A faunal survey of birds, butterflies and odonates conducted in the Vazhachal reserve forests in Thrissur has yielded several interesting finds.
The four-day exercise jointly organised by the Forest department and various non-governmental organisations, including the Thiruvananthapuram-based Travancore Natural History Society (TNHS), recorded nearly 400 species.
As many as 138 species of birds were spotted during the survey. Twelve teams, comprising researchers and forest personnel, participated in the scientific exercise that covered all the major habitats and elevations in the region. The State bird, the Great Indian Hornbill, was recorded in all of the low to mid elevation camps, indicating a healthy population in the region.
