**5. Conservation constraint**

**S.No. Common name Scientific name Status** Indian Spot-billed Duck *Anas poecilorhyncha* LC Intermediate egret *Ardea intermedia* LC Kentish Plover *Charadrius alexandrinus* LC Large egret *Ardea alba* LC Little cormorant *Microcarbo niger* LC Little Egret *Egretta garzetta* LC Little Ringed Plover *Charadrius dubius* LC Mallard *Anas platyrhynchos* LC Marsh Sandpiper *Tringa stagnatilis* LC Northern Pintail *Anas acuta* LC Northern Shoveler *Spatula clypeata* LC Osprey *Pandion haliaetus* LC Painted Stork *Mycteria leucocephala* NT Pallas gull *Ichthyaetus ichthyaetus* LC Pheasant-Tailed Jacana *Hydrophasianus chirurgus* LC Pied Avocet *Recurvirostra avosetta* LC Pied Kingfisher *Ceryle rudis* LC Red-Crested Pochard *Netta rufina* LC Red-Wattled Lapwing *Vanellus indicus* LC River Lapwing *Vanellus duvaucelii* NT River Tern *Sterna aurantia* NT Ruddy Shelduck *Tadorna ferruginea* LC Sarus Crane *Antigone antigone* VU Small Pratincole *Glareola lactea* LC Spot-Billed Duck *Anas poecilorhyncha* LC Stork-Billed Kingfisher *Pelargopsis capensis* LC Tufted Duck *Aythya fuligula* LC Whiskered Tern *Chlidonias hybrida* LC White-Breasted Waterhen *Amaurornis phoenicurus* LC White-Throated Kingfisher *Halcyon smyrnensis* LC Wooly-necked Stork *Ciconia episcopus* VU

292 Biological Resources of Water

**Legend**: LC = least concern; VU = vulnerable; EN = endangered; NT = near threatened.

**Table 2.** Checklist of avifauna species recorded in Girwa River.

The major cause of concern about the future survival of the species was gross hydro ecological changes that may occur in the stream characteristics of the Girwa River resulting from the construction of the Chisapani high dam, in Nepal and Girijapuri Barrage in India. Beside this, every year the entire barrage gates of the Girijapuri Barrage on the Girwa River, are opened at once for maintenance. When this is done in summer months of April/May, water flow in the river is at its lowest. The entire stretch of the river within the sanctuary up to (and beyond) the Nepal border is "drained" and there is very little flow left, with much of the river only knee deep or less with large number of fish left stranded and dying. The River dolphins and the gharial and whatever fish that survives have to congregate in the few remaining pools of water. This is not only in the interests of saving the habitats for endangered riverine fauna such as gharial and river dolphin but also for the important fish stocks and other commercially valuable species (WWF-India unpublished). Fishing was observed in the Girwa River at several locations. Also, reports of dolphins being intentionally caught in gill nets being used close to dolphins surfacing (WWF-India unpublished).

To understand the health of river ecosystem available information of important key aquatic resources is urgently needed to effectively understanding the conservation needs. These are reliable indicator species that is threatened by human activities. In light of the results of the present study, conservation management recommendations are suggested. These include highlighting the need for habitat management, control of illegal activities, and long-term monitoring program.
