Sikkim naturalists to attend Eaglenest Bird Festival in Arunachal Pradesh

GANGTOK, : Sikkim Art, Culture & Heritage Development Board chairperson Sanjay DilpaliRaion Friday flagged off ateam of naturalists from Sikkim who are invited to attend and participate in the 5^thEaglenest Bird Festival in Arunachal Pradesh.

The delegation from Sikkim consists of youths and naturalistsfrom Dzongu, Rimbiand Dikchu, including prominent butterfly expertsSonamWangchuk Lepcha and SonamPintso Sherpa. The other team members are Janukit Lepcha, Puja BantawaRai, Lakpa Lepcha, Lhendup Lepcha, Mingdup Lepcha, DilipDhakal, and PintsoNamgyalBhutia.

Chief Minister’s OSD Karma Subba and LokSabha MP’s OSD NosangLimboo were present on the occasion.

A press release informs that Eaglenest Bird Festival is one of the biggest bird festivals in India. It has completed foursuccessful editions where the Chief Minister of Arunachal Pradesh PemaKhandu himself waspresent on the second edition.

This time it is the fifth edition being held in Kamengbari under West Kameng District of ArunachalPradesh.

NosangLimboo, another prominent naturalist from Sikkim, has also been invited as a resource person on the final day, February 9, for the festival. He has been attending the festival since its inception at Doimara.

The festival highlights rich bird diversity and habitat of the area and its promotion as a successfuloperation as India’s leading birding destination. It will be attended by naturalists across Indiaalong with the stake holders and students. It will also be attended by the bird tour operators andacademicians.

Such festivals will not only showcase the true example of ecotourism but also encourageconservation at the same time.

The festival promotes Eaglenest Wildlife Sanctuary which is also referred as Eaglenest BirdSanctuary by birders. It has been named after the Red Eagle Division of the Indian Army. Bugunliocichla is a rare bird first discovered in Eaglenest and found only here in the world. Other soughtafterbirds include Ward’s Trogon, Beautiful Nuthatch, Temminck’sTragopan, Wedge-billed Babbler, and hornbills.

Such exchange program for States falling under Eastern Himalayas one of the major biodiversityhotspots in the world will definitely increase awareness in larger scale. Also it will encourage youthsto take stronger steps when it comes to conservation and understanding native nature andenvironment together. It will highlight responsible tourism and proper promotion of the naturalwealth of the region in a sustainable way, the release mentions.