Bengaluru: The Forest Department has decided to conduct bird census to find out the types of bird species present in the forests and a survey will be held on Feb. 1 and 2 at the Male Mahadeshwara Wildlife Sanctuary.

Wild animals such as tigers and elephants in forest areas of the State are enumerated from time to time. However, it is now planned to conduct a bird survey at the Male Mahadeshwara Wildlife Sanctuary. This wildlife sanctuary, bordering Tamil Nadu, is spread across an area of 906 sq. kms.

Survey by 50 teams

Public, wildlife lovers and volunteers are also being roped in for bird surveys and registration has been done in this regard. Fifty teams comprising five to six people including Forest Department staff in each team are being formed for the two-day survey. These teams will visit the forest on the two days from 3 am to  4 am in the morning and in the evening to record the presence of birds.

Just like tiger-elephant census

Bird survey will be conducted just like the tiger and elephant census. Each team will be given a specific location where the species of birds are found and will be recorded. Photographs of birds sitting, flying will be taken and will be recorded in the model application issued by the Forest Department.

The survey reports from all the 50 teams will be collated and reviewed by Forest staff, officials and bird experts.

Then a report is prepared on how many species of birds are there in the forest of the wildlife sanctuary.

Safety measures

As there are more than 300 elephants and more than 20 tigers within the Male Mahadeshwara Wildlife Sanctuary and also many types of wild animals including leopards, wild dogs, Indian Gaur, safety gears will be provided to each survey team for their protection.

286 species of birds?

There is information that a survey of birds was conducted in 2014 at Male Mahadeshwara Wildlife Sanctuary during which 286 species of birds were found. However, this information is not available with the Forest Department at present. Hence, the bird survey is being conducted here again.

Male Mahadeshwara Wildlife Sanctuary Deputy Conservator of Forests (DCF) Dr. Santosh Kumar said that this survey is being conducted to know the species of birds in this wildlife Sanctuary.

The survey is being conducted for two days, for which 50 teams will be formed, he said and added that although a survey is said to have been conducted in the past, information about it is not available with the Department.