Thursday, June 7, 2012

Sikkim tourism’s new destination: Bird Watching


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.

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