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Gujarat has three other designated wetlands of international importance—Nal Sarovar Bird Sanctuary Thol Wildlife Sanctuary in the Ahmedabad district and Wadhwana Wetland in the Vadodara district. “It is a matter of pride for us that Khijadia has been attracting international migratory birds in such big numbers,” DCF Parsana said.
The population estimation exercise is the third such event in the history of the state after those undertaken in 2003-04 and 2016-17.
Nal Sarovar Bird Sanctuary and Thol Wildlife Sanctuary in Ahmedabad district, Khijadiya Birds Sanctuary in Jamnagar district and Wadhwana lake in Vadodara district are the four Ramsar sites in Gujarat currently.
N the second phase, a second count will be conducted at wetlands where more than 2,000 birds were found in the first count or the wetlands spread over more than 20 hectare.
The Bird Conservation Society of Gujarat (BCSG) will organise the ‘Bird Race’ in the state on January 7, 2024. About 200 bird-watchers will cover all 38 ecological zones in the state. In January 2023, bird-watchers had sighted 343 bird species in a single-day event in 30 districts. In January 2022, 356 unique species of birds had been sighted in the state in a single day. Organisers said around 200 bird-watchers are expected to participate in the exercise in January and they will be divided into 38 teams. Each team will be paid Rs 2,000 to cover their travelling costs.