From a good family size to sighting none at all for last three years, disappearance of White-bellied Heron (Ardea insignis) from Phochhu river in Punakha was a big blow to conservationists and bird enthusiasts. All thanks to the increased threats in the area which is the attributing factors for this.
It is a joyous moment to see the heron return back to Phochhu after going amiss for three long years. A lone WBH was filmed fishing feet-deep in the Phochhu. “The return of WBH is now talk of the village starting from school kids to the head of village,” reads a social media post by Royal Society for Protection of Nature (RSPN)
The disappearance was gradual though. It was a good size of WBH family that could be easily sighted along the bank of Pochhu river. Then it came down to just a pair and a lone until finally it disappeared altogether, no where to be sighted. For next three years, the Pochhu river banks was bereft of any WBH.
Like in the word of Ap Daw, it is almost like a blessing of Machey of Punakha Dzong that brought the bird back. “Finally, our prayers were answered. It is the blessing of Machey from Punakha Dzong.” Aap Daw, a member of local community was quoted saying to his friend jubilantly discussing the return of White-bellied Heron to their village.
With the iconic bird gone, the communities felt the emptiness of Phochu river and their village. Now that it has returned, communities were also alerted by local government officials and forestry officials through social forum to be sensitive, cautious and minimize the threats to heron. “The heron is wild celebrity for now in the village.”
But if the threats are not cautiously considered to mitigate, the history will just repeat, warns RSPN. Therefore, RSPN, through the means of implementing various conservation activities ensure the return is sustainable. The communities were already supported with different livelihood activities like ecological restoration plantation in the community forest, eco-tourism development, and Human-wildlife compensation scheme that ensure in realizing the benefit of WBH conservation.
RSPN insist that “Together we can save the species,” and therefore urges people to “Kindly respect the presence of species maintaining safe distance from the area.”
(Video clip: RSPN)
