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Hindustan Times
2 days ago
- General
- Hindustan Times
Summer survey for Delhi Bird Atlas adds 21 species
The summer survey of the Delhi Bird Atlas concluded on Sunday with more than 160 species recorded across seven clusters and 145 one-sqkm subcells, officials from Delhi's forest and wildlife department said. At least 21 of these species were new ones not recorded in the winter survey, held between January 1 and the first week of February in which 200 species were recorded. Grey night herons spotted at Yamuna Biodiversity Park in 2019. (HT Archive) A preliminary report on the findings of both surveys will be released in October during Wildlife Week, the forest department said on Sunday. The Delhi Bird Atlas will be a detailed book on the Capital's bird diversity in terms of species and distribution and is planned to be released towards the end of next year after two more surveys. 'If we combine the data from both surveys, 221 species have been recorded, which is a healthy number for Delhi, considering we also covered grids that had urban spaces,' said Pankaj Gupta, regional coordinator for Bird Count India, adding that the data will help policymakers make relevant decision for developments while considering urban habitats. The summer survey was flagged off by the forest department on April 27, and more than 200 volunteers and 50 teams combed through Delhi's diverse landscapes from parks and wetlands to scrublands, residential neighbourhoods and even concretised urban and commercial spaces. At least 600 checklists were shared by birders and volunteers during this period. Overall, 21 additional species were recorded this time which were not spotted in the winter survey, officials said. These included Bonelli's eagle, Indian bush lark, Indian Golden-oriole and the greater flamingo. 'We also spotted an oriental turtle dove, which is generally seen in the winter months. We did not spot it in the winter survey, but instead saw it in the summer survey, which was a little unusual,' Gupta added. The Atlas is being prepared by Delhi's forest and wildlife department, in collaboration with birders from Bird Count India, Delhi Bird Foundation and organisations including WWF-India, Wildlife SOS, Asian Adventures and the Delhi International Airport Limited (DIAL). Forest officials said they will require at least two more surveys — another winter and summer count, to prepare the Atlas. 'We will also map out the sightings and spread of birds in Delhi. This will also show birding hot spots,' an official said. Shyam Sunder Kandpal, Delhi's chief wildlife warden, said the preliminary report will highlight key findings of this year's winter and summer surveys. 'It will not stop here, and we plan to organise more bird walks to train more volunteers for the next season,' he said, adding that the data will also contribute towards the annual 'State of the Birds' report. Birders said that the data collection marks a crucial step in building a robust, long-term understanding of Delhi's avian biodiversity. 'While we missed a few expected species such as the woolly-necked stork and river tern, we gathered valuable data from some of the city's most overlooked spaces such as slums, drains, and garbage dumps, reminding us that even common birds tell important stories,' said Akash Gulalia, senior birder and professor at Delhi University. Birders said these surveys also showed that several lesser-known or previously overlooked green spaces outside the city's protected areas also support vibrant birdlife. 'This was far from regular birding—conducted in peak summer across drains, informal settlements, and lesser-known urban pockets. It was physically demanding in Delhi's heat but offered a meaningful opportunity to contribute to structured citizen science and support long-term urban biodiversity monitoring,' said Kaushani Banerjee, a Delhi Bird Atlas volunteer.
Time of India
19-06-2025
- Time of India
6k trees in elephant corridor face axe for Doon airport expansion
Dehradun: Around 6,000 trees in Uttarakhand's Shivalik Elephant Reserve are likely to be felled for the planned expansion of Jolly Grant Airport, forest officials said on Thursday. The proposal involves diversion of approximately 48 hectares (about 110 acres) of forest land, and the tree enumeration in the affected area has been completed. NS Dobhal, ranger of the Thano Forest Range under the Dehradun Forest Division, said, "About 6,000 trees have been counted in the area and the details have been sent to the Uttarakhand Civil Aviation Development Authority (UCADA), which is overseeing the project, for further action." He added that the next step involves the user agency uploading a proposal on the Parivesh portal as per Forest Conservation Act guidelines. The forest department will then examine the proposal before it is sent to the ministry for further clearances and approvals. Shahwant Sharma, manager of Jolly Grant Airport, told TOI, "The state govt is in the final stages of identifying the land to be handed over to the Airports Authority of India for the airport's expansion. We expect the handover to be completed within the next three months. The state govt is overseeing both the land acquisition and the tree removal process." The development has drawn criticism from conservationists, especially as it comes despite chief minister Pushkar Singh Dhami's 2022 assurance, made during Wildlife Week, that "no trees would be cut in the reserve for development projects". The area identified for diversion falls within a riverine ecosystem that sustains elephants, leopards and several species of antelope. Conservationists have flagged concerns over habitat fragmentation in the Thano, Badkot and Rishikesh forest ranges due to rapid urbanisation and infrastructure projects. "Forests are vital for recharging river systems. The wellbeing of this forest directly affects the Chandrabhaga river, which supports both wildlife and local communities. Many animals come regularly to its banks to drink," said veteran environmentalist Ravi Chopra. The airport expansion has faced ecological scrutiny since 2020. The Shivalik Elephant Reserve was briefly denotified to facilitate the project, but was later re-notified following legal challenges and public outcry. A previous proposal had sought the diversion of 87 hectares (214 acres) of forest land, requiring nearly 9,700 trees to be cut, but it was shelved after strong opposition. In addition to the airport project, around 4,000 trees in the Shivalik Elephant Reserve were also marked for felling for the proposed four-laning of the Bhaniyawala–Rishikesh road. The road would run close to Rajaji Tiger Reserve, which is home to tigers, elephants, leopards, and several species of antelope. That project too faced protests from residents and environmentalists. In Aug 2020, around 2,500 century-old Sal trees were cut down for the Delhi-Dehradun Expressway to reduce travel time by 15 minutes. Conservationists then also objected to the removal of trees from the forest corridor.
Hindustan Times
11-05-2025
- Hindustan Times
HP government notifies Tsarap Chu Conservation Reserve in Lahaul-Spiti
Himachal government has notified Tsarap Chu Conservation Reserve, located in Lahaul-Spiti, Himachal Pradesh: India's largest conservation reserve, designated to protect high-altitude wildlife. The notification was issued in compliance with the announcement made by chief minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu during the closing ceremony of Wildlife Week in October 2024. In a statement principal chief conservator of forests (wildlife) said that the notification has been issued after completing all formalities and consultation with local panchayats as per the Wildlife (Protection) Act. 'The Tsarap Chu Conservation Reserve is the catchment area of the Charap Nallah and it will connect Kibber Wildlife Sanctuary and Chandertal Wildlife Sanctuary and will act as a corridor for wildlife,' said Spiti wildlife DCF Mandar Jeware adding that Tsarap Chu conservation reserve is the largest conservation reserve notified so far in the country. The Tsarap Chu Conservation Reserve borders the Union Territory of Ladakh in the North, shares boundary of Kibber Wildlife Sanctuary up to the confluence of Malung Nallah and Lungar Lungpa in the East, the Kabjima Nallah in the South and shares the boundary of Chandertal Wildlife Sanctuary and Baralacha Pass in the West and thereafter follows the Yunam River up to its confluence with Charap Nallah near Sarchu. The total area of this conservation reserve is 1,585 square kilometers. The Tsarap Chu Conservation Reserve falls among the high-density habitats of snow leopard within Himachal Pradesh. It also supports rich diversity of Himalayan and Trans-Himalayan flora and fauna including Snow Leopard and Tibetan Wolf, Kiang and ungulates such as bharal, ibex, Tibetan argali and avifauna such as rose finches, Tibetan ravens and yellow- billed choughs.
