Chandigarh, April 22 -- The Punjab forest department in its latest report has flagged erratic wildlife enforcement trends and a troubling decline in migratory bird populations across Punjab's key wetlands over the past five years - from nearly 90,000 in 2022 to around 71,000 in 2026 - raising fresh concerns over conservation gaps and ecological stress in these critical habitats. According to experts, the decline is largely attributed to deteriorating habitats and weak enforcement of environmental safeguards. The rapid shrinkage of wetlands, escalating pollution levels and persistent illegal hunting have emerged as key drivers of this worrying trend. These challenges continue to remain largely unaddressed due to gaps in monitoring systems and the ineffective implementation of existing wildlife protection laws. Every winter, more than 90 species of migratory birds travel thousands of kilometres from regions such as Siberia, Mongolia, Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan and Russia, seeking refuge in Punjab's wetlands after water bodies in their native habitats freeze. These wetlands serve as critical biodiversity hotspots, offering feeding, nesting, and resting grounds during migration. Apart from the Harike Wetland - the state's largest wetland located at the confluence of the Sutlej and Beas - the avian guests also frequent the Keshopur-Miani Wetland, Nangal Wildlife Sanctuary, Ropar Wetland, Kanjli Wetland and the Beas Conservation Reserve. The latest census covered six major wetlands - Harike, Nangal, Keshopur, Ranjit Sagar, Ropar and Kanjli - five of which are designated Ramsar sites (wetlands of international importance). According to the report compiled on April 20, migratory birds typically begin arriving in October, with numbers peaking between November and February before departing by March. However, recent observations indicate a decline in bird sightings across several wetlands. The survey was conducted by the forest department in collaboration with leading institutions, including the Bombay Natural History Society (BNHS), Wildlife Institute of India (WII), Indian Institute of Science Education and Research (IISER) and World Wide Fund for Nature-India, along with universities and birdwatchers, following standard Asian Waterbird Census (AWC) protocols. The report presents comparative statistics from 2022 to 2026 across multiple enforcement parameters. In one major category, the migratory bird count increased from 56,142 in 2022 to 65,624 in 2023, before dropping to 50,529 in 2024, rising again to 57,292 in 2025, and declining to 52,707 in 2026, reflecting an uneven enforcement pattern. Another category recorded 26,724 birds in 2022, which sharply fell to 11,623 in 2023, followed by fluctuations to 10,857 in 2024, 13,675 in 2025, and 10,475 in 2026. Similar inconsistencies were observed in other datasets, including 1,467 (2022), 1,764 (2023), 1,755 (2024), 1,486 (2025), and 2,313 (2026). A senior officer of the Punjab wildlife department attributed the decline in migratory birds to multiple factors, including flood-induced habitat destruction, warmer winters and ecological stress at major sites such as Harike and Keshopur wetlands. "Changing agricultural practices, rising pollution levels and increased human disturbance are also disrupting migratory routes and reducing the duration of bird stay," said a wildlife department official seeking anonymity. The report further underscores the need for improved consistency in data collection, enhanced resource allocation and sustained enforcement measures. Experts warn that without focused conservation strategies - particularly in ecologically sensitive wetlands - the declining trend in migratory birds could pose a serious threat to the region's biodiversity. The data also shows that while some enforcement drives led to temporary spikes, these gains were not sustained. For instance, one category rose from 3,325 in 2022 to 3,628 in 2024, before falling to 2,411 in 2025 and recovering to 3,169 in 2026. In one instance, the data collection was not carried out during a particular year due to operational constraints....