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pochard ( Aythya baeri ), pallas’ sea eagle
( Haliaeetus leucogaster ), greater adjutant stork
( Leptoptilos dubius ), etc. The Siberian crane
( Grus leucogeranus ) regularly migrates to this
habitat during its annual journey. Also, there is a
large congregation of residential waterbirds in
the Beel. The BirdLife International (BLI) has
declared Deepor Beel as an Important Bird Area
(IBA) with high priority for conservation.
Aqua Fauna
About 50 species of fi shes, belonging to 19 families, have been reported from Deepor Beel. Some
of these are as follows:
Labeo rohita, L. gonius, Mystus vittatus,
Wallago attu, Channa striata, Heteropneustes
fossilis, Anabas testudineus, Clarias batrachus,
etc. These fi shes act as stock for other nearby
wetlands and rivers. The Beel provides food
and possibly acts as a spawning ground. Also,
40 species of waterfowls have been recorded in
the Beel.
Further, surveys have revealed 20 species of
amphibians, 12 species of lizards, 18 species of
snakes and 6 species of turtles and tortoises in
the Beel.
Other Fauna
Wild Asian elephants ( Elephas maximus ), leopard, jungle cat, the protected barking deer,
Chinese porcupine and sambar are found in the
forests around Deepor Beel.
Utility of the Beel
The inhabitants in the villages around the periphery and the catchment of the Beel use the Beel for
the following purposes:
(a) Fishing and bird trapping; (b) for navigation; (c) collection of fodder for cattle; (d) collection of seeds and nuts of Trapa, Nymphaea,
Euryale ferox, etc.; (e) farming of ‘Boro’ (winter)
paddy between November and April; etc. Further,
as economic and social values, (a) the Beel is a
habitat for economically important biota including the fi shes, (b) the fi shes serve as a source of
nutrition and avocation for the riparian communities, (c) the Beel promotes tourism and (d) orchids
are collected from the forests around the Beel.
Disturbances and Threats
(a) Day-in and day-out fi shing activities, (b)
paddy cultivation in the Beel, (c) hunting of
waterfowls in the Beel, (d) deforestation in the
surrounding forests resulting in soil erosion and
siltation, (e) encroachment of the water spread
area of the Beel (f) draining of pesticides and
manures from adjoining cultivated areas leading
to eutrophication of the Beel and (g) possibility
of increase in human settlement due to expansion
of industries near the Beel
Deterioration of the Beel
Some of the causes for the deterioration of the
Beel are (a) urbanisation around the periphery of
the Beel, (b) discharge of urban waste into the
Beel, (c) brick factories in and around the Beel,
(d) trapping of wild birds and mammals and (e)
unplanned fi shing in the Beel.
Restoration Activities
Some of the management and conservation measures are as follows: (a) The Govt. of Assam has
declared 414 ha of the Beel area as the ‘Deepor
Beel Sanctuary’, and (b) fi sh catch, perhaps,
improved due to eradication of weeds from about
500 ha of the Beel area.
There have also been long-term welfare measures , notably (a) removal of encroachments and
settlements in and around the Beel; (b) afforestation of the shoreline; (c) the Beel be made more
effective as a storm water detention basin for
Guwahati City (but the sewage be treated); (d)
earth cutting, industrial developments, etc., in and
around the Beel be stopped forthwith, (e) ecotourism and conservation education be fostered; and
(f) the passage of the ‘Guwahati Waterbodies
(Preservation and Conservation) Bill, 2008’ been a
welcome step for the welfare of the wetlands.
Bird Sanctuary
Deepor Beel Bird Sanctuary was set up by the
Assam Forest Department in an area of 414 ha
within the Beel for giving shelter to several species of birds. >120 species of birds have been
listed in the sanctuary. These include kingfi shers,
fi shing eagles, adjutant storks and many varieties
of ducks.
20 Wetlands of India
pochard ( Aythya baeri ), pallas’ sea eagle
( Haliaeetus leucogaster ), greater adjutant stork
( Leptoptilos dubius ), etc. The Siberian crane
( Grus leucogeranus ) regularly migrates to this
habitat during its annual journey. Also, there is a
large congregation of residential waterbirds in
the Beel. The BirdLife International (BLI) has
declared Deepor Beel as an Important Bird Area
(IBA) with high priority for conservation.
Aqua Fauna
About 50 species of fi shes, belonging to 19 families, have been reported from Deepor Beel. Some
of these are as follows:
Labeo rohita, L. gonius, Mystus vittatus,
Wallago attu, Channa striata, Heteropneustes
fossilis, Anabas testudineus, Clarias batrachus,
etc. These fi shes act as stock for other nearby
wetlands and rivers. The Beel provides food
and possibly acts as a spawning ground. Also,
40 species of waterfowls have been recorded in
the Beel.
Further, surveys have revealed 20 species of
amphibians, 12 species of lizards, 18 species of
snakes and 6 species of turtles and tortoises in
the Beel.
Other Fauna
Wild Asian elephants ( Elephas maximus ), leopard, jungle cat, the protected barking deer,
Chinese porcupine and sambar are found in the
forests around Deepor Beel.
Utility of the Beel
The inhabitants in the villages around the periphery and the catchment of the Beel use the Beel for
the following purposes:
(a) Fishing and bird trapping; (b) for navigation; (c) collection of fodder for cattle; (d) collection of seeds and nuts of Trapa, Nymphaea,
Euryale ferox, etc.; (e) farming of ‘Boro’ (winter)
paddy between November and April; etc. Further,
as economic and social values, (a) the Beel is a
habitat for economically important biota including the fi shes, (b) the fi shes serve as a source of
nutrition and avocation for the riparian communities, (c) the Beel promotes tourism and (d) orchids
are collected from the forests around the Beel.
Disturbances and Threats
(a) Day-in and day-out fi shing activities, (b)
paddy cultivation in the Beel, (c) hunting of
waterfowls in the Beel, (d) deforestation in the
surrounding forests resulting in soil erosion and
siltation, (e) encroachment of the water spread
area of the Beel (f) draining of pesticides and
manures from adjoining cultivated areas leading
to eutrophication of the Beel and (g) possibility
of increase in human settlement due to expansion
of industries near the Beel
Deterioration of the Beel
Some of the causes for the deterioration of the
Beel are (a) urbanisation around the periphery of
the Beel, (b) discharge of urban waste into the
Beel, (c) brick factories in and around the Beel,
(d) trapping of wild birds and mammals and (e)
unplanned fi shing in the Beel.
Restoration Activities
Some of the management and conservation measures are as follows: (a) The Govt. of Assam has
declared 414 ha of the Beel area as the ‘Deepor
Beel Sanctuary’, and (b) fi sh catch, perhaps,
improved due to eradication of weeds from about
500 ha of the Beel area.
There have also been long-term welfare measures , notably (a) removal of encroachments and
settlements in and around the Beel; (b) afforestation of the shoreline; (c) the Beel be made more
effective as a storm water detention basin for
Guwahati City (but the sewage be treated); (d)
earth cutting, industrial developments, etc., in and
around the Beel be stopped forthwith, (e) ecotourism and conservation education be fostered; and
(f) the passage of the ‘Guwahati Waterbodies
(Preservation and Conservation) Bill, 2008’ been a
welcome step for the welfare of the wetlands.
Bird Sanctuary
Deepor Beel Bird Sanctuary was set up by the
Assam Forest Department in an area of 414 ha
within the Beel for giving shelter to several species of birds. >120 species of birds have been
listed in the sanctuary. These include kingfi shers,
fi shing eagles, adjutant storks and many varieties
of ducks.
20 Wetlands of India