Two-day Asian Water Bird Census 2026 conducted at Pobitora by 12 enumeration teams
The water bird count will be officially declared by the chief wildlife warden of Assam once the data is compiled.
Representational image
Morigaon, Jan 24: The Pobitora Wildlife Sanctuary authority carried out the Asian Water Bird Census for the year 2026 on Thursday and Friday, in collaboration with Aaranyak, the Assam Bird Monitoring Network, local bird experts, students, and the Pobitora Jeep Safari Owners’ Association, Mayong.
The water bird count will be officially declared by the chief wildlife warden of Assam once the data is compiled. However, several notable migratory species were spotted during the survey, such as lesser white-fronted goose, tufted duck, greater white-fronted goose, falcated duck, bar-headed goose, greylag goose, northern pintail, pied avocet, northern shoveler, northern lapwing, black-tailed godwit, etc.
The survey was conducted by 12 enumeration teams comprising various experts, including renowned naturalist and ornithologist Dr Anuwaruddin Choudhary, Karuna Sarma of the Kaziranga Wildlife Society, Mukul Tamuly, retired ACF and former range officer of the Pobitora Wildlife Sanctuary, Dr Deba Kumar Dutta, Rhino Conservation Division of Aaranyak, Dr Nilotpal Mahanta of the We Foundation, Dr Khanin Changmai, veterinarian, and local bird enthusiasts such as Nripen Nath, Dipak Deka, Hariprasad Mallik, Bidyut Bishaya, and Moniratna Deka.
The survey teams monitored 13 water bodies and beels within the Pobitora Wildlife Sanctuary. The latest bird census reportedly witnessed an increase in the numbers of bird species, revealing a thriving ecosystem.
Bird experts, student volunteers, NGO members, and State forest department officials were all involved in the census, highlighting the collaborative effort to safeguard the region’s avian diversity.
By
Correspondent