Angry calls of the common babbler filled the air in Buddha Jayanti Park located in the heart of Central Ridge Reserve Forest near Dhaula Kuan on Saturday. Curious about the whereabouts of this bird, a group of 17 observant nature enthusiasts carefully surveyed around them as they stood under a canopy of pine trees. Luna Rosenhagen (10) and Tara Rosenhagen (10), siblings from Anand Niketan, were the first to spot the ash brown bird.
This is when walk leader Nikhil John, a senior programme officer at the World Wide Fund for Nature-India’s (WWF India) Environment Education team, started sharing features and traits of the bird.
This group was on a nature trail organised by The Imperial, Janpath, in collaboration with WWF India. Saturday’s walk was the second of the three-part Earth Hour nature trail series—the first walk took place at Lodhi Garden on March 5—planned by the hotel to draw attention towards the environment. Talking about this initiative, Vijay Wanchoo, Senior Executive Vice President and General Manager,
The Imperial, said, “The Imperial always believes that it is important to do things that add value in every way. Delhi is a wonderful place. There are so many areas to visit and experience nature. Despite that, it is strange that many people in Delhi, including me, don’t know much about the historical and environmental importance of such spots. We want to tell everyone that one needs to sustain the heritage and the nature.”
In the lap of nature
This walk commenced early in the morning with John distributing a few pairs of binoculars among the participants. A quick round of introduction followed, post which John led the group through the Park. On identifying important species together, John shared significant information about the same with the attendees. They spotted many birds at the Park including the Egyptian vulture, coppersmith barbet, bulbul, yellow-footed green pigeon, Oriental magpie-robin, hornbill, among others.
John also addressed many misconceptions about the animal kingdom, and how humans treat animals. From busting myths about snakes being dangerous to why one must not feed the birds—feeding birds or animals alters their natural behavior, and impacts their ability to hunt for food—the walk proved to be a rich, educational experience for adults and kids alike.
Addressing the importance of such nature trails, Johnshared, “Delhi is a rich haven of biodiversity. Unfortunately, there is a lack of awareness about the same. WWF India’s trails are an opportunity for participants to dive into the world of flora and fauna, and unravel their mysteries. ” Raja Rosenhagen, who joined the walk with his family, concluded, “The walk was great. We learnt a lot about indigenous birds and trees, pollination and other natural processes. We would love to do this again.”
CHECK IT OUT
WHAT: Earth Hour Nature trail
WHEN: March 26; 7:30am to 8:30am
WHERE: Sunder Nursery, Nizamuddin