𝗠𝗲𝗲𝘁 𝗢𝘂𝗿 𝗛𝗲𝗿𝗼𝗻 𝗔𝗺𝗯𝗮𝘀𝘀𝗮𝗱𝗼𝗿 𝗶𝗻 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗙𝗮𝗿-𝗙𝗹𝘂𝗻𝗴 𝗩𝗶𝗹𝗹𝗮𝗴𝗲𝘀 𝗼𝗳 𝗘𝗮𝘀𝘁𝗲𝗿𝗻 𝗕𝗵𝘂𝘁𝗮𝗻

In the far-flung eastern corners of Bhutan lie the beautiful villages of Lauri, Serthi, Zangthi, Menjung, and many more. These communities, perched on the slopes of rugged mountains, are tied together by the easternmost river of Bhutan- the Jomori River.

Long ago, elders recall spotting a magnificent bird along this river: the White-bellied Heron, one of the rarest species on Earth. Sadly, despite two intensive surveys, no recent records of the heron have been found here. Some fear it may have already disappeared before communities realized its global significance.

Yet, our determination remains unshaken. This coming winter, we will return for a third survey—hoping against odds that the great bird might still grace these waters. The Royal Society for Protection of Nature (RSPN), together with Jomotshangkha Wildlife Sanctuary under the Department of Forests and Park Services, is leading this mission. Step by step, season by season, our teams are assessing not only the heron’s habitat but also the river’s broader biodiversity—from otters to other riverine wildlife.

• Pre-monsoon and monsoon surveys have been completed
• Post-monsoon survey is underway

But this expedition is not only about rivers and wildlife, it is also about people.Before each survey, we train young Bhutanese and local partners to collect data and explore these wild rivers. We have engaged with more than 400 households across scattered villages along the Jomori to understand socio-economic conditions. This knowledge helps RSPN design alternative livelihood options that both uplift communities and conserve biodiversity.

For remote communities, the White-bellied Heron symbolizes more than rarity, it represents cleaner rivers, richer fish stocks, healthier forests, and new eco-tourism opportunities.  Conservation becomes more than a scientific mission, it becomes a conversation. We listened to stories, shared knowledge about the heron, and planted the seeds of stewardship.   Through surveys, training, and awareness, the White-bellied Heron has become a bridge linking nature and people, science and tradition, hope and action. Even if the bird is absent from the Jomori today, our efforts ensure that both the land and the people are ready to welcome it back-should it ever return.We are grateful to Jomotsangkha Wildlife Sanctuary , Department of Forests and Park Services, Local government, and schools for the partnership in implementing this project activities.This project is supported by Asian Species Action Partnership and Global Wildlife Fund Limited.

The three-day workshop brings together a diverse group of participants, including representatives from local government, Department of Local Governance and Disaster Management, and Civil Society Organizations and Agencies (Tarayana Foundation, The Bhutan Youth Development Fund, Bhutan Centre for Media and Democracy) and Jigme Singye Wangchuck School of Law. This workshop is part of ongoing project ‘𝗦𝘁𝗿𝗲𝗻𝗴𝘁𝗵𝗲𝗻𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗰𝗮𝗽𝗮𝗰𝗶𝘁𝗶𝗲𝘀 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗲𝗻𝗵𝗮𝗻𝗰𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗰𝗹𝗶𝗺𝗮𝘁𝗲 𝗱𝗮𝘁𝗮 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝘀𝗲𝗿𝘃𝗶𝗰𝗲𝘀 𝗶𝗻 𝗕𝗵𝘂𝘁𝗮𝗻 𝘁𝗼 𝘀𝗰𝗮𝗹𝗲-𝘂𝗽 𝗰𝗹𝗶𝗺𝗮𝘁𝗲 𝗳𝗶𝗻𝗮𝗻𝗰𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗳𝗿𝗼𝗺 𝗺𝘂𝗹𝘁𝗶𝗽𝗹𝗲 𝘀𝗼𝘂𝗿𝗰𝗲𝘀’ funded by Green Climate Fund.

The three-day workshop equipped teachers, who also serve as Nature Club and ASPnet Coordinators with knowledge and tools on #ClimateEducation that go beyond the classroom. The training emphasized fostering values, responsibility, and sustainable practices that teachers can integrate into their lessons and share with students and communities at large.

