Mandya: Pakshi Mitra – nature education programme at Ranganathittu Bird Sanctuary is emerging as a key initiative to build environmental awareness and conservation values among schoolchildren.Conceptualised by forest minister Eshwar Khandre, the programme aims to inspire children to understand and protect birds and their habitats. Through interactive learning and direct exposure to nature, it encourages students to develop a sense of responsibility for biodiversity conservation.Under the programme, the forest department arranges visits for govt school students from classes 5 to 10. Special buses transport children from different parts of the region to the sanctuary. Each batch includes up to 50 students, who arrive in the morning and return by late afternoon. During the session, they also take an oath to protect birds and their nests.Speaking to Times of India, IB Prabhu Gowda, deputy conservator of forests (wildlife), said the idea was conceived during the forest minister’s visit to the sanctuary in Nov. “When the minister visited the bird sanctuary in Nov, he suggested launching a programme to involve schoolchildren in conservation. We immediately implemented the idea,” he said. Since its launch, the initiative has attracted more than 1,200 students, he stated.During the day-long programme, students explore the sanctuary, home to several resident and migratory bird species. Forest officials and conservation experts guide them through bird-watching, nature walks and discussions on bird behaviour, nesting patterns and the ecological importance of wetlands. To assess learning, students take a simple test on arrival and another before leaving, he said.Officials note that although many children initially know little about birds, their understanding improves significantly by the end of the programme. They believe that introducing conservation early will help build a generation more aware of environmental challenges. By experiencing the ecological richness of Ranganathittu, students are encouraged to become ambassadors for bird conservation within their communities, they stated.
