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Time of India
09-05-2025
- Science
- Time of India
Assessment on sarus crane habitat starts in Bhandara
Nagpur: The ground level assessment of natural water bodies in Bhandara for rejuvenation purposes has started courtesy a unique campaign initiated by deputy conservator of forest Rahul Gawai and the Foundation for Economic and Ecological Development (Feed). The forest department and Feed have joined hands to improve the habitat quality in 24 water bodies so that sarus cranes get suitable to TOI, Feed director Manish Rajankar said, "We have started visiting the sites for assessing the plants and indigenous species. Once the survey is over, we will move to the next step of strategizing steps for rejuvenation."Sarus cranes are found in abundance in Bhandara, Gondia and Gadchiroli. Operation Sindoor PM Modi meets NSA, chiefs of armed forces amid spike in tensions with Pak India's air defence systems shoot down Pak drones in J&K, Punjab & Rajasthan Several airports in India to be closed till May 15 - check list "Sarus are not migratory birds like Flamingos, but they shift bases for food. Sarus cranes have been around for thousands of years and are mentioned in the first shloka of Ramayana," Rajankar said. He explained that sarus cranes stick with the same mate for their entire life, something which is mentioned in the epic."These sarus have always lived near human habitat, near riverbanks. You won't find sarus in deep forests," said sarus cranes find a mate is an interesting story. "Once a year, they congregate in large numbers at different places, Gondia is one such location. Here, the mates are chosen and the newly hitched couple flies back with the parents to their 'joint family' habitat. After a few weeks, the new couple then moves on to find their own territory," Rajankar birds establish their own territories and survive on a steady diet of fish, insects, a specific type of grass and freshly sown seedlings farmland ."The nest they build is always on the ground and is spread over a circumference of 10 feet. Both parents take turns in hatching the eggs and take care of it till the hatchling is ready to fly off on its own," Rajankar said.
Time of India
02-05-2025
- General
- Time of India
Unique campaign for water body restoration in Bhandara begins from May 1
Nagpur: A unique campaign is all set to begin from May 1 in Bhandara district, which ultimately aims to create thriving ecosystem for the migratory Sarus cranes who visit the area every winter. The forest department, along with Foundation for Economic and Ecological Development (FEED), will start work on restoration of 24 natural water bodies. The two just won't stop at restoration, but will also create awareness among stakeholders on the importance of having a vibrant natural ecosystem for Sarus cranes. Rahul Gawai, deputy conservator of forests (Bhandara), said "We will first start with a review of the existing waterbodies and see what needs to be done. Also we will be talking with the fishermen community as their cooperation is crucial for this." The senior forest official said that the type of fish being bred in these lakes also creates a major impact. "Right now catfish is being bred on a large scale, which causes other issues. For example, catfish eat up other smaller fish in the lake and creates and imbalance. So we will speak to the fishermen about economic prospects of breeding other types of fish," said Gawai. The forest department faces multiple challenges on various fronts as it fights a battle to maintain a welcoming habitat for Sarus cranes. Development alongside these natural waterbodies, growth of unwanted weeds etch add to the challenge. Gawai said "The number of cranes migrating here has decreased. But we will continue our efforts to change that. Recently we conducted workshops in villages to create awareness about Sarus cranes."
