Aum kinnaur

Nature | Learning | Himalayas
Here at AUM, we run eco-literacy programs in Kinnaur🌲
Advocating sustainable ways of living.
#in_a_sustainable_way

[Aum kinnaur @AumKinnaur]

About Aum.
#kinnaur

[Sudhakar Udumula @sudhakarudumula]

Mining stops for a month in Vikarabad to save an Indian Eagle-Owl nest

What started as a simple birdwatching trip to the Yenkatala Grasslands quickly turned into an unexpected rescue effort. Birders Manoj Kumar Vittapu and Shreeniwas Kandukuree were exploring off-road trails when a JCB driver at a nearby stone quarry waved them down. He pointed them to a large bird resting on the cliff edge. As it took off, they noticed something alarming five eggs lying exposed on the bare rock, just a few metres from active mining machinery.

The bird was an Indian Eagle-Owl (Rock Eagle Owl), a nocturnal raptor that prefers nesting on rocky cliffs and scrub forests. With machines operating so close, the nest was at real risk of being disturbed or even destroyed.

The birders immediately worked with the JCB driver to keep all machines away from the area and quickly alerted the Forest Department. The response was prompt. DFO G. Gnaneshwar and PCCF C. Suvarna instructed their team to reach the site. Forest Section Officer Inayath Ali and Beat Officer Mahesh trekked along the quarry ridge and confirmed the eggs’ location.

In an encouraging example of on-ground conservation, the quarry contractor, Laxma Reddy, decided to fully cooperate. Even though his quarry operates legally on revenue land, he agreed to stop all mining activity for the next 30–35 days long enough for the eggs to hatch and the chicks to grow strong enough to disperse safely.

This entire incident is a reminder of a larger issue: landscapes like Yenkatala’s scrubby rocky terrains are often dismissed as “wastelands,” when in fact they support species that rely on them for survival. The Indian Eagle-Owl, a protected bird and an important natural pest controller, is one of them.

The credit for this rescue goes to everyone involved the JCB driver who noticed something was wrong, the birders who stepped in at the right time, and the quarry management who chose conservation over continued work.

[Mahesh Negi Ronseru @mahesh_ronseru]

Earlier this year, we celebrated Kinnaur’s first-ever Snow Leopard Day with our local communities.
nd now, a rare sighting near Kafnu 2,400 m among the lowest elevations ever recorded here.
Moments like this remind us how little we truly know about their movement.

#SnowLeopard

[Aum kinnaur @AumKinnaur]

Check Thread

[Aum kinnaur @AumKinnaur]

Media

Today, we mark Kinnaur’s first Snow Leopard Day, closing with the International Day of Snow Leopard on October 23.

This celebration marks a step towards building awareness about the existence of these majestic creatures
#snowleapordday

[Aum kinnaur @AumKinnaur]

Kinnaur marks its first-ever Snow Leopard Day, closing with the International Day of Snow Leopard! 🐾
A community-led effort by Aum Kinnaur, Zed.Tells, NCF, Forest Dept & villages of Hango, Hangmat, Nako & Maling celebrating coexistence & conservation.

[Aum kinnaur @AumKinnaur]

Kinnaur marks its first-ever Snow Leopard Day, closing with the International Day of Snow Leopard! 🐾
A community-led effort by Aum Kinnaur, Zed.Tells, NCF, Forest Dept & villages of Hango, Hangmat, Nako & Maling celebrating coexistence & conservation.

[Aum kinnaur @AumKinnaur]

#Thread

[Aum kinnaur @AumKinnaur]

@DCKinnaur

[Aum kinnaur @AumKinnaur]

आज 10 मई 2025 को किन्नौर में जिला प्रशासन, वन विभाग और लिटिल एंजेल्स पब्लिक स्कूल, रिकांगपिओ के सहयोग से ‘AUM’ संगठन के नेतृत्व में हिमालयन बर्ड काउंट सफलतापूर्वक आयोजित किया गया।
.
.
.
#kinnaur #aumkinnaur #globalbigday #himalayanbirding

[Aum kinnaur @AumKinnaur]

बर्ड वॉक के दौरान प्रतिभागियों ने पक्षी अवलोकन की मूल बातें सीखीं और उन्हें पक्षियों के सामने आने वाली चुनौतियों और उनके महत्व के बारे में बताया गया। यह आयोजन युवाओं को प्रकृति और संरक्षण से जोड़ने का एक महत्वपूर्ण प्रयास था।

[Aum kinnaur @AumKinnaur]

इस कार्यक्रम में किन्नौर के 46 छात्रों और युवाओं ने भाग लिया, जिसका उद्देश्य युवाओं को किन्नौर की जैव विविधता, पक्षियों और पारिस्थितिकी तंत्र के बारे में जागरूक करना था।

[Wild Kinnaur @wild_kinnaur]

Our community-led Bird Count Kinnaur was a wonderful experience once again. It was inspiring to see new birders give their time and enthusiasm.
One of the finest moments of the day was witnessing a Green-winged Teal in flight, with an Ibisbill flying alongside it for an moment

[Aum kinnaur @AumKinnaur]

Print media - GBBC - Kinnaur, Himachal Pradesh
Courtesy- Amar ujala and Punjab kesari

[Aum kinnaur @AumKinnaur]

You can join us for upcoming events.
.
Special thanks to our collaborating partners: @zed.tells , Department of Science and Technology and the Kinnaur District Administration Forest Department Kinnaur
@ncf.india for providing Pocket guide Ashwin for live Session @Team_eBird

[Aum kinnaur @AumKinnaur]

On February 16, 2025, we celebrated the Great Backyard Bird Count (GBBC) and held Kinnaur’s first community-led bird count. It aims to connect the local community and young people with wildlife and conservation, promoting wildlife conservation in our own backyards