Nearly 500 acres of greenbelt developed by Mangalore Refinery and Petrochemicals Ltd (MRPL) in Mangaluru is now witnessing the arrival of Malabar pied hornbills.
A rare congregation of nearly 50 Malabar pied hornbills was observed on September 19. A company statement said that many of these hornbills can still be spotted in the green canopies of MRPL refinery complex and the township even on October 3.
It said that hornbills have a crucial role in dispersing seeds of tropical trees and are referred to as ‘forest engineers’ or ‘farmers’ of the forest.
According to the company, the greenbelt developed by MRPL is a haven for flora and fauna of various species. More than 150 birds are regularly spotted in the refinery complex, township, inside refinery forest, and the water bodies inside the refinery greenbelt, it said.
Rosy starlings, European roller, Siberian stonechat, varieties of flycatchers, buntings, and wagtails warblers were spotted inside the refinery complex during the previous migratory seasons, it added.