Srinagar: What began as a small awareness effort about birds has grown into a movement, thanks to the Wildlife Research and Conservation Foundation
For the past nine years, the Wildlife Research and Conservation Foundation, led by conservationist Dr Mehreen Khaleel, has been organising bird walks across Kashmir’s wetlands to educate women about nature, birds, and the importance of conservation.
According to Dr Khaleel, the foundation has trained more than 78 female students in bird identification, habitat study, and conservation practices.
“We are getting a very good response. Over the years, more women have joined birdwatching to learn about the ornithology of Kashmir. Now, we are planning to start similar initiatives in north Kashmir as well,” Dr Khaleel said.
Cutting across the age and gender barriers, Kashmir has witnessed a steady rise in women birdwatchers, with new clubs and informal groups emerging to learn about birds and support the conservation of fragile wetland habitats.
Dr Khaleel, who has worked with several bird-watching clubs earlier, said the idea was to create a trained group of women ornithologists in the Valley.
“For the last two years, we have been conducting regular bird walks to inculcate a sense of responsibility towards nature among women. We actively encourage women to join such initiatives,” she said.
The foundation currently has four founding members and around 25 volunteers who work on bird documentation, habitat preservation and awareness programmes. Women participants are trained in handling equipment such as binoculars and cameras, as well as in understanding bird behaviour, habitat conditions, and threats faced by species.
“Females are good observers. Kashmiri women are doing very well academically and are now stepping out of conventional roles to excel in fields like wildlife conservation,” Dr Khaleel said.
Earlier this month, Jammu and Kashmir’s first exclusive Women Birding Club was also launched, further strengthening women-led conservation efforts.
Members of the club said the initiative aims to empower women in ornithology, promote ethical birdwatching practices, and strengthen biodiversity conservation through inclusive, community-led action.
Wildlife officials have welcomed the growing participation of citizen birders. An official said the expanding network of birdwatchers is helping the Wildlife Department document several bird species that were earlier missing from official records.