Srinagar– An well-known bird professional photographer from Bangalore has actually recorded Western Tragopan—a worldwide threatened types of birds in the Kashmir Himalayas, much to the enjoyment of bird watchers and wildlife lovers.
The extremely evasive bird Western Tragopan (Tragopan melanocephalus) is a very uncommon and susceptible bird on the planet.
The bird was recorded by Jainy Maria and Mudasir Manzoor, a Wildlife Guide and professional photographer, in a regional wildlife sanctuary after 10 days of extreme search, an authorities of wildlife department informed Kashmir Observer.
Western tragopan is a medium-sized vibrantly plumed pheasant discovered along the western Himalayas from northwestern Pakistan through Jammu and Kashmir into Himachal Pradesh and perhaps the western parts of Uttarakhand.
“The bird is not critically endangered but globally threatened,” Wildlife Warden, Shopian department, Intisar Suhail informed Kashmir Observer.
The present population, according to a research study, of the types is reported to be in between 2500 and 3500 people, below around 5,000 approximated in earlier research studies.
However, the bird watchers and wildlife lovers have actually revealed their issue fearing poaching of the bird.
“We haven’t shared the location of the bird owing to the poaching threats,” said Mudasir Maqbool, who was accompanying Maria.
Kashmir Birdwatch, a regional bird-watching club in the valley said that it is the very first pictorial proof of the western tragopan in the valley.
“Delighted to share the first pictorial evidence of the western tragopan from Jammu and Kashmir,” a post by the group kept in mind.
Suhail, who is likewise among the co-founders of Kashmir Birdwatch, said that it is an uncommon sighting however the bird was already here.
“We knew the bird was here but had no photographic evidence so its presence is now confirmed,” Suhail said, including “we can’t share the location of the bird as the poacher will go after it,”
The significance of the Tragopan, Suhail said, is that the bird is extremely vibrant and attractive. “It is a very shy bird who doesn’t come out usually and is found in western Himalayas only” he included.
Western Himalayas are infected Pakistan and northern India that includes Kashmir.
An authorities from the wildlife department informed Kashmir Observer that the department was preparing for a long period of time to get photographic proof of the bird and they did it lastly with the help of Jainy Maria.
According to a research study carried out by a group of researchers and wildlife specialists, there is an immediate requirement to prepare long-lasting tracking and start proper steps to save the types.
The research study entitled as “Distribution and Conservation Status of the Western Tragopan Tragopan melanocephalus in Jammu and Kashmir, India” exposes that the significant factors for its international decrease are environment destruction is animals grazing, fuel wood collection, disruption by grazers and mushroom collectors, hunting and trapping for meat.
The research study even more kept in mind that in J&K, traditionally, western tragopan has actually been reported from Rampur, Uri, Keran and Lolab locations, and likewise the southern slopes of the Pir Panjal Range.
Records of western tragopan have actually likewise been obtained from Kishtwar (part of which is now the Kishtwar National Park (NP), Padder and Bhaderwah, which fall in the Chenab Valley of the UT.
The research study likewise kept in mind that J&K is among the fortress for the types.
“The modelling of habitat also showed that there is a reasonably good po- tential tragopan habitat in the state, although its presence needs to be confirmed through field surveys.”
