Thoothukudi (Tamil Nadu) [India], March 8 (ANI): Flocks of the Rare Little Stint, a migratory bird species that travels vast distances from Siberia, have arrived in Thoothukudi, Tamil Nadu, on Sunday.

Smaller than a tennis ball, these remarkable birds undertake long-distance migrations, traversing continents to find suitable seasonal habitats in coastal stretches, salt pans, and marshlands.

According to M. Mathivanan, Senior Research Associate and Coordinator at the Ashoka Trust for Research in Ecology and the Environment (ATREE), these rare Little Stints migrate in large numbers from Europe to India to escape harsh northern winters.

'Every winter, lots of migratory birds travel from Europe to India to overcome the climatic conditions and for the food resources. So here we are seeing the little stint. They are coming from Europe to India every winter in large numbers. They prefer seashore areas, especially the sulfans, mangroves and other seashore areas, where we can find them in large numbers,' Mathivanan told ANI.

The increasing presence of these birds in the wetlands and salt pans around Thoothukudi underscores the region's importance as a critical refuge for migratory species.

However, Mathivanan cautioned that habitat loss, driven by pollution and changing land-use patterns, is increasingly threatening the Little Stints' presence in the Thoothukudi region.

'In recent years, many of their habitats have been decreasing. So, due to pollution in some other places, due to land use changes, their habitat are changing. We have to protect their habitat,' said Mathivanan.

But the Senior Research Associate noted that the Tamil Nadu government is actively working to preserve these habitats, notably by designating areas in the Gulf of Mannar near Dhanushkodi as a flamingo sanctuary.

'The Tamil Nadu government is taking lots of steps to protect its habitats, as recently, the Gulf of Mannar was declared a flamingo sanctuary in Dhanushkodi,' added Mathivanan.

Drawing inspiration from the successful designation of the flamingo sanctuary in the Gulf of Mannar, Mathivanan advocates for the government to systematically map similar critical bird habitats.

He emphasises that identifying and securing these sites is essential to safeguarding migratory populations for the future. Furthermore, he stresses that effective conservation requires a collaborative approach; beyond government intervention, the active support and awareness of the general public are vital to protecting these small but ecologically significant creatures.

'Many other sites are in the Gulf of the Mannar region. So we have to map these kinds of bird habitats. So in future we have to provide protection to many of these sites so that we can secure the bird life in our area. So not only the government, but also the general public has to provide their full support to conserve these kinds of little creatures. India is located in the central Asian flyway that migratory route. India provides major stopover and feeding habitats for many of the migratory species. So this is our responsibility to provide the feeding habitat as well as the stopover habitat to these migratory bird species,' added Mathivanan. (ANI)