Kanti Lake was once a source of irrigation for the locals. This beautiful man-made lake in the middle of Nepalgunj city has now become a habitat and breeding ground for local birds and a destination for exotic birds.

Filled with flowers including lotuses, Kanti Lake has long been a haven for various birds to feed and visit. 

Experts say that the biodiversity-important Kanti Lake is also famous for bird studies. They say that this lake can be developed as a 'bird park' and 'bird watching'. But after an attempt was made to run a motorboat in this lake some time ago, there was also opposition from locals and rights activists. After the protest, the boat  The plan to run has been stalled . Now a wooden boat is stranded on one side of the lake. There are no people coming to board the boat, nor are there any people driving it. 

Experts say that Kanti Lake's role in protecting the environment is important while balancing biological diversity and ecological systems. This area is especially important for storks. The habitat of the stork is the coastal area of ​​the Rapti River in Banke, Kanti Lake and Mankhol. Experts say that Kanti Lake is the best habitat among them.

The lake spread over 25 bighas in Ward No. 22 and 23 of Nepalgunj sub-metropolitan area is not only for traditional birds but also an important habitat for foreign birds that come from different countries every year . In addition to rare birds living in the lake throughout the year, birds from different countries come to spend the winter and summer.

According to Ashish Chowdhury, president of Friends for Wildlife Conservation, there is no other wetland like here in the vicinity of Nepalgunj. 'Here is a suitable environment not only for nature lovers but also for animals and birds, since it has been preserved for a long time, birds from different countries come here every year,' he said.

After the process of motorboat operation started in the Kanti Lake area, which is the habitat of rare birds, the conservationist expressed concern and filed a petition to stop the operation in the sub-metropolis. They also suggested that instead of operating motorboats in the lake, they can make money by building a bird park, and now interest has been increased in that direction, he said.

If motorboats are operated, they suggest that motorboats should not be operated even if it is for conservation as the environment will be damaged and the birds will disappear from here . "There was a long effort to operate a motorboat in the lake, but there were no people to board the boat, then there was no effort, now the voice is being raised that the lake should be protected in its natural form," Choudhary said. Although there is no problem in driving a wooden boat in Chaudhary Lake, he says that driving a motorboat will affect the ecosystem there. "Driving motorboats causes problems for animals and birds due to fossil fuels," he said.

Birds in crisis

According to Chowdhury, many species of birds are in crisis recently due to the encroachment of wetlands and other areas. He said, '6 of the 9 species of birds kept in the protected list by the Nepalese government are found in Terai, of which two species of birds are found in Bardia and five in Banke.

During the one and a half hour observation conducted by the Bird Conservation Society and the Nepal Ornithologists Association some time ago, 32 types of traditional birds and some visiting birds were found in Kanti Lake. Prashant Wist Lake, the head of Nepalgunj sub-metropolitan city, is a wetland area. says taken .  According to

chief Bista, fish farming has been going on in Kanti Lake for a long time. Mentioning that he had seen fish farming since childhood, he said, 'Fish farming has been going on in Kanti Lake for a long time, the previous government has worked to make it a tourist destination, although this process has not progressed.

conservationist Chowdhury says that he is worried about the need to preserve the biological diversity of natural wetlands. He said that instead of motorboats, developing the lake as a biodiversity park, botanical garden or bird park is also a way to generate income through tickets.

'The protection of the lake is not only necessary for the birds, but also for us and for the future generations,' he said, 'Nepalgunj is also a transit point for Indian travelers going to Mansarovar, the lake can be developed as a tourist destination targeting them.

153 species of birds can be seen in winter and 62 species in summer. Birds from Africa, Indonesia, North China, Thailand, Siberia, Malaysia and other countries also come to the lake. Three species of storks in the government's protected list are also found in this lake. Chief Wist says that it is the responsibility of the local level to preserve the biodiversity of the lake and preserve the birds for future generations.