46 bird species spotted in Khambrenga Beel on World Wetlands Day

Guwahati, Feb 3: A total of 46 species were recorded in a single day in Khambrenga Beel located near Chandrapur, Kamrup (Metro) district during a program on 'Bird-Watching and Conservation Adda' organised by Aaranyak with support from several other organisations celebrating the World Wetlands Day.

The experience of birding and nature exploration in the wetland by a group of bird experts accompanied by a group of local school students led to important observations that have reinforced the ecological value of Khambrenga Beel as an excellent habitat for varied avian species.

Aaranyak organised the event on February 1, as part of the WeForNature programme in cooperation with the Assam Forest Department's Kamrup East Division, Chandrapur High School, Thakurkuchi ME School, and Khambrenga Eco Camp.

The purpose of the event was to draw attention to the region's abundant bird diversity and the urgent need to conserve wetlands.

Some of the species of birds recorded during the event include 'Cotton Pygmy-Goose,' 'Northern Shoveller,' 'Gadwall,' 'Ferruginous Duck,' 'Lesser Whistling-Duck,' etc.

Students from Thakurkuchi ME School, Chandrapur High School, and Gauhati University, as well as members of the local community and conservation enthusiasts, participated in the morning's birdwatching session, which was led by

Udayan Borthakur, a senior scientist at Aaranyak, and other birdwatchers, including Atanu Kumar Chowdhury, Arif Hussain, Partha Pratim Das, Chinmoy Swargiary, Mousumi Parbin, and Samiran Goswami.

Experts, officials, and community leaders gathered at Khambrenga Eco Camp for awareness generation after the birdwatching session.

Aaranyak's senior scientist, Dr. Partha Jyoti Das, delivered the keynote speech on the value of wetlands, stressing their critical role in maintaining community livelihoods, regulating the climate, and conserving biodiversity. The purpose of his address was to raise awareness about the pressing need to save wetlands such as Khambrenga Beel.

Atanu Kumar Choudhury and Udayan Borthakur also discussed the ecological significance of Khambrenga Beel's avian diversity.

Along with village leaders and senior community members, others who took part in the discussion included Mukul Chandra Goswami, a teacher at Chandrapur High School; K Dev Choudhury, the Divisional Forest Officer of Kamrup East Division; and Dr. Pranjal Gogoi, a range officer. They spoke about ecological issues, looked into ways to boost ecotourism in the area, and offered insightful historical perspectives on Khambrenga Beel.

The WeForNature programme of Aaranyak was supported by Zeiss India, which played a crucial role in facilitating the birdwatching activities.

By-

Staff Reporter