White Winged Wood Duck (Asarcornis scutulata), also known as White Winged Duck, is one of the rarest ducks in the world. To everyone in Assam, this duck is known as Deo Hanh, which was declared the state bird of Assam in 2003. It is an elusive wood duck that once reigned over a large natural range across Asia, but unfortunately, this enigmatic species has been facing extinction in many of its historical strongholds over the past three decades.
The global population of White Winged Wood Duck across its existing natural distribution in different Asian countries like India, Myanmar, Cambodia, and Thailand, out of its once extensive natural range across Eastern South Asia and Southeast Asia, stands at an alarming 150–400 mature individuals left in the wild.
With the drastic decline in its population and complete extirpation of this species from many countries where it thrived in good numbers, such as Laos, Vietnam, Bangladesh, Thailand, Indonesia, and Malaysia, the White Winged Wood Duck was listed as a critically endangered species on the IUCN Red List in 2024. It was previously listed as Endangered since 1994.
The present Indian population of White Winged Wood Duck is estimated to fall within the band of 50–150 adults, which is distributed across its natural habitats in Assam and Arunachal Pradesh. According to the IUCN report, the species has disappeared from several formerly occupied sites, for example, Dibru-Saikhowa National Park and Doomdooma-Dangori Reserve Forests. According to the IUCN, the Dihing Patkai National Park and the Nameri forest harbour a living population of this wood duck within Assam, while other populations in Northeast India include those in Namdapha National Park in Arunachal Pradesh.
The IUCN also reports that the previous estimate made in the 1990s of 300-400 mature individuals in India seems irreconcilable with recent observations that indicate a decline of this population by 50-90% over the past three generations.
The reasons behind this decline in White Winged Wood Duck populations within India are largely attributed to the rampant destruction of its natural habitats, along with fragmentation and deforestation of the contiguous rainforest in Assam, which constitutes the native home of this species. Destruction and logging of mature trees from viable habitats, while hunting and collection of eggs, are the other possible threats faced by this species.
The global decline of White Winged Wood Duck has accelerated due to the historical loss of viable habitats across its natural range in Asia, which included vast tracts of evergreen forests that bore the brunt of various developmental works and extractive activities like mining, logging, hunting, etc.
Moreover, the surviving natural habitats in different Asian countries have also faced a lack of proper conservation measures for the preservation of the natural ecosystems necessary for the survival of White Winged Wood Duck, like protected climax woodland forests, interspersed with wetlands and marshes to support the breeding and population growth of White Winged Wood Ducks. For example, experts have raised concerns regarding the rapid habitat loss and degradation at the Hukuang and Htamanthi Wildlife Sanctuaries situated in the Hukuang Valley along the Chindwin River, in Kachin State of the Sagaing Region, in northwestern Myanmar, where White Winged Wood Ducks are regularly reported.
Mining activities pose threats to the massive Hukuang Valley Wildlife Sanctuary in Myanmar, one of the strongholds of White Winged Wood Duck. This wildlife sanctuary is situated adjacent to Namdapha National Park in the Changlang district of Arunachal Pradesh. According to the IUCN, rates of forest loss have been very high, and the proliferation of gold mining is now a well-established threat in the Hukuang Valley, the species’ stronghold. It also states that hunting, disturbance, and habitat loss have historically caused the decline of this species in Myanmar and probably will continue to do so. The total population of White Winged Wood Duck in Myanmar is estimated at 40–100 mature individuals.
In Assam, the historical destruction of large tracts of rainforest in the eastern part of the Brahmaputra Valley, which harboured countless rare flora and fauna, including the White Winged Wood Duck, had caused serious damage to this species. But the concerted efforts for the preservation of the largest contiguous rainforest in this area, with the beginning of the Nature’s Beckon-led ‘Rainforest Conservation Movement’ in 1992, have changed the scene in Assam.
This conservation movement contributed to rigorous community sensitization and preservation of the richest natural habitat of White Winged Wood Duck since the 1990s. It generated widespread awareness regarding the significance of White Winged Wood Duck conservation among the people of Assam.
Moreover, Nature’s Beckon’s wild bird conservation programmes, like the ‘All Assam Wild Birds Preservation Campaign’, paved the way for the protection and conservation of this biodiversity-rich, high-priority bird conservation area in Assam, while the grassroots-based conservation work of Nature’s Beckon mobilized the fringe communities of this area in protecting the climax rainforest ecosystem of this area, comprising an evergreen labyrinth of mature trees, forest-marshes, and aquifers interspersed with the thick vegetation of the rainforest.
