༄༅། ། རྒྱལ་འཛིན་རང་བཞིན་སྲུང་སྐྱོབ་ཚོགས་སྡེ།
Royal Society For Protection of Nature
Inspiring personal responsibility for environmental conservation since 1987
༄༅། ། རྒྱལ་འཛིན་རང་བཞིན་སྲུང་སྐྱོབ་ཚོགས་སྡེ།
Inspiring personal responsibility for environmental conservation since 1987
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The White-bellied Heron (Ardea insignis) is one of the rarest bird species in the world, with fewer than 60 individuals left in the world. Found only in parts of Bhutan, Northeast India, and Myanmar, this species has become a key ecosystem indicator and ecosystem health. By protecting the White-bellied Heron, we are protecting freshwater ecosystems and securing resilient future for both people and wildlife.
Its survival reflects the health of riverine and wetland ecosystems that support countless other species.
Conserving WBH habitats safeguards freshwater resources vital for both wildlife and people.
With Bhutan hosting one of the last viable populations, the country plays a critical role in preventing global extinction.
The WBH is part of Bhutan’s natural heritage, aligned with the national philosophy of living in harmony with nature.
Present key findings, outcomes, and lessons from the ongoing project “Developing Ecosystem-based Solutions for Managing Biodiversity Landscapes in Bhutan” supported by BMUV-IKI, Germany.
Exchange the latest research, monitoring data, and innovative practices in conserving the Critically Endangered White-bellied Heron.
Create a platform for researchers, policy-makers, and practitioners to share experiences, challenges, and solutions from across the WBH range countries and beyond.
Foster stronger regional and international partnerships to scale up collective action for WBH conservation and freshwater ecosystem protection.
| Time | Session | Remarks |
|---|---|---|
| 08:30-09:00 AM | Registration | |
| 09:00-09:15 AM | Opening Ceremony with Marchang | Mr. Namgyal Wangchuk, Chief, Administration & Finance Division, RSPN |
| 09:15-09:30 AM | Welcome Address | Dr. Kinley Tenzin, Executive Director, RSPN |
| 09:30-09:45 AM | Keynote Address by Chief Guest | Hon’ble Minister Gem Tshering, Ministry of Engery and Natural Resources (MoENR) |
| 09:45-09:55 AM | Remarks from BMUKN Representative | Ms. Taina Dyckhoff, Head of Division for Climate and Environment, German Embassy, New Delhi |
| 09:55-10:10 AM | Remarks from Dasho Paljor Jigme Dorji | Dasho Paljor Jigme Dorji (Benji), Special Advisor to National Environment Commission of Bhutan |
| 10:10-10:30 AM | Launch of White-bellied Heron Annual Population Survey 2026 Report | Brief on the report by MC |
| 10:30-10:45 AM | Memoirs of White-bellied Heron in Bhutan | Mr. Hishey Tshering, Former RSPN Official |
| 10:45-11:00 AM | Memoirs of White-bellied Heron in Bhutan | Mr. Yeshey Dorji, Professional Photographer and Blogger in Bhutan |
| 11:30-11:45 AM | Updates from First International White-bellied Heron Conference held in (2015) |
Mr. Jigme Tshering, Chief, Species Conservation Division, RSPN |
| 11:45-12:00 PM | Overview of BMUKN-IKI Project and its results | Ms. Sonam Peldon, Project Coordinator, RSPN |
| 12:00-12:15 PM | White-bellied Heron Conservation in Bhutan | Mr. Tshering Tobgay, Research Officer, RSPN |
| 12:15-12:30 PM | Ex-situ Conservation of White-bellied Heron | Ms. Samten Leki, Center In-charge, White-bellied Heron Conservation Center, RSPN |
| 12:30-12:45 PM | Livelihood Programs within White-bellied Heron landscape in Bhutan | Mr. Tsheten Dorji, Chief, Sustainable Livelihood Division, RSPN |
| 12:45-01:00 PM | Question & Answer Session |
| 02:00-02:30 PM | White-bellied Heron status, conservation efforts and Challenges in India |
Mr. Yumlam Benjamin Bida, Representative from India 30 Minutes (20 minutes session /10 minutes Q &A) |
| 02:30-03:00 PM | White-bellied Heron status, conservation efforts and challenges in Myanmar |
Mr Thiri Da Wei Aung, Representatives from Myanmar, 30 Minutes (20 minutes session/10 minutes Q & A) |
| 03:30-04:00 PM | White-bellied Heron status, conservation efforts and challenges in China |
Professor Wu Heqi, Representatives from China |
| 04:00-04:15 PM | Vote of Thanks & Summary of Day 1 | Mr. Wangchuk Namgay, Director, RSPN |
| 09:30-09:40 AM | Program Introduction | MC |
| 09:40-09:50 AM | White-bellied Heron conservation & way forward plan of Bhutan | Mr. Jigme Tshering, Chief, Species Conservation Division, RSPN |
