A CORRESPONDENT
DIBRUGARH: The Assam state bird—the white-winged wood duck, also known as “deo hah”—has disappeared from many places where it was once found in large numbers. Today, the species is on life support and fighting for survival.
In the 1990s, the white-winged wood duck was found across all reserve forests of Tinsukia, Doomdooma, and Dibru-Saikhowa National Park. However, the species has since disappeared from these areas due to deforestation and increasing human activities in forest regions.
“The critically endangered duck is facing a serious threat of extinction due to multiple factors. At present, the white-winged wood duck is found only in Dihing-Patkai National Park and Nameri Tiger Reserve in Assam, but the exact population numbers are not known,” said Aftab Ahmed, biologist at the Wildlife Trust of India.
He added, “There is very little awareness that this duck is the state bird of Assam. Many people are unaware of its existence. Until the late 1990s, deo hah was found in large numbers in Doomdooma, Dibru-Saikhowa National Park, and other reserve forest areas, but it has not been sighted in these forests for many years.”
The species’ population is estimated to have declined rapidly due to widespread loss, degradation, and disturbance of lowland forest wetland habitats. The remaining populations are small, fragmented, and of unknown viability. Available data suggest a collapse in both range and abundance over the past three generations (26 years: 1997–2023), even in areas where suitable habitat remains unchanged, indicating that the species is highly vulnerable to fragmentation and poorly understood stochastic events.
“There are many oil rigs in the Dihing-Patkai area, and habitat disturbances have been observed in some regions. I urge the government and Oil India Limited to address this issue and avoid disturbing the habitat of the duck population,” said Devojit Moran, a nature enthusiast from the region.
“The white-winged wood duck is the state bird of Assam, yet many people are unaware of it due to a lack of awareness from the government’s side.”
He further said, “The white-winged wood duck is critically endangered, and its population is declining rapidly. The government should protect the wetlands and areas of Dihing-Patkai where the ducks are found. Every year, people visit Dihing-Patkai to see this bird. If it becomes extinct, tourism will also suffer. The duck is in the ICU and needs urgent help and community participation for its survival.”
Ironically, the Assam Forest Department has not yet conducted any dedicated survey to estimate the population of the endangered bird, despite its inclusion in the IUCN Red List since 2010.
“Deo hah is on the brink of extinction due to habitat loss. Poaching is also a major reason, as many people are unaware of the bird and kill it for meat. The younger generation of Assam does not know about the state bird,” said Mridul Hazarika, a resident of Tinsukia and a nature lover.
“The government must protect its habitat with support from all stakeholders. Community participation is the need of the hour to save the duck from extinction.”
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