450
by the loss of mangrove forests as well as due to
clearing of land for agriculture. Water transport
service is good.
Economic and Social Values
The northern and central parts of the delta are
major rice-growing areas, producing 40 % of the
national total yield. The delta supports a very
important fi shery, especially for prawns, and has
traditionally provided a large annual harvest of
sea turtle eggs. The extensive mangrove forests
have provided a valuable source of fuelwood and
timber for construction purposes. However, the
mangrove and sea turtle resources have now been
seriously depleted, and as further mangrove areas
are cleared for agriculture, the important prawn
fi shery is at risk. The delta has some potential for
tourism based on interest in the wildlife. But the
shallowness of the sea around many of the outer
islands tends to hinder access.
21.7.1.6 Ecosystems and Flora
The water is usually slightly alkaline. Mangroves
and nipa palm are the major vegetation of the
delta. Moreover, control of weeds is, sometimes a
matter of low priority, as local farmers make mats
with some of the weeds during summer.
Destruction of mangroves and deforestation is a
matter of concern for the coastal region.
Special Floral Values
Good stands of continuous mangrove forest still
exist in the Kadonkani Reserved Forest and in
Pyindaye Reserved Forest ( Salter 1982).
21.7.1.7 Fauna
Hilsa ( Tenualosa ) ilisha , one of the major commercial fi sh species in Myanmar (earlier Burma),
is abundant in the delta. Further, the delta is of
great importance for a wide variety of both resident and migratory waterfowls, although populations of many species have declined since the end
of the nineteenth century. Some of the resident and
migratory birds in the delta (Smythies 1953) are
Tachybaptus rufi collis , Phalacrocorax fuscicollis ,
P . niger , Anhinga melanogaster , Ixobrychus
sinensis , Nycticorax nycticorax , Ardeola grayii ,
Bubulcus ibis , Egretta sacra , E . alba , Ardea purpurea , Ciconia episcopus , Threskiornis melanocephalus , Dendrocygna javanica , Sarkidiornis
melanotos , Nettapus coromandelianus , Anas
poecilorhyncha , Rallus striatus , Amaurornis
phoenicurus , Gallicrex cinerea , Porphyrio porphyrio , Heliopais personata , Hydrophasianus
chirurgus , Metopidius indicus , Rostratula
benghalensis , Esacus recurvirostris , Glareola
rnaldivarum (abundant), G . lactea , Vanellus
duvaucelii , Rynchops albicollis , etc. (along the
Irrawaddy north of Henzada). Further, winter visitors and passage migrants include Phalacrocorax
carbo (formerly bred), a wide variety of Anatidae,
Fulica atra , about 30 species of migratory shorebirds, Chlidonias hybrida , Hydroprogne caspia
and Larus brunnicephalus (very common). The
most numerous wintering shorebird is, probably,
Charadrius mongolus , which occurs in fl ocks of
many thousands along the outer coast of the delta.
Tringa glareola is also abundant. Other common
shorebirds include Vanellus cinereus , Pluvialis
dominica , P . squatarola , Charadrius alexandrinus , C . leschenaultii , Limosa limosa , Numenius
phaeopus , Tringa totanus , Xenus cinereus , Actitis
hypoleucos , Gallinago gallinago , G . stenura ,
Calidris rufi collis and Limicola falcinellus .
Eurynorhynchus pygmeus was regarded by
Smythies (1953) as a regular winter visitor in very
small numbers, and Limnodromus semipalmatus
had been recorded.
In the late nineteenth century, the spot-billed
pelican ( Pelecanus philippensis ) nested in huge
number in south Myanmar. Immense colonies
still bred in the area in 1910, but the birds had
disappeared completely by 1939. Small numbers
were regularly reported in the delta in the l940s,
but no breeding sites were located. No pelicans
have been recorded in recent years. The disappearance of this once abundant species can be
directly attributable to the massive conversion of
fl oodplain lakes and marshes into monocultures
of rice throughout south Burma during the later
part of the nineteenth century and fi rst decades of
the present century. A similar fate had befallen
the greater adjutant stork ( Leptoptilos dubius ).
The Asian openbill stork ( Anastomus oscitans )
remained as a common passage migrant and
winter visitor.
