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Indian Express
2 days ago
- General
- Indian Express
Grassland bird census in Kaziranga: What was special about this survey, which PM Modi talked about
In his Mann ki Baat radio programme on Sunday (July 27), Prime Minister Narendra Modi highlighted a 'first-ever grassland bird census' in Assam's Kaziranga National Park and the technology used for this. What is this 'bird census', what was the methodology involved, and what are the concerns surrounding grassland birds? Between March 18 and May 25, a survey to record the grassland bird population in Kaziranga National Park was undertaken by a team of forest officials, scientists, and conservationists. It all began when a doctoral student Chiranjib Bora, who is studying the threatened grassland bird Black-breasted parrotbill, received the INSPIRE fellowship from the central government's Department of Science & Technology, along with acoustic monitoring tools to conduct his research. He and the Kaziranga authorities then decided to use the tools to count all grassland bird species in the national park, 70% of which is covered by grasslands. 'Our main goal was to monitor what grassland bird species live in Kaziranga. Most of the grassland bird species have become rare. These are small and well-camouflaged birds that are not easily spotted, unlike wetland birds. Also, they live in peculiar habitats that are rapidly declining,' said Bora. The survey prioritised 10 species that are either globally threatened or endemic to the Brahmaputra floodplains: Bengal Florican, Swamp Francolin, Finn's Weaver, Swamp Grass Babbler, Jerdon's Babbler, Slender-billed Babbler, Black-breasted Parrotbill, Marsh Babbler, Bristled Grassbird, and Indian Grassbird. Including these, it recorded a total of 43 grassland bird species, including 1 Critically Endangered, 2 Endangered, and 6 Vulnerable species, according to the IUCN Red List. What was the methodology and why was it unique? According to Kaziranga National Park Director Dr. Sonali Ghosh, the use of passive acoustic recording monitoring was the highlight of the survey. 'Surveying these small, shy, and highly camouflaged birds is very difficult using traditional methods like visual counting. So, the acoustic recorders were placed in tall trees near grasslands during the breeding season of the birds, between March and May. This is the season when they are very vocal, calling out for mates and with males defending territory. The instruments recorded all the birds singing in the landscape,' she said. Bora said that different tools were then used to identify the birds based on the recordings. 'After recording for three consecutive days, we removed the recorders and analysed those sound files. If the sound was not identifiable, we used software to create a spectrogram, which is a graphical representation of the sound, to aid us in identifying. We also used a tool called Birdnet, which uses machine learning to try and identify species by bird song. We covered 29 locations in the national park using six recorders,' he said. What is the significance of the findings? Dr. Ghosh called grassland birds 'an indicator of good health' of an ecosystem, likening them to indicators such as BMI for human health. 'The presence of these birds tells us that the habitat is healthy,' she said. The national park authorities have been particularly excited by the discovery of a breeding colony of the endangered Finn's Weaver, which is endemic to the Brahmaputra flood plain. 'They nest on the tops of trees but till now, we had not known where they had been nesting. During the survey we found a colony of over 85 nests in Kaziranga,' she said. What are the threats to the habitats of grassland birds? Bora said that in the past four decades, Assam has lost around 70% of its grasslands. 'There are anthropogenic factors such as overgrazing and clearing of grasslands for cultivation. But there is also a natural phenomenon called ecological succession, which is basically an instinct for grasslands to gradually transition to forests. Among the 10 species we had prioritized, three are endemic to the grasslands of the North East, which means that if they vanish from here, they become extinct,' he said. Climate change also contributes to these concerns. 'It is a cause of worry. If we look at some species, for instance, the Bengal florican, we used to see a lot more of them, but this time we could detect only one or two. Further study can tell us if the decline is influenced by climate change or other factors,' said Dr. Ghosh.
