Bhubaneswar: Odisha Forest department will undertake the Mid-Winter Status Survey of Wetland Birds-2025 in five forest and wildlife ranges under the Bhitarkanika National Park on January 18.
According to Sudarshan Gopinath Yadav, the DFO of Rajnagar Mangrove Forest and Wildlife Division, the field survey will be held January 18 at Kanika, Gahirmatha, Rajnagar, Mahakalapara and Kujanga ranges within the Bhitarkanika National Park.
Eighteen 18 survey teams will be engaged to conduct the survey. Bhitarkanika Forest officials along with renowned ornithologists, bird experts, and researchers will conduct the bird status survey at Dangamala, Khola, Chinchiri mouth, Jaudia, Bhitarkanika Mouth, Rajgarh, Satabhaya, Raitapatia, Barunei Muhana, Chataka, Praharajpur Jaudia, Ekakula, Nasi, Nasi-1, Nasi-2 , Jatadhar tanda, Hawakhana, Bandar, Devi river mouth and other places in Bhitarkanika National Park.
The Forest Department officials generally count the avian species using the traditional method “Direct Sighting” during the bird status survey. The wildlife researchers and ornithologists would use VHF handsets, binoculars, and GPS to count birds in the park.
Every year with the arrival of winter, migratory birds fly thousands of miles to Bhitarakanika to escape the harsh winter in Siberia, Afghanistan, Iraq, northern Asia, and some central European countries. They stay in Bhitarkanika for about three months before starting their homeward sojourn from the park. During last year’s status survey, a total number of 1,51,421 avian guests of 121 types of bird species came to Bitarkanika National Park.
