Chorus grows to designate Rowmari-Donduwa wetland complex as Ramsar site

Guwahati: In the heart of Assam, a hidden gem of biodiversity is making waves in the conservation community. Academics and civil society groups are rallying to have the vibrant ecosystem of the Rowmari-Donduwa wetland complex, nestled within the Laokhowa Wildlife Sanctuary and part of the renowned Kaziranga Tiger Reserve, declared a Ramsar site.Research and monitoring efforts by these groups and students have shown that this lesser-known wetland supports a greater diversity of bird species than the two existing Ramsar sites in northeast India, which are Deepor Beel in Guwahati and Loktak Lake in Manipur. The 6th Kaziranga Wetland Bird Census in 2025 recorded over 20,653 birds of 75 species at Rowmari Beel and 26,480 birds of 88 species at Donduwa Beel, totalling over 47,000 birds. This, Kaziranga Tiger Reserve authorities on Thursday confirmed, surpasses the bird counts at Assam’s only other Ramsar site.Researchers said this rich bird diversity, along with the wetland’s habitat diversity and ecological connections, makes it a strong candidate for Ramsar designation. Noirrita Priyadarshini, a research scholar from Tezpur University, said the complex meets eight out of the nine criteria for Ramsar site designation, highlighting its rich biodiversity and importance for migratory birds.A recent workshop titled “Conservation of Wetlands of Laokhowa Wildlife Sanctuary, Kaziranga Tiger Reserve” was held at Nowgong Girls’ College in Nagaon. The Assam Bird Monitoring Network presented a memorandum to the field director of Kaziranga Tiger Reserve, Sonali Ghosh, urging for Ramsar status and enhanced protection for the Rowmari–Donduwa wetlands due to their unique ecological potential and bird diversity. The workshop concluded with a unanimous call to declare the Rowmari–Donduwa Wetland Complex as a Ramsar Site. Participants emphasised the need for institutional collaboration, long-term monitoring, and local involvement to protect and sustain Laokhowa’s wetland ecosystems.Sonali Ghosh said, “Laokhowa and the adjoining Burhachapori wildlife sanctuaries serve as buffer zones for the Kaziranga Tiger Reserve and act as corridors for wildlife migration between the Kaziranga-Orang landscape.” She highlighted the ecological importance of Laokhowa’s wetlands in supporting bird diversity and ecological services.The Rowmari and Donduwa Wetlands cover an interconnected floodplain-marsh system of about 2.5–3 square kilometres and are home to over 120 species of resident and migratory birds, including globally threatened species like the Knob-billed Duck, Black-necked Stork, and Ferruginous Pochard.Smarajit Ojah, Neeraj Bora, and Chiranjib Bora, research scholars from Nagaon University and Gauhati University, presented their findings on rare and critically endangered waterbird species recorded in the area in the last two years, underscoring the site's international ecological value.Dilwar Hussain from the Laokhowa–Burhachapori Wildlife Conservation Society called for the Ramsar designation of the Rowmari–Donduwa complex, citing its ecological vulnerability and need for habitat restoration.