Sikkim: 5 day long training on Bird Watching Guiding held

Gangtok, 31 May, 2012:

Realizing the high demand of bird watching guides in the tourism sector, the Sikkim Biodiversity Conservation and Forest Management Project (SBFP) assisted by JICA organized a five day residential training programme on bird watching guiding at Okherey, West Sikkim from 22 May to 27 May.

The training had a total of 30 participants (unemployed youth) belonging to village clusters of Hee Gaon, Dzongu, Kitam, Pakyong, Fambongla Ribdi, Sombaria and Okherey . The training was delivered as a part of the capacity building of the villages chosen under the SBFP- JICA assisted project. The resource persons were invited from WWF- India, Wild life Institute of India, Sikkim Ornithological Society and the National Eco Tourism Consultant of the SBFP project. It was coordinated by the Eco Tourism Marketing Cell of the project.

An elaborate practical class on the field guides was provided to all the participants along with theory classes held at Sherpa Bhavan Okherey. The training ended with a two day trek to Barsey Rhododendron Sanctuary in which participants had a garbage collection competition.

It was ended formally on the 27th of April with the distribution of bird books and training certificate by the DFO ( Eco Tourism ) Dr. S Anbalagan .

This is the first set of trainings which will also be imparted throughout Sikkim to build the capacity of local stakeholders in guiding, home stays, trekking, bird watching etc.
SOURCE:http://isikkim.com/

Sikkim tourism’s new destination: Bird Watching

Sikkim Mail

Devika Gurung

GANGTOK: January 11, 2012

Sikkim being rich in flora and fauna including birdlife with 550species of birds (which is regarded well in terms of variety) has proved to be one of the major hotspots for ornithology. Lately the group ‘Sikkim Birds’ on a social networking site has been gathering much attention from bird lovers and avid bird watchers. The group with 638 members (both locals and non-locals) has become a learning platform for those interested in birds, bird watching and bird photography.

The not much talked ‘Sikkim Ornithological Society’ (SOS) is also slowly gaining public interest through this social group. Founded by K.C Pradhan, the Chief Patron of SOS, the society was registered in the year 2006. The basic objectives of the society was to provide a whole new platform for people interested in ornithology along with ecological conservation and also to introduce a whole new product for eco-tourism.

During a brief interaction with Sikkim Mail, SOS President, Karma P. Takapa states, “bird watching is like an art, it’s an inborn talent. One can only love to do so if they are born with it”. It’s good not only for the bird lovers, but even for those interested in being birding guides. “The before catapult hunters have now become conservationists as they have a good knowledge of birds”, he added.

SOS has also made helpful brochures on ‘Common Birds in Sikkim.’ It has organized programmes in schools in West Sikkim region, regarding Sikkim birds and has recently organized bird walks at Tashi Viewpoint and Raj Bhawan Area (an initiative of Lukendra Rasaily, a member of SOS), Takapa acquainted. During bird walks one can not only watch a variety of birds but also learn and share their knowledge about the subject with each other.

As per Takapa, Chewang Bonpo is the best birding guide in the state right now who has been leading birding groups independently in and outside the state. Further he informed that one can make bird guide as their main source of livelihood if he/ she is interested and has sufficient knowledge about birds as they are better paid than the tourist guides.

SOS is not much known in the state, therefore it intends to reach to more people in the coming years and also make small but prominent impacts in the society/ environment as a whole. Presently, SOS aims to make the society available to the younger generations. Speaking about the future prospects of the society Takapa informs that instead of choosing schools to participate, SOS plans to write to the schools in the state inviting them to the orientation programme and also to organize bird walks for the interested schools. If this becomes successful then the society also plans to set up Bird Clubs in the respective schools, he concluded.

Source: http://isikkim.com/2012-01-sikkim-tourisms-new-destination-bird-watching-12-02/