Goa will host a three-day bird festival from November 11 to 13, targeting audiences from both within the country as also internationally.
Goa's state bird “Bulbul” has been chosen as the logo for the festival.
The Western Ghats constitute one of the 25 mega bio-diversity hot spots in the world and by virtue of its location, the State represents a unique confluence of two diverse eco-systems, one influenced by marine environment and the other by terrestrial forest resulting in an astonishing diversity of species with high endemism, habitats and diversity, said Goa Minister for Environment and Forest Rajendra Arlekar here on Friday.
“A three-day festival like this would give a big boost to bird tourism in this coastal State, which is at a nascent stage”, President of Goa Bird Conservation Network (GBCN) Parag Rangnekar, an avid bird watcher himself told The Hindu on Friday.
He said that of the 1224 bird species recorded in India, out of 10293 in the world, tiny Goa has recorded 432 species.
The registration process for the festival would allow 200 delegates, who would be registered on a first-come-first-served basis.
During the festival, bird watching will take place in Bondla and Mollem wildlife sanctuaries and Salim Ali Bird Sanctuary, Chorao. Besides, video films on the birds of Goa will be screened.
Renowned personalities in the field of Ornithology will conduct technical sessions at Bondla in south Goa.
The Minister said that this is proposed to be an annual event. The festival is happening right during the tourist season.
Mr. Rangnekar said that in the recent past Goa used to be a major market for international bird tourism when a large number of British, German and Scandinavian chartered tourists arrived on two-week chartered packages. However, in recent years with the Russian tourist dominating the chartered segment, foreign tourists arriving to view birds have considerably declined, he said.
Nevertheless, now the domestic market for bird tourism has flourished in a big way especially with large number of people arriving from Mumbai, Pune and Bangalore, said Mr. Rangnekar.
“A large number of avid bird watchers come from the Bengaluru IT sector,” said Mr. Rangnekar and was confident that the festival would give a big boost to bird tourism in this State again.
