The Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change’s National Zoological Park in New Delhi has started organising guided nature walks on Sundays to encourage citizens to observe and learn about local wildlife. These walks bring together bird watchers, students, photographers and nature enthusiasts to document different species while contributing to conservation awareness.
What happened and the details
The National Zoological Park conducted its third Butterfly and Dragonfly Walk and its 13th Sunday Bird Walk on 6 September 2026. The walks ran from 6:45 AM to 10:30 AM and were led by experts including butterfly and dragonfly specialists, along with volunteers.
During this particular walk, 16 participants documented 44 bird species with more than 700 individual birds observed. They also spotted 4 butterfly species, one dragonfly species and one damselfly species. The lower number of butterflies and dragonflies was due to intermittent rainfall.
A significant observation was the presence of more than 300 Painted Storks that arrived in mid-August and have begun nesting around the park’s pond area. This nesting activity demonstrates the ecological importance of the zoo’s wetland and tree habitats and provides visitors an opportunity to observe natural bird behaviour and breeding.
Each walk is restricted to 20-25 participants to maintain quality learning experiences. Registration opens every Monday to Friday through a Google Form available on the National Zoological Park website and the “NZP Sathi” mobile application. Places fill on a first-come, first-served basis and prior registration is required.
The next scheduled walks are the 3rd Sunday Insect and Spider Walk and the 14th Sunday Bird Walk on 20 September 2026.
What this means for you
If you are interested in wildlife, photography, or environmental science, these Sunday walks offer a structured way to learn species identification and understand ecosystems directly from expert guides. Students and citizen scientists can contribute to biodiversity documentation while spending time in nature. You will need to register in advance through the park’s official channels to secure your spot, as places are limited and allocated quickly.