18 species of ducks found in Manipur’s Keibul Lamjao floating national park
As many as 18 species of ducks and two species of gees belonging to the family of Anatide were found by researchers at Manipur’s Keibul Lamjao National Park (KLNP).
The KLNP is considered as the world’s only floating national park.
The collaborative study, which was conducted by RK Birjit Singh, Sh Bijen Meetei both from Mangolnganbi College, N Sony Meitei of Moirang College and N Mohilal Meetei of Manipur University from 2020-2024 as part of the Asian Waterbird Census, was published in Uttar Pradesh Journal of Zoology on October 28.
The survey was made to identify major northern wintering and waterbird congregation sites in KLNP by identifying five major congregation sites-Pabot Chingmang, Chingmei, Ngakrakom, Hameiban and Thangbarel Yangbi.
The KLNP, a home to the highly endangered Manipur Brow-antlered Deer (Rucervus eldi eldi) or Sangai-state animal,which was declared as a national park in 1977, was created to protect Sangai.
KLNP measuring around 40sq km located on the southern part of Loktak, the largest freshwater lake in the north east,is made up of phumdis-formed by mats of aquatic biomass and provides refuge to thousands of birds including waterfowl.
During the surveys, a total of 18 species of ducks and two species of geese belonging to 8 genera of Anatidae family have been recorded, says the report in Uttar Pradesh Journal of Zoology.
“Lesser Whistling Duck Dendrocygna javanica was the most abundant (9504 individuals) and dominant species in terms of population followed by Gadwall Anas strepera and Red-crested Pochard Netta rufina and minimum value was observed in Greylag Goose Anser anser with only single individual,” it said.
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“The duck species includes 14 migratory and 4 resident species and the two geese are both migratory.”
Out of the 4 resident duck species, Lesser Whistling Duck Dendrocygna javanica, Cotton Teal Nettapus coromandelianus and Spot-billed Duck Anas poecilorhyncha can be seen all the year round and have been confirmed to breed in KLNP and Loktak, it added.
“A Critically Endangered Baer’s Pochard Aythya fuligula was recorded in the year 2023 at Pabot Chingmang site. Two globally Near Threatened Ferruginous Pochard Aythya nyroca and Falcated Duck Anas falcata have also been recorded,” it added.
During the last five years, Pabot Chingmang contributed a higher percentage of ducks and geese in comparison to the rest of the congregation sites.
Maximum diversity was observed in Pabot Chingmang followed by Ngakrakom, Thangbarel Yangbi and minimum was observed in Chingmei despite having high population density (highest count) which may be due to maximum occurrence of lesser whistling duck in this spot, the report stated.
