Soon, the much-needed research station will be set up at Pong Dam Wetland in Kangra district of Himachal Pradesh to study the behavioural pattern of lakhs of migratory birds descending from Trans-Himalayan region every winter.
The picturesque, Pong Dam wetland situated in Kangra valley is one of the top destinations of migratory birds, especially the species from Trans-Himalayan region every winter and the research station at the site would boost the study of the behavioural pattern of some rare species. The hi-tech research station will be set up by the wildlife wing of Himachal Pradesh Forest department in collaboration with the Bombay Natural History Society (BNHS), for which preliminary understanding has been reached and plan is being chalked out.
Initially, a grant of Rs 50 lakh has also been sanctioned for the project by State Compensatory Afforestation Fund Management and Planning Authority (CAMPA). According to officials, the project will have an interpretation centre, information centre, research lab, museum and a treatment centre for the injured birds at Nagrota-Surian area of the district.
Divisional Forest Officer (Wildlife), Hamirpur, Subhash Prashar said that the interpretation and information centre will be having photographs and information of rare migratory birds which have been visiting the Pong wetland every year with detailed study on their place of origin, migratory route, feeding, breeding and nesting habits and identification. “The research centre will also work as coordination station for collaring, ringing and tagging of migratory birds with Global Positioning System (GPS) already being conducted by the department and BNHS, jointly every year,” said Prashar.
He added that with the setting up of the station, “a complete monitoring of collared birds will be done from the station, which would immensely help the scientists and ornithologist in having a better understanding of the behavioural and migratory pattern of these birds,” said Prashar. “This will be hi-tech facility on-lines of the best of such labs in the country, which would have rescue and treatment centre for injured birds,” he added. Apart from appointing permanent research associates, the department will also invite ornithologist from within the country and abroad at the centre time to time.
Every winter Pong Wetlands becomes a destination for winged guests from far off places like Siberia, Poland, China and European countries. The number of migratory birds crosses over one lakh mark each year, which include some rare species of birds. Usually migratory birds start flocking to Pong Dam from October last to February end, when the temperature starts rising in the hills. last year, over 1.23 lakh birds of 113 species were spotted at Pong Wetland. This winter, around 55,000 birds have been spotted till November end.