Chamarajanagar: After the successful Bird Festival in Biligiri Ranganatha Tiger (BRT) and Bird Census at Nagarahole Tiger Reserve, the Forest Department is conducting a Bird Census at Bandipur Tiger Reserve from tomorrow. 

It will be held for three days and the Reserve is playing host to such an exercise after a gap of 18 years. Over 104 volunteers from Bengaluru, Mysuru, Chamarajanagar, Kerala and Tamil Nadu have registered in the Forest Department website and the census will be held along with the Department employees of 13 Ranges of Bandipur and students from College of Forestry in Ponnampet, Kodagu District. 

All participants have to get their own binoculars and protective gears to wear inside the forests. Strict measures have been taken to prevent volunteers from straying away from the designated routes. 

Of the 13 Ranges in the Tiger Reserve, there are 52 Anti-Poaching Camps (APCs) and there are 102 beat roads usually taken by the APC personnel. Bird-watching teams will be sent on these routes. 

Bandipur Project Tiger and Park Director S.R. Natesha said that a large number of birds from North India migrate to the southern parts during winter. “The survey is being conducted to study the birds and arrangements have been made for the participants to stay at the Anti-Poaching Camps,” he said. Food and accommodation have been arranged by the Forest Department. 

There are more than 200 bird species in Bandipur, but the species have not been documented scientifically so far. “During the Bird Census, volunteers will go to the jungle from 6 am to 10 am and from 3 pm to 6 pm. As Kabini, Nugu backwaters attract many birds, a majority of the volunteers have been deployed in these areas,” he added.