Guwahati: The annual bird count at Deepor Beel Wildlife Sanctuary, Assam’s only Ramsar site, has recorded a significant increase in waterfowl.
The 2025 count tallied 17,623 birds from 161 different species, up from 11,271 birds of 155 species in 2023-24, according to Pramod Kalita, secretary of the Deepor Beel Surakshya Mancha.
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Kalita attributed the lower numbers in 2023-24 to the Assam Rising Water Festival, organized by the Indian Army in collaboration with the Assam government. He noted this year’s count surpasses the numbers recorded in the three years prior.
Five new bird species were recorded at the wetland for the first time: Black-browed reed warbler, Baillon’s crake, Falcated duck, Pallas’s gull, and Slender-billed gull.
The bird count, conducted from January 17 to 24 during the Winter Birding Festival (WBF) 2025, was a collaborative effort by the 7 Weaves Research Foundation, Deepor Beel Surakshya Mancha, Banya Bandhu, Tata Institute of Social Sciences (TISS), Cotton University, Don Bosco University, Bird Count India, and the Assam Forest Department.
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This year’s survey also revealed an increase in indigenous bird species compared to migratory birds.
The Deepor Beel Suraksha Manch released the data at a press conference in Guwahati on Saturday.
7 Weaves Research Foundation president Golak Das and member Dhritimani Goswami emphasized the importance of ongoing conservation efforts and understanding the factors affecting the bird population to maintain the lake’s delicate ecosystem.
Deepor Beel, a 900-hectare natural wetland and wildlife sanctuary located on the outskirts of Guwahati adjacent to the Brahmaputra River, is home to a diverse range of wildlife.
In addition to numerous bird species, the sanctuary provides habitat for wild elephants, monkeys, deer, jungle cats, and other animals that frequently visit from the nearby Rani Reserve Forest and other forested areas.