Doloni Beel bird survey records 47 wetland species and 1847 individual birds

GUWAHATI: Premier research-based biodiversity conservation organisation Aaranyak conducted a bird survey at the Doloni beel of Bongaigaon district in association with the Botany & Zoology Departments, Abhayapuri College and the Aie Valley Forest Division. A forty-member team comprising of Aaranyak’s members, students of Abhayapuri College and some local youth participated in the survey.

Forty-seven species of wetland birds were recorded including 1847 individual birds during the survey. Some of the prominent species recorded were Red-crested Pochard, Ferrugeneous Pochard, Tufted Duck, Gadwall, Eurasian Wigeon, Fulvous Whistling Teal, Lesser Adjutant Stork etc.

Udayan Borthakur, a senior scientist at Aaranyak and a professional wildlife photographer, oriented the participants about the method of bird count that was used during the survey. Eight different groups carried out the survey at different locations in and around the Doloni Beel on February 21.

The groups were led by Udayan Borthakur, Pranjal Kumar Das, Chinmoy Swargiary, Ashoke Kumar Das, Subrata Sarkar, Manabendra Ray Choudhury, Prantik Ranjan Roy, Ankur Barman, Harmohan Rabha, Ratna Prabhakar Rabha, Madhurima Choudhury, and Bishakha Ray.

Dr Partha Jyoti Das, Head of the ‘Water Climate & Hazard’ Division of Aaranyak along with Arup Das, Senior Manager of Geospatial Technology and Application Division of Aaranyak were also present during the survey. The programme was coordinated by Ashoke Kumar Das, who is the zonal coordinator of Aaranyak West zone and an Assistant Professor of Botany department of Abhayapuri College assisted by Ankur Barman. The programme was carried out as part of an ongoing study on the Doloni Beel by Aaranyak in collaboration with the Assam Forest Department supported by the GIZ-India, stated a press release.

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