Census records a 27% increase in waterbirds in Kaziranga

Subject :Environment

Section: Protected Area

Context:

The Kaziranga National Park and Tiger Reserve have recorded a 27% increase in the number of resident and winter migratory waterbirds.
It was the fifth waterbird census conducted through the citizen scientist initiative.

About Kaziranga National Park:

Located in the Golaghat and Nagaon districts of the state of Assam, India.
The park, which hosts two-thirds of the world’s Indian rhinoceroses, is a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
With its unique terrestrial and aquatic habitats, Kaziranga is one of the best-protected areas in the world.
Apart from being the home of the Big Five mammals — rhino, tiger, elephant, Asiatic water buffalo, and eastern swamp deer — the park sustains more than 500 avian species.
Kaziranga is a vast expanse of tall elephant grass,marshland, and dense tropical moist broadleaf forests, crisscrossed by four major rivers, including the Brahmaputra, which bisects the park. Other rivers are: Dhansiri, Difloo, and Laokhowa Suti.
More than 50% of its landmass under grasslands is dotted with waterbodies, locally known as bells.
Listed as ‘Important Bird Area’ by the Bombay Natural History Society (BNHS) and BirdLife International.
Notable wetlands adjoining the tiger reserve that recorded significant bird presence are Hukuma Beel (3049 individuals), Joysagar Doloni (1765), Gonak Beel (973), Sahala Beel (424), and Sisubari Beel (348).
Key avian species in Kaziranga:
- Bengal florican, swamp francolin, and various species of raptors, vultures, and waterfowl.
- It has the highest concentration of ‘Bengal florican’ after the Manas and Orang National Parks.