Water bird census has been started from Saturday in Shuklaphanta National Park and other areas. The counting will continue till January 16.
For the census the staff of the park office, experts of Nepal Bird Conservation Association, representatives of Himali Prakriti, National Trust for Nature Conservation (NTNC), Nature Guide Association are participating. According to the association's ornithologist Hirulal Dagoura, those involved in the census use binoculars, telescopes and cameras for the census.
According to him, water birds will be counted in Ranital, Taratal, Kalikich Lake, Bedkot, Bandatal, Puranital, Pyaratal, Sally river, Chaudhar river and border areas. Counting in lakes and rivers will take place on foot, and elephants will be used to do the counting in the Salgaundi lake inside the park.
Water birds are being monitored and counted every year to find out the distribution and status of native and migratory birds in the lake and wetland areas, to update the numbers, to raise awareness with the participation of local communities and stakeholders in conservation. The census also provides information about the condition of the lake, said Dagoura.
During last year's census, 48 species including some world's rarest stork were found as water birds migrate from Siberia, India and Sri Lanka to Nepal.
A similar, water bird census has been started in lakes and watershed areas of Kailali from Saturday as well.
Ornithologist Dagora informed that water bird count has been started from Ghodaghodi Lake area including in the lakes of Karnali, Ghodaghodi, Kohli, Lokabhauka, Ghoda, Suniyarupiya, Purana and Karnali. According to last year's census, 32 species of water birds were found in the catchment area of Kailali.
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