Context
A proposed 1,200 MW hydropower project in the Lohit River basin of Arunachal Pradesh has raised concerns over the survival of the White-bellied Heron.
Explanation
- The White-bellied Heron (Ardea insignis) is one of the world’s rarest herons and has been listed as Critically Endangered on the IUCN Red List since 2007.
- In India, only 6 to 9 individuals remain, distributed mainly along the Lohit River and its tributary Lamh River in eastern Arunachal Pradesh, and the Noa-Dihing River in eastern Arunachal Pradesh (Namdapha landscape); these rivers are part of the Eastern Himalayan biodiversity hotspot.
- It inhabits fast-flowing Himalayan rivers with intact riparian forests and is protected under Schedule I of the Wildlife (Protection) Act, 1972.
- Hydropower projects can alter environmental flows, river morphology, turbidity and nesting habitats, threatening river-dependent biodiversity.
- Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) evaluates ecological impacts, but experts recommend a river basin-level assessment for connected river ecosystems.
- Conservationists warn that changes in river flow, turbidity and riparian habitat could push the species towards local extinction.
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White-bellied Heron Conservation Challenges