Assam: Climate Change Poses Threat of Extinction to State Bird

GUWAHATI: Climate change poses an extinction threat to the white-winged wood duck, the state bird of Assam.

The white-winged wood duck or Deo Hah, is well-known in Assam.

In 2003, the Deo Hah, a wood duck with white wings, was named the official bird of Assam.The International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) listed it as an endangered species in 1994. 

Sources said,climate change coupled with other man-made factors, could potentially contribute to the demise of the Assamese state bird.

According to the study, the Assamese state bird's habitat could disappear from at least 436.61 square kilometers in the next 50 years.

According to the report, changes in the yearly temperature range will play a significant role in the major loss of ecosystems of high conservation value.

There has already been a decline in the white-winged wood duck population in Assam.

The loss of forest cover, particularly close to water sources, has been primarily blamed for the fall in the bird population.

The population of the white-winged wood duck is supported by tropical forests and tropical forest ecosystems all across the world are predicted to be significantly impacted by climate change. According to the study, between 2050 and 2070, a significant percentage of the WWWD's native habitat is predicted to disappear because of the effects of global warming.

As per sources, Assam, Arunachal Pradesh, and Manipur are home to more than half of the world's population of white-winged wood ducks.

The study also found that the area with the best likelihood of seeing the bird species is one with an annual average temperature range of 22 degrees Celsius to 30 degrees Celsius and an annual precipitation range of 1,000-1,200 mm. But barring Meghalaya, every state would likely see a decrease in the possible distribution as a result of climate change.

The main bio-climatic factors that will cause a significant loss of high-potential habitats are expected to be changes in the annual temperature range, precipitation in the wettest month (June to September), and precipitation decrease in the warmest quarter (October to December), according to the report.

According to the report, places near the border between Bhutan and Assam would have a greater chance of maintaining the white-winged wood duck because it needs an average of 1,000 to 1,200 mm of precipitation every year.

Also read: Safeguard your child's privacy: Assam Police

Also watch: