𝐑𝐚𝐫𝐞 𝐒𝐢𝐠𝐡𝐭𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐨𝐟 𝐂𝐫𝐢𝐭𝐢𝐜𝐚𝐥𝐥𝐲 𝐄𝐧𝐝𝐚𝐧𝐠𝐞𝐫𝐞𝐝 𝐖𝐡𝐢𝐭𝐞-𝐁𝐞𝐥𝐥𝐢𝐞𝐝 𝐇𝐞𝐫𝐨𝐧 𝐌𝐚𝐫𝐤𝐬 𝐌𝐢𝐥𝐞𝐬𝐭𝐨𝐧𝐞 𝐢𝐧 𝐁𝐡𝐮𝐭𝐚𝐧𝐞𝐬𝐞 𝐂𝐨𝐧𝐬𝐞𝐫𝐯𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧 𝐄𝐟𝐟𝐨𝐫𝐭𝐬

…𝒂 𝒓𝒂𝒓𝒆 𝒆𝒏𝒄𝒐𝒖𝒏𝒕𝒆𝒓 𝒂𝒏𝒅 𝒐𝒏𝒈𝒐𝒊𝒏𝒈 𝒆𝒇𝒇𝒐𝒓𝒕𝒔 𝒕𝒐 𝒔𝒂𝒇𝒆𝒈𝒖𝒂𝒓𝒅 𝒂 𝒄𝒓𝒊𝒕𝒊𝒄𝒂𝒍𝒍𝒚 𝒆𝒏𝒅𝒂𝒏𝒈𝒆𝒓𝒆𝒅 𝒔𝒑𝒆𝒄𝒊𝒆𝒔

By Kezang choden

The White-bellied Heron (Ardea insignis) is one of the rarest heron species globally, with a small population scattered across Bhutan, India, Myanmar, and possibly Bangladesh and China. It is known for its striking appearance, with white plumage on the belly and distinctive blue-grey feathers on the upper body. Threats to its survival include habitat loss due to deforestation, disturbance of nesting sites, and poaching. Conservation efforts involve habitat protection, captive breeding programs, and community involvement to raise awareness and reduce human impacts on its habitat.

The White-bellied heron, a critically endangered species, was found in Bhutan through dedicated conservation efforts and monitoring by wildlife experts. Its sighting in Bhutan marks a significant milestone for conservationists and wildlife enthusiasts alike. Experts attribute this sighting to rigorous conservation measures undertaken by the Bhutanese government and various organizations. Through habitat protection initiatives, community engagement programs, and rigorous monitoring efforts, Bhutan has emerged as a haven for species like the White-bellied heron. The Royal Society for Protection of Nature (RSPN) in Bhutan works toward the conservation of the White-bellied heron, among other endangered species. RSPN implements various initiatives aimed at protecting the habitats of the White-bellied heron, conducting research on its population and behavior, engaging with local communities to raise awareness, and collaborating with government agencies and international organizations to ensure the survival of this critically endangered bird species.

Jigme Tshering, the chief of the species conservation division, said, “We can protect the natural habitats of the White-bellied heron by identifying critical sites for foraging, roosting, and nesting sites. These sites should be protected from any developmental activities. Two major rivers of Bhutan, Mangdechu and Punatsangchu, where the White-bellied heron occurs, were surveyed by specialists. There are about 26 individual White-bellied herons in Bhutan out of an estimated total of 200 worldwide.” Tshering also mentioned that in 2011, the Royal Society for Protection of Nature (RSPN), with the technical support of the San Diego Zoo, artificially incubated and hand-raised a White-bellied heron chick. The success of this pilot endeavor and strong recommendations from the international technical committee led RSPN to establish a White-bellied heron conservation center in Chachey, Tsirang, to secure the gene pool of the species with the goal of supplementing the wild population in the near future.

Tshering further added, ”Local communities are involved in the conservation of the White-bellied heron across its landscape. Livelihood enhancement of these people through the provision of fish ponds, plantations of cash crops, and the introduction of ecotourism have been initiated by RSPN. Local people are also engaged in monitoring the wild population, whereby they are trained to use the Epicollet5 app to record information, which is accessed instantly by RSPN.” Habitat loss, small genetic diversity, and disturbances are some of the threats the species faces. Coordination among stakeholders would minimize and mitigate these threats; for example, arranging timing for rafting along the key sites would minimize disturbances to the birds while they are foraging.

The Royal Society for Protection of Nature has been studying the species since 2003. In 2015, they organized an international workshop on the White-bellied heron, where counterparts from the range countries as well as experts from international and national organizations participated. One key outcome of the workshop was the understanding of the need for transboundary collaboration for White-bellied heron conservation. The Royal Society for Protection of Nature, in partnership with the Department of Forest and Park Services (DoFPS) and local conservation support groups, conducts annual nest and population surveys. This has helped understand the population trend of the species while discovering important sites in the country. In 2022, the Royal Society for Protection of Nature and the Department of Forest and Park Service developed and launched a 10-year Action Plan (2022-2031) for the conservation of the White-bellied heron in Bhutan.

In Bhutan, the White-bellied heron is protected and listed under the Schedule 1 category of the Forest and Nature Conservation Act of Bhutan 2023. Long-term and consistent financial support is required to facilitate both ex-situ and in-situ conservation. There are many ways individuals can support our White-bellied heron conservation efforts. One easy way to raise awareness is by initiating talks about White-bellied heron and their plight among your group of friends. Another could be connecting the Royal Society for Protection of Nature with potential donors that you know of.