The Star
2 days ago
- General
- The Star
Managed grasslands the key to reducing human-elephant conflict, say Sabah eco groups
KOTA KINABALU: Evidence is mounting that managed grassland pastures for wild elephants is the way forward in curbing human-wildlife conflict, conservationists say. Trial grassland plots at the Tabin Wildlife Reserve in Lahad Datu and along the Kinabatangan River over the past three years found that elephants purposely and repeatedly visit these pastures to feed on managed grasses and supplementary minerals. Conservationists with the Borneo Rhino Alliance (Bora) and RESPonsible Elephant Conservation Trust (Respect) said such pastures have shown positive results in reducing human-elephant conflict. Bora chief Datuk Dr John Payne said two herds totalling about 60 elephants have spent the past two weeks feeding on 13ha of managed grassland initiated in 2021 with funds raised initially from The Hornbill Award and later by CIMB Foundation. "From September last year to March this year, the elephants would feed in oil palm plantations," he said in a statement on Monday (July 28). He added that the managed pastures kept the elephants grazing there instead of straying into plantations. In Kinabatangan district, a 0.2ha (half-acre) Napier grass plantation managed by Respect and funded by Intrepid Foundation at Tanini Kinabatangan, Kg Bilit, is repeatedly visited by elephants to graze. Payne, who is also a cofounder of Respect, said that even a small herd of elephants needs more than a tonne of food daily, and 70% of that must be either palms or grasses. 'We project that if less than 1% of the Tabin Wildlife Reserve were to be converted to managed pastures, it would provide enough food for the elephant population and they would not need to venture into plantations or villages," he said. The elephants' favourite is a tall native grass known locally as barau, which grows along the banks of the Kinabatangan River as well as inland. Payne said a well-managed pasture can potentially yield 50 tonnes of elephant food per hectare per year. He appealed to the state forestry authorities and large landowners to allocate several small areas for elephant pastures. Respect chairman Alexander Yee said they aimed to plant about 14ha of grass along the riparian reserve as the frequency of elephant visits has increased at their plot in Kg Bilit. He said the project was in line with Sabah Tourism, Culture and Environment Minister Datuk Seri Christina Liew's plan for an elephant food corridor, Almost RM1mil in funding from the Borneo Conservation Trust, Japan, has helped to support the initiative over five years, he added. The NGOs say that grasslands will not result in a total elimination of human-elephant conflict, noting that a herd of 14 animals grazing at the Kg Bilit site caused damage to houses at Kampung Sukau nearby. However, they remain confident that managed pastures will lead to a considerable decrease in such occurrences.
Time of India
3 days ago
- Politics
- Time of India
Memorial to honour Assam Movement martyrs nearing completion: Bora
1 2 3 4 Guwahati: The 'Swahid Smarak Kshetra and Udyan', a memorial dedicated to honour the martyrs of the 1979-1985 Assam agitation against Bangladeshi infiltration, is nearing completion in Guwahati, minister Atul Bora said on Sunday. Speaking to reporters about the ambitious Rs 100-crore project, Bora said, "The first phase of the proposed Swahid Smarak Kshetra has been completed at a cost of Rs 95 crore, with construction of the main statue building now finished.". He added the ground floor of the structure will house statues of 860 martyrs of the Assam Movement, which will be known as the "hall of fame." Bora further said the main statue building will be the sixth tallest in the world, a point of great pride for the state. "Over 800 people lost their lives during the movement and this memorial is our way of paying tribute to their sacrifice." The minister further said the second phase of the project will include the construction of an auditorium, with a seating capacity of 500 people, along with a gallery equipped for a light and sound show that can accommodate up to 1,000 people. This light and sound feature will narrate the story of the Assam Movement and its historical significance. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Treatment That Might Help You Against Knee Pain Knee pain | search ads Find Now Undo Taking to his social media, Bora detailed that the memorial will feature a 67.2-meter tower, busts of all martyrs, a light and sound show, a cycle track, a food court and more such features, which will be spread across 116 bighas (over 38 acres). "Today, after inspecting the site, I also participated in a review meeting to evaluate the latest progress and instructed the concerned authorities to complete all remaining construction work swiftly," Bora posted.
