Fifty children of Purunabandha village near Rushkulya rookery in Ganjam district of Odisha have taken on the mantle for sparrow protection at their village.
Sparrow protection was started at this village in 2007 by activists of Rushikulya Sea Turtle Protection Committee (RSTPC). Experiments in sparrow conservation including use of various types of artificial nests here have been replicated at several other places in Odisha as well as outside the State. Artificial nests designed by sparrow conservators of Purunabandha are being used in Hyderabad and Visakhapatnam outside the State as well as Banei, Tensa, Rourkela, Athagada, Sonepur, Balugaon in Odisha.
In a bid to motivate young generation to continue with the sparrow conservation efforts, the RSTPC and inhabitants of Purunabandha have selected 50 children of 10 to 12 year age group. Rabindranath Sahu of RSTPC said all these children were too friendly with sparrows as they grew up seeing successful attempts in sparrow conservation at their village. Eight-year-old Jogendra Behera is so close to sparrows that these tiny birds perch on his shoulders when he moves around the village. These children were provided specially-designed earthen artificial nests, which they would hang up at any place of their choice. When sparrows start living in their new artificial nests, these children would be in charge of their protection and feeding.
Priya Sahu (12) said that she is looking forward to the day when some sparrow would come over and start staying in her nest to lay eggs.
“We feel children would surely take active interest in sparrow conservation in competitive spirit,” said Mr Sahu.
Parents of these children are happy that they would get some creative pastime . According to Jogendra, sparrows are livelier, more entertaining and friendly than any toys that children can have. Children and elders of Purunabandha village have realised that artificial nests are major catalysts for sparrow conservation as thatched roofs which were natural dwelling places of sparrows have started to vanish from rural areas.
