Guest birds back to their JU winter home

According to the amateur ornithologists, the guest birds have made long journeys before nesting and resting in the campus lakes. Some of them are from farthest corners of cold Siberia and the valleys of Himalayan mountain range.

Traditionally, the lakes inside the JU campus provide them with food, shelter and bird-friendly students and teachers who take great care in protecting the dignity of their winter guests.

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The evergreen campus of JU is also known as the lone full-fledge residential university in the country with a total of 19 big and small lakes and ponds along with bushes, providing safe sanctuary to the guest birds.

Every year, during the winter season, the migratory birds from colder regions, flock to different lakes,haors, bils, and other low-laying water bodies seeking refuge in tropical Bangladesh.

Bird experts said, some 93 percent of the migratory birds, that visited this region, are lesser whistling Duck, a black long throated bird which is known in our country as small Sharali.

Besides this, Pankaori, Heron, Ducks, Kadakhucha and many more unidentified birds come to the campus every year and live on little fishes, insects and snails, the experts added.

Amateur ornithologist, AHM Ali Reza said, nearly 8,000 to 10,000 migratory birds of about 25-30 species would fly into the campus even 5 years ago, but now the number has been reduced to 3,000 to 4,000.

Reza, a lecturer of the Zoology Department of JU, also expressed fear that the birds would not visit the JU campus within next five to six years from now because of ecological unfitness of the lakes, over population, lack of proper security, extreme sound pollution and insensitivity of the authorities.

Experts hope that the evergreen campus could be an attractive tourist spot, if the university authorities took proper measures to make it a real safe paradise for the migratory birds by preserving its natural structures and heritages.

Hundreds of bird-enthusiasts from different parts of the country visit JU campus just to enjoy the panoramic views of the lakes when the guest birds make it their home.

A colorful bird fair is organised every year on the campus to display domestic and guest birds. A large number of visitors attend the fair to enjoy the sublime nature of the creation.

The university authorities have imposed strong restrictions on hunting on the campus but the birds are not yet completely safe from the hungry hunters.

No remarkable attempt was made to protect these birds by any organisation across the country.