Editor Mr.Mayank Rawat ( Chief Editor Mr. Rohit Mishra )
New Delhi: The Delhi forest department and World Wildlife Fund (WWF), along with nearly 100 enthusiastic birdwatchers, volunteers, students, wildlife experts and conservationists, flagged off the summer survey of the Delhi Bird Atlas at Lodhi Garden. The initiative aims to identify microhabitats across the city.
Chief wildlife warden of Delhi, Shyam Sundar Kandpal, and Dipankar Ghose, senior director of biodiversity conservation at WWF-India, attended the event as chief guests.
The forest department recently provided basic birding training to forest guards, helping them assist experts in the development of the bird atlas. This initiative seeks to document the presence of avifauna across various city locations, identifying specific bird species in different urban areas.
The Delhi Bird Atlas project aims to create a comprehensive record of bird diversity in the capital through public participation and professional surveys. The project is a collaboration between the forest department and various organisations, including Bird Count India, Delhi Bird Foundation, WWF-India, DIAL, Wildlife SOS and Asian Adventures.
A comprehensive survey will cover 145 subcells across Delhi’s various habitats and green spaces during May and June 2025. This extensive project, coordinated by conservation groups and local birdwatchers, aims to collect vital data for urban wildlife conservation.
Forest officials emphasised the importance of public involvement in conservation efforts and acknowledged the unity among Delhi’s birding community.
“This unique birding initiativ e by the birding community of delhi will reveal the ecological health of the city—how green it is, how beautiful it is, and the well-maintained parks. Birds can only thrive in well-maintained environments. This initiative, led by Delhi’s bird watchers and nature lovers, will contribute significantly to environmental awareness in the city,” said Kandpal.
Ghose highlighted the importance of such projects in deepening scientific understanding and promoting environmental responsibility among residents.
Mayank Rawat
