Morigaon (Assam), Feb 3: The population of water birds in Pobitora Wildlife Sanctuary has increased by more than 50 per cent to nearly 11,000 as per a recent survey, officials said on Sunday.
Pobitora Wildlife Sanctuary Ranger Pranjal Baruah said the recent Asian Water Bird Census found that the forest has 10,933 water birds of 56 species.
“The figure was 7,225 birds in 2024 across the wetlands of Pobitora,” he said.
The Tamuliduva wetland is the biggest wetland of the Sanctuary which contributes the highest concentration of biodiversity to the protected area, the Ranger said.
The census was conducted on January 18, when a total of 12 enumeration teams comprising about 22 experts, including ornithologist Anuwaruddin Choudhary and Forest Department officials, carried out the survey covering nine ‘beels’ (water bodies) of the Sanctuary.
“Out of the total findings, 80 per cent were migratory avian visitors and 20 per cent were resident birds,” Baruah said.
The census report was made public on the occasion of World Wetland Day, which was celebrated at Pobitora with a theme ‘Protecting Wetlands for Our Common Future’ in association with wildlife NGO Aaranyak.
It was declared a sanctuary, located in Morigaon district and about 35 km from Guwahati, in 1998 combining Pobitora Reserve Forest and Raja Mayang Hill Reserve Forest.
Pobitora Wildlife Sanctuary, spread across an area of 38.81 sq km, harbours the world’s highest density of one-horned rhinoceros. The habitat comprises Assam alluvial grasslands, hilly forests and wetlands.
It houses 107 (as per the 2022 census) Great Indian One Horned Rhinoceros. It also has other wildlife like 22 species of mammals, 27 species of reptiles, 9 species of amphibians, 41 species of pisces and 375 species of birds, according to the official website.
Apart from rhinos, other mammals found are leopards, leopard cats, fishing cats, jungle cats, feral buffalos, wild boars, Chinese pangolins and different types of deer.
Pobitora supports two critically endangered, four endangered, eight vulnerable and three near-threatened bird species.
During the 2023-24 tourist season, a total of 51,293 tourists, including 2,029 foreigners, came to Pobitora and enjoyed jeep and elephant safaris.(PTI)
