Michael J. Crosby

Impacts of the Indian Ocean tsunami on birds and their habitats

Abstract This paper investigates the effects on birds and their habitats from the devastating Indian Ocean tsunami of December 26th 2005, and what might need to be done to restore or replace any key areas that were damaged or lost. Through the Important Bird Area (IBA) network of BirdLife International effects were monitored. Seabird colonies, particularly those with ground nesting species, were considered highly vulnerable to the tsunami and in one Chagos Archipelago site no immature birds, normally present in February, were found at all. Lowland forests near island coasts were also thought to be vulnerable to tsunami wave damage and salt-water intrusion. Further surveys are required particularly for the Nicobar Islands and Sumatra and its associated small islands. Rebuilding initiatives need to address damage to the conservation infrastructure and management systems. There is no evidence that the conservation status of any Globally Threatened bird species has worsened as a result of this event. However, it must be cautioned that little or no data are yet available for large areas of the affected coastline, and that further field surveys are required before a complete picture will emerge. Extensive areas of mangroves were destroyed or damaged by the tsunami, meaning that mangrove specialist birds will have lost a proportion of the habitat available to them.