Apr 20,
2019-
Critically
endangered Bengal Florican (Khar Majur) is going extinct at an accelerated rate
in Chitwan National Park, officials say. Bengal Florican is a large terrestrial
omnivorous bird that nests on the ground.
Conservationists
said that the number of the bird has been decreasing due to lack of habitat.
Bed Bahadur Khadka, assistant conservation officer of the park said that 12
Bengal Floricans were found in the eastern sector of Sauraha during the census
of 2011. “Now, we have hardly spotted five Bengal Floricans in Harrabas,
Surungkhola, and Nawalpur areas,” said Khadka.
Besides
CNP, Bengal Floricans are also found in Koshi Tappu Wildlife Reserve,
Shuklaphanta National Park and Bardiya National Park. And like in CNP, the
population of Bengal Florican has been declining at an alarming rate. It is
estimated that there are 100 Bengal Floricans in Nepal. The species was
uplisted from endangered to critically endangered status in the 2007 IUCN Red
List. It is also listed in CITES Appendix I. According to conservationists, the
bird could go extinct from Chitwan if immediate conservation measures are not
taken. “Though the species is on its way to extinction,
no programmes have been launched to conserve the species in the CNP,” said
Khadka.
Published:
20-04-2019 07:59
No comments:
Post a Comment