Srinagar, Feb 17 (IANS): Wetlands Division Kashmir of Wildlife Protection Department started the census of Migratory Birds besides other endemic birds living in the Valley wetlands.

The participants from Kashmir University, SKUAST-K, World Wildlife Fund, Wildlife Conservation Fund, School for Rural Development and Environment, WUCMA, Kashmir Bird Watchers Club, Wildlife SOS, Volunteers and freelancers are taking part in the census.

An orientation programme was conducted at Camping ground Hokersar Srinagar to inculcate the census techniques amongst the participants.

The programme is aimed to identify the current status of 13 valley Wetlands including Hokersar, Mirgund, Narkara, Hygam, Badi Nambal, Shallabugh, Anchar, Dal Lake, Wullar Lake, Chatlum, Kranchoo, Manibugh and Freshkori Wetland which harbour sizeable number of Migratory birds and to check the population fluctuation of these birds during Winter migration, besides involving locals in conservation and preservation of these Wetlands.

The Wildlife Warden, Wetlands Division, Kashmir, Ifshan Deewani said that coordinated effort by the Department of Wildlife Protection to conduct the AWC this year will go a long way in establishing the numbers of various water birds particularly the migratory waterfowl that visit the wetlands of the valley during winter months .

She said that this procedure is going to be an annual event, henceforth and will help in creating a sound data base of the winter waterfowl population in the Valley wetlands.