Afghan Bombings And Migrating Birds The war in Afghanistan could have a long-term impact on the health of birds migrating from central Asia to India every year but the effects may take a while to appear, an Indian ornithologist said in mid-November. About 200 species of birds, including the Siberian crane, Arctic tern, and duck begin their journey from Russia and central Asian countries such as Kazakhstan and Turkmenistan to India at the end of October or the beginning of November each year. The birds stop to refuel at many wetlands in Afghanistan during their 6,000-7,000-km journey that takes them to various bird sanctuaries across India. "The bombing may have a long-term impact on birds migrating to India. The chemical contents in the bombs could enter the food chain," Abrar Ahmed, senior program officer at World Wide Fund for Nature India, said. Ahmed said while the migration of birds this season had been normal up to now, ornithologists feared the chemicals released from the bombing could enter the birds' bodies and affect breeding cycles in the long run. "The chemical contents will be stored in the fat layers of the birds, making their return journey much tougher. And that could prove fatal," Ahmed said. "The chemicals can also be passed on to their eggs," he said. (end) Khorsheed.com - Dec 2001