The National Zoological Park (NZP), New Delhi, organised the third ‘Butterfly and Dragonfly Walk @ NZP’ and the 13th ‘Sunday Bird Walk @ NZP’, as part of its ongoing efforts to promote public participation in biodiversity monitoring, documentation of birds, butterflies and dragonflies, and awareness of wildlife conservation. The walks were conducted from 6:45 AM to 10:30 AM today under the expert guidance of Sh. Sanjay Tiwari and Sh. C.B. Maurya, butterfly and dragonfly expert, along with dedicated volunteers.

The programme received an enthusiastic response from bird and butterfly enthusiasts, nature lovers, students, wildlife photographers and citizens interested in biodiversity conservation. A total of 16 participants took part in the walks. The event was attended by the Director, National Zoological Park, zoo officials and resource experts, who guided and interacted with participants throughout the activity. During the walks, participants documented 44 bird species, with observations of more than 700 individual birds, along with 4 butterfly species, one dragonfly and one damselfly species each in the walk area. The relatively lower number of butterflies and dragonflies recorded was attributed to intermittent rainfall.

A notable highlight of the Bird Walk was the presence of more than 300 Painted Storks, which arrived at the National Zoological Park during the second week of August and have begun nesting on trees in and around the pond. Their arrival and nesting are encouraging indicators of the ecological value of the Zoo’s wetland and tree habitats. The nesting activity and breeding behaviour also provide an important opportunity for visitors, interns, volunteers and citizen scientists to observe and better understand natural bird behaviour and breeding ecology.

Sh. C.B. Maurya shared valuable insights into the ecology, behaviour and conservation of birds, butterflies and dragonflies, highlighting their vital ecological roles as pollinators, natural pest controllers and indicators of ecosystem health. The programme provided participants with an opportunity to connect with nature, enhance their species-identification skills and develop a deeper appreciation of biodiversity and its conservation.

Addressing the participants, Dr. Sanjeet Kumar, Director, National Zoological Park, highlighted that such nature walks provide valuable opportunities to strengthen field-identification skills, improve understanding of food webs, contribute to biodiversity documentation and foster a deeper appreciation of wildlife and biodiversity conservation. The programme concluded with an interactive discussion, a participant feedback session and a group photograph with the experts and zoo officials.

Participation in each Sunday Nature Walk is limited to 20–25 participants to ensure a meaningful and high-quality learning experience. Prior registration is mandatory and is accepted on a first-come, first-served basis. Interested participants may register through the designated Google Form, which remains open from Monday to Friday each week. The registration link is available on the official website of the National Zoological Park, New Delhi, and through the “NZP Sathi” mobile application.

The next nature walks—the 3rd ‘Sunday Insect and Spider Walk’ and the 14th ‘Sunday Bird Walk’—are scheduled to be held on Sunday, 20 September 2026.

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