Hindustan Times
3 days ago
- Politics
- Hindustan Times
Assam Agitation memorial nearing completion: Minister
Guwahati, 'Swahid Smarak Kshetra', a memorial for martyrs of the six-year-long Assam Agitation against Bangladeshi infiltration, in Guwahati is nearing completion, Assam Accord Implementation Minister Atul Bora has said. Assam Agitation memorial nearing completion: Minister He maintained that the state government is also actively implementing various clauses of the Accord, which was signed in August 1985 at the end of the mass movement. "To honour the brave martyrs of the historic Assam Movement, the State Govt under the visionary leadership of Hon'ble CM Dr. @himantabiswa is nearing completion of the Swahid Smarak Kshetra & Udyan at Pachim Boragaon, Guwahati," Bora said in a post on X on Saturday after reviewing progress of the work. He was accompanied by a delegation of All Assam Students' Union , among the signatories of the Accord. Bora said the memorial will feature a 67.2m tower, busts of all martyrs, a light and sound show, cycle track, food court and other attractions, across 116 bighas . "Today, after inspecting the site, I also participated in a review meeting to evaluate the latest progress and instructed the authorities concerned to complete all remaining construction work swiftly," the minister said. Bora maintained that "to safeguard the interests of the indigenous people of Assam", the state government is also "actively implementing various clauses of the historic Assam Accord". "As part of the implementation of Clause 6 of the Accord, the state government has already taken steps to implement 52 recommendations from the report submitted by the Justice Biplab Sarma Committee," he added. Clause 6 of the Accord deals with political, economic, cultural, linguistic and other safeguards for indigenous people of the state. AASU chief advisor Samujjal Kumar Bhattacharjya, who was part of the students' body's team, also in a post on the social media site said, "To ensure that the sacrifices of the 860 martyrs and the public are duly portrayed, the AASU delegation offered its suggestions." "The AASU is thankful to the state government for undertaking this project at our request," he added. This article was generated from an automated news agency feed without modifications to text.
News18
3 days ago
- Politics
- News18
Assam Agitation memorial nearing completion: Minister
Agency: PTI Last Updated: Guwahati, Jul 27 (PTI) 'Swahid Smarak Kshetra', a memorial for martyrs of the six-year-long Assam Agitation against Bangladeshi infiltration, in Guwahati is nearing completion, Assam Accord Implementation Minister Atul Bora has said. He maintained that the state government is also actively implementing various clauses of the Accord, which was signed in August 1985 at the end of the mass movement. 'To honour the brave martyrs of the historic Assam Movement, the State Govt under the visionary leadership of Hon'ble CM Dr. @himantabiswa is nearing completion of the Swahid Smarak Kshetra & Udyan at Pachim Boragaon, Guwahati," Bora said in a post on X on Saturday after reviewing progress of the work. He was accompanied by a delegation of All Assam Students' Union (AASU), among the signatories of the Accord. Bora said the memorial will feature a 67.2m tower, busts of all martyrs, a light and sound show, cycle track, food court and other attractions, across 116 bighas (over 38 acres). 'Today, after inspecting the site, I also participated in a review meeting to evaluate the latest progress and instructed the authorities concerned to complete all remaining construction work swiftly," the minister said. Bora maintained that 'to safeguard the interests of the indigenous people of Assam", the state government is also 'actively implementing various clauses of the historic Assam Accord". 'As part of the implementation of Clause 6 of the Accord, the state government has already taken steps to implement 52 recommendations from the report submitted by the Justice (Retd) Biplab Sarma Committee," he added. Clause 6 of the Accord deals with political, economic, cultural, linguistic and other safeguards for indigenous people of the state. AASU chief advisor Samujjal Kumar Bhattacharjya, who was part of the students' body's team, also in a post on the social media site said, 'To ensure that the sacrifices of the 860 martyrs and the public are duly portrayed, the AASU delegation offered its suggestions." 'The AASU is thankful to the state government for undertaking this project at our request," he added. PTI SSG SSG ACD (This story has not been edited by News18 staff and is published from a syndicated news agency feed - PTI) view comments First Published: July 27, 2025, 13:30 IST Disclaimer: Comments reflect users' views, not News18's. Please keep discussions respectful and constructive. Abusive, defamatory, or illegal comments will be removed. News18 may disable any comment at its discretion. By posting, you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy.
