India, Feb. 28 -- The Brahmaputra valley has a distinctive natural environment that depends largely on wetlands. Innumerable freshwater lakes (locally called beels), ox-bow lakes, marshes, swamps, ponds and tanks serve as habitats offering critical breeding and feeding grounds for a vast range of species-from amphibians to migratory birds. Wetlands in the Brahmaputra floodplain host a multitude of waterfowl-ducks, geese, storks, ibises, pelicans, grebes, cormorants, herons, egrets, etc.

While Protected Areas like Kaziranga, Pobitora, Orang, Nameri, Manas, Dehing-Patkai, Dibru-Saikhowa and Deepar Beel offer key wintering habitats for migratory water birds, there are vast swathes of marshes in Neemati, