Bangalore was once home to a healthy population of sparrows. Many ornithologists and environmentalists, concerned by the drastic fall in the number of sparrows in the city, now advocate measures to protect the tweeters.
March 20 is special. While there are conservation measures in place to protect large animals like the tiger and the elephant, there are fewer initiatives to save the tiny creatures that have co-habited with human populations, offering diversity and sweet twittering. On March 20, World Sparrow Day will be observed.
Bangalore was once home to a healthy population of sparrows. Many ornithologists and environmentalists, concerned by the drastic fall in the number of sparrows in the city, now advocate measures to protect the tweeters.
Biodiversity Conservation Indian Limited (BCIL) and the Zoo Authority of Karnataka have decided to launch a website, gubbigoodu.in (a sparrow in Kannada is called gubbachi) to create greater awareness of the needs of this little bird that has graced homes and habitats for centuries.
On World Sparrow Day, 10,000 bamboo nests will be distributed, to those wishing to create a space for sparrows in their homes. BCIL director and COO, Krish Murali Eswar, says, “The city is losing wildlife at a rapid pace, and restoring all that is already lost is quite impossible. An effort, however, must be made to nurture what remains. Our campaign is a modest one. It will be aimed at creating greater awareness among the people, so that we can revive the sparrow population in the city.”
He was talking at the launch of the new website on Friday, when sparrow nests are also distributed. The bamboo nests are ready for use. All one has to do is leave some grains in them, and some material that the sparrows can use to make a nest. “Since it is hard for us to reach homes directly, we will be distributing the nests in schools. Anyone wanting a nest can contact our office, the nests will be distributed free of cost,” said Eswar.
Principal chief conservator of forests (wildlife) BK Singh, who was also present at the occasion, said, “This is the beginning of an effort to revive the sparrow population, and we hope to progress through the trial and error method. People could offer us feedback and suggestions for better conservation measures.”
Explaining why the sparrows have been driven out of our urban spaces, member secretary of the Zoo Authority of Karnataka, MN Jaykumar, said, “Traditionally Mangalore tiles were used to make homes. There were kitchen gardens, and people could get grains of lesser quality at cheaper rates for the birds. That was an environment that was friendly to the birds. The more sleek construction that we have today is not very hospitable to birds.
Besides, the increased used of unleaded petrol has caused greater emission of methane nitrate, which kills off insects that the sparrows feed on.”
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