Shivamogga to host kingfisher marathon
BENGALURU: On the lines of the popular Hornbill festival in Dandeli, the forest department officials are starting a kingfisher marathon in the forest area of Shivamogga, under the title – ‘Kalarava- 2020’. The festival will be held on January 18 and 19, where conservationists, ornithologists, locals and students are expected to participate.
Officials have been planning for the marathon since two months, but it was finalised only last week. It may be noted that the most-awaited Hakki Habba (bird festival) will be held at Nandi Hills on January 17 and 18 and the hornbill festival in February. The bird festivals are being held as this is the time when migratory birds are in abundance and weather is also right for bird sighting. The marathon will be held in Megarawalli, Kuppalli, Mandagadde, Shivammoga, Ripponpete, Shettihalli, Muppani and Shikaripura.
I M Nagaraju, Deputy Conservator of Forests, Shivammoga, told TNIE that this was the event is being organised for the first time and the Common Kingfisher was chosen for its logo and the face of the marathon, as the species are found in abundance in the area. Participants will be divided into five teams and they will have to gather on January 18 at the Shivamogga forest head office, from where they will be taken in jeeps to various anti-poaching camps.
There they will stay with the staffers and walk the trails for two hours, taking readings of all the birds sighted. Then on January 19, the teams will be brought back to the forest head office, where they will interact with officials and locals on their observations. Nagaraju said the interesting part of the marathon is that the teams will be spending one hour after the walking in the trail route in a government school with children, sharing their experience and educate the students on birds and their conservation.
Conservationists said that this was a good move as little attention is given to Shivamogga where wildlife is in abundance. This is a start to draw more attention to such places and shift the rush from popular places like Dandeli, Bandipur and Nagarhole tiger reserves.