| 10:20-01:00 PM | 1. Ideation on joint partnership on White-bellied Heron Conservation 2. Discussion on Long-term White-bellied Heron Conservation plan 2026-2036 |
Group Work |
| 02:00-03:30 PM | Group Presentation | Group Work |
| 04:00-05:00 PM | Consolidation & Presentation | Species Conservation Division, RSPN |
| 05:00-05:15 PM | Summary of Day 2 & Closing Remarks | Mr. Wangchuk Namgay, Director, RSPN |
Taina Dyckhoff is a seasoned expert in landscape planning and environmental policy, currently serving as the Head of the Division for Climate and Environment at the German Embassy in New Delhi. Her career includes eight years as a Desk Officer for Protected Areas at the German Federal Ministry for the Environment, Nature Conservation, Nuclear Safety and Consumer Protection (BMUV), where she gained extensive experience in international conservation frameworks. Ms. Dyckhoff holds advanced qualifications in landscape planning and urban design from several prestigious European institutions, including the School of Architecture in Copenhagen and TU Berlin. Her background as an "Assessor of landscape conservation" underscores her technical proficiency in managing complex ecological landscapes.
Yumlam Benjamin Bida is a dedicated conservation researcher currently pursuing a PhD at the North East Institute for Science and Technology, specializing in Forestry. He holds an MSc in Zoology with a focus on Animal Ecology and Wildlife Biology from Assam Don Bosco University. Affiliated with the Ashoka Trust for Research in Ecology and the Environment (ATREE) in the Eastern Himalaya-Northeast India regional office, Mr. Bida’s work is deeply rooted in the biodiversity-rich landscapes of the Himalayan region. His academic background and ongoing doctoral research emphasize the ecology and biology of regional wildlife, making his perspective highly valuable to the conservation of species with transboundary ranges like the White-belliedHeron.
Dr. Thiri Dae We Aung is the Executive Director of the Biodiversity and Nature Conservation Association (BANCA) in Myanmar and a leading figure in Southeast Asian avian conservation. She holds a Ph.D. in Zoology from Yangon University and has over 15 years of experience in species and site-based conservation. Her work primarily focuses on the protection of critically endangered birds, including the Spoon-billed Sandpiper and Gurney’s Pitta. As the South Asian coordinator for the Baer’s Pochard Taskforce and a member of the Myanmar National Redlist Team, she has extensive experience in managing transboundary conservation initiatives and conducting national-level advocacy with government ministries. Dr. Aung is an expert in wetland management and community-based conservation.
Dr. Wu Heqi is a distinguished Chinese ornithologist specialized in the movement ecology of birds. He has been a pioneer in avian monitoring, conducting the first satellite tracking research on the migration of the Black-necked Crane in China in 2004. His extensive research focuses on crane and waterbird population monitoring and habitat conservation within the Yunnan-Guizhou Plateau. He has helped establish an Avian Monitoring Network in the Chinese Academy of Sciences and has tracked the movements of over 60 avian species in southwestern China using GPS-GSM technology. Dr. Wu also focuses on the restoration of wetland ecosystems, utilizing bird diversity and movement as critical indices for measuring restoration success. His expertise in advanced tracking provides a vital insight into understanding the migratory patterns and habitat needs of endangered waterbirds.
Hishey Tshering is a passionate birder, devoted football (soccer) enthusiast, and committed conservationist. He served as Communications Officer at the Royal Society for the Protection of Nature (RSPN), where he played a pivotal role in the protection of the Black-necked Crane. Notably, he was instrumental in initiating the Black-necked Crane Festival, now a highly successful annual event that attracts bird enthusiasts from around the world. Hishey continues to support the festival through yearly contributions. He currently serves as Chairman of the Bhutan BirdLife Society. In 1998, Hishey collaborated with Dr. George Archibald, co-founder of the International Crane Foundation, on the groundbreaking first-ever color-banding and radio-collaring of Black-necked Cranes to track their migratory patterns. Beyond conservation, he operates the Bhutan Birding Heritage Tour and owns the Thimphu City Football Club.
