12-day old White-bellied heron chick (Photo: RSPN)

Update 19 May 2011 - The first White-belleid heron hatched in captive on May 2011 is 13-days old today. Today at 13 days old, it weighed 265.3 grams.

The officials at the hatchery site say they feed only three times a day. It takes whole fish, which is 6-7cm long.

Four-day old White-bellied heron chick, weighed 59.7 grams (Photo: RSPN)

May 11, 2011 - The White-bellied heron is a critically endangered species as per the IUCN’s category (2007). With the current global population estimated to be less than 200 of which Bhutan has 26 numbers, it is of a great conservation significance to Bhutan to embark on saving the bird.

The ongoing white-bellied heron conservation project is conducting a research on captive-breeding of the bird at Phochu in Punakha. To begin with, RSPN in collaboration with Department of Livestock and Department of Forests and Park Services under Ministry of Agriculture and Forests have undertaken a captive-rearing of the bird to address the high mortality rates at its infant period due to predation and other calamities such as forest fires.  Such program is first of its kind in the world for white-bellied heron.

27 April 2011: From feeding the Black Necked Cranes to fighting for its survival, Mr. Phurba Wangdi, a 65 year old local Bumdeling resident is known as the Black Necked Crane Caretaker in Bumdeling in Trashi Yangtse. These birds visit the valley every winter. His commitment for conservation of the Black Necked Crane was recognized by not only the local community but international organizations like the WWF, when he was awarded the first ever ‘Regional Crane Conservation Award’ at the regional workshop held in Delhi last week.

The workshop was inaugurated on April 22 to celebrate the Earth Day. Dasho Paljor Dorji, advisor to the National Environment Commission of Bhutan and Founder of Royal Society for Protection of Nature (RSPN) was also present during the inaugural session.

Sixty-five-year-old Phurba Wangdi has spent more than half his life conserving the endangered black-necked cranes when they migrate to Bumdeling valley in Trashiyangtse every winter.

That commitment was recognised at a workshop on regional cooperation for black necked cranes held in New Delhi, India, on April 22 -23. India’s minister of environment and forests, Mr Jairam  Ramesh presented Phurpa Wangdi the first regional crane conservation award for his 35 years of selfless commitment towards conserving the black necked cranes.

This year’s Earth Day theme is Billion Acts of Green®. The purpose of this theme is to mobilize one billion acts of environmental service around the world. The campaign calls for people of all nationalities to commit to an act that helps reduce carbon emissions and promotes sustainability. The act can be a simple gesture, such as washing laundry in cold water, or immense, like picking up a million pounds of trash. Whatever the act may be, Earth Day is a great time to generate as many as possible in your community. Collectively, these acts will not only have an impact on global carbon emissions, but will also demonstrate the power of small every-day individual acts of green.

The United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) is meeting in Bangkok from 3 – 8 April, 2011 to discuss action plans following decisions made at COP 16 in Cancun Mexico.

Water is essential for very being (Photo: T. Lhamtshok, RSPN)

World Water Day is commemorated anually on 22 March. With various themes for the day, UN Water organize events related to water in different parts of the world.

The theme for 2011 World Water Day is, "Water for Cities: Shared Water, Shared Responsibilities". In Bhutan, the event will be commemorated in Khasadrapchu Middle Secodary School in Thimphu on March 22 with various thematic programs like talks on water quality, water theme songs and cultural dances, extempore speech, art competition on water, etc.

Thimphu: 15 March 2011- RSPN today offered prayers and one thousand butter lamps for the victims of recent Japan's earthquake and tsunami. The Resident Representative of JICA Bhutan office and other senior JICA officials attended the prayer ceremony.
 
"I would like to express my sincere gratitude for your warm sympathy for the Japanese people who are affected by the last week's earthquake and tsunami", said Mr. Tomoki Nitta, the Resident Represenative of JICA Bhutan office. "We will convey to our Japanese Embassy in New Delhi and to JICA head office in Tokyo".