Lumbini, Nov. 29 -- With an objective of preserving sarus cranes (Grus antigone), the world's tallest flying bird, the Lumbini Development Trust organised a sarus cranes festival.

The sarus cranes festival was organised on the premises of World Peace Pagoda in Lumbini. It was the first festival of its kind dedicated to the species.

"Sarus cranes' conservation has become quite challenging now due to the increasing use of insecticides and pesticides in the fields, human encroachment and shrinking cultivable land,"said Abdhesh Kumar Tripathi, vice-chairman of the trust. "The festival thus was organised to raise awareness among people about the importance of its conservation," he added. Aside from garnering visibility for the bird species, ...