Prelims: Current events of national importance | Environment
Why in News?
Assam’s Laokhowa Wildlife Sanctuary in Nagaon district recorded its first-ever sighting of the Smew (Mergellus albellus), a rare migratory waterbird.
The Smew (Mergellus albellus)
- Taxonomy- A small species of diving duck belonging to the family Anatidae.
- Location - Recorded across the sanctuary’s key wetland bodies (beels), including Rowmari, Dondowa, and Muamari.
- Ecological Indicator - Serves as a direct indicator of the health, water quality, and ecological stability of Laokhowa’s wetland ecosystem.\
- Breeding Range - Native to the taiga and boreal forest zones of northern Eurasia (Finland, Russia, Scandinavia).
- Migratory Pattern - Migrates south during winter to ice-free coastal waters, inland lakes, and river basins in Central Asia, Europe, and occasionally South Asia.
- Physical Traits - Recognized by distinct black-and-white breeding plumage in males ("panda-like" facial mask) and a crest on the head.
- IUCN Red List Status - Least Concern (globally), though considered a rare winter visitor in the Indian subcontinent.
- Co-sighting of Endangered Species - The same waterbird survey also documented the presence of the globally endangered Bengal Florican.
- Conservation Impact- Highlights the success of anti-poaching, enforcement against illegal fishing, and habitat restoration drives across the Laokhowa-Burhachapori eco-landscape.
About Laokhowa Wildlife Sanctuary
- Location - Situated on the south bank of the Brahmaputra River in the Nagaon district of Assam.
- Ecological Connectivity - Forms a vital contiguous corridor within the broader Kaziranga–Laokhowa–Burhachapori–Orang landscape.
- Facilitates animal movement across the Brahmaputra floodplain.
- Habitat - Comprises alluvial grasslands, semi-evergreen forests, and a complex network of freshwater wetlands (beels).
- Key Fauna - Historically famous for the Indian One-horned Rhinoceros, wild water buffalo, royal Bengal tiger, Asian elephant, and diverse migratory waterfowl.
Reference
India Today NE | First-ever sighting of rare migratory Smew
