Skip to content Skip to navigation

Greater adjutant stork rehabilitated

By Dr M Firoz Ahmed |

A sub-adult Greater adjutant stork, named Christina, was successfully released back to the nature on Saturday at Boragaon  near Deepar Beel in the outskirt of Guwahati city.

This bird was rescued few months back at Dadara of Kamrup District by a team of Aaranyak members and local villagers after it had fallen down from its tree-top nest. The seriously injured chick was later admitted at Assam State Zoo Veterinary hospital and treated successfully under the guidance of renowned wildlife veterinarian Dr. M.L. Smith.

Today this bird on being released back joined a flock of about 200 Greater Adjutant near Deepar Beel of Assam. “I am delighted to see so many Greater Adjutant together here today and I am sure the released bird would feel comfortable with its other member of its family”, said Dr. Smith.  Assistant Conservator of Forest of Assam Government Mr. Nripen Kalita witnessed the release of this bird and was overwhelmed to see how the bird  mingled readily with its relatives in the area.

“Greater Adjutant (Leptoptilos dubius) is an IUNC Redlist endangered bird and has about 1000 global population. Assam is its last stronghold. Saving a single bird is also a big contribution towards its conservation in global as well local level”, said Ms. Purnima Devi Barman, who heads Aaranyk’s Greater Adjutant Conservation Programme. Aaranyak has been working for conservation of the bird species for many years now in collaboration with local communities.

This four-month-old bird was named  “Christina” after Christina Imrich of Wildlife Conservation Society. Christina Imrich and her team of Conservation Leadership programme (CLP) is working closely with Aaranyak for many years now for conservation of many globally endangered species in Assam.

Robyn Dalzyn, Executive Manager in the CLP said "I am continually impressed by the commitment and dedication of Aaranyak team -- they will stop at nothing to care for this magnificent bird and ensure that every individual has the opportunity to thrive and live in harmony with  Dadara Village."

"By coordinating the CLP alumni network, Christina Imrich plays a vital role in keeping the CLP community together. We wish Christina, the greater adjutant stork equal success in becoming part of the growing greater adjutant stork population in Assam. Well done to the Greater Adjutant team from Aaranyak" added by Stuart Paterson from Flora and Fauna International.

Christina was so excited to hear the news that her name was given to a bird which is globally endangered.  "I am very much honoured to share my name with a greater adjutant stork, especially having seen and appreciated the tremendous amount of care the community takes to protect this species. Congratulations to Purnima Devi Barman,Aaranyak and the CLP team for another successful chick release and to the community which has become a model for conservation”, Christina said today in a statement from United States. 

“Aaranyak team had rescued several birds with the help of villagers from Dadara since last many years.  We are planning to give our best for conservation of this globally endangered species and we are committed to do so in all coming years. I request all my fellow conservation NGOs for their support in this endeavour” said Dr. Bibhab Kumar Secretary General of Aaranyak.

Author info

Dr M Firoz Ahmed's picture

Add new comment

Random Stories

CBI team gathers BTAD inputs

11 Aug 2012 - 4:20am | editor
A CBI team on Friday gathered vital inputs in Kokrajhar to begin its probe into the ethnic clashes in BTAD areas. Headed by A Ali, the two member team will ascertain the possible angle of their...

Dr. Jiban Dutta Barua Felicitated

12 Sep 2011 - 3:04am | Paresh Baishya
Eminent Physician and writer Dr. Jiban Dutta Barua was feliciated by Hajor Batori on Septmber 11 at a function held at ITA Complex, Guwahati. The function was presided over by Radhika Mohan Bhagwati...

Overwhelming welcome to Jewel Gorlosa

27 Aug 2011 - 1:51am | Anup Biswas
The people of Dima Hasao accorded overwhelming welcome to the Dima Halam Daogah Leaders Jewel Gorlosa and Niranjan Hojai at several places like Diyungbra, Dehangi, Thana Lambra, Gunjung, Choto...

Communalism on the rise

22 Sep 2008 - 11:31pm | Monjib Mochahari
AUGUST 15, 1947 is a major date in history. It was on that day India awoke to life and freedom from injustice and domination, as Jawaharlal Nehru declared in his ‘Tryst with Destiny’...

Other Contents by Author

Women in Manas gears up for alternative livelihood source

A process of confidence building among the women themselves seems to have started. Their increased ability to articulate their needs, as is evident, is an important aspect of their identity building. Their world has expanded and their confidence is soaring and this was no exception to the women in the fringe villages of Manas National Park, who on Monday came forward and actively participated in a day-long training programme organized by Aaranyak in association with Forest Department, Bodoland Territorial Council at Bhuyanpara in Manas National Park.Women, particularly, in wildlife areas are vulnerable to poverty and leads a life dependent on forest resources. Limited access to basic...

School children taken out on Nature Trail

A group of school children from several schools in Guwahati today  were taken out on a nature trail programme at Deepor Beel Ramsar Site here at the initiative of Aaranyak, a premier bi-diversity conservation organisation in the Northeast. The children were exposed to wonderful experience of bird watching by experts and volunteers of Aaranyak who also hosted a group discussion and quiz on tiger as part of the event.The nature trail programme was organised as part of  ‘Kids for Tiger Conservation’ programme with partnership of Aircel and Sanctuary Asia magazine, according to Manas Kumar Bhattachryya, city coordinator of Kid for Tiger.Aaranyak’s biologist Namita Brahma and...

