MADURAI: In a first of its kind, a group of environmental enthusiasts spotted more than 40 deer and pugmarks of wild boars during their regular bird watching visit to Nesaneri near Thirumangalam on Sunday.
The bird watching visit was a part of the bird and biodiversity study conducted by Madurai Nature Forum, an NGO.
M Tamil Dasan, a member of the city-based environmental organisation Naanal Nanbargal said, "We spotted deer for the first time during our bird watching visit. Residents of Nesaneri said that they found pugmarks of wild boars the village."
Around 50 varieties of birds were also spotted in the village. During the afternoon bird watching visit to Kalligudi, a village 8km away from Thirumangalam, land birds were spotted in great numbers. White eyed buzzard and coppersmith barbet were also spotted.
V Sharan, a student who joined the bird watching visit said, "Migratory birds such as northern shoveler and northern pink tails were also spotted by our group. Moreover, we were surprised to spot a pair of pranticole, which was a rare sight."
Environmentalists have started the study to check poaching incidents in Nesaneri.
"We will inform the forest department officials to safeguard the deer in the village. Moreover, incidents of rabbit poaching were also reported in Nesaneri," added Dasan.
