July 24
Shimla/Kinnaur: In a first for Himachal Pradesh, the Yellow-footed Green Pigeon (Treron phoenicopterus) has been recorded at an altitude of nearly 3,400 metres in the Rakchham–Chitkul Wildlife Sanctuary of Kinnaur. The sighting, made by Block Forest Officer Santosh Kumar Thakur and Van Mitra Alpna Negi, is the highest-ever documented elevation for the species in the state and the first confirmed record from Kinnaur district.
Usually found in lowland forests and orchards below 2,400 metres, the species’ presence in the high-altitude Baspa Valley is being described as an exceptional ecological record. Wildlife experts say the sighting could provide valuable insights into changing bird distribution patterns in the western Himalayas, though they stress that long-term monitoring is needed before linking it to climate change.
Deputy Conservator of Forests (Wildlife) Ashok Negi, IFS, credited the field staff for the discovery, while Deputy Commissioner Amit Kumar Sharma, IAS, congratulated the Wildlife Wing for documenting another significant addition to Kinnaur’s rich biodiversity.
