The seventh census of migratory birds at Kaziranga National Park in Assam has commenced, involving hundreds of enumerators and volunteers, as reported by an official on Monday. This bird count is set to take place across over 200 designated wetlands within the Eastern Assam, Nagaon, and Biswanath wildlife divisions of Kaziranga National Park & Tiger Reserve (KNPTR), marking it as one of the largest such initiatives in India. Forest Minister for Haryana, Rao Narbir Singh, participated in the event’s launch and engaged with the census team. The enumeration in the core area is being exclusively conducted by forest frontline staff, while student volunteers are encouraged to assist in the buffer and tourism zones. The project is supported by ornithologists, scientists, researchers, and forest officers, utilizing a sampling strategy that targets all wetlands over 10 hectares within 1 km of the KNPTR boundary. Additionally, the Laokhowa and Burhachapori Wildlife Sanctuaries are included in the count, as well as certain smaller yet significant wetlands. In the previous year’s sixth water bird population estimation, a total of 124 species were recorded, amounting to 112,062 individuals from 25 families.
