In a once-in-a-century sighting, a Mandarin Duck was sighted at Maguri Beel of Dibru Saikhowa National Park in Tinsukia district on Monday evening.
The rare find was spotted by a survery team of Wildlife Trust India (WTI).
Tweeting about it, Vivek Menon, WTI CEO said, “Fantastic find by @wti_org_india White-winged duck survey team of Aftab & Mahesh ( volunteer from @AsianWildlife). Mandarin Duck sighted after perhaps a hundred years from Maguri beel Dibru Saikhowa. #assam. Photo shows it with a spotbill duck.”
Fantastic find by @wti_org_india White-winged duck survey team of Aftab & Mahesh ( volunteer from @AsianWildlife). Mandarin Duck sighted after perhaps a hundred years from Maguri beel Dibru Saikhowa. #assam. Photo shows it with a spotbill duck pic.twitter.com/NGnsTbokSW
— Vivek Menon (@vivek4wild) February 8, 2021
Speaking with EastMojo, Imon Abedin, a zoology student, said this is the first sighting of the duck in 118 years in the area. It was last seen in 1902 in Maguri beel.
The beel has been impacted by the Baghjan gaswell fire of Oil India Limited. However, Abedin says, the sighting of the rare duck is a positive sign that the beel is reviving.
