Migratory birds shying away JU campus over noise pollution

Each year as winter descends lakes on the Jahangirnagar University (JU) campus play host to hundreds of migratory birds, who prefer taking the temporary refuge to escape extreme chilly weather of Siberian region.

But this year the scene appears unpleasantly different, reports UNB.

The migratory birds shied away from the campus due to noises created by an ever increasing number of vehicles parked and plying on roads beside the lakes and overcrowding by curious birdwatchers.

The varsity family - students, teachers, staff - expressed dismay at such development where birds are seen leaving two JU lakes and taking shelters in the lake of Wildlife Rescue Centre located behind the botanical garden at Mirpur in the city.

With the advent of winter, these migratory birds usually flock on the evergreen campus of Jahangirnagar University to escape severe cold in northern parts of the globe and nestle here till mid-March.

A huge number of enthusiastic bird-loving people throng the university campus every day to enjoy the migratory birds' twittering and swimming in the lakes.

Like previous years, the guest birds flew miles to reach the campus in time but it was observed that many of the birds left the lakes over the last two weeks due to overcrowding and noises by vehicle movements.

Lake in front of administrative building and lake beside Jahanara Imam Hall are the most popular places for the migratory birds, but birds are hardly seen there during the last two weeks.

Students and teachers of the university alleged that the overcrowding of visitors and plying of excessive number of vehicles surrounding the lakes of the campus are the reasons behind it. The students expressed their anger over the matter through social media.

Many of them blamed mismanagement of the university administration while the others blamed the huge gathering of outsiders on the campus.

Dr Kamrul Hasan, associate professor of the JU Zoology department and a prominent ornithologist, said a large number of visitors gather here every day, especially on holidays, beside the two lakes and they also park their vehicles there, often causing traffic jam on the main road of the campus stretching from the Chourongi point to the JU registrar building.

Such an environment is considered not suitable for peaceful nestling of migratory birds, he observed.

Another Zoology Professor Monwar Hossain said they had already informed the matter to the university administration, suggesting them to impose restriction on vehicular movement by outsiders.

He opined that the lake beside the botanical garden, full of water hyacinth, is not a suitable place for migratory birds.

JU Registrar Abu Bakar Siddique told UNB that they will take initiatives immediately and try to ensure the campus area as safe sanctuary for the migratory birds as soon as possible.

Contacted, JU Pro Vice Chancellor Professor Amir Hussain said that the administration, meanwhile, imposed restriction on cars to enter the campus area to reduce disturbance.