The tsunami tragedy: OBC's perspective

by Brian Sykes from BirdingASIA 3, June 2005.

All members of OBC will be fully aware of the widespread destruction that resulted from the tsunami waves generated by the massive earthquake off the west coast of Sumatra, Indonesia, on the morning of 26 December 2004. In the aftermath of the terrible humanitarian disaster that affected thousands of kilometres of coastal South and South-East Asia, as well as parts of East Africa, the immediate priority was to prevent disease and further mortality amongst the human population in the areas affected, and to begin the process of reconstruction of lives and livelihoods including basic services. The worst-hit areas were Indonesia (particularly Sumatra, where the large town of Banda Aceh was almost obliterated), Sri Lanka, India (the south-east coast and the Andaman and Nicobar island groups in the Bay of Bengal) and Thailand (the west coast of the Thai Peninsula), with a total death toll in the order of a quarter of a million people. In the following review, I draw on the BirdLife International website.

The immediate biodiversity impacts of the Asian tsunami tragedy
The tsunami event is likely to have had some significant impacts on biodiversity, and once the situation has been stabilised these will need to be addressed, although clearly it will be some time yet before certain localities can be fully assessed. The direct impacts of the tsunami on birds and other biodiversity are likely to include: Direct mortality: In the case of birds, this is probably generally low because of their ability to escape, except perhaps in those areas very close to the epicentre of the earthquake (i. e. Aceh, northern Sumatra, and the southern Nicobar Islands). Mammals (and other biodiversity) in the coastal lowlands that were hit by the tsunami are likely to have been more badly affected.

Main area affected by the tsunami

Damage to forests: Television footage and eyewitness accounts suggest that forest areas remain largely intact, even in the worst-affected parts, but it is possible that there will be a die-back of vegetation because of salt-water intrusion. This could potentially affect large areas of lowland forest, and might have a significant effect on some low-lying islands where much of the forest was exposed to sea-water (e.g. the southern Nicobar Islands). It is also possible that coastal mangrove forests were damaged in areas close to the epicentre of the earthquake.

Damage to conservation infrastructure: In Aceh many government and NGO staff involved in wildlife conservation were tragically killed or lost members of their families. Throughout the tsunami zone, protected areas infrastructure and management systems have been destroyed or severely damaged, putting back by years the conservation efforts for these areas.

Damage to wetlands: Many coastal wetlands will have been affected by the large inflow of saltwater and wreckage during the tsunami, with longer-term effects including changes in their hydrology caused by changes to coastlines and damage to sea-defences.

Endemic Bird Areas

Andaman Islands: Eight bird species are endemic to the Andaman Islands, and four restricted-range species are shared with the Nicobar Islands. One of the endemic species is globally threatened, Narcondam Hornbill Aceros narcondami, which is confined to the tiny island of Narcondam (<7 km2). All of the restricted-range species are forest birds, and, given that most of the islands are hilly and these islands are several hundred kilometres from the epicentre of the earthquake, it is probably unlikely that these birds will have been seriously affected. However, the status of Narcondam Hornbill needs to be assessed quickly, given the very small size of the island and its potential vulnerability. The Andaman Teal Anas (gibberifrons) albogularis, endemic to the Andamans, is scarce and has recently declined, and is likely to have been affected by the tsunami because of its coastal distribution. This duck is usually treated as a subspecies of Sunda Teal Anas gibberifrons, but it has been proposed that it should be treated as a full species.

Nicobar Islands: Five bird species are endemic to the Nicobar Islands, and four restricted-range species are shared with the Andaman Islands. Three of the endemic species are globally threatened, Nicobar Sparrowhawk Accipiter butleri, Nicobar Megapode Megapodius nicobariensis and Nicobar Bulbul Hypsipetes nicobariensis; of these, Nicobar Megapode is of particular concern because the greatest concentrations are found in coastal forest. The other two endemic species, South Nicobar Serpent-eagle Spilornis klossi and Nicobar Parakeet Psittacula caniceps (both Near Threatened), are confined to the southern islands, and may have been affected because their ranges are very close to the epicentre of the earthquake. Surveys will be needed to assess the impact of the tsunami on these species.

Enggano Island: Three bird species are endemic to the small Indonesian island of Enggano, Enggano Scops-owl Otus enganensis, Enggano Thrush Zoothera leucolaema and Enggano White-eye Zosterops salvadorii. All are forest birds, and given that the island is hilly and it is several hundred kilometres from the epicentre of the earthquake, they are unlikely to have been significantly affected.

Simeulue Island – secondary area: One bird species is endemic to Simeulue Island, the Simeulue Scops-owl Otus umbra, and another restricted-range species occurs, the globally threatened Silvery Wood-pigeon Columba argentina. Parts of this island are low-lying, and it lies close to the epicentre of the earthquake, so the forest habitat of these birds could have been significantly affected.

Mentawai Islands – secondary area: One bird species is endemic to the Mentawai Islands, the Mentawai Scops-owl Otus mentawi, and another restricted-range species occurs, the globally threatened Silvery Wood-pigeon Columba argentina. Parts of these islands are low-lying, and they are within a few hundred kilometres of the epicentre of the earthquake, so the forest habitat of these birds might have been affected.

Key habitats for globally threatened birds
Sundaic (or Sundaland) lowland forests: The lowland forests on the islands of Sumatra, Borneo, Java and the Thai-Malay Peninsula are one of the richest but most threatened habitats in the world. The lowland forests on Sumatra support 14 globally threatened bird species (including three forest waterbirds mentioned below). Although only limited areas of these forests are likely to have been directly damaged, it is possible that additional areas could be affected during the reconstruction process on Sumatra and associated islands.

Brown-winged
Kingfisher
(Ooi Beng Yean)

Mangrove forests: Mangroves are the natural habitat along many of the coasts in the tsunami zone, although large areas have been cleared or degraded. High proportions of the global ranges of two Near Threatened mangrove-specialist species, Brown-winged Kingfisher Pelargopsis amauropterus and Mangrove Pitta Pitta megarhyncha, are largely confined to the Indian Ocean coastlines affected by the tsunami. They may have suffered some direct mortality during the tsunami or through damage to their mangrove habitat.

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