Khuntuni: The sand bed of the Mahanadi river near Kakhadi under Khuntuni range in Athagarh forest division in Cuttack district has turned into a safe breeding ground for the endangered Indian skimmer or Indian scissors-bill. The birds are also known as ‘Panichiri’ in local parlance. Thirty five of the eggs have hatched and Forest Department officials are making every effort to keep the newborn birds safe. The Indian skimmer is a rare species.
According to a bird census conducted worldwide, there are only 4,000 such birds left. The decreasing population of the bird has prompted the International Union of Conservation of Nature (IUCN) to classify skimmers as ‘endangered’.
According to a rough estimate, there are approximately 2,900 adult skimmers left on the face of the earth. In this situation, the Indian skimmers have turned up to lay eggs for the first time on the Mahanadi riverbed.
Forest department officials said Sunday at a press conference that approximately 165 birds have arrived. The Indian skimmer plays an important role in protecting the environment. It sucks out oily material floating on water bodies. Hence the preservation of the birds is very important, officials said. Khuntuni forest ranger Nilamadhab Sahu informed that in the days to come, many more baby skimmers are expected as the birds have laid 85 eggs. Ornithologists and bird watchers are happy with the development. They said that if the Forest department starts working in a proper manner, the Khuntuni range can turn into a hub of Indian skimmers. “We will try our level best to protect the species,” Sahu stated.
Forest department personnel have been deployed at the site to keep watch round the clock to prevent dogs, jackals or wild animals from eating the eggs. The department is also involving local villagers and fishermen for the protection of the eggs and the birds. Awareness programmes are also being conducted regarding the importance of the birds. The birds also have breeding colonies on the bed of the Chambal river which flows through both Rajasthan and Madhya Pradesh. Various measures have been taken for their protection and increase in their population.