Research Projects

Wetlands are a highly threatened ecosystem, losing over 50% of their area due to human activities. Waterbirds, particularly wetland-dependent water birds, are most affected by these ecosystems as they require forage availability and sites for refuge, roosting, and nesting. The ecological condition of the wetland ecosystem can severely affect waterbirds' utilization due to their susceptibility to land use changes. Therefore, it is essential to manage and protect multiple wetlands within breeding areas that provide resources for waterbirds. Piscivorous birds, such as the Near Threatened, spot-billed Pelican Pelecanus philippensis, are crucial indicators of healthy wetlands. Their population decline has been primarily due to the loss of appropriate breeding habitat caused by land use changes, pollution, hydrologic regime changes, disturbance or destruction of colonies, entanglement in fishing equipment, hunting, and decline in food supplies. Breeding colonies of pelicans are sensitive to habitat changes, which reduces breeding success. supporting local breeding colonies and their habitats is crucial, as species extinction often begins with isolated local decline in numbers of breeding pairs. It is not only important to conserve remaining wetlands where the species is still found but also to characterize the habitat at larger landscapes to improve breeding success. studies have focused on general ecology and natural history of pelicans, but none have explored habitat requirements at the landscape level. The mass mortality of Pelicans from endoparasites highlights the need for further investigation across their breeding colonies.