Ground bird census begins at Vedaranyam Wildlife Sanctuary

A ground bird census organised by the Tamil Nadu Forest Department under the Nagapattinam Wildlife Division and Vedaranyam Range began at 7 a.m. on Saturday at the Vedaranyam Wildlife Sanctuary.

About 60 participants, including professors and students from the Department of Environmental and Herbal Sciences of Tamil University, Thanjavur, teachers and students of Government Higher Secondary School, Kodiyakarai, researchers from the Bombay Natural History Society (BNHS), volunteers of CREED, and Forest Department officials, took part in the exercise.

Vedaranyam Range Officer Joseph Daniel inaugurated the census while divisional biologist Dr. Arivu coordinated the exercise.

The census is being carried out across 10 transects within the sanctuary. Officials said the current season is suitable for documenting both resident and migratory ground-dwelling bird species.