Migratory birds have started arriving at the Nandur Madhmeshwar
The wildlife department announced plans to conduct scientific bird counts and habitat surveys across the sanctuary’s vast wetlands and forest areas to record arriving species from Europe and Northern Asia.
“The initiative aims to encourage public participation in bird conservation and sensitise the younger generation to the importance of biodiversity and wetland ecosystems,” a wildlife department official stated. “Nature conservation is not a recent practice; it has been followed here for the past 400 years,” Yadav said, pointing out that Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj strictly ordered protection of crops, even naming fort gateways like Wagh Darwaja and Dhaman Darwaja after elements of nature. In Nashik, the celebrations took centre stage at Nandur Madhmeshwar Bird Sanctuary, Maharashtra’s first Ramsar site, aligning with the arrival of the winter migratory bird season. To foster community engagement, Nashik officials have lined up birdwatching trips, nature workshops, wildlife documentary screenings, and photography competitions. Schoolchildren will participate in targeted painting and essay contests, alongside guided nature trails. The department will also host a habitat cleanliness drive focusing on plastic pollution reduction, alongside an environment-themed bicycle rally. The Kolhapur event highlighted the region’s deep-rooted ecological history. History researcher Ram Yadav detailed how nature conservation practices thrived during the eras of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj and Rajarshi Shahu Maharaj. Yadav added that Rajarshi Shahu Maharaj later championed afforestation, created reserved forests, banned unauthorised hunting, and designed water channels that left tree roots undisturbed. The inaugural sessions also featured specialised conservation talks. Pratik More, the honorary wildlife warden for Ratnagiri, spoke extensively on the protection of the Great Hornbill, while Pranav More from Birds of Kolhapur guided the introductory bird walk. The event concluded with an appeal from senior forest officers, including range forest officers Prashant Awale, Vishal Patil, and Ajit Mali, urging students, teachers, nature lovers, and NGOs to actively participate in the remaining events of the week.