Mussoorie: During 8th bird watching festival held at Benog wildlife sanctuary in Mussoorie, the bird lovers sighted around 95 species of bird and 32 species of butterfly. This three-day long festival took place from 18 to 20 October. This festival was inaugurated by Uttarakhand forest minister Subodh Uniyal on Friday.
According to Dhananjay Mohan, principal chief conservator of forest (PCCF), “Many bird species like yellow-rumped Honeyguide, long tailed Broadbill, Immaculate Cupwing, Ashy-throated Warbler, Green-winged Teal and Wallcreeper were sighted during the festival.”
Bird lovers saw more than 95 species of birds
Bird lovers and experts from India and abroad observed about 95 bird species and 32 butterfly species at the eighth Uttarakhand Bird Festival in Mussoorie. During this three-day event, 170 bird experts embarked on bird-watching trails. Additionally, over 450 students from 22 schools participated in painting, sketching, and quiz competitions, with winners receiving prizes. The festival proved to be an inspirational experience for nature enthusiasts and students alike. Aniruddh, a student form Dehradun, said, “I saw a wide variety of warblers, finches and many other species of birds during the bird watching trail held on Saturday.”
Painting and quiz competitions were also held
The festival featured 7 to 8 km bird-watching trails, heritage walks, cartoon workshops, and painting and quiz competitions. It aimed to raise awareness about birds and environmental conservation. Various workshops, discussions, and events on nature conservation were also organized. Experts emphasized the importance of bird conservation, habitat protection, and biodiversity. Students and visitors learned about bird identification techniques and their natural habitats. Amit Kunwar, divisional forest officer (DFO), Mussoorie, said, “This festival is aimed at sensitizing people towards bird’s activities. Bird tourism holds immense promise for conservation of this heritage and livelihood generation in far-flung areas of the state.”
Over 70 bird-watching camps have been held
The Uttarakhand bird-watching programme, launched in February 2012 from the Asan Conservation Reserve, aims to promote bird tourism. Over the past 12 years, more than 70 bird-watching camps have been held at various tourist spots. The festival showcases Uttarakhand’s rich biodiversity, promotes tourism, and involves local communities in environmental conservation. With over 230 bird species seasonally, Benog’s landscape is an ideal spot for birdwatchers.
