Puri/Baripada: The annual bird census of Odisha began Sunday with counting of avian species in Puri and Mayurbhanj districts. The census started at 5.30am and continued till 12noon, a forest department source informed.
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According to the department source, separate teams of forest officials conducted surveys at water bodies in Simlipal, Baripada, Rairangpur, Karanjia and Balasore forest divisions of Mayurbhanj district. The teams counted the number of avian guests who have arrived here during the nesting season, including the permanent ones.
In another similar drive, forest officials of Puri forest division including ornithologists and wildlife experts carried out the census work in Konark, Astaranga, Gop, Balukhand and Brahmagiri forest ranges under Puri wildlife division.
The department is finalising modalities to include students of Odisha University of Agriculture and Technology (OUAT) in the annual census work, a senior forest official said.
Notably, each team was provided with binoculars, two-way radio sets, global positioning system (GPS) sets and other equipment to carry out the task.
The annual census of avian guests at Hirakud reservoir will be conducted by Sambalpur forest division January 7.
PNN