AALO/PASIGHAT, 3 Mar: The first edition of the Aalo bird walk, with the theme ‘Feathers and Footsteps’, which was organised from 2-3 March by the West Siang district administration and the Siang unit of Ashoka Trust for Research in Ecology & the Environment (ATREE-Siang), in collaboration with the forest and the tourism departments, concluded on Sunday.
The event featured an array of activities, including educational talks on bird identification; the significance of bird conservation; and a fun quiz in which 20 students from SFS College, Aalo participated.
During the walk, which took place on Saturday evening and Sunday morning, 57 species of birds were spotted by the 45 participants.
“It was very exciting to have such an enthusiastic response to the first Aalo bird walk, particularly from the local youths. We want to continue this effort in the future too,” said West Siang DC Mamu Hage, who also participated in the walk. She also happens to be an avid birder.
“The district administration is committed to promoting sustainable development and environmental conservation in the region. Through various initiatives and partnerships, the administration works tirelessly to improve the quality of life for residents while preserving the natural heritage of the district,” the DC said.
“The bird walks, despite the cold, cloudy and misty weather, was a huge success, and the biggest highlight was the sighting of at least 1,000 common cranes in flight, probably on their way back to the breeding grounds,” said Dr Rajkamal Goswami, who leads the ATREE-Siang team based in Pasighat, East Siang district.
“This is said to be the first record of this species from West Siang and probably the second record from the entire Siang valley,” Dr Goswami noted, and emphasised the importance of the Siang valley as an important riverine corridor for major migratory birds.
“The participants also saw around 2,000 bar-headed geese, which was also a significant record for the Siang valley,” added Dr Goswami.
ATREE is a non-profit organisation dedicated to research, education and advocacy in the field of environmental conservation. In the Siang valley, the ATREE team has been engaging with the local communities and other stakeholders to conserve the remaining intact forests of the valley, and fostering appreciation for its remarkable biodiversity.
