Guwahati, July 27: Prime Minister Narendra Modi, in the 124th episode of Mann ki Baat, lauded a groundbreaking biodiversity initiative from Assam’s Kaziranga National Park, where birds were identified not by sight, but by sound.
Describing it as a remarkable fusion of technology and ecological sensitivity, Modi spotlighted the park’s first-ever Grassland Bird Census—a pioneering effort in one of India’s most iconic wildlife landscapes.
“Though Kaziranga is famous for its rhinos, this time the focus is on its grasslands and the birds that inhabit them,” Modi said. “More than 40 bird species—including many rare ones—were identified, not by sight, but through their calls, using sound recorders and artificial intelligence.”
The Prime Minister shared his amazement at how AI-powered analysis of bird calls enabled scientists to detect species—many of them shy or elusive—without disturbing their natural behaviour. “When technology and sensitivity come together, understanding nature becomes easier and deeper,” he said, urging more such efforts to connect younger generations with biodiversity.
At the heart of this initiative was the use of passive acoustic monitoring—sound recorders placed in various grassland habitats, some of them remote or hazardous. These recorders captured hours of bird calls, which were then analysed using AI tools to identify species with high accuracy.
The census, conducted by researchers and park authorities, revealed several critical grassland habitats supporting significant populations of threatened and endemic birds. Among the most remarkable discoveries was a breeding colony of the Endangered Finn’s Weaver in the Kohora Range—a key ecological finding that underscores the need for focused habitat protection and adaptive management.
“This initiative doesn’t just document biodiversity—it acts as an ecological health check,” the report noted. Grassland birds serve as vital indicators of floodplain ecosystem health, and their presence—or absence—offers valuable insights for conservation planning.
The findings have broader implications, offering a replicable model for biodiversity monitoring using cutting-edge, non-invasive technologies. The report strongly advocates for long-term ecological monitoring, habitat-specific conservation, and integrating modern science into the management of protected areas across India.
Also Read: Eight illegal Bangladeshi immigrants pushed back from South Salmara
Also Watch
Find latest news from every corner of Northeast India at hubnetwork.in, your online source for breaking news, video coverage.
Also, Follow us on-
Twitter-twitter.com/nemediahub
Youtube channel- www.youtube.com/@NortheastMediaHub2020
Instagram- www.instagram.com/ne_media_hub
Download our app from playstore – Northeast Media Hub