The workshop also included discussions on the recently selected study grant proposal, with valuable feedback shared to strengthen and guide effective implementation.

This activity is part of the ongoing UNESCO-funded project which aims to:

Build the capacity of teachers and students in climate and biodiversity knowledge.

Encourage nature-positive, STEM-based solutions to local environmental issues.

Promote knowledge sharing and outreach programs across ASPnet/UNESCO/Nature Club schools across the country.

By empowering educators and students, the project envisions ‘schools as hubs of sustainability’ driving climate resilience, biodiversity conservation, and stronger community action for a greener future.

After an insightful session on #Waterbird monitoring yesterday, today our participants were greeted by a beautiful waterbird/shorebird right at our training venue in Yongkola, Mongar.

#Bhutan, despite its small geographical size, is globally recognized for its rich avifaunal diversity, hosting over 770 bird species, of which a considerable number are waterbirds. The country’s varied river systems, high-altitude wetlands, and lowland marshes provide critical habitats for both resident and migratory species. Each year, Bhutan receives diverse waterbirds during spring and autumn migration, as well as wintering flocks that utilize the country’s wetlands and rivers as vital stopover and refuge sites.

What makes Bhutan unique is its strategic location at the confluence of two major migratory flyways: the East Asian–Australasian Flyway (EAAF) and the Central Asian Flyway (CAF). This positioning makes the country an ecological bridge for numerous migratory species. For instance, the Black-necked Crane winters in the high-altitude valleys of Bhutan, while other species such as the Ruddy Shelduck, Northern Pintail, and Common Teal are regularly recorded in wetlands and rivers across the country.

Furthermore, Bhutan is home to 23 Important Bird and Biodiversity Areas (IBAs), many of which are significant sites for waterbirds. These sites not only contribute to regional and global migratory networks but also provide invaluable ecosystem services for local communities.

RSPN Bhutan as Bhutan’s environmental NGO, remains committed to advancing bird conservation and strengthening monitoring initiatives. Regular and systematic monitoring of waterbirds is crucial for:

Assessing population trends and distribution of species across seasons.

Identifying and mitigating threats such as habitat loss, pollution, and climate change.

Contributing to global databases that inform international conservation policies and agreements, including the Convention on Migratory Species (CMS) and the Ramsar Convention.

Guiding conservation action within Bhutan by providing evidence-based data for policy-makers, conservationists, and local communities.

Waterbirds serve as key ecological indicators, reflecting the health of riverine ecosystems. Their monitoring not only supports biodiversity conservation but also ensures the long-term sustainability of freshwater resources upon which both humans and wildlife depend.

We extend our sincere gratitude to Dr. Ding Li and Dr. Anand from BirdLife International Asia for facilitating an insightful session on waterbird conservation, with particular emphasis on monitoring techniques and the significance of sustained monitoring efforts.

Bird that greeted us: Pacific Golden Plover (PC-Tshering Dhendup/RSPN)

This session focused on understanding #ClimateChange – its causes, impacts, and the actions we can take. The discussion emphasized that climate change is not a distant issue but is already influencing our lifestyles, ecosystems, and way the planet Earth functions.

Through an interactive group activity, participants traced the journey of everyday utilities to see how they are produced, what materials are used, what wastes are created, and the consequences it brings to impact the climate. This exercise sparked engaging conversations, allowing participants to see the hidden connections between human activities, resource use, waste generation, and the climate system. It highlighted how small, everyday actions are link to broader environmental impacts and how collective awareness can drive more sustainable choices and positive behavioural changes.

The session also highlighted our local action connectivity to the global effort to combat climate issues. As an important means, emphasis were made to take steps from documentating phenophases, observing the life-cycle events in plants and animals to adopting some of Sustainable Development Goals that can contribute in building climate science and actions, the reality event to proof climate change is real, and there is urgency to take climate actions.

