The rare sighting was captured on cameras installed by the forest staff of the Namdapha park.
Credit: Namdapha National Park and Tiger Reserve
Guwahati: The elusive and endangered white-eared night heron has been camera-trapped in Namdapha National Park and Tiger Reserve in Arunachal Pradesh.
This was the second such sighting of the rare bird in the country, first being at the Valmiki Tiger Reserve in Bihar in November 2016.
The rare sighting was captured on cameras installed by the forest staff of the Namdapha park, recently.
"The white-eared night heron is a secretive, nocturnal species and is extremely difficult to observe in the wild. Its presence in Namdapha underscores the park's extraordinary ecological value and its role as a critical refuge for rare, lesser-known, and globally threatened species," the conservator of forests and field director of the park, A K Deka said on Wednesday.
With an estimated population of less than 1,000, the white-eared night heron is primarily found in southern China and northern Vietnam, said Deka.
Namdapha
Namdapha National Park and Tiger Reserve, located in the Eastern Himalayas, is one of the most biodiverse protected areas in India.
It is known for its unique combination of tropical and temperate ecosystems and supports a high level of species richness, including several endemic and endangered flora and fauna.
"Namdapha is not only a haven for the recently sighted white-eared night heron, but also shelters some of the world's most threatened wildlife. It is the only park in India that harbors a rich continuum of habitat types from tropical rainforest to alpine meadows, allowing for extraordinary species diversity," Deka said.
The park is home to critically endangered species such as the Namdapha Flying Squirrel, White-bellied Heron, and Chinese Pangolin, along with many other rare and endemic species.
"This important observation adds to the growing recognition of Namdapha's conservation significance and highlights the urgent need to strengthen protection measures, research, and monitoring of such sensitive habitats," he said.