Bar-headed geese, some with neck collars, have flocked to the Gharana Wetland Conservation Reserve situated on the international border in the RS Pura sector of Jammu. So far, over 8000 migratory birds have arrived, of which Bar-headed geese number around 5000. Some birds have red coloured bands around their necks with numbers written in white. These may have been collared in foreign countries to monitor their migration patterns. The Jammu and Kashmir government has contacted scientists around the world to find out where the birds may have been collared. Information so far indicates that the bands may have been used in Mongolia or the Qinghai province of China, or possibly in Himachal Pradesh. The Gharana Wetlands are spread over 80 hectares. Earlier, gun roars and shelling from across the border used to scare the birds away. But after the ceasefire of 2003, birds have started arriving again in this facility. Greylag Geese, Common Teal, Pintail, Mallard and Little Cormorant are some of the birds that visit the reserve for a stop-over.
CI is a non-profit, non-commercial portal that aims to facilitate wildlife and nature conservation by providing reliable information and the tools needed to campaign effectively.