This contributed to the preservation of an ideal natural habitat for White Winged Wood Duck in this rainforest. However, the most significant step towards the conservation of this rainforest was met through legal protection for the best part of this rainforest under the Wildlife Protection Act of India that materialized due to the Nature’s Beckon-led three decades of Rainforest Conservation Movement in Assam.
This rainforest, a rich habitat for many wild birds, rare fauna, flora, and immense biodiversity, found permanent protection when 234.29 sq km of this rainforest was upgraded to the status of Dihing Patkai National Park in 2021; this also drafted a remarkable success story of habitat preservation for the last stronghold of White Winged Wood Duck in India.
Soumyadeep Datta, well-known conservationist and the Director of Nature’s Beckon, speaks about the significance of protected areas like the Dihing Patkai National Park, which has provided a haven to many wild birds, including the rare White Winged Wood Duck. He said, “The conservation of White Winged Wood Duck greatly depends on the preservation of the natural habitat of this bird, and it entirely relies on the legal protection of the natural forests as wildlife sanctuary and national park. Mere awareness drives and publishing of educational materials cannot save such species; permanent protection of the threatened natural habitats of this species is mandatory for its conservation.Moreover, White Winged Wood Duck is a tree duck which builds its nests in tree cavities. This species requires mature forests for its proliferation, which is why the preservation of natural forests is most important for its conservation. The rainforest of Dihing Patkai National Park thus provides an ideal habitat to this wild duck species, which resides near small water bodies inside the forests. This rainforest works as an interconnected ecosystem which supports a thriving population of White Winged Wood Duck here.Many a time, elephants of this forest help in creating and expanding the water holes inside the forest, which eventually supports the White Winged Wood Ducks. This rainforest is protected as a national park now, but we will continue to work with the villagers and local people to strengthen the effective conservation of White Winged Wood Duck in this habitat, and at the same time we plan to strengthen the drive for the protection of other natural habitats of White Winged Wood Duck in parts of Arunachal Pradesh and Assam.”
Nature’s Beckon’s impetus for habitat preservation has given protection to many rare wildlife species which were facing threats of extinction from their natural habitats in Assam, like Golden Langur, Hoolock Gibbon, many other non-human primates, lesser cat species found in Assam, etc. The successful protection of large tracts of forests and natural habitats has worked for the effective recovery of many such species in different landscapes of Assam.
The Dihing Patkai National Park is the epitome of wildlife conservation in this regard; the protection of the largest contiguous rainforest of Assam saved the future home of many endangered species, including the White Winged Wood Duck. This rainforest national park provides a safe haven for the threatened White Winged Wood Duck; in fact, this rainforest is home to a thriving population of this elusive duck, which is difficult to sight given its shy nature and secretive behaviour.
But frequent sightings of White Winged Wood Duck have been reported by many nature lovers from different parts of the Dihing Patkai National Park since 2021, and many photographers have shared pictures of their sightings to the delight of the people of Assam. This species finds an ideal habitat for nesting, breeding, feeding, and proliferation inside this rainforest, and it seems obvious that the most important conservation measure for White Winged Wood Duck will be to provide the sanctity and protected abode for this elusive duck to grow its population within the safety of this rainforest.
Years of scientific data, generated from the different global ranges of White Winged Wood Duck, have failed to protect this species from becoming extinct in many Asian countries due to a lack of effective habitat protection measures in these countries. Moreover, instances of failed captive breeding efforts for White Winged Wood Duck further highlight the importance of stringent habitat preservation measures for the existing natural habitats of White Winged Wood Duck in India.
Scientific reports obtained from the IUCN reflect the past failures of ex-situ conservation efforts through captive breeding of White Winged Wood Duck. For example, the Wildfowl and Wetlands Trust (WWT) at Slimbridge, UK, received 10 White Winged Wood Ducks from Thailand in 1955, with the intention of breeding them; however, none reproduced, and the last bird died in 1961, with most dying from avian tuberculosis, which indicated the susceptibility of captive populations of this species to this disease.
The IUCN also reports a current captive population in Europe and North America that originates from 10 birds (seven males, three females) collected in Assam (India) in 1969–1970, all of which were probably closely related.
