Latest news with #Basumatary
National Geographic
15-07-2025
- General
- National Geographic
They used to poach this rare bird. Now, they save them.
After decades of political unrest, former poachers and community members rallied to protect the Bengal florican. A Bengal florican sitting in long blades of grass. Photograph By Dhritiman Mukjerjee During mating season, the male Bengal florican bird, in glossy black plumes with streaks of white beneath a mottled back, performs aerial leaps as his white wings flare against a neck 'pouch' of puffed black feathers to attract females. The enamoured female, draped in buff-brown and black, then chooses her mate. Tourists now come to Manas National Park, a UNESCO World Heritage site in Assam, India, to see the Bengal floricans, the world's rarest bustard, and other wildlife. But the birds' resurgence has been a long—and still challenging—process. Listed as critically endangered by the IUCN, fewer than 800 Bengal floricans survive globally. The world's largest population—between 350 and 400—is in northeastern India today, and part of their recovery is being driven by communities intent on saving these two-foot-tall, three-or-four pound birds. The twist? Many of them once hunted the bustards. 'I was around 14 or 15 when I began poaching with my friends,' says Rustam Basumatary, now 40, of the Bodo tribe, who lives in Khamardwasa village near Manas National Park and its adjacent non-protected grassland in Kokilabari. Basumatary says he and other young poachers once hunted birds, including the Bengal floricans, with slingshots and bow and arrows. They consumed the meat but also sold the surplus for profit. 'Poverty pushed certain sections of our community to hunt wildlife for survival,' he says. From the late 1980s through the early 2000s, a conflict between members of the Bodo ethnic group and the Indian state over the group's autonomy left Manas National Park desolate, devoid of patrols or offices. This meant its wildlife was more at risk than ever, says Basumatary. Bengal floricans were poached, but so were other animals like rhinos. Fewer than 800 Bengal floricans survive globally. Photograph By Dhritman Mukherjee When the Bodo movement ended in 2003, about 100 members formed the Manas Maozigendri Ecotourism Society (MMES) and pushed for change so that the park could regain its former glory. Basumatary was part of this effort to transform poachers into protectors. The MMES began reaching out to villagers, motivating them to become a part of their conservation movement. Local nonprofits, such as Aaranyak, also joined them to discourage hunting. 'We made them aware of the consequences, such as imprisonment, penalties, and environmental damage,' and encouraged them to divert their skills to protection, says Bibhuti Lahkar, Aaranyak's grassland expert. Gradually, community members began patrolling voluntarily alongside forest guards, protecting the very wildlife they once hunted. Basumatary notes that the transition was not easy, as poaching was, for so long, a means of survival But some nonprofits and wildlife enthusiasts provided essentials, including rations, for a couple of months to help the adjustment. The team's work was also supported by some senior district officials who visited their villages frequently and advised them to surrender their illegal arms and hunting weapons. Villagers 'would be thus relieved from the constant fear of being chased by police, and could return to a normal life,' says Anwaruddin Choudhury, a former senior bureaucrat and ornithologist who helped reform many poachers. Park enforcements were also strengthened to deter hunting. According to Basumatary, who began as a birding guide in 2004, over 60 weapons were willingly surrendered by villagers in 2006 and 2007, and in 2011, Manas National Park was removed from the UN's list of World Heritage in Danger. 'It was a moment of pride for our local community that our efforts were eventually paying off,' says Basumatary. According to records of the Bodoland Territorial Council, as of 2023, more than 800 volunteers, including former poachers and local community members, have been formally appointed to assist in various protection and forestry tasks. Today, a growing number of tourists from around the world visit, and have the chance to witness the Bengal florican and its legendary dance. And that helps the local economy. According to Basumatary, more than 2,000 families living around the park earn $400 to $450 per month during the florican season, from November through June. 'The same birds we killed in the past for food are today sustaining our households,' Basumatary says. Meanwhile, though still critically endangered, the Bengal Floricans are showing signs of improvement. A 2024 study in the Journal of Threatened Taxa found ten more of the birds in Manas compared to a 2011 survey, calling the modest increase an 'encouraging' sign. 'Today the Bengal florican has become a symbol of our culture, and we are proud in being able to protect the rare bird and show its unique ways to the rest of the world,' Basumatary says.
