PANJIM: Goa Tourism’s ambitious plans to promote Goa as a leading destination for ornithologists and bird lovers from across the world, took off on Thursday, with the launch of the first of its kind book on “Birds of Goa”.
The book, authored by Bikram Grewal, is a ground-breaking photographic field guide to birds found in the State.
According to GTDC, the book will cover the entire 400-odd birds found in Goa and the distinct sub-species and contains over 480 colour photographs.
The book launch comes close on the heels of Goa Tourism tying up with Bird Institute of Goa, an autonomous society, to promote ornithological interest in the State. Bird tourism will help Goa build birding trails and provide information to bird lovers. The book will hit the stands soon.
Tourism Minister Dilip Parulekar, speaking at the launch said, “Avi-tourism is expected to attract high end tourists and bird lovers from all over the world to its bird’s hot-spots scattered across the State.” He said that Goa is also expected to be prominently featured as a Bird Watchers Paradise on the global map.
GTDC Chairman Nilesh Cabral said that Goa has great potential for avi-tourism then is currently being realized. “Goa offers perfect setting for ornithologists and bird watchers which would include fanatics for the highly specialised ones and those who are into it as a hobby,” he said.
The pictures in the book come from 68 of the best wildlife photographers from India and rest of the world. Legendary wildlife lensmen like Niranjan Sant, Gururaj Moorching, Sumit Sen, Clement Francis, Nikhil Devasar, Sarwandeep Singh, Nitin Srinivasmurthy and Ramki Sreenivasan have contributed to the book.
The photographs are taken from 40 different locations in Goa like Chorla Ghat, St Inez, Pilerne, Alto-Porvorim, Batim, Cotigao Wildlife Santuary, Shiroda, Shirgao, Margao, Baga, Arrossim Beach, Bondla, Tambdi Surla and Carambolim lake.
