Jharkhand forest officer identifies 146 bird species, compiles names in Santhali, Hindi

The Divisional Forest Officer of Jamtara, has also compiled the names of these species in Santhali and Hindi so that common people can identify them easily and make efforts for conservation

Forest officer Ajinkya Bankar is convinced that an awareness campaign is the way forward in the conservation of birds for which he has identified nearly 150 avian species in the last two years in Jharkhand's Jamtara district, around 210 km from Ranchi.

Besides identifying as many as 146 species of birds in the district, Mr. Bankar, the Divisional Forest Officer (DFO) of Jamtara, has also compiled the names of these species, several of which are rare, in Santhali and Hindi so that common people can identify them easily and make efforts for conservation.

He has also taken the initiative for growing trees that attract birds. Though Jharkhand is considered to be a safe abode for birds due to its widespread greenery, the feathered creatures often fall prey to poachers.

"I found bird poaching to be a cause of concern in the area. Even school children are killing them as they are unaware of their importance to the environment and society. So I decided to launch an awareness campaign," Bankar told PTI.

In the survey spanning two years, as many as 146 species, including 40 types of vulnerable migratory birds, were identified. Many threatened species such as Common Pochard, Indian River Tern, Woolly-Necked Stork, Black-Headed Ibis, and Alexandrine Parakeet were found during the exercise, the officer said.

"Since local people are not familiar with the English names of birds, we decided to compile it in the local Santhali language and Hindi," he said.

Mr. Bankar has earned appreciation for his initiatives with the Indian Bird Conservation Network (IBCN) praising his efforts.