India, May 16 -- The annual wildlife waterhole census at the Karnala Bird Sanctuary on Buddha Purnima has led to the sighting of only 23 species of the 82 birds and animals in the region. The figures are substantially lower than the sightings during similar censuses in previous years, and have raised questions about the impact of development in the region, although officials say the figures are based on the wildlife that turned up during the survey and do not reflect its actual presence. The sanctuary, located along the Mumbai-Pune highway to Goa and spread over 12.11 sq km, is rich in flora and fauna. It attracts over 75,000 bird watchers and trekkers annually.

Three years ago, surveys of the area conducted on the basis of three seasona...