21 Wetlands of Other Regions in Asia
by the loss of mangrove forests as well as due to
clearing of land for agriculture. Water transport
service is good.
Economic and Social Values
The northern and central parts of the delta are
major rice-growing areas, producing 40 % of the
national total yield. The delta supports a very
important fi shery, especially for prawns, and has
traditionally provided a large annual harvest of
sea turtle eggs. The extensive mangrove forests
have provided a valuable source of fuelwood and
timber for construction purposes. However, the
mangrove and sea turtle resources have now been
seriously depleted, and as further mangrove areas
are cleared for agriculture, the important prawn
fi shery is at risk. The delta has some potential for
tourism based on interest in the wildlife. But the
shallowness of the sea around many of the outer
islands tends to hinder access.
21.7.1.6 Ecosystems and Flora
The water is usually slightly alkaline. Mangroves
and nipa palm are the major vegetation of the
delta. Moreover, control of weeds is, sometimes a
matter of low priority, as local farmers make mats
with some of the weeds during summer.
Destruction of mangroves and deforestation is a
matter of concern for the coastal region.
Special Floral Values
Good stands of continuous mangrove forest still
exist in the Kadonkani Reserved Forest and in
Pyindaye Reserved Forest ( Salter 1982).
21.7.1.7 Fauna
Hilsa ( Tenualosa ) ilisha , one of the major commercial fi sh species in Myanmar (earlier Burma),
is abundant in the delta. Further, the delta is of
great importance for a wide variety of both resident and migratory waterfowls, although populations of many species have declined since the end
of the nineteenth century. Some of the resident and
migratory birds in the delta (Smythies 1953) are
Tachybaptus rufi collis , Phalacrocorax fuscicollis ,
P . niger , Anhinga melanogaster , Ixobrychus
sinensis , Nycticorax nycticorax , Ardeola grayii ,
Bubulcus ibis , Egretta sacra , E . alba , Ardea purpurea , Ciconia episcopus , Threskiornis melanocephalus , Dendrocygna javanica , Sarkidiornis
melanotos , Nettapus coromandelianus , Anas
poecilorhyncha , Rallus striatus , Amaurornis
phoenicurus , Gallicrex cinerea , Porphyrio porphyrio , Heliopais personata , Hydrophasianus
chirurgus , Metopidius indicus , Rostratula
benghalensis , Esacus recurvirostris , Glareola
rnaldivarum (abundant), G . lactea , Vanellus
duvaucelii , Rynchops albicollis , etc. (along the
Irrawaddy north of Henzada). Further, winter visitors and passage migrants include Phalacrocorax
carbo (formerly bred), a wide variety of Anatidae,
Fulica atra , about 30 species of migratory shorebirds, Chlidonias hybrida , Hydroprogne caspia
and Larus brunnicephalus (very common). The
most numerous wintering shorebird is, probably,
Charadrius mongolus , which occurs in fl ocks of
many thousands along the outer coast of the delta.
Tringa glareola is also abundant. Other common
shorebirds include Vanellus cinereus , Pluvialis
dominica , P . squatarola , Charadrius alexandrinus , C . leschenaultii , Limosa limosa , Numenius
phaeopus , Tringa totanus , Xenus cinereus , Actitis
hypoleucos , Gallinago gallinago , G . stenura ,
Calidris rufi collis and Limicola falcinellus .
Eurynorhynchus pygmeus was regarded by
Smythies (1953) as a regular winter visitor in very
small numbers, and Limnodromus semipalmatus
had been recorded.
In the late nineteenth century, the spot-billed
pelican ( Pelecanus philippensis ) nested in huge
number in south Myanmar. Immense colonies
still bred in the area in 1910, but the birds had
disappeared completely by 1939. Small numbers
were regularly reported in the delta in the l940s,
but no breeding sites were located. No pelicans
have been recorded in recent years. The disappearance of this once abundant species can be
directly attributable to the massive conversion of
fl oodplain lakes and marshes into monocultures
of rice throughout south Burma during the later
part of the nineteenth century and fi rst decades of
the present century. A similar fate had befallen
the greater adjutant stork ( Leptoptilos dubius ).
The Asian openbill stork ( Anastomus oscitans )
remained as a common passage migrant and
winter visitor.
21 Wetlands of Other Regions in Asia