Endangered Swamp Partridge slaughtered and eaten by miscreants in Lakhimpur

North Lakhimpur, Nov 22: Miscreants in the Lakhimpur district of Assam reportedly killed and consumed an endangered bird species, the Swamp Partridge (Ortygornis gularis), locally known as Hoycolly. The incident occurred in the Ghagar area on the banks of the river Subansiri, where multiple partridges were discovered dead on the river bank, indicating the potential involvement of picnickers. Swamp Partridge, is categorised as vulnerable on the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species (2016).

A large number of feathers and wings of the bird were found scattered on the river bank, confirming their killing and consumption by people. Also called the Swamp Francolin, the Swamp Partridge, as its name implies, has a habitat affecting high grass and cane-brakes near the edges of rivers and wetlands and it comes into cultivated ground to feed. It is found mostly on the alluvial plains of the Ganges and Brahmaputra and has become endangered due to rampant hunting by humans in the last several decades.

The killing and consumption of this endangered bird have taken place just five kilometres from the district headquarter in North Lakhimpur, making a mockery of the existing wildlife protection departments and law enforcing agencies.