More ruddy shelduck arrive at Asan Conservation Reserve

Jotirmay Thapliyal

Tribune News Service

Dehradun, February 12

Asan Conservation Reserve has witnessed an increase in the number of ruddy shelduck, popularly known as ‘surkhaab’. A total of 1,600 ruddy shelduck have arrived at Asan this year while the number was 816 last year.

Home to a number of migratory birds in the winter, Asan Wetland, a conservation reserve in Dehradun, attracts several migratory bird species. The most prominent species among them is ruddy shelduck.

Migratory birds start arriving at Asan in October-end as soon as the winter sets in northern parts of India and stay at the wetland till February-end. Coming all the way from central Asia, these migratory birds make Asan their home for four to five months. Many of these birds are listed as globally endangered species like pintail, red crested pochard, gadwall, common pochard, mallard, coot, wigeon, common teal, tufted duck, shoveller and ruddy shelduck.

Chief Conservator of Forests Dhananjai Mohan has been tracking the arrival of migratory birds for the past several years. He says Asan Wetland holds an importance as it attracts ruddy shelduck in big numbers and an increase in its number was certainly encouraging.

Eminent ornithologist Asad R Rahmani in his book, “Potential and Existing Ramsar Sites in India” had emphasised on the importance of Asan as a wetland and strongly advocated the Ramsar site status for Asan. ‘Ramsar convention’ aims at providing better habitat to water birds at wetland across the globe.

Spread across 250 hectares, Asan Conservation Reserve near Dhalipur village is 38 km from Dehradun.