Alipurduar: Keza Jacho Dukpa, a resident of Buxa, has chosen to show birds to tourists as a profession out of his love for birds. The 30-year-old Keza is known as the first and only ‘bird guide’ in Buxa at this moment. He is the go-to guide for tourists who want to do bird watching in the Buxa Hills.
Keza resides in the Buxa Fort area of the Buxa Hills under the Buxa Tiger Reserve. Since childhood, he has been exploring the mountain forests, developing an intuitive sense of which birds can be seen when and where in the forest. Initially, he started working as a general tour guide in Buxa, primarily guiding tourists around Buxa Fort. However, his career path changed after he met bird enthusiast Biswapriya Rauth of Jalpaiguri. Now, several youths from the Buxa Hills are training under Keza to become bird guides, effectively creating new livelihood opportunities
for them.
Keza said: “Being a resident of Buxa, I was already familiar with the jungle, which gives me an extra advantage in my work. I learned a lot about birds from Biswapriya Rauth. We try to learn the details about each bird, including their names and importance. Biswapriya took me to different places and gave me some books, which helped me learn more about birds. That’s how I came into this profession. No one had taken up this profession as a livelihood before in this area. I hope more people join this profession so that the youth of the village can earn through it.”
Animesh Basu, coordinator of the Himalayan Nature and Adventure Foundation (HNAF), stated: “Buxa is a paradise for bird watchers. Nowhere else in the state can one see such a variety of birds so easily. The work Keza has started is not only commendable but will also inspire the youth of the area.
My request to the Forest department is to provide special training in bird watching to youths like Keza. Each of them can work as a bird guide and find a way to earn a living.” Keza is currently associated with a voluntary organisation in Kolkata that conducts various works on hornbills. He supports the organisation in its research work and also visits different villages to raise awareness among locals about snakes.