As we headed towards one of our favourite birding spots, we were quite certain that our return will be in the agonising, scorching heat, since the summer wave had engulfed Sindh already. However, we had already yielded to the love of birding as we headed out at 5 in the morning to make it just in time during the pleasant morning hours at Haleji Lake.

Haleji is a perennial freshwater lake, located in the Thatta district, 90 kilometres away from Karachi. It takes almost two hours to reach it when early morning road traffic is negligible. Once you are there, watching the mesmerising sunrise at the lake is highly recommended. It is also the best time for bird watching. Home to Siberian migratory birds, the lake is 6.58 square kilometres in are and has a depth of 16 feet, not to mention that it is home also to crocodiles, often seen basking in the sun or quietly swimming. The 250 or so of the fresh water crocodiles are fed by the wildlife officials and can sometimes pose a threat to nearby villages and their livestock.

It is known that the lake was a saline lagoon until the 1930s after which it was converted into a reservoir to provide water to Karachi during World War II, in order to satiate the needs of the troops stationed there. The lake is a Ramsar site which is supposed to be a wetland site believed to be of international importance as per the Ramsar Convention which is an intergovernmental environmental treaty established in 1971 by the UNESCO.

Some recent developments have enhanced its attraction as a picnic spot; however, birding enthusiasts still give it utmost priority as a birding spot instead and would much rather that it’s kept as such. Zeenat Bayat, a Karachi based wildlife photographer says, “Haleji Lake is so rich in wildlife that it amazes me that even with the general public visiting the place as a picnic spot, there are still so many birds around.” She adds that people visiting the lake should be educated on the importance of not only keeping the place clean by not littering but also about how noise pollution is bad for the wildlife around. “Loud sounds and music disturb the wildlife and put them under stress. There has to be some code of conduct imposed while visiting wildlife sanctuaries,” she says.

As we drove along the circumference of the lake, we were welcomed by countless bird species that demanded not just patience, considering the requirements of wildlife photography but also silence amidst our camouflaged presence and limited movement. In other words, it demands respect for their presence in the wild. One has to wear earth tones so as to not scare the birds away from afar. At times it seems that they are sent to you but mostly being able to find them is a combination of perseverance and good observation skills, especially while capturing a flying shot, in which case a steady hand and great control over one’s excitement is highly recommended. Quite often, birdwatchers spot a bird and succumb to their excitement, meanwhile the bird flies away.

It’s not surprising that one sees a great number of greater coucals crossing the road quite casually and ignorant of human presence, especially when you are inside the vehicle - their intensely bright crimson eyes seem to be drawing the photographer towards them as they hop away.

It’s a treat to encounter the not so common, common kingfisher. Its mid yellow and ultramarine shades given its bright plumage are a bird watcher’s delight.

At times it seems that they are sent to you but mostly being able to find them is a combination of perseverance and good observation skills, especially while capturing a flying shot, in which case a steady hand and control over one’s excitement is highly recommended. 

Although still among the biggest bird sanctuaries of Asia and a birding heaven, Haleji Lake has, over decades witnessed a decline in the population of migratory birds. The lockdown of the preceding year however created room for more migratory birds to land in the country as poachers were at bay.

“I have seen Haleji Lake going through many ups and downs in decades, I always remember and miss the days when there were hundreds of pelicans on an island and cormorants on the other. I have witnessed a large number of spot-billed ducks (Sindhi name Hanjar) that used to breed here but haven’t spot a single one for 15 years. Also, whistling teals (Cheeh) used to be abundantly perched on trees but now people have almost forgotten this summer visitor,” says Ahmer Rizvi, a wildlife enthusiast who has over the years produced several documentaries on waders and migratory birds.

“Grey-headed swamphens were once in abundance at Haleji and surrounding lakes in Thatta, and for that matter, in Sindh. I’m talking about the mid-eighties to early nineties. I visited these areas a couple of times over the last ten years and couldn’t see even one” – says Asif Husain, once a frequent visitor who has now moved abroad.

Meanwhile, one can expect to witness progress around this lake, considering the increase in awareness and wildlife enthusiasts around. Zafeer Shaikh, a teenage prodigy as a living bird encyclopaedia, recently started a project on fishing cats along with nature lovers and the lockdown has some role to play. “Last year, during the lockdown I was looking at some geographic range maps on the internet about fishing cats and found the Pakistani side of most geographic range maps rather outdated and based on historic records. I had collected some records with the help of nature lovers on online forums so I got in touch with one of the organisations about it - Fishing Cat Conservation Alliance (FCCA), then Fishing Cat Working Group. They were not only enthusiastic about it but had quite an encouraging stance for anyone exploring the species. I soon got to know about their individual projects and their conservation work,” he says.

The FCCA team motivated Zafeer to start off with a project from Pakistan knowing that it is like the last missing jigsaw piece for their projects. They have records ranging from India all the way up to Cambodia and Indonesia; which means in nearly all countries where fishing cats are known to be found.

Hence, with the support and assistance of Muhammed bin Zayed, Species Conservation Fund and Small WildCat Foundation, the Indus Fishing Cat Project (IFCP) came into being. Its objectives revolve around understanding the distribution, threats and status of fishing cats in Pakistan while enhancing public awareness and identifying these as a flagship species of the wetlands of Indus plains, and working on effective solutions to threats facing this species by creation of a threat mitigation system.

Fishing Cat Conservation Alliance is a team of conservationists working towards the survival of fishing cats across its range in South and Southeast Asia. They are working to mitigate threats facing the cat and its habitat ecosystem, that is, the wetlands.

The team, under the guidance of Mirza Naim Beg has initiated camera trapping at Haleji Lake Wildlife Sanctuary to document this species already and is quite hopeful that this activity will turn out to be fruitful.

Fishing cats are nocturnal and elusive creatures and shy in nature which is why it is quite uncommon to see them. These are found throughout major and minor wetlands across Sindh ranging from large lakes to small canals. It is also believed that this species has a wider distribution in Pakistan than earlier believed.

The writer is a PR professional and also works as an artist and wildlife photographer. She can be reached at moeen.hiba@gmail.com