Guwahati, Jun 6 (PTI): A total of 30 species of raptors (birds of prey) and six types of storks have been recorded during a survey in the Kaziranga National Park and Tiger Reserve (KNTPR), officials said on Saturday.
Altogether 271 raptors and 266 storks were found during the survey conducted by the KNTPR and researchers from various universities of Assam in February-March.
The study was held across all administrative ranges under the Eastern Assam Wildlife Division, and the report was released on the occasion of World Environment Day on Friday.
Most of these species are listed in Schedule I of the Wildlife (Protection) Act of 1972, which provides the highest degree of protection, prohibiting hunting, poaching, and unauthorised commercial trade of the birds.
The park is home to a wide variety of diurnal and nocturnal raptors, which include eagles, falcons, vultures, buzzards and owls, while numerous resident and migratory stork species are found in its vast network of wetlands.
These include Slender-billed vulture, Red-headed vulture, Pallas’s Fish Eagle, Steppe Eagle, Greater Spotted Eagle, Grey-headed Fish Eagle, Brown Fish Owl, Dusky Eagle-Owl, Greater Adjutant stork, Lesser Adjutant, Black-necked Stork and Black Stork.
A total of 112 species of raptors are recorded from India, with Kaziranga National Park and the adjoining landscape harbours about 50 species of raptors.
The state’s rich, diverse wetlands and Himalayan foothills provide critical habitats for these birds of prey.
The survey of storks and raptors reveals a striking diversity of these birds across three administrative divisions, officials said.
Kaziranga National Park reveals the highest number of raptors with 21 species and 5 species of storks, followed by Biswanath Wildlife Division with 20 species of raptors and 6 species of storks. The Nagaon Wildlife Division has 14 species of raptors and 5 species of storks.
Among the stork species, Asian Openbill is the most abundant with 92 individual records across all divisions and Greater adjutant stork is the rarest species with only three individual sightings.
Among the raptors, Himalayan Griffon vulture is the most common bird of prey with 69 individual sightings, while Booted eagle and the White-tailed eagle are the rarest species with only one individual sighting each.
Kaziranga’s landscape also serves as a last stronghold for the enigmatic Pallas’s fish eagle.
These findings underline Kaziranga’s importance for conservation and highlight priorities including nest and floodplain habitat protection, mitigation of powerline electrocution, continued telemetry and international collaboration to secure the species’ remaining populations, officials said.
Nesting locations from the current year were also included in the overall analysis.
The findings will contribute to ongoing efforts to protect these threatened raptor and stork species and enhance the biodiversity of the park’s diverse habitats.
