NE Watch Desk
Assam’s Kaziranga National Park and
Tiger Reserve or KNPTR has documented an impressive count of 84,839 birds in
its census conducted on January 9 and 10.
The 5th bird census showcased a significant
27 per cent increase from the count in previous year, establishing Kaziranga as
one of the country’s top five tourist destinations for bird enthusiasts.
Around 80 per cent of the recorded birds
are migratory, contributing to Kaziranga’s appeal as a biodiversity hotspot.
While Odisha’s Chilika Lake leads with over 10.74 lakh birds, Kaziranga secures
the second spot, followed by Rajasthan’s Bharatpur (25,000), Najafgarh Jheel in
Delhi (10,239), and Gujarat’s Nalsarovar (7,099).
The park is popular for one-horned
rhinos, tigers, elephants, asiatic wild buffalos and eastern swamp deer – the BIG
FIVE mammals.
Accentuating significance of the
ranking, KNPTR director Sonali Ghosh mentioned, “Now we can say with pride Kaziranga
is famous for the big six as the census pushed it to among the top five tourist
destinations for birds.”
The census identified “unique, rare, and
endangered” species, including Baer’s Pochard, Baikal Teal, Greater Scaup,
Gull-billed Tern, Greater-white Fronted Goose, Great-crested Grebe, Pallas’s
Gull, Black Stork, Black-Headed Gull, and Cotton Pygmy Goose.
Ghosh emphasized the presence of notable
avian inhabitants such as Bengal Florican, Swamp Francolin, various raptors,
vultures, and waterfowls in KNPTR.
With close to 200 wetlands in and around
Kaziranga, the census covered 115 of them across three divisions: Eastern Assam
Wildlife Division, Nagaon Wildlife Division, and Biswanath Wildlife Division.
The Eastern Assam division, predominantly the Kaziranga National Park area,
reported 37,606 birds.
Kaziranga, drawing thousands of tourists
yearly for its prized one-horned rhinos, now emerges as a holistic wildlife
destination, preserving not only iconic mammals but thriving avian
biodiversity. The recent e-bird database identified 603 species in and around
Kaziranga, further solidifying its standing as a haven for birdwatchers.
