May 10 is International Migratory Bird Day. Many Afghan naturalists and teachers at Environmental Science Faculty of Kabul University said that due to climate changes and war, several species of migratory birds have changed their paths and avoid earlier destinations in Afghanistan. Drought and conflict have denuded forests and green cover.
Birds like migratory geese and cranes have not been seen for the past 20 years. Abdul Wali Mudaqiq, deputy at the National Environmental Protection Agency (NEPA), said that political and security issues have undermined the celebration of International Migratory Bird Day. Environmentalists believe that besides losing a number of migratory birds, huge numbers of native birds also face extinction. Dr. Noor Ahmad Akhonzada, head of Environmental Science Faculty at Kabul University, said that of the 167 types of native birds, 75 have been totally wiped out due to natural causes.
Environmentalists believe that extinction of the native birds is a result of the destruction of the ecosystem. International Migratory Bird Day is observed each year in May to celebrate and support avian conservation. The event serves as the hallmark outreach event for Partners in Flight, an international conservation programme whose goal is to reverse declining populations of migratory birds by bringing attention to factors that contribute to worldwide declines.