Miami Herald
20-05-2025
- Miami Herald
Abandoned tiger cubs vanish from hiding spot in India. Trail cams give answers
A forest ranger at a tiger reserve in India received an urgent call in late April from staff members of the anti-poaching team. They had discovered two tiger cubs tucked in a bush in a woodland area inside Kaziranga National Park and Tiger Reserve, according to a report written by range forest officer Nayan Jyoti Gogoi and shared May 19 with McClatchy News. Concerned about the vulnerability of the cubs, Gogoi and his team made the journey to the remote area to evaluate the cubs and determine if they would need to be bottle fed, according to the report. While there had been no sighting of the mother, the team had to 'exercise utmost caution' in case she was nearby, as tigresses are known for their protective nature around cubs, the report said. When the team arrived at the site, they found only one cub resting in the dense undergrowth, with 'no sign of the second cub,' according to the report. The team searched for 'pugmarks,' or footprints, but were unable to find any in the dense ground cover, Gogoi said. A foul smell led to the discover of a cow carcass, 'suggesting the tigress may have stockpiled food' before giving birth, experts said. Dr. Panjit Basumatary, a wildlife veterinarian experienced in rescue and rehabilitation, confirmed this was common behavior, adding that the mother may have already moved one cub to a new location and would likely return for the other, according to the report. The team set up three camera traps on different trails in hopes of recording the tigress. They also deployed security teams to seal off entry to the forest to prevent any human interference, Gogoi said. The team was advised early on the morning of May 2 that if the tigress had not returned, the cub should be given a bottle with a glucose solution. They returned to the site, 'praying silently for the cub's safety,' and the cub was gone, Gogoi said. Tracks near the bush indicated it may have been the tigress, according to the report. To the relief of the team, footage from the camera traps confirmed the mother returned to the spot the day before and left carrying the cub in her mouth, the report said. 'A mother's care is the best care,' Basumatary told Gogoi after learning the good news. 'This is a successful case of a tigress coming back to retrieve her cub and reunite, which is certainly the first such documented case in the northeast, if not in the country,' Basumatary told The Assam Tribune. Field Director Dr. Sonali Ghosh called the reunion 'a successful example of field-based conservation, teamwork, and scientifically guided wildlife management,' according to the release. Kaziranga National Park and Tiger Reserve is in eastern India near Arunachal Pradesh, a disputed region in the Himalayan mountains along the India-China border. Although India controls the region, both India and China claim it. The region is about 1,300 miles east of New Delhi and about 3,500 miles southwest of Shanghai.
Hindustan Times
30-04-2025
- Hindustan Times
Assam man facing Pocso case released on bail, kills woman who filed FIR
SILCHAR: A 30-year-old man released on bail in an attempted rape case on Tuesday killed the woman who had filed the police complaint for trying to rape a minor in 2023, police said. Police said the suspect, Mukha Basumatary, who was previously in jail for trying to rape a minor girl, was arrested for murder in Assam's Chirang district on Wednesday morning. Chirang superintendent of police (SP) Akshat Garg said the accused was being interrogated. 'The body has been sent for postmortem and our officials have collected some important evidence,' he said. Mukha Basumatary had been arrested earlier this year under the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (Pocso) Act in connection with a 2023 case registered in connection with the attempted rape of a minor girl. The FIR had been registered against him on the basis of a complaint lodged by the woman who pursued the case. Last week, Basumatary was granted bail by a local court. Basumatary was released from the district jail on Tuesday afternoon and went straight to the woman's village under Chirang's Runikata police station. The 40-year-old woman was at her home alone when Basumatary barged into the house and repeatedly stabbed her with a sharp-edged weapon. 'The deceased woman was a family member of the minor girl and this looks like a case of revenge. We have arrested the accused and further investigation is going on,' a senior police officer said. Villagers alerted the police who took the woman to a nearby hospital. But she died before reaching the hospital.
Hans India
23-04-2025
- Entertainment
- Hans India
Noted actor-singer of Assam Phwilao Basumatary passes away at 54
Assam's entertainment world is in mourning following the death of popular actor and singer Phwilao Basumatary, who passed away in the wee hours of Wednesday at a private hospital in Guwahati at the age of 54. Phwilao Basumatary was best known for his beloved role as a police constable in the hit television series Beharbari Outpost, a performance that won the hearts of audiences across the state. Basumatary had become a household name in Assamese and Bodo entertainment circles alike. His natural comic timing and warm on-screen presence earned him widespread admiration, making him one of the most cherished figures in regional television. In a career spanning years, he managed to carve a unique niche for himself, not just as an actor, but also as a singer who carried the essence of local culture with pride. The news of his untimely demise has sent shockwaves through Assam's cultural landscape. Tributes have been pouring in from every corner -- from industry colleagues and co-stars to cultural organisations and devoted fans. Many have taken to social media to express their grief, recalling fond memories of Basumatary's performances that brought laughter and light into their homes. 'Phwilao was more than just a performer -- he was a symbol of joy, talent, and cultural pride,' a Bodo cultural organisation fan wrote on X. Others have echoed similar sentiments, praising him not only for his acting chops but also for his deep connection to the people and traditions of Assam and the Bodo community. Beyond his accomplishments in front of the camera, Basumatary was widely celebrated as a key figure in representing Bodo culture within mainstream media. His work significantly contributed to the growing recognition and appreciation of regional talent and identity in wider entertainment circles. As Assam bids farewell to one of its brightest stars, the legacy of Phwilao Basumatary will continue to live on -- through his performances, his music, and the cultural bridge he built between communities.
