NEWS

In a conservation effort to monitor seasonal fluctuations in birds’ movements, the ringing of oriental darters has been taken up in the Keoladeo National Park after a gap of 22 years.

ORIENTAL DARTERS

• Classified as “near-threatened” by the International Union for Conservation of Nature.
• Water bird of tropical South Asia
• Taxonomically named as Anhinga melanogaster
• Has a long and slender neck which looks like a snake when it swims and dives into water to catch a fish
• Sharp and long beak is helpful in puncturing the fish which it brings out of water to toss it up in air and swallow it
• Hunts for fish while its body is submerged in the water.
• Availability of fish of the same size for a longer period causes the bird to stay at one lake.
• Found perched on a rock or a tree branch for drying its wettable feathers.

ABOUT KEOLADEO NATIONAL PARK

• Also called as Bharatpur bird sanctuary
• Located in Bharatpur district, the eastern part of Rajasthan.
• Spread over nearly 30 sq.km which comprises many artificial and seasonal lagoons.
• Attracts several migratory birds that make the region their breeding and wintering grounds.
• UNESCO World Heritage and also a Ramsar site.
• The Siberian crane is one of the rare species that was spotted here till about the turn of the century.
• Habitat for nearly 365 species of birds, including raptors and waterfowls.
• Animal such as Jackals, Sambar, Nilgai, wild cats, hyenas, wild boar, porcupine and mongoose can be found in the region.