Srinagar, Jan 4: On the eve of National Bird Day, the Wildlife Conservation Fund (WCF), in collaboration with the Kashmir Birdwatchers’ Club (KBC) and The Nature Academy – YPJK, launched Jammu & Kashmir’s first Women Birding Club, Salim Ali Birdwatchers’ Network (SABN) at Chatlam Wetland Reserve, Pampore.
The initiative aims to empower women in ornithology, ethical birdwatching, and biodiversity conservation, strengthening inclusive, community-led conservation across the region. The launch coincided with a 1-Day Certificate Course titled “Basic Ornithology: From Birdwatching to Bird Science”, attended by students, teachers, professionals, conservation volunteers, and nature enthusiasts, said a press release.
Sessions focused on wetland birds of Kashmir, bird identification, behaviour, ethical practices, and hands-on field learning. Launching the J&K’s first women birding club from Pampore, Kashmir’s Saffron Town, symbolises the integration of cultural heritage with ecological stewardship. The session led by the national bird experts Parvish Pandya, from Sanctuary Nature Foundation, Mumbai, Parvaiz Yousuf, from James Cook University, Australia, Ghulam Mohd Dar, a local resident with an abundance of knowledge about birds in Kashmiri parlance, and the team of the Department of Wildlife Protection, who shared the valuable information, insights and indepth knowledge throughout the session. The participants also got an opportunity for a field visit and birding to connect the classroom with nature and convert the knowledge and information sought during the session into applied knowledge in order to get more clarity and hands-on learning.