200th Bird Walk Celebrations on March 31st, 2018 at 04.00 pm at Peacock Hall, Marigold, Begumpet, Hyderabad
The Hyderabad Birding Pals (HBP) established in February, 2014 has about 4000 members world wide. Friends of Flora and Fauna Society is spearheading the conservation activities in the State including Ameenpur lakes, Fox Sagar and Ananthagiri Hills, with over 500 members.
The main motive and objective of the HBP is to spread awareness of the existence of various bird species in Telangana and the country and the importance of conservating the nature.
Telangana has about 400 species of birds though much of the State is yet to be explored and many more birding hotspots remain to be identified.
The best birding spots in Telangana are located at Umamaheshwaram, Ameenpur lake, Ananthagiri Hills, Osman Sagar, Himayath Sagar, Kawal Wildlife Sanctuary, Gubbala Mangamma Temple, Khammam, Eturnagaram, Amrabad Tiger Reserve, Manjeera Wildlife Sanctuary, Sriram Sagar, Narsapur Forest and Pocharam Wildlife Sanctuary.
The Government has declared the Ameenpur lake as a “Biodiversity Heritage Site” under the Biological Diversity Act, 2002 in November, 2016. It is the first such water body declared as a Biodiversity Heritage Site in the country and that too in an urban environment.
At this juncture it is an opportunity to project the newly formed State of Telangana as a destination for bird watching and bird photography. Telangana has immense potential to identify excellent bird watching spots on bird watcher’s list of places. By inviting experts from around the country, HBP wants to help promote bird watching in Telangana.
The Hyderabad Birding Pals in association with Friends of Flora and Fauna (FOFF) is hosting a celebration meet on the day of its 200th Bird Walk on 31st March, 2018. The evening will have eminent speaker talks, discussion sessions, photo exhibition and skit and songs by the children of different schools of Ameenpur.
This meet will be attended by members of Hyderabad Birding Pals, people interested in knowing about birds, aspiring and experienced bird photographers and experts. About 200 members will participate in the event.
The Speakers at the event are :
- Shri Prashant Kumar Jha, IFS, Principal Chief Conservator of Forest, Govt. of Telangana.
- Shri B. Venkatesham, IAS, Secretary to Govt., Tourism Department, Govt. of Telangana.
- Mr Aasheesh Pittie renowned Ornithologist of South Asia & Editor of the bi-monthly Indian birds journal.
- Mrs Tejdeep Kaur Menon, IPS, Director General of Police, Telangana Special Protection Force and Convener, Biodiversity Heritage Site Management Committee, Govt. of Telangana.
- Shri Kanwar B Singh, Founder, Indian Birds FB Group has over thirty years of bird watching experience in India and abroad.
- Shri Shivshankar Manjunatha, Author of the Book Birds of Southern Coastal Karnataka.
- Shri Bishwarup Raha, Wildlife Conservationist, President, Nature Conservation
Society of Nashik (NCSN), Pratiksha Kothule, Program Coordinator, NCSN.
- Shri Rohan Chakravarty, Cartoonist & Illustrator, Creator – Green Humour.
The Telangana Tourism Department is the main sponsor of the event.
This deliberations will also have the opportunity to focus on conservation of Biodiversity Sites and their rejuvenation.
The 200th Bird Walk celebrations on March 31st, 2018 at 04.00 pm at Peacock Hall, Marigold, Begumpet, Hyderabad.