PANAJI
The Goa Forest Department will host the second edition of the Goa Bird Festival beginning January 12, this time with an additional focus on ‘oceanic' birds, Principal Chief Conservator of Forests Dr Ajai Saxena announced.
Speaking at a press conference, Dr Saxena said that the festival this time around will be held at the Cotigao wildlife sanctuary and that they are expecting a better turnout than the previous edition which was held in November 2016 at Bondla.
"This year we will also be focussing on oceanic birds because this festival is being held along the coastline and oceanic bird life is easy to sight. No other festival in the country has focused on oceanic birds. Goa is taking a lead in this," Dr Saxena said. The third day of the festival will involve a boat trip seawards.
Besides early morning and late afternoon bird walks and trips, the delegates at the festival will be treated to talks by noted speakers including Dr Vibhu Prakash a scientist with the Bombay Natural History Society on the conservation of vultures, besides talks by Dr Pratap Singh a senior faculty at the Wildlife Institute of India on recording bird calls, Sharad Apte on bird calls and songs, Dr Satish Pande on the science behind superstitions, Shiv Shankar on the Pelagic birds of the Western Coast and Birds of the Western Ghats, and others.
The festival will also include a talk by Karthikeyan the Chief Naturalist of Jungle Lodges and Resorts a Government of Karnataka Company.
So far the Forest Department has registered the presence of 35 delegates who will be present for all the three days but will also entertain day delegates who do not wish to spend the night at the sanctuary.
Among them are a handful of foreign tourists who have especially come down for the workshop.
The Goa Forest Department has also reached out to schools in collaboration with the Goa Bird Conservation Network for facilitating the project as well as its members joining in as volunteers.
"Our festivals are not as big as those being held in Karnataka as we have several logistical and other constraints. Some delegates have opted for the camping option as there is no lodging facility within the sanctuary but we have provided them with a list of nearby hotels they can avail of," he added.
Besides this, the day delegates are also expected to add to the numbers.
The Goa Forest Department will host the second edition of the Goa Bird Festival beginning January 12, this time with an additional focus on ‘oceanic' birds, Principal Chief Conservator of Forests Dr Ajai Saxena announced.
Speaking at a press conference, Dr Saxena said that the festival this time around will be held at the Cotigao wildlife sanctuary and that they are expecting a better turnout than the previous edition which was held in November 2016 at Bondla.
"This year we will also be focussing on oceanic birds because this festival is being held along the coastline and oceanic bird life is easy to sight. No other festival in the country has focused on oceanic birds. Goa is taking a lead in this," Dr Saxena said. The third day of the festival will involve a boat trip seawards.
Besides early morning and late afternoon bird walks and trips, the delegates at the festival will be treated to talks by noted speakers including Dr Vibhu Prakash a scientist with the Bombay Natural History Society on the conservation of vultures, besides talks by Dr Pratap Singh a senior faculty at the Wildlife Institute of India on recording bird calls, Sharad Apte on bird calls and songs, Dr Satish Pande on the science behind superstitions, Shiv Shankar on the Pelagic birds of the Western Coast and Birds of the Western Ghats, and others.
The festival will also include a talk by Karthikeyan the Chief Naturalist of Jungle Lodges and Resorts a Government of Karnataka Company.
So far the Forest Department has registered the presence of 35 delegates who will be present for all the three days but will also entertain day delegates who do not wish to spend the night at the sanctuary.
Among them are a handful of foreign tourists who have especially come down for the workshop.
The Goa Forest Department has also reached out to schools in collaboration with the Goa Bird Conservation Network for facilitating the project as well as its members joining in as volunteers.
"Our festivals are not as big as those being held in Karnataka as we have several logistical and other constraints. Some delegates have opted for the camping option as there is no lodging facility within the sanctuary but we have provided them with a list of nearby hotels they can avail of," he added.
Besides this, the day delegates are also expected to add to the numbers.
