Situated amidst lush greenery sprinkled with sparkling water bodies, Deepor
Beel (beel means large aquatic body in Assamese) is an extensive wetland
formed by a channel of Brahmaputra River. The only major stormwater storage
basin for the Guwahati city, it is located in Kamrup district, Assam.
One of the largest and most important beels in the Brahmaputra
valley of lower Assam, it is a representative wetland found within the
bio geographic province, 'Burma Monsoon Forest'. Deepor Beel has also
been designated as a Ramsar site in November 2002. Previosly, this wetland
was once 40 kilometres, but today its area has been limited to only 20
kilometres and the core area is 4.14 kilometres which notified as Deepor
Beel Bird Sanctuary with the Rani Forest of Tripura on one side.
Tectona grandis, Ficus bengalensis and Bombax malabaricum
are the dominant tree species in the deciduous forest. Common Aquatic
plants found in the park are Eichhornia crassipes, Pistia stratiotes,
Ottelia alismoides, Lemna minor, Potamogeton crispus, Vallisneria spiralis,
Hydrilla verticillata, Ipomoea reptans, Azolla pinnata, Spirodela polyrhiza,
Eleocharis plantaginea, Nymphaea albea, N.rubra, Sagittaria sagittifolia
and the Giant water lily Euryale ferox. The other fauna which found mainly
in the lake shore vare Eupatorium adoratum, Achyranthes aspera, Cyperus
esculoentus, Phragmites karka, Vitex trifolia, Accium basilium, Saccharum
spontaneum and Imperata arundinacea.
The sanctuary is a great food source and a great breeding
ground for a large variety of residential water birds as well as a number
of migratory waterfowls, amphibians, reptiles, insects, micro and macrophytes,
terrestrial weeds. The Department of Forests, Assam has listed 170 species
of Birds - 2 critically endangered, 1 endangered, 5 vulnerable and 4 near
threatened such Spot billed pelican, Lesser adjutant stork, Greater adjutant
stork, Black necked stork and Large whistling teal.
The most notable bird species found in the sanctuary
are Kingfishers, Fishing eagles, a plethora of ducks, Greater Adjutant
Stork, Whistling Teal, Open Billed Stork, Shoveler, Pintail, Garganey
and high concentration of Pheasant tail jacanas etc. Occasional visit
of herd Elephant from the adjacent Rani–Garbhanga landscape.
Some of the largest congregations of aquatic birds in
Assam can be seen here, particularly in winter.Besides its rich avi fauna,
the sanctuary is ideal for an encounter with other wildlife including
hoolock gibbons, the only ape species in Indian subcontinent.
There is a watch tower inside the sanctuary, constructed
by the forest department. Also country boats are available to watch birds
which charges between Rs 100 and 200 for couple of hours. |
Wildlife 
