Nature lovers' efforts here to save the endangered Greater Adjutant stork (Leptoptilos dubius) deserves a thumbs-up.

Across the world, the species' population is seeing a general decline but the trend has been reversed in some parts of Bihar.

Arvind Mishra, the state co-ordinator of Indian Bird Conservation Network, has taken the initiative to conserve the Greater Adjutant stork, popularly known as Garuda. A rescue centre-cum-hospital has been set up for the first time, mainly to protect injured or sick birds. It is the sole centre of its kind run by the forest department.

Mishra, an executive committee member of the Mandar Nature Club in Bhagalpur, said there has been increased breeding by storks along the Kosi and Ganga flood plains since 2006.

Mishra and his field assistant, Jai Nandan Mandal, have spotted many such nests of this species in the Ganga and Kosi diaras on the northern side of Bhagalpur. "Our initial excitement at the discovery was, however, stifled by the threat these storks face. Because of their size (about 150cm), they fall easy prey to hunting tribesmen known as Gulgulwas. Their habit of nesting in communities, with a single tree holding several nests, works against them. It was apparent that without protection, the survival of these storks was doubtful in Bihar," said Mishra.

"The birds and chicks would fall off nests during storms. Members of the Mandar Nature Club conducted an awareness drive among the villagers to protect the birds. We motivated them to conserve Garuda by inculcating religious beliefs in their minds," said Mishra.

For rehabilitation of the injured birds, Mishra approached the sub-divisional officer at Naugachia to set up a rescue centre-cum-hospital.

"Because of some technical problems, the rescue centre had to be shifted to Sundarvan, a protected forest area inside Bhagalpur town, in the second week of February 2015. On February 24, three injured birds and some infrastructure was shifted from Naugachhia to Sundarvan. The centre's main aim was to take care of injured birds so that they could be nursed back to normal," said Mishra.

At the centre, experts Mir Shikari from Majhoul and Aktar Hussain have been assigned to take care of the birds. A team of three veterinary doctors and a bird expert from Kawda diara in Bhagalpur too have been deputed there. The four are trained in vulture conservation and reproduction centre at Alipurduar (Bengal) in November 2014 under the guidance of ornithologists.