India’s first coastal and wader bird census

Tags: Environment

Why in the news?

• In a first, the Gujarat government and Bird Conservation Society of Gujarat (BCSG) will conduct the census of coastal and wader birds at the Marine National Park and Marine Sanctuary in Jamnagar from January 3 to 5.

Important points:

• BCSG is a voluntary organisation, active for over 25 years, dedicated to bird conservation, census activities, observation, and raising public awareness about avian science.

• The three-day programme will feature expert talks by specialists in forestry and wildlife on the first day, bird counting activities on the second day, and knowledge-sharing sessions followed by a closing ceremony on the final day.

About the Marine National Park and Marine Sanctuary:

• India’s first Marine Sanctuary was set up in 1980and in 1982 the first Marine National Park was set up in the Gulf of Kutch,Jamnagar.

• It is an archipelago of 42 tropical islands situated along the northern coast of Jamnagar district and the southern coast of Kutch.

• The sanctuary lies in the intertidal zone. Intertidal zone refers to the area where the sea meets the land during high and low tides.

• The total area of the Marine National Park is 163 sq km and Marine Sanctuary is 458 sq.km.

•  The land area is submerged during the high tides and exposed during the low tide.