India News | Bird Census in Gujarat's Nalsarovar, Thol Sanctuaries on Feb 5 and 6

Ahmedabad, Feb 2 (PTI) The Gujarat forest department will conduct a census of birds in Nalsarovar and Thol sanctuaries on February 5 and 6 where a large number of migratory birds come during winter months, the state government said on Wednesday.

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The birds sanctuaries will remain closed for tourists during the census exercise.

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“A census of birds will be conducted in Nalsoravar and Thol bird sanctuaries on February 5 and 6,” said a release by the state government.

The Nalsarovar bird sanctuary, spread across 121 sq km and located 60km southwest of Ahmedabad city, protects the Nalsarovar Lake, iron-flat plains and wetlands.

This is the largest wetland sanctuary in the state and one of the biggest in the country as well. The sanctuary has flocks of indigenous and migratory birds, with as many as 250 species passing through in the winter. Ducks, geese, eagles, spoonbills, cranes, pelicans and flamingos are best seen at daybreak and dusk. Nalsarovar is a proposed Ramsar Convention site, which is a list of wetlands of international importance. The region was declared a sanctuary in 1969. Thol wetland, apart from 150 species of birds, houses black bucks, jackals and blue bulls in the vicinity. It is located 27 kms from Ahmedabad. Migratory birds like great white pelicans, mallards, geese, sarus cranes and many other waders make the sanctuary their home in the winter season. The Thol lake and the area around it was declared a sanctuary in 1988.

(The above story is verified and authored by Press Trust of India (PTI) staff. PTI, India’s premier news agency, employs more than 400 journalists and 500 stringers to cover almost every district and small town in India.. The views appearing in the above post do not reflect the opinions of LatestLY)