World Migratory Bird Day 2021 Oct Event – Bangladesh (Bangladesh Spoon-billed Sandpiper Conservation Project)

©️ Bangladesh Spoon-billed Sandpiper Conservation Project/BSCP

Event Title:

Shorebird conservation campaign

Event date: 27-28 October, 2021

Event Site: Sonadia Island, Cox’s Bazar, Bangladesh and at Bashkhali, Chittagong, Bangladesh

Organizer:

Bangladesh Spoon-billed Sandpiper Conservation Project

Participants:

Around 350 students and 14 teachers

Summary:

©️ Bangladesh Spoon-billed Sandpiper Conservation Project/BSCP

To motivate and aware people and the local community, Bangladesh Spoon-billed Sandpiper Conservation Project (BSCP hereafter) has been organizing small to large-scale awareness campaigns. Celebrating World Migratory Bird Day (WMBD) is one of them. Under their regular conservation activity programme, this year BSCP organized two WMBD events at local schools at Sonadia Island, Cox’s Bazar, Bangladesh and at Bashkhali, Chittagong, Bangladesh. Sonadia is an EAAFP Flyway Network Site and one of the main wintering grounds of the Spoon-billed Sandpiper. Where up to 25 Spoon-billed Sandpiper were recorded in recent years along with other threatened shorebirds. Bashkhali is a newly discovered site supporting four Spoon-billed Sandpiper, 30 Nordman’s Greenshank and 100 Great Knots along with other thousands of shorebirds. Due to COVID-19 and some logistic issues we celebrated the WMBD on a delayed date. On 27 October 2021 we celebrated at Poschim Gondamara Ideal High School at Bashkhali and On 28 October 2021 at Ghotivanga High School on Sonadia Island, Cox’s Bazar. Around 350 students of different classes and 14 teachers were reached out through these two events.

The Organizers and reserachers delivered speech on migratory birds, shorebirds with special focus on Spoon-billed Sandpiper, their importance and threats. Participants were also informed about the importance of the coastal wetland, mudflat, shorebird diversity of their locality considering national and international aspects. Some local school teachers also delivered speech on the importance of birds and a healthy environment for humankind.

Informative leaflets and t-shirts with Spoon-billed Sandpiper as a flagship species were distributed among 350 students and 14 teachers. After the speech delivery session, a quiz competition was held. Competitive groups are divided into two major groups: a) primary students and b) secondary students. Quiz questions were focused on shorebird conservation.

A total of 30 winners were rewarded with educational materials such as school bags, wildlife conservation-related books and painting materials.

Outcome:

Through the educational programme students, teachers and local people are now aware of the role of coastal wetlands, shorebirds, and their importance for human use. Positive attitude and responses from the participants suggested that key conservation messages motivated them and they may play a role in bird conservation at their locality where globally threatened shorebird occur including the critically endangered Spoon-billed Sandpiper, endangered Nordmann’s Greenshank and Great Knot.

Check the event photos [here]

Bangladesh Spoon-billed Sandpiper Conservation Project (BSCP hereafter) was formed in 2009. Since then, BSCP has been working in Bangladesh Shorebird research and conservation focusing on critically endangered Spoon-billed Sandpiper. BSCP already conducted some pioneering activities in Bangladesh.

Prepared by Bangladesh Spoon-billed Sandpiper Conservation Project

News