Aaranyak conducts birds count at Doloni Beel, Bongaigaon 

Guwahati, Feb 28: Northeast region’s frontline research-based biodiversity conservation organization Aaranyak conducted a bird survey at the Doloni beel of Bongaigaon district of Assam on February 21 in association with the Botany & Zoology Departments, Abhayapuri College and the Aie Valley Forest Division. 

A forty-member team comprising Aaranyak members, students of Abhayapuri College and some local youth participated in the survey. 
Udayan Borthakur, a senior scientist at Aaranyak and a professional wildlife photographer, oriented the participants about the method of bird count that was used during the survey

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Eight different groups carried out the survey at different locations in and around the Doloni Beel. 

The groups were led by Udayan Borthakur, Pranjal Kumar Das, Chinmoy Bhattarcharjee, Ashoke Kumar Das, Subrata Sarkar, Manabendra Ray Choudhury, Prantik Ranjan Roy, Ankur Barman, Harmohan Rabha, Ratna Prabhakar Rabha, Madhurima Choudhury, and Bishakha Ray. 
The students of Abhayapuri College who were present in the survey are - Hiranmoy Das, Samina Parbin, Pratiksha Kashyap, S.J Rasmina Yesmin, Subham Das, Jyotideep Das, Ibn Alha, Parishmita Das, Tarali Sarma, Suhana Husssain, Narzuma Yesmin, Jevin Hussnia, Monalisha Khatun, Ahidul Sheikh, Surajit Ray, Purnima Barman, Riju Gital, Mehbuba Rahman, Mahmooda Ibtesam, Nasima Khatun, Pranab Das, Asmina Khatun and Jurijyoti Ray. The local youth who participated in the survey were – Chandika Rabha, Putu Rabha, Budhadeb Rabha, Ranjita Rabha and Niru Rabha.

Forty-seven species of wetland birds were recorded including 1847 individual birds during the survey. Some of the prominent species recorded were Red-crested Pochard, Ferrugeneous Pochard, Tufted Duck, Gadwall, Eurasian Wigeon, Fulvous Whistling Teal, Lesser Adjutant Stork etc.
Dr. Partha Jyoti Das, Head of the ‘Water Climate & Hazard’ Division of Aaranyak along with Arup Das, Senior Manager of Geospatial Technology and Application Division of Aaranyak were also present during the survey. The programme was coordinated by Ashoke Kumar Das, who is the zonal coordinator of Aaranyak West zone and an Assistant Professor of Botany department of Abhayapuri College assisted by Ankur Barman. 

The program was carried out as part of an ongoing study on the Doloni Beel by Aaranyak in collaboration with the Assam Forest department supported by the GIZ-India.