The Rowmari–Donduwa Wetland Complex

04.11.2025

The Rowmari–Donduwa Wetland Complex

Context

Experts and forest officials in Assam are urging the designation of the Rowmari–Donduwa wetland complex as a Ramsar site, recognizing its exceptional ecological value and rich avian diversity that surpasses other wetlands in Northeast India.

Location and Landscape

Situated within the Laokhowa Wildlife Sanctuary (70.13 sq. km) in Nagaon district, part of the Kaziranga Tiger Reserve, the wetland forms a vital ecological and migratory corridor linking Kaziranga and Orang National Parks. It lies within the Kaziranga–Orang landscape, bordered by the Laokhowa and Burhachapori Wildlife Sanctuaries, which function as buffer zones for the tiger reserve.

Key Features

• Covers about 2.5–3 sq. km of interconnected floodplain–marsh terrain.
   
• Recorded over 47,000 waterbirds in the 2025 census—20,653 at Rowmari Beel and 26,480 at Donduwa Beel—representing more than 120 bird species.
   
• Outnumbers bird counts at Deepor Beel and Loktak Lake, meeting eight of nine Ramsar criteria for global ecological importance.
   

Ecological Importance

The complex serves as a habitat, breeding, and feeding ground for numerous migratory and threatened species, including the Knob-billed Duck, Black-necked Stork, and Ferruginous Pochard. It also supports rich aquatic biodiversity—fish, amphibians, otters, and reptiles and forms part of the Central Asian Flyway. Ecologically, it provides flood buffering, groundwater recharge, carbon storage, and connectivity between protected areas.