Today, the first session of the workshop kicked off with an introduction to the ‘𝗖𝗼𝗻𝘀𝗲𝗿𝘃𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝗼𝗳 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗖𝗿𝗶𝘁𝗶𝗰𝗮𝗹𝗹𝘆 𝗘𝗻𝗱𝗮𝗻𝗴𝗲𝗿𝗲𝗱 𝗪𝗵𝗶𝘁𝗲-𝗯𝗲𝗹𝗹𝗶𝗲𝗱 𝗛𝗲𝗿𝗼𝗻 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗔𝘀𝘀𝗼𝗰𝗶𝗮𝘁𝗲𝗱 𝗦𝗽𝗲𝗰𝗶𝗲𝘀’ with focused in building capacity of participants to leverage technologies and techniques in monitoring the species.

Prior to this, participants were familiarized on the new project activities to be implemented in the eastern Bhutan. As indicated in the Theory of Change, the project’s main goal is to create thriving population of White-bellied Heron in eastern Bhutan through integrated conservation approaches. The outputs outlined includes

Research and Knowledge generation

Threat Mitigation and Livelihood Diversification

Community Engagement and Capacity Development, and

Policy and Institutional Support.

In addition to safeguarding the White-bellied Heron, the project will also prioritize the conservation of associated species such as Otters, terrestrial birds, and waterbirds within the heron’s landscape in Eastern Bhutan. There are also provision to support community’s livelihoods and improving overall health of riverine ecosystem using Nature-based Solutions (NbS) as the core approach.

During the initial phase, the project will emphasize baseline data collection (species presence, threats, socio-economic and climate vulnerabilities) and awareness programs for communities and relevant stakeholders. Moving forward, the project will implement targeted conservation interventions to ensure the long-term protection of this rare species, benefits to communities and maintaining the rich riverine ecosystem.

The Royal Society for Protection of Nature (RSPN) is hosting a 𝗖𝗼𝗻𝘀𝘂𝗹𝘁𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗖𝗮𝗽𝗮𝗰𝗶𝘁𝘆-𝗕𝘂𝗶𝗹𝗱𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗪𝗼𝗿𝗸𝘀𝗵𝗼𝗽 to safeguard the 𝗖𝗿𝗶𝘁𝗶𝗰𝗮𝗹𝗹𝘆 𝗘𝗻𝗱𝗮𝗻𝗴𝗲𝗿𝗲𝗱, 𝗪𝗵𝗶𝘁𝗲-𝗯𝗲𝗹𝗹𝗶𝗲𝗱 𝗛𝗲𝗿𝗼𝗻.

As part of this major initiative to ensure the comprehensive conservation of the White-bellied Heron in Bhutan, RSPN is launching new project activities in eastern Bhutan. The overarching goal is “𝗧𝗵𝗿𝗶𝘃𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗪𝗵𝗶𝘁𝗲-𝗯𝗲𝗹𝗹𝗶𝗲𝗱 𝗛𝗲𝗿𝗼𝗻 𝗽𝗼𝗽𝘂𝗹𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗰𝗹𝗶𝗺𝗮𝘁𝗲-𝗿𝗲𝘀𝗶𝗹𝗶𝗲𝗻𝘁 𝗿𝗶𝘃𝗲𝗿 𝗲𝗰𝗼𝘀𝘆𝘀𝘁𝗲𝗺𝘀, 𝘀𝘂𝘀𝘁𝗮𝗶𝗻𝗲𝗱 𝘁𝗵𝗿𝗼𝘂𝗴𝗵 𝗮𝗱𝗮𝗽𝘁𝗶𝘃𝗲 𝗰𝗼𝗺𝗺𝘂𝗻𝗶𝘁𝘆 𝗹𝗶𝘃𝗲𝗹𝗶𝗵𝗼𝗼𝗱𝘀 𝗶𝗻 𝗲𝗮𝘀𝘁𝗲𝗿𝗻 𝗕𝗵𝘂𝘁𝗮𝗻”, with an integrated approach to conserve this rare species.

The project will cover the river basins of eastern Bhutan, primarily the Kuri-Gongri and its tributaries, spanning the districts of Mongar, Lhuntse, Trashigang, Trashiyangtse, and Pemagatshel.

As part of the project’s launch, RSPN is hosting a consultation and capacity-building workshop with relevant stakeholders in Mongar to initiate project implementation and foster collaborative conservation efforts.

