Sparrow conservationists of Ganjam invited to help in sparrow conservation efforts in mining areas

Sparrow conservationists of Ganjam district in Odisha have been invited to help in sparrow conservation efforts initiated in a mining area at Tensa in Sundergarh district.

Rabindranath Sahu of Rushikulya Sea Turtle Protection Committee (RSTPC), Ganjam and Lingaraj Panda, who played a major role in the successful sparrow conservation project at Purunabandha village in Ganjam district, have visited the area in Tensa. The authorities of the Jindal Steel and Power Limited has invited them for tips regarding sparrow conservation.

The mining colony, which has been recently adopted as home by the sparrows, is a part of the Tentra-Raikela-Bandal (TRB) mines of Jindal Steel and Power Limited. Company senior general manager Mahesh Raheja has said around 150 families stay in the mining colony which was established in 1992. A few years ago, all of a sudden a few sparrows were found at the colony. Sparrows are a rarity in this mining area located in the middle of dense jungle.

Number increased

According to Mr. Sahu, a few sparrows may have reached this human habitat by the trucks that ply to the area carrying essential goods like food grains. The inhabitants of this mining colony through their small efforts protected the sparrows. And now their number has increased many folds. Arun Kumar Kumar Mishra, Divisional Forest Officer (DFO) of Banai, has also taken personal interest to enthuse the inhabitants of the colony to continue the sparrow conservation efforts. Mr. Mishra and Mr. Raheja have taken the tactical support from the team that had become successful in sparrow conservation at Purunabandha. The special artificial earthen pots, which the sparrows are adopting as their nests in Purunabandha in Ganjam district, have also been put at the mining colony.Mr. Sahu has said sparrows have started to stay in some of the artificial nests put at the mining colony. At present the sparrow population at the mining colony is around 300. If the conservation efforts continue, then their number will surely increase many folds, says Mr. Panda.

Source: The Hindu

Lankan wildlife officials praise Chilika conservation efforts

Berhampur (Odisha): Sri Lankan wildlife officials have praised India's conservation efforts for flora and fauna of Chilika Lake in the state of Odisha, with the active participation of locals. "We are really impressed by the efforts of India to conserve the wildlife with community participation and also protect their livelihood," said H D Ratnayake, Director General, Wildlife Conservation Department of Sri Lanka government. Led by Ratnayake, 25 Wildlife department officials are on a two-week India visit from November 29, to gain knowledge of the wildlife conservation as well as how to tackle the men-animal conflict. Officials of Wildlife Institute of India (WII) is coordinating their tour. The team is slated to wind up the tour tomorrow. In Chilika, the biggest wetland of the country, the team has visited Satapada, Managalajodi and the Nalabana bird sanctuary. "We are really excited to see the dolphin and number of bird species who visited the wetland from far off places in every winter," he said. Divisional Forest Officer, Chilika B P Acharya told them about the importance of wetland and the conservation effort taken by his government to protect the millions of birds in the lake. "The lake is known as the paradise for the migratory birds. The winged guests come to the wetland every year as we provide them suitable habitat including the food and nesting ground," DFO told the team. Source: IBN Live