNEP and IUCN, with collaborations from focal countries: India, Indonesia,
the Maldives, Seychelles, Sri Lanka and Thailand.
The Tsunami of 2004 could be regarded as a
turning point. The partners decided to continue
serious efforts after the Tsunami of 2004. Thus,
MFF builds on a history of coastal management
interventions before and after the 2004 tsunami,
especially the call to continue the momentum
and partnerships generated by the immediate
21 Wetlands of Other Regions in Asia