GUWAHATI: Floods have reduced the number of vulnerable eastern swamp deer in Assam‘s Kaziranga National Park and Tiger Reserve (KNPTR), which has been counted for the first time in the whole KNPTR on January 10 and 11.
Prior to this, the process was only done in Kaziranga National Park.
“In the total count method, 868 individuals have been recorded which includes 173 male, 557 female and 138 yearlings. There is a slight decrease in population compared to 907 counted in 2018,” said a statement issued by field director of Kaziranga Tiger Reserve on Tuesday evening.
The official said this is mainly due to two high floods in the intervening period, that is, 2019 and 2020. Territory wise, 786 under eastern Assam division, 62 under Biswanath wildlife division and 20 under Nagaon wildlife division have been recorded by experienced and trained wildlife experts from outside the forest department. In the field exercise for census of the vulnerable eastern swamp deer, 29 enumerators and 112 forest personnel were directly involved.
On the other hand in the fourth wetland bird estimation 2021-2022, carried out from December 21 to 27, encompassing the whole tiger reserve, a total of 66,776 birds of 126 species were enumerated using
the point count method. Out of this, 42,205 birds were counted in KNP area, while 24,571 were counted in Laokhowa and Burachapori wildlife sanctuaries.
Bar-headed goose topped the list with 16,552, followed by northern pintail (9,493) and common teal (5,631). “Ferruginous duck, an important species with 2,236 numbers, may be regarded as the highlight
of this estimation,” the field director said.
Birds were counted in 211 different points in 157 water bodies involving 35 enumeration teams, including volunteers from local educational institutes, NGOs, officers and frontline staff of the forest department.
Prior to this, the process was only done in Kaziranga National Park.
“In the total count method, 868 individuals have been recorded which includes 173 male, 557 female and 138 yearlings. There is a slight decrease in population compared to 907 counted in 2018,” said a statement issued by field director of Kaziranga Tiger Reserve on Tuesday evening.
The official said this is mainly due to two high floods in the intervening period, that is, 2019 and 2020. Territory wise, 786 under eastern Assam division, 62 under Biswanath wildlife division and 20 under Nagaon wildlife division have been recorded by experienced and trained wildlife experts from outside the forest department. In the field exercise for census of the vulnerable eastern swamp deer, 29 enumerators and 112 forest personnel were directly involved.
On the other hand in the fourth wetland bird estimation 2021-2022, carried out from December 21 to 27, encompassing the whole tiger reserve, a total of 66,776 birds of 126 species were enumerated using
the point count method. Out of this, 42,205 birds were counted in KNP area, while 24,571 were counted in Laokhowa and Burachapori wildlife sanctuaries.
Bar-headed goose topped the list with 16,552, followed by northern pintail (9,493) and common teal (5,631). “Ferruginous duck, an important species with 2,236 numbers, may be regarded as the highlight
of this estimation,” the field director said.
Birds were counted in 211 different points in 157 water bodies involving 35 enumeration teams, including volunteers from local educational institutes, NGOs, officers and frontline staff of the forest department.
.