Zimbabwe's wetlands, crucial habitats for numerous bird species, are rapidly disappearing due to urban development, pollution and climate change. Al Jazeera's Haru Mutasa reports from Lake Chivero, Zimbabwe.

Lake Chivero

Wetlands in Zimbabwe are rapidly disappearing due to urban development, leading to the displacement of native bird species such as the secretary bird and grass owls. Conservationists report that as wetlands are built over and dry up, birds are forced to seek new habitats, including areas like Lake Chivero, which is also experiencing lower water levels.

Pollution, climate change, and continued urban expansion are contributing to the reduction of water resources and threatening the survival of over 400 bird species at local sanctuaries. Environmental activists stress the need for greater political commitment to reversing wetland loss, emphasizing that the issue affects not only local wildlife but also migratory birds that connect regions across continents.

Zimbabwe’s birds face habitat crisis as wetlands turn to urban sprawl

Her name is Twiggy because of her long legs. The secretary bird was brought to the sanctuary in 2023 after her natural habitat, a wetland in Zimbabwe, was destroyed when people started building homes. Conservationist Gary Stafford says Twiggy was traumatized when she first got here. But she's doing much better now. He's worried about how fast the wetlands in the capital are disappearing. As the wetlands are drying up in Harare, because people are building around them, on top of them, the wetlands are drying up. So those birds are being displaced now. And then those birds are now looking for new territory, new habitat, so they're coming to Chivera, which is also drying up. Lake Chivera provides water to Harare. It's about four meters lower than it usually is at this time of the year. Conservationists say pollution, climate change and urban development are reducing water levels and threatening bird populations. The sanctuary is home to more than 400 species of wild birds. Some came in injured, casualties of wetland degradation and loss. These birds over here, these are called grass owls. They're very common in Zimbabwe. They look like the barn owls, but barn owls are smaller and brown in color. These grass owls are mainly found in wetlands and marshes. Ecosystems like this are also important to migratory birds, who fly between continents, countries and regions as the seasons change. Birds have no borders and we're all interconnected and birds, they fly everywhere. It is important to ensure that whatever happens in Zimbabwe also happens in Zambia or within the region, because these birds are going to move into those same countries as well. These are Muscovy ducks. They are native to South America. Tondarai Madzia educates visitors to the sanctuary about these water birds. He says they're made for life, sociable and very good parents. If we don't eat now, at the end, we're going to lose everything. We're going to say we heard the Muscovy ducks, we heard the whistling duck, but now it's all gone. Environmental activists say reversing the loss of wetlands needs more political will and that should be a priority for all governments. Haramutasa Aljazeera, Lake Shiveru, Zimbabwe.

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