The Karnataka Forest Department is preparing an action plan to conserve the bird species of Great Indian Bustard, according to an official.

Inaugurating the fourth Bird Festival of Karnataka in Mangaluru on Friday, Punati Sridhar, Principal Chief Conservator of Forests (Wildlife) of Karnataka, said that Great Indian Bustard is usually seen in the central parts of the state.

At present, the number of these birds is in the range of 150-200.

He said there is a fear of this species being vanished from Karnataka in the next four-five years. Considering this, the Forest Department is making all efforts to conserve Great Indian Bustard. An action plan is being prepared in this regard , and steps will be taken to implement it soon, he said.

Mangaluru bird festival

Speaking on the occasion, Sanjay Bijur, Chief Conservator of Forests, Mangaluru Circle, said that Mangaluru bird festival is the fourth one in the state.

The department had conducted such bird festivals at Ranganathittu bird sanctuary in 2015, at Dandeli in Uttara Kannada district in 2016, and at Ballari in 2017.

Considering the response for Karnataka’s initiative, other states such as Goa, Uttarakhand and Uttar Pradesh are also conducting bird festivals now.

In Mangaluru, bird watchers will be taken to three locations as part of the fourth bird festival.

Apart from this, they will be taken in a boat to spot different species of birds in the sea on February 11.

Bijur said the objective of organising such bird festivals is to popularise the bird watching habit among wild life enthusiasts.

Such festivals also bring down the pressure of tourists on wild life sanctuaries in the state, he said.

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