Srinagar, Sept. 22 -- Wular Lake, India's largest freshwater lake, has witnessed a significant rise in migratory bird arrivals this year, with the Asian Water Bird Census 2025 recording over three lakh birds, a fourfold increase from last year's count of 75,000, officials said on Monday.

Authorities expect numbers to rise further by late October as more migratory birds continue to reach the lake. Officials attributed the surge to conservation and restoration measures, including cleaning, desilting, habitat restoration, and CCTV monitoring, which have improved the lake's ecological conditions.

The census showed large populations of Northern Shoveller, Mallard, Gadwall, Pintail, and other rare migratory species. Wular has once again becom...