World Sparrow Day: Conservation Efforts Gradually Take Roots In Odisha

Bhubaneswar: People all over the world are now missing the sweet chirping of tiny sparrows, an important player in the eco system, as they are doing a vanishing act for a host of reasons.

To encourage its conservation, World Sparrow Day is being celebrated on March 20 every year since 2010. Loss of natural habitats like diminishing thatched houses and low bushes are blamed major reasons for their declining population.

Significantly, conservation efforts by some organisations and individuals have tasted success in parts of Odisha’s Ganjam and other districts.

Rabindranath Sahu, a resident of Berhampur, who has long been working for conservation of sparrows and Olive Ridley turtles, claimed that his efforts of sparrow conservation is gradually succeeding in some parts of the state. Apart from Sahu, many other youths are engaged in sparrow conservation.

“Sparrows once used to be ubiquitous ones all over the world. Earlier, they were found chirping together on thatched rooftops and other structures in villages and towns. Sadly, their number has dwindled to almost extinction in most parts of the state as well as the world as concrete houses are replacing the thatched units. The bird has no habitat,” Sahu lamented.

Sahu along with others are fixing artificial nests made of wood and clay at people’s houses and suitable places in Ganjam. His sparrow conservation effort is not confined to Ganjam only. The sparrow conservation activities are being carried in nine other districts in Odisha.

The sparrow conservation has got remarkable success at Gunthabandh  village of Dakhinapur panchayat under Kukudakhandi block on the outskirts of Berhemapur city. Scores of artificial nests have been fixed at concrete houses and trees. This has helped sparrows to increase their population and the village has been recognised as ‘Gharachatia(sparrow) Prabasi Grama.’

For Sahu’s conservation efforts and awareness campaign, he has been awarded in 2015 by a Mumbai-based organisation Nature Forver Society.

Sahu is of the view that individuals, government agencies and scientific communities should join hands for conservation measures to save the birds from vanishing from the scene. Efforts should be taken to increase public understanding of the value and need for conserving sparrows for betterment of the ecosystem.

Notably, Mohammed Dilawar is said to be the first Indian conservationist who founded Nature Forever Society in 2008 and launched the sparrow conservation drive.