Bhutan records historic high for critically endangered White-bellied Heron

2026-03-30 - 13:11

After more than two decades, Bhutan has hit a record-breaking conservation milestone with a population of 31 White-bellied herons. The announcement served as the main highlight of the 2026 International Conference in Thimphu. Bhutan holds the largest and most secure population of White-bellied herons, with a total of 31 individuals as of 2026. This represents approximately half of the global population. The White-bellied Heron International Conference 2026 in Thimphu returns after ten years, hosted by the Royal Society for Protection of Nature (RSPN). The conference invited and saw the gathering of distinguished dignitaries, partners, stakeholders and international participants from Australia, China, Czech Republic, India, Japan, Myanmar, Nepal, Austria, Singapore and Thailand. This conference marked an important milestone under the five-year project called “Developing Ecosystem-based solutions for Managing Biodiversity Landscapes in Bhutan,” supported by the International Climate Initiative (IKI), an initiative backed up by Germany. The main highlight of the conference was the official launch of the White-bellied Heron Annual Population Survey Report 2026. A total of 31 White-bellied herons were recorded, surpassing the previous year’s number of 29. This is a record-breaking achievement for Bhutan as it exceeded the highest recorded population, which was 30 in 2003. According to RSPN, this number includes both wild birds and a small number of captive specimens. 26 of them were observed in the wild, and 5 currently being raised at the Conservation Breeding Center. This milestone is mainly attributed to the efforts of conservation partners, local communities, and all the stakeholders involved in strengthening conservation efforts for the endangered species. Jigme Tshering, Chief of Species Conservation Division, said that Bhutan is on track in protecting this critically endangered species. He said, “Conservation and mitigation measures are currently underway and we are engaging with government partners. Bhutan is currently on the right path since conducive efforts are in place for heron conservation.” Moreover, there are certain challenges and risks faced in White-Bellied heron conservation efforts. A key objective of the conference was to facilitate knowledge sharing by providing a platform for presenting research findings and fostering dialogue to address the knowledge gap that persists in the broader conservation effort. Furthermore, a challenge or a looming risk for White-bellied heron safety is also concerned with power transmission lines that run along key areas in conservation. Jigme said, “One of the main challenges is the threat of power lines, especially to hatchlings when they are born, they aren’t used to man-made structures. Therefore, collision with transmission lines is a major challenge.” “Currently, we are mapping out critical sites and we are engaging with the Department of Energy and Bhutan Power Corporation to develop alternate solutions, such as underground lining and installing fly diverters on power lines to divert flight passage of herons,” he added. The conference also discussed on RSPN’s way forward for charting long-term strategies and strengthening conservation efforts for the future. Jigme Tshering presented RSPN’s conservation plans, including robust and effective in-situ and ex-situ conservation plans. For the longer-term, RSPN plans to improve monitoring, research, and double down on studying and assessing heron activity and climate change impacts to address shortages of existing knowledge gaps. Furthermore, mitigation methods for power transmission line and fly diverters to reduce threats will also be discussed, followed by resilient community initiatives and enhancing local communities through livelihood programs.