The Indian peafowl (Pavo cristatus), India’s national bird, has been officially recorded with photographic confirmation for the first time at Orang National Park and Tiger Reserve in Assam.

Why Is Sighting Important?

The new record adds to the known avian diversity of Orang and provides an important baseline for future ecological monitoring.

• The Assam Forest Department records more than 200 bird species from Orang, including the Bengal Florican, Greater Adjutant and several waterfowl species.
• The appearance of the Indian peafowl may indicate the availability of suitable food, vegetation, water and shelter within parts of the landscape.
• However, a single sighting does not establish a stable breeding population. Continued monitoring is therefore necessary to determine whether the species is becoming a regular resident.

About Orang National Park and Tiger Reserve

• The Orang National Park forms the core area of the Orang Tiger Reserve and is located in the Darrang and Sonitpur districts of Assam. 
  • It is located on the northern bank of the Brahmaputra. 
• The reserve has a total area of 504.23 square kilometres, including:
  • Core area: 279.60 square kilometres.
  • Buffer area: 224.63 square kilometres.
• The park lies approximately between 26°29′ N and 26°40′ N latitude and 92°15′ E and 92°27′ E longitude.

Orang: Important Timeline

The protected landscape supports important wildlife, including the Indian one-horned rhinoceros, tiger, wild pig, hog deer and Gangetic dolphin, along with diverse bird species.

The sighting highlights the importance of maintaining diverse microhabitats within protected areas. Conservation should not focus only on flagship species such as the rhinoceros and tiger but also on the wider avian and ecological community.

The incident also demonstrates the value of frontline forest staff, citizen observers and photographic documentation in detecting changes in wildlife distribution.

Exam Hook: Key Takeaway

The first confirmed record of the Indian peafowl at Orang highlights the importance of species monitoring and habitat conservation beyond Assam’s well-known flagship wildlife.

One-line wrap: A new bird record at Orang adds to Assam’s biodiversity map and underlines the value of continuous wildlife monitoring.