Yeshey Dorji is a professional photographer and blogger, widely regarded as one of the earliest and most respected photographers in Bhutan. He began his journey in photography as a novice in the 1980s and became a professional in 2008. In the same year, he published his first book, a coffee table collection on the wild birds of Bhutan, and has since authored or edited eight books. His photographic work has been featured internationally in countries such as Spain, the UK, the USA, China, India, and Indonesia. He also contributes to The Archive UK, an organization dedicated to preserving images of the world’s most endangered animals and birds. One of his bird photographs is included in the specialized book “100 Birds One Must See Before Dying.” Additionally, the Guinness Book of World Records includes his photograph of a rare heron. Beyond wildlife photography, he has covered major sporting events such as the Wimbledon Tennis Championships and the Shanghai Masters for a Southeast Asian sports magazine.
Jigme Tshering serves as the National Coordinator for Black-necked Crane conservation. For the first 7 years of 19 years’ service at RSPN, Jigme was based at Phobjikha Conservation Area, the largest wintering habitat of BNC in Bhutan, researching and working with partners in the implementation of conservation and sustainable livelihood activities related to Black-necked Cranes. He completed Economics honours for his Bachelor’s degree from Sherubtse college, Trashigang and has a Master’s degree in Environmental Management from Charles Darwin University in Darwin, NT, Australia. Jigme is passionate about birds and the environment in general and particularly in saving the Black-necked Cranes and their habitat
Ms. Sonam Peldon has worked under the Department of Forests and Park Services as a Non-wood Forest Products (NWFP) Specialist before joining RSPN as the Program Specialist. She has an experience of more than 18 years in the field of forestry and community-based resource management with focus on Community Forests and Non-wood Forest Products (NWFPs). She holds a Masters of Environmental Management from Yale University, USA and Post Graduate Diploma in forestry & allied subjects from Indira Gandhi National Forest Academy (IGNFA) in Dehradun, India. She joined RSPN as Program Specialist and IKI Project coordinator in September 2023.
Tshering is very passionate about the conservation of bird species found in Bhutan. His main focus is safeguarding the bird species and restoring the important bird habitats through various conservation activities driven by scientific aids. Currently, he is very much focussed in supporting to save the Critically Endangered bird, White-bellied Heron. He holds a Master in Environmental Science graduated from Noida International University, India under the prestigious government scholarship of Nehru-Wangchuck. Prior to his current position in RSPN, he worked as a teacher teaching Environmental Science in various schools of Bhutan and managed various environmental projects. He also holds many publications of books and scientific papers in the field of bird conservation and environmental education. He loves to spend his weekends and free times outdoors watching birds. He currently serves as a Research Officer under the Species and Habitat Conservation Division.
Tsheten Dorji joined RSPN in May 2005 and held responsibilities in various capacities both in the field and at the headquarter in Thimphu, and has adequate experience in the implementation and management of both regional and national level conservation and sustainable livelihood programs and projects. He holds a Bachelor of Business Administration from Manipal University, India; Advance Certificate in Eco-Peace Leadership from Eco-Peace Leadership Center, College of Forest and Environmental Studies, Kangwon National University, South Korea and Master of Business Administration from the University of Canberra, Australia.
Samten Leki is a veterinary professional with a Bachelor of Science in Animal Science from the College of Natural Resources, Lobesa. She has hands-on experience in wildlife conservation, having served as a Veterinary Officer at the White-bellied Heron Conservation Center in Tsirang from 2021 to 2024. Her work focused on diagnosing and treating avian health conditions, managing breeding programs, and developing specialized nutrition plans to support the survival of critically endangered species. She also conducted laboratory diagnostics to maintain biosecurity standards and actively participated in the daily care and habitat management of birds. In addition to her technical role, she demonstrated leadership as Officer In Charge of the captive breeding center, overseeing operations and promoting conservation awareness within communities. She has further strengthened her expertise through international training in advanced avian care and contributes to global conservation efforts as a member of the IUCN White-bellied Heron Specialist Commission.
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