The Management and Executive officials of PHPA-II, along with representatives from RSPN Bhutan recently inaugurated a eco-restoration site, supporting the rehabilitation of the Bjitshokha muck disposal site that was used during hydropower construction times.

This joint collaboration marks an important step towards rewilding and restoration the degraded habitats for the 𝗖𝗿𝗶𝘁𝗶𝗰𝗮𝗹𝗹𝘆 𝗘𝗻𝗱𝗮𝗻𝗴𝗲𝗿𝗲𝗱 𝗪𝗵𝗶𝘁𝗲-𝗯𝗲𝗹𝗹𝗶𝗲𝗱 𝗛𝗲𝗿𝗼𝗻 (𝗪𝗕𝗛) 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗼𝘁𝗵𝗲𝗿 𝗮𝘀𝘀𝗼𝗰𝗶𝗮𝘁𝗲𝗱 𝘀𝗽𝗲𝗰𝗶𝗲𝘀 that are found along riverine ecosystem within the PHPA-II project areas. The Punatshangchhu basin, is a key habitat for the WBH, annually recording the sightings of at least 70% of WBH population in Bhutan.

Under the ongoing BMUV-IKI project, more than 50 Ha of degraded land areas within two of the river basins, Mangdechhu and Punatshangchhu have been restored. This effort is expected to improve habitat quality, promote biodiversity conservation and benefit communities. More importantly to mitigate the climate change.

The collaboration with hydropower authorities further strengthens our shared commitment to environmental stewardship and sustainable development.

RSPN Bhutan remains grateful to PHPA-II for this valuable collaboration and their continued support.

This activity is part of the IKI Project, “Developing Ecosystem-based Solutions for Managing Biodiversity Landscapes in Bhutan,” funded by the BMUV and co-funded by the MAVA Foundation and RSPN.

As part of a major initiative to strengthen scientific research and conservation efforts for the critically endangered White-bellied Heron and other avian species in the landscape, the Royal Society for Protection of Nature (RSPN), in collaboration with the Department of Forest and Park Services (DoFPS), has launched a basic training program. This program focuses on the fundamentals of bird mist-netting, handling, ringing/banding, tagging, and preliminary screening for some of the avian diseases.

This training not only strengthens local capacity in avian research and conservation but also aligns with the broader One Health approach, recognizing the interconnectedness of wildlife, human, and ecosystem health, especially in the context of monitoring and managing zoonotic diseases in fragile ecosystems.

The first batch of this training includes participation from local community members, forestry officers from selected Divisions, and field staff of RSPN. The sessions are jointly conducted by avian experts from Austria and Germany alongside the RSPN team.

On the auspicious occasion of the Birth Anniversary of His Majesty the Third Druk Gyalpo, the Royal Society for Protection of Nature (RSPN Bhutan) is honored to launch the Annual White-bellied Heron Population Survey Report 2025.

Since 2003, RSPN, in collaboration with the Department of Forests and Park Services, has conducted annual surveys to monitor the status of this critically endangered species. These long-term efforts have been significant in understanding population trends, distribution patterns, prevailing threats, and guiding targeted conservation interventions.

This year’s survey recorded a total of 𝟮𝟵 𝗶𝗻𝗱𝗶𝘃𝗶𝗱𝘂𝗮𝗹 𝗪𝗵𝗶𝘁𝗲-𝗯𝗲𝗹𝗹𝗶𝗲𝗱 𝗛𝗲𝗿𝗼𝗻𝘀; 𝟮𝟰 𝗶𝗻 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝘄𝗶𝗹𝗱 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗳𝗶𝘃𝗲 𝗮𝘁 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗪𝗵𝗶𝘁𝗲-𝗯𝗲𝗹𝗹𝗶𝗲𝗱 𝗛𝗲𝗿𝗼𝗻 𝗖𝗼𝗻𝘀𝗲𝗿𝘃𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝗖𝗲𝗻𝘁𝗲𝗿 (𝗪𝗕𝗛𝗖𝗖). The survey also identified four active nests; three in the Punatshangchhu river basin and one in the Mangdechhu river basin.

RSPN expresses its heartfelt gratitude to all donors, conservation partners, philanthropists, and stakeholders whose continued support makes this annual survey possible.