Foreign tourists visit greater adjutants breeding site in Bihar, spark new interest
Kadwa is the third breeding site of greater adjutants in the world . The other two are in Cambodia and east Indian state of Assam.
The breeding site of greater adjutants in Kadwa diara (a piece of land created in the middle of the river by sand deposition) in Bihar’s Bhagalpur district, 190km from state capital Patna, recently welcomed its first batch of foreign tourists.
The arrival of two Czech tourists has boosted the confidence of conservationists, who feel the potential of the sanctuary in Naugachia sub-division of the Bhagalpur district can now get a fillip.
The breeding site for greater adjutants at Kadwa is the third in the world. The other two are in Cambodia and east Indian state of Assam.
Arvind Mishra, founder-member of Mandar Nature Club, involved in conservation and protection of greater adjutants, said this was the first time that foreign tourists were in Kadwa to see the breeding site.
Mishra said Tomas Kotok, an expert in scuba diving, and Irena Bednerova, a medical practitioner, discovered the site on the internet and included it in their tour plan.
Bird watcher Jai Nandan Mandal said compared to last year, more greater adjutants had been found nesting in the area this year. Against 105 nests last year, 110 were counted in the area this time, Mandal said.
Regional chief conservator of forests (RCCF) Prabhat Kumar Gupta said a visit, clubbing Vikramshial Gangetic Dolphin Sanctuary in the district with the breeding site of greater adjutants in Kadwa diara, could make for an attractive tour package for both foreign and domestic tourists.
Gupta said, as per a study conducted last year, 210 greater adjutants had nested in Kadwa diara and 174 of them gave birth to 189 chicks. Of them, 166 survived and 376 greater adjutants left the area at the end of breeding season, he added.
Meanwhile, to create awareness about birds and biodiversity among school children, the forest department is to organise five trips to Kadwa for school children by February end.
The first trip, consisting of students of Mount Carmel School, DAV School, Saint Paul’s School and Happy Valley School was organised in December last year.