The Jhareswar temple here is proving to be one of the most prominent spots for the foreign migratory birds for the last few years. The migratory birds arrive at the Jhareswar temple in early July right before monsoon and return by November after a few months.
“Many of them arrive alone and return after expanding their families here,” wildlife warden Dubraj Naik informed. He added that the temple premises with its greenery and ban on hunting make an ideal place for these birds.
Temple priest Narayan Mohapatra also informed that the temple committee members make all safety arrangements for the birds. Mohapatra further informed that there are century-old banyan and tamarind trees inside the temple premises where migratory birds make nests while they get water from a pond beside the temple.
Migratory birds have started arriving at the temple for their annual breeding and nesting this year, said DFO Arjun Behera.
The protection of the migratory birds is taken care of by locals and the primary focus of the Forest Department is to see that hunting does not happen, added the DFO.