The National Zoological Park (NZP), New Delhi, organised the fourth edition of the ‘Butterfly and Dragonfly Walk @ NZP’, including the second walk held during the Big Butterfly Month, and the fifteenth edition of the ‘Sunday Bird Walk @ NZP’ as part of its ongoing efforts to promote citizen participation in biodiversity monitoring, species documentation and wildlife conservation awareness. The walks were conducted from 6:30 AM to 10:30 AM under the expert guidance of Sh. Rohit Sharma, Bird Expert, and Sh. Ramver, Butterfly and Dragonfly Expert, along with dedicated volunteers.

The programme received an enthusiastic response from bird and butterfly enthusiasts, nature lovers, students, wildlife photographers and citizens interested in biodiversity conservation. A total of 15 participants took part in the walks. The event was attended by the Director, National Zoological Park, zoo officials and resource experts, who guided and interacted with the participants throughout the activity.

During the walks, participants documented 47 bird species, with observations of more than 750 individual birds, along with 8 butterfly species, 10 dragonfly species and 5 damselfly species in the walk area. The observations provided valuable field-level information and encouraged participants to actively contribute to biodiversity documentation. The observations highlighted the rich diversity of butterflies and odonates within the National Zoological Park and reinforced the importance of regular field-based biodiversity documentation.

The experts shared valuable insights into the ecology, behaviour and conservation of birds, butterflies and dragonflies, highlighting their important ecological roles as pollinators, natural pest controllers and indicators of ecosystem health. The programme also provided participants with an opportunity to connect with nature, strengthen their species-identification skills and develop a deeper appreciation of biodiversity and wildlife conservation.

Addressing the participants, Dr. Sanjeet Kumar, Director, National Zoological Park, highlighted that such nature walks provide valuable opportunities to strengthen field-identification skills, improve understanding of food webs, contribute to biodiversity documentation and foster a deeper appreciation of wildlife and biodiversity conservation. The programme concluded with an interactive discussion, a participant feedback session and a group photograph with the experts and zoo officials.

Participation in each Sunday Nature Walk is limited to 20–25 participants to ensure a meaningful and high-quality learning experience. Prior registration is mandatory and is accepted on a first-come, first-served basis. Interested participants may register through the designated Google Form, which remains open from Monday to Friday each week. The registration link is available on the official website of the National Zoological Park, New Delhi, and through the ‘NZP Sathi’ mobile application.

Further, the NZP New Delhi, would be celebrating the Wildlife Week 2026 from 2nd October to 8th October 2026. A wide range of educational, awareness and participatory activities will be organised during the week to promote wildlife conservation and encourage greater public participation.

The activities planned during Wildlife Week include: Tree Walk, Birds Walk, Butterfly and Dragonfly Walk, Spider and Insect Walk, Reptile, Amphibian and Molluscs Walk, Keeper’s Talk and Enclosure Enrichment, Clay Modeling Competition, Wildlife Poster Making  Competition, Debate Competition, Essay Writing Competition, Bird Nest Making competition, Bird Feeder Making competition, Leaf Craft competition, Drawing Competition, Treasure hunt Activity, Rangoli Competition, Quiz Competition, Expert Talk,  and Online Photography competition, Online Wildlife Poster Making  Competition & online Quiz Activity will be conducted from 02.10.2026 to 08.10.2026.

Detailed information regarding the competitions and other programmes will be made available on the official website of the National Zoological Park, New Delhi, and through the NZP Sathi mobile application. On the occasion of Wildlife Week, the National Zoological Park has invited school students from government and private schools across Delhi-NCR to participate in the various offline and online activities and competitions.

No fee will be charged for any Wildlife Week activity, walk or competition. Free entry to the National Zoological Park will be provided to all participants of Wildlife Week activities and competitions, along with their school teachers, accompanying staff and parents, from 2nd October to 8th October 2026. In addition, children up to 12 years of age will be provided free entry to the National Zoological Park during these dates as part of the Wildlife Week celebrations. Through these initiatives, the NZP seeks to strengthen public engagement with nature, promote citizen science and biodiversity documentation, and foster greater awareness and participation in wildlife conservation.

*****

VM/GS/SK

(Release ID: 2315634) Visitor Counter : 244