PANAJI: Taking note of a TOI report that the recorded number of bird species in Goa had gone up to 481, constituting 37% of all birds found in India, chief minister Pramod Sawant on Tuesday said that the government would step up efforts to conserve Goa’s bird diversity.
Sawant also said that the state will more proactively promote the state as a destination for birding.
“The Goa government is committed to the conservation of unique and rich faunal diversity of Goa.
The forest department is taking the required steps for habitat improvement, including protection of snag trees, plantation of fruit-bearing species, etc.
For awareness generation, special events like State Bird Festival, bird walks are being organised,” the chief minister said in a post on his official social media account, while sharing TOI report dated June 21 ‘Goa, which has 0.1% of India’s area, has 37% of its listed birds’.
Sawant said that popularity of the tate bird festival is on the rise.
“And we will attempt to take it to new heights in coming years.
268 local youths have been trained under ABSG Abhiyan to work as nature guides in National Parks and Wildlife Sanctuaries,” Sawant said in his post.
Malabar starling, Chestnut winged cuckoo, Great bittern and White browed fantail are the newest bird presence recorded in Goa, which took the number of birds listed in the state from 477 to 481 this year.
The birds found in Goa are now almost 37% of the tally of birds listed across India, though it is the smallest state in terms of geographical area.
The recorded bird species in India are between 1,200 and 1,300, of which Goa has nearly 481.
Goa’s recorded bird species roughly constitute 5% of the total 10,000 odd bird species listed globally.