OUR CORRESPONDENT
MANGALDAI: The Orang National Park and Tiger Reserve has recorded its first-ever confirmed sighting of the Indian Peafowl (Pavo cristatus) - the National Bird of India.
The historic documentation was made on Sunday, September 27, when noted wildlife photographer Nejib Ahmed and cinematographer Chandan Saikia spotted and photographed the bird inside the park. This is the first photographic evidence of the species from Orang.
Prior to this, there were no official records of the Indian Peafowl in Orang National Park. The nearest previously documented sighting in the region was from Nunoi Wildlife Sanctuary in Udalguri district.
Park Director and DFO Pradipa Baruah, said the sighting follows recent field reports from forest frontline staff, who had observed an unidentified bird resembling a peafowl over the last few days near the Rowmari and Hazaribagh Anti-Poaching Camps (APCs). Acting on these inputs, the team was able to secure photographic confirmation.
"This is tremendous news for Orang National Park, especially ahead of the opening of the new tourist season. The presence of the Indian Peafowl underlines the thriving ecological health and diverse micro-habitats within the park," Baruah said.
The discovery has created excitement among birders, researchers and wildlife enthusiasts. Forest authorities have said monitoring will be intensified in the area to track the bird's movement and habitat use.
Orang National Park, known for its one-horned rhinoceros and Royal Bengal Tiger population, continues to reveal its rich ecological diversity with this new addition to its official bird checklist.
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