Excelsior Correspondent
SRINAGAR, MAY 16: Emphasizing the critical role of birds in maintaining ecological balance and addressing the emerging climate challenges, Minister for Agriculture Production, Rural Development and Panchayati Raj, Cooperative and Election Department, Javid Ahmad Dar, today said that avian conservation is indispensable for sustaining biodiversity, ensuring ecosystem stability and strengthening the climate resilience in fragile regions like Jammu and Kashmir.
The Minister was addressing the valedictory function of the National Symposium on Avian Biology organized at Sher-e-Kashmir University of Agricultural Sciences and Technology (SKUAST)-Kashmir, where he attended as the chief guest.
Addressing a distinguished gathering of scientists, conservationists, researchers and students from across the country, the Minister highlighted Jammu and Kashmir’s extraordinary avian wealth, noting that the Union Territory hosts nearly 600 recorded bird species across its wetlands, forests, alpine habitats and riverine ecosystems. He said several of these species are rare, migratory and habitat-sensitive, making the region one of India’s most significant biodiversity hotspots.
“Birds are not merely components of our natural heritage; they are essential indicators of environmental health and play a foundational role in sustaining ecosystems through pollination, seed dispersal, pest regulation, scavenging and nutrient cycling,” the Minister said.
He observed that avian species serve as natural sentinels of environmental change, with shifts in bird populations often providing early warning signals of habitat degradation, climate disruption and ecological imbalance.
Among the distinguished dignitaries present on the occasion were Professor Nazir Ahmad Ganai, Vice-Chancellor SKUAST-Kashmir,
Dr. Khursheed Ahmad, Professor L. S. Shashidhara, Director NCBS Bangalore, Professor Anand S. Dixit, President AABI besides eminent scientists, researchers and students from various institutions across the country.
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