How Village Women Are Saving Endangered Storks

Apr 08, 2025 Kriti Keshari

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Once seen as a bad omen the hargila is now a symbol of pride thanks to local women and biologist Purnima Devi Barman

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Barman united women into the Hargila Army, using food, music, and community events to change how villagers saw the bird

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From cooking sweets to crafting stork headdresses, women now celebrate the hargila’s breeding season with a traditional ceremony

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The women hang safety nets under tall trees, build bamboo nesting platforms, and even educate schools about hargila conservation

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Starting in two villages the Hargila Army has grown into a movement raising nest numbers from 27 to over 250

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