BURACHAPORI WILDLIFE SANCTUARY

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Context: Assam Chief Minister shared photographs of the successful eviction drive at Burachapori Wildlife Sanctuary.

About Bura Chapori Wildlife Sanctuary

Location

• It is a protected area located in the state of Assam in India.
• This wildlife sanctuary covers 44.06 km2, on the south bank of the Brahmaputra River in Sonitpur district.

Background

• The area was declared a Reserved forest in 1974, it became a sanctuary in 1995.

Ecosystem

• It forms an integral part of the Laokhowa-Burachapori eco-system and is a notified buffer of the Kaziranga Tiger reserve.

Biodiversity

• It is considered to be an ideal habitat for the Bengal florican.
• It is a paradise for many migratory birds. Reptiles and fish are also found here.
• Mammals: Indian rhinoceros, tiger, leopard, wild buffalo, hog deer, wild pigs and occasionally a herd of el: ephants.
• Birds: Bengal florican, black-necked stork, mallard, openbill stork, teal, whistling duck and many others

About the Bengal florican

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• Scientific Name: Houbaropsis bengalensis

Location

• Also called the Bengal bustard, is a bustard species native to the Indian subcontinent, Cambodia, and Vietnam.
• The Bengal florican has two disjunct populations.
• One occurs from Uttar Pradesh through the Terai of Nepal to Assam and Arunachal Pradesh in India, and historically to Bangladesh.
• The other occurs in Cambodia and perhaps adjacent southern Vietnam.
• Migrations are not long-distance, however, and probably are restricted to a few dozen kilometers.
• Bengal floricans live in open tall grassland habitats with scattered bushes.

Description

• The male Bengal florican has a black plumage from the head and neck to underparts.
• Immature Bengal floricans look like a female.
• The female is larger than the male.

Social Behaviour

• They are normally silent but, when disturbed, utter a metallic chik-chik-chik call.
• Displaying males croak and produce a deep humming sound.

Conservation status

• It is listed as Critically Endangered on the IUCN Red List because fewer than 1,000 individuals were estimated to be alive as of 2017.
• It is the only member of the genus Houbaropsis.
• Restricted to tiny fragments of grassland scattered across South and Southeast Asia, the Bengal florican is the world's rarest bustard.
• It is known to have become increasingly threatened by land conversion for intensive agriculture, particularly for dry season rice production.
• Poaching continues to be a problem in Southeast Asia.

https://theprint.in/india/assam-cm-sarma-shares-pics-after-successful-eviction-drive-at-burachapori-wildlife-sanctuary/1573825/