KOZHIKODE: A peninsular bay owl has been spotted for the first time in Aralam Wildlife sanctuary in Kannur during the three-day annual bird survey conducted here by forest and wildlife department in association with Malabar natural history society. Around 148 varieties of birds were found in its 17th edition.
“Now, the number of bird varieties in Aralam has risen to 241,” said P. Pramod, ornithologist at Dr Salim Ali Centre for Ornithology and Natural History, Coimbatore who took part in the survey. As many as 80 ornithologists from different parts of the country camped at different locations in the sanctuary from March 11 to identify the birds.
Aralam has the unique distinction of conducting this survey continuously for past 17 years, says K. Jyothiprakash, Aralam wildlife warden. Noted ornithologists such as Dr Jafar Palot (Zoological Survey of India, Kozhikode), Sasidharan Manekara, Deputy Chief Conservator of forests, K.V Uthaman and Sathyan Meppayur were part of the team.
