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Birds find safe haven amidst a busy trading centre

Photo: Lingaraj Panda

Unique coexistence: Flocks of cattle egret and little cormorant nest at a tree in the heart of Gopa Chowk in Kendrapada district on Friday. —

Kendrapara: For the 30-something small time traders at Gopa Chhak on the outskirt of this coastal town of Kendrapara, conserving birds has become a newfound pastime. Slowly it has turned to a passion with chirpy cacophony of winged species making these petty traders animal friendly.

With the business being lean for most part of the year in the face of cutthroat competition, the shop-owners have found a novel way to while away time. Hundreds of birds especially cattle egret and little cormorant have found safe haven in the busy market place amidst their ‘protectors’.

Perched on two trees, these birds spend six months. They come around in the last week of April every year and leave the place by October.

During the six-month-stay, these birds lay egg, rear little ones and teach them to fly. While a life cycle progresses in the two trees the traders happily play the role of observers and ensure that no hunter comes nearer to these trees.

“We have made it a point that the birds are not disturbed. We don’t get any economic benefit for the conservation of birds. But these birds are harmless. Why should we be harmful to them?” Hemant Kumar Senapati says. He elaborates every trader at Gopa Chhak know their duty when an infant bird falls from the nest. Without anybody’s help, eggs or infant birds are safely placed on either of the two trees, Mr. Senapati says.

It is not that presence of large number of birds in small place never irritates these businessmen. People often fear to come under these trees since there is every chance of bird droppings falling on them. Moreover, due to stinking of droppings the customers don’t spend much time near the place that ultimately hampers the business.

“It does not matter. When we have learnt to live with these birds why should others have any reservation? We never get irritated when people keep asking for water to wash droppings on their bodies. This is unique co-existence and we are enjoying it,” says Pravat Jena, secretary of Sitaram Banika Sangha.

These traders have made unwritten provision to fine a person if he attempts to kill birds or steal their eggs. An imposition of penalty on a person a couple of years ago had become a forewarning for others. While cattle egret (Bubulcus ibis) is a cosmopolitan species of heron are found in the tropics, subtropics and warm temperate zones, the little cormorant (Phalacrocorax niger) is a member of the cormorant family of seabirds that breeds in tropical south Asia. The attraction for these birds to Gopa Chhak is good fish resource and guarantee of safety.

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