Guwahati, Sept. 13 -- White Winged Wood Duck (Asarcornis scutulata), also known as White Winged Duck, is one of the rarest ducks in the world. To everyone in Assam, this duck is known as Deo Hanh, which was declared the state bird of Assam in 2003. It is an elusive wood duck that once reigned over a large natural range across Asia, but unfortunately, this enigmatic species has been facing extinction in many of its historical strongholds over the past three decades.

The global population of White Winged Wood Duck across its existing natural distribution in different Asian countries like India, Myanmar, Cambodia, and Thailand, out of its once extensive natural range across Eastern South Asia and Southeast Asia, stands at an alarming 150-40...