Preparations are on to celebrate a weeklong “Migratory Bird Festival” from February 1 to 8 in Koshi Tappu Wildlife Reserve, which is a globally renowned wetland in east Nepal, an announcement said Friday.
As informed by Nepal Tourism Board (NTB) in a press meet, the festival will be the fourth in its series.
“The main objective of the festival is to promote Koshi Tappu as a wetland conservation and eco-tourism destination in Nepal, ” said Subash Niraula, Director of Tourism Products and Resources’ Department at the NTB.
As much as 465 species of birds are found in Koshi Tappu. Of the total birds, 190 are wetland dependent. Resident species of the site number around 176.
Almost 37 species of birds migrate to the site in summer and 165 species of birds land in the site in winter. In addition, nearly 60 species of birds choose the route for migration to other destinations.
The Reserve also offers a view of 17 species of birds, which are on the verge of extinction. Some of them include Swamp Partridge, Lesser Adjutant Strok, White-rumped and Slender Billed Vulture and Bengal Florican, among others.
The NTB itself and the Department of National Parks and Wildlife Conservation (DNPWC) are the promoters of the event. The Fourth Koshi Tappu Bird Festival Organizing Committee and Aqua Birds Unlimited Camp Pvt. Ltd (ABUC) are the co-organizers of the festival.
ABUC has plans to offer special discount packages and incentives to domestic as well as foreign tourists throughout the festival, according to the organisers.
Koshi Tappu is the first Ramsar site of Nepal.