Assessing and mapping new potential White-bellied Heron habitat in Wangchhu Basin, Western Bhutan

Species Conservation Fund
Written By
 

White-bellied Heron © Tshewang Lhundup

Project aims

  • Survey and map out potential conservation threats in White-bellied Heron habitat along the Lower Wangchhu river basin

  • Assess biodiversity conservation status and human-heron interactions in five villages (communities) to better understand ther heron's conservation.

  • Conduct advocacy and awareness campaign on white-bellied heron conservation 250 households

  • Establish local conservation support groups

Results

  • Potential threats to White-bellied Heron were identified, ranked, mapped along along the Lower Wangchhu River Basin

  • A socio-economic survey of 205 households was completed. This was used to gather information on economic status, ldependency on natural resources, experiences of climate change and perceptions towards white-bellied heron conservation.

  • The presence of White-bellied Heron was recorded in six survey areas.

  • Local community members were trained to support the biodiversity and socio-economic surveys; these are now established as local conservation support groups, distrubuted along the surveyed river basin.

Reports

 

AT A GLANCE

 

Organisation: Royal Society for Protection of Nature (RSPN)

Country: Bhutan

Year project started: 2023

Species: White-bellied Heron

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