Premier Avian research institute
It is a first regional centre or
avifauna observatory on the campus of wetland research and training centre by Bombay
Natural History Society (BNHS), near chilka lake which is Asia’s
largest brackish lagoon Odisha.
The need to open such observatory
The avifauna observatory will carry out
research on Avian disease – (which is caused by birds and it is kind of a virus) by
collecting the samples of Nalabana sanctuary. It will also monitor
and identifying air route of foreign birds flocking in chilika lake during
winter. The sample collection, training related to bird census, publishing bird migration
atlas books, examining various diseases among the birds and review condition of
Nalabana bird sanctuary along with counting birds would also be the part of the work of the observatory.
Bombay Natural History Society
BNHS- It is India’s
largest wildlife research organization, has been promoting the cause of nature
conservation for the past 133 years, since 1883. Its headquarter at hornbill
house, Mumbai. It supports many research
efforts through grants and publishes journal of Bombay natural history society.
It has been designated as a scientific and industrial research organisation by
the department of science and technology.
BNHS MISSION – It has mission for conservation of nature, that includes basically primarily biological diversity through action based on
research, education and public awareness.
Internet of Birds- Bombay natural history society has developed
internet of bird’s platforms that identifies bird species found in India using
artificial technology. It also includes machine learning and computer vision, from
digital photos that are uploaded by the public.
Chilika lake – it is a largest coastal
lagoon or brackish water lake in India and Asia and second largest lagoon in
the world (after the new Caledonian barrier reef in New Caledonia). It is
located at mouth of daya river, flowing into Bay of Bengal.
It is spread over Puri,
Khurda and Ganjam district of Odisha on the east coast of India, and it hosts nearly one million birds with 97 species being intercontinental.
It is
one of the hotspots of biodiversity in country and some rare vulnerable and
endangered species listed in IUCN red list of threatened animals.
It was first
waterbody in Indian to be designated as wetland of international importance
under the Ramsar convention in 1981. It was put under Montreux record (record
for such sites where there has been likely to be adverse ecological change
due to manmade activities), however it was later removed from it due to conservations
efforts.
