With the rapid environmental degradation, many species of birds are on the verge of extinction.
Keeping this in view, any Government project on wildlife conservation is now having two conservation plans; the first is for all animals while the second is for only birds conservation, informed Principal Chief Conservation of Forests (Wildlife) SS Srivastava here on Sunday. “Special care is now being taken by the Government to provide artificial nests and plantation of fruit-bearing trees. But in an urban area, which is not a forest area, the conservation totally depends on local people. With individual efforts, people should plant fruit-bearing trees to provide nests to birds,” he said.
Attending a function ‘Celebrating Birds and Wildness’ organised by The Bhubaneswar Bird Walks (TBBW), Srivastava informed that as the vulture species are on the verge of extinction, the Government would open artificial breeding centres at four places in the country, Coimbatore, Guwahati, Chandigarh and Odisha (Nandankanan). Besides, a ‘Walk through Aviary’ would be launched at Nandankanan on the occasion of its foundation day on Dec 29. TBBW founder Panchami Manoo Ukil said, “Our focus from 2015 would be inculcating ecological awareness, and bird watching is a very interesting way to implement this programme.” “Inculcating bird-watching as a hobby in children will help them learn the nature and importance to conserve the environment and what they can do to leave behind the minimum carbon footprints, “she added.
Notably, the TBBW is engaged in photo-documentation of avi-fauna in habitats in and around Bhubaneswar. Completing its 50th bird walk, the group has visited bird habitats like Forest Park, Ekamra Kanan, Nandankanan, Dhauli Hill, Mundali, Sikharchandi, Botanical Garden, etc. Ukil said one of the most interesting findings has been the Pale-capped Pigeon (Columba Punicea), a rare species of pigeons. This bird is categorised as ‘vulnerable’ by the International Union for Conservation of Nature. “The rare species of Pale-capped pigeon, which is spotted in Odisha, can change the face of ecotourism of the State. This species should be declared as the State Bird,” she suggested.