A three-day Karnataka Bird Festival was inaugurated at Kulagi Nature Camp near Dandeli on Saturday under the auspices of the Forest Department, the Kali Tiger Conserve Area and the Department of Eco Tourism.
Forest Minister B. Ramanath Rai, who inaugurated the programme, said that conservation of natural forest was necessary to maintain environmental balance, water and bio-diversity, as the Western Ghats was one of the 25 bio-diversity hotspots of the world. He announced that the Dandeli-Anasi Tiger Conserve Area has been renamed as the Kali Tiger Conserve Area.
Tourism Minister R.V. Deshpande, who presided over the programme, said that in Dandeli and Joida, there were more 270 species of birds, giving an opportunity to the authorities to hold the bird festival in the district.