Greater Adjutant released to nature

A sub-adult greater adjutant stork named “Arshiya” by her rescuers was today released back to the freedom of natural environment   at Boragaon at the outskirt of Guwahati city  at the initiatives of Aaranyak, a premier conservation organitation in the region, in cooperation  with Bombay Natural History Society (BNHS) and College of Veterinary Science, Khanapara here.“Arshiya”(the bird) was found in marooned condition in Dadara village, near Guwahati. She was safely rescued by local villagers and a group of conservationist comprising Ms Purnima Devi Barman of Aaranyak, Dr Parag Deuri of Bombay Natural History Society (BNHS) and Dr Samsul Ali  of College of Veterinary...

Tourists guides orientation workshop at Pabitora

A two-day orientation workshop was organised at Pabitora Wildlife Sanctuary (WLS) for tourist guides under the aegis of Guwahati Wildlife Division in association with Aaranyak and Jeep Safari Association, Pabitora on October 26-27 last.Setting workshop in motion, the DFO of Guwahati Wildlife Division  D D Gogoi mentioned about the important role Jeep Safari Association could play in uplifting the image of  the wildlife sanctuary so that it receives more visitors. He also spoke on rhino conservation efforts in   Assam with special reference to Pabitora  WLS which has the highest density of one-horned  rhinoceros on the globe.Dr Bibhab Talukdar, secretary general...

Women power to boost MNP conservation

The mother and the wife are two most important women in a man’s life because they can have great influence on his actions and thereby on the course of his life. Nepoleon Bonaparte once said, “Give me good mothers and I will give you a good nation.”  Taking this truth into account Aarayak in collaboration with authority of Manas National Park (MNP) has undertaken a unique initiative to facilitate about visit of 1200 women from fringe villages to the picturesque Manas National Park, a UNESCO World Heritage Site in Assam bordering Bhutan.In the first phase Aaranyak and the MNP authority have organised a day-long trip for 100 women from villages bordering Bansbari, Bhuyanpara and Panbari...

Conservation training for teachers

A group of teachers from areas close to Manas National Park (MNP) attended a day-long orientation programme on conservation education on Sunday last at Jharbari under Kokrajhar District.Aaranyak, a society for biodiversity conservation in collaboration with Siknajhar Nounwgwr Adventure Tourism Society ( SNATS ) and Forest department Bodoland Territorial Council jointly organised the programme. Aaranyak took the initiative to organise the programme in pursuit of its goal to create a pool of ‘green teachers’ in the region so that they could sensitise the younger generation on the need for protection and preservation of our natural environment.Dhrubajyoti Kalita a volunteer of Aaranyak...

Conservation awareness campaign at Orang Park

Aaranyak  has conducted a series of mass awareness campaign in the villages located in the fringe areas of Orang National Park in Darrang district of Assam  covering a cross-section of people from all age groups. The basic objective of the awareness campaign was to sensitise the people living in fringe area of Orang National Park about the need for conservation of wildlife habitat in Orang Park.The first programme of the series was launched  on September 3 at Silbori Junior College, Orang where over 300 persons attended.  The day’s programme included a talk on biodiversity of Northeast India by Arif Hussain of Aaranyak , a talk on animal rescue by Uttam Saikia, Honorary...

NGOs oppose Wildlife (Protection ) Act Amendment

Aaranyak, a premier biodiversity conservation organization, along with Wildlife Protection Society of India and Wildlife Society of Odisha has submitted a joint memorandum to the Government of India through the Joint Director of Rajya Sabha Directorate demanding withdrawal of the Section 44 of the Wildlife (Protection) Act Amendment Bill 2013 which has been tabled in Rajya Sabha by the Government of India.The memorandum stated that though the said amendment bill had proposed several   progressive measures for protection of wildlife in the country, the Section 44 will be detrimental to the livelihood security of lakhs of fishing community people as well as common people in the...

Pre-Flood Awareness Around Kaziranga NP

Non government organisation Aaranyak and the Numaligarh Refinary Limited in association with the Kaziranga National Park authority has carried out a series of pre-flood awareness camps to minimize the death of wild animals during flood and seek support of the communities to ensure  safe return  of the flood-displaced animals to the park.A series of 12  such camps have been organized recently covering as  many villages from Agoratoli Range to Buhrapahar range on the southern fringe of the park.Kaziranga World Heritage site, famous for its one-horned rhino and very high density of tiger is a flood plain ecosystems and flood is an annual phenomenon here. Flood is also...

Water Conflicts Workshop and Public Lecture on June 21

The ‘Forum for Policy Dialogue on Water Conflicts in India’ (Forum), Pune and Aaranyak, Guwahati are jointly organising a public lecture programme on June 21 where the Second Northeast Water Lecture would be delivered by Prof. Amita Baviskar, Institute of Economic Growth, New Delhi, on "Waterscapes: Bringing Culture and Power into the Debate on Rivers". On the same occasion a publication titled “Water Conflicts in Northeast India: A Compendium of Case Studies” published by the Forum recently will be released by Prof. A. C. Bhagabati, Former Vice Chancellor of Arunachal University, Itanagar and present Honorary Coordinator...