The Bombay Natural History Society (BNHS) demand to change the state bird from green pigeon to forest owlet has been included in the 20-point agenda that will be discussed at the SWB meeting to be held in Mumbai.
However, conservationists and experts have sounded a note of caution. City birder Tarun Balpande and others have launched a signature campaign against the BNHS move. "We will submit a memorandum to chief wildlife warden SK Khetarpal on Monday, opposing the move. Forest owlet is endemic bird so why should it be exposed to threats by declaring it a state bird?" Balpande asked.
"Why only forest owlet? Why not other endemic birds like lesser floricons, great Indian bustards (GIBs) or vultures be named as state birds," Balpande questioned.
Veteran conservationist Gopal Thosar too opposed the idea. "I see no reason to declare forest owlet as the state bird. Bringing the species into limelight will not be worthy. What difference we could make by declaring green pigeon as the state bird? There is no protection and the state bird continues to be poached for meat," remarked Thosar. Read the full report here.
Source: Vijay Pinjarkar, TNN, Nagpur.