The captive population of White Winged Ducks was impressively increased to 200 in 2000, but has since declined to fewer than 25 in 2022, and will likely be extinct by 2027. It further says that the captive population held in Europe is faring better, but remains comparatively small compared with other wildfowl species.
According to a report in 2023, the EAZA’s (European Association of Zoos and Aquaria) ex-situ conservation programme has recorded the presence of 76 White Winged Wood Ducks across 23 institutions in Europe. Other captive populations are held by other institutions and private hobbyists globally, including in Southeast Asia. According to the IUCN, there is a plan for European-hosted White-winged Ducks to be exported to the United States to facilitate the latter’s captive-breeding programmes in the future.
This brings several questions along with a word of caution for the people of Assam, and especially for the fringe communities of the Dihing Patkai National Park and other natural habitats of White Winged Wood Duck in Assam. The real threats to White Winged Wood Ducks in Assam can come from some unseen sources which are difficult to identify. This requires everyone to remain vigilant to protect the existing populations of White Winged Wood Duck in the natural habitats of Assam from getting smuggled and transported in the name of captive breeding or ex-situ conservation, for which we also need to understand these unseen threats for our collective preparedness.
We must think deeper regarding the implications of the global ex-situ conservation initiatives in the countries of the European Union and USA. We must analyse the real interests of the global players who are keen to invest in the captive breeding of a rare Asian duck species like White Winged Wood Duck, a species which has already lost its habitats from its natural range in many countries of Asia due to such faulty conservation practices.
We must remember that these global players and their Indian counterparts had failed to show support for the protection of the largest contiguous rainforest of the Brahmaputra Valley when the people of Assam stood with Nature’s Beckon during the struggle of Rainforest Conservation Movement from 1992 to 2021. This camp never cared for the conservation of this rainforest, and they had no contribution in the creation of the Dihing Patkai National Park.
But now, since the IUCN categorized White Winged Wood Duck as a critically endangered species in 2024, many are showing interest in spreading various media content and engaging in community-level programmes to spread the misinformation that White Winged Wood Duck is now becoming extinct in Assam.
We ought to ask our conscience if we can expect the global fund providers and their teams working in India to do any substantive work for the conservation of White Winged Wood Duck in Assam while they never showed any integrity in supporting the Rainforest Conservation Movement for the permanent protection of the richest natural habitat of White Winged Wood Duck in Assam. Why are they not interested in mobilizing government decision-making for the permanent protection of new habitats of White Winged Wood Duck in India?
The people of Assam and the fringe communities residing near the natural habitats of White Winged Wood Duck must remain alert to these misinformation mongers among us. More importantly, we must be ready to collectively stop any attempt to transport White Winged Wood Duck from their protected homes in Assam to captivity. We ought to remember that White Winged Wood Duck is a strictly protected wildlife species in India; it is listed in Schedule I of the Wildlife Protection Act of India, 1972. Capturing, killing, or trading this species or any part of this species is punishable in India.
Moreover, the people of Assam, along with the State Government of Assam and our political leadership under people’s leaders like the Chief Minister Dr. Himanta Biswa Sarma, the ex-Chief Minister Sri. Sarbananda Sonowal, and Forest Minister Sri. Jayanta Malla Baruah, have shown an exemplary conviction in altering the course of recovery for globally threatened species like White Winged Wood Duck through effective preservation of important natural forests and biodiversity hotspots like the Dihing Patkai National Park.
The future course of conservation measures for White Winged Wood Duck in Assam should include the expansion of viable protected habitats like the Dihing Patkai National Park, apart from upgrading other natural habitats of this species to the status of wildlife sanctuary or national park to ensure legal protection of these areas in the future, and proper monitoring across its habitats to check any untoward incidence of hunting or smuggling of White Winged Wood Duck from our forests.
The people of Assam have altered the fate of the globally endangered White Winged Wood Duck with their decades-long collective efforts in saving the Dihing Patkai National Park, and we can proudly say that White Winged Wood Duck is saved from extinction in Assam. Deo Hanh needs safe and protected habitats in its home range, and not a verdict of captivity in the name of ex-situ conservation.
I wish to see the nature-loving people and the government of Assam portraying this feat of successful White Winged Wood Duck conservation in Assam. We must let the world know that Assam is the last stronghold of White Winged Wood Duck in the world.
(The author is an environment activist and writer based at Guwahati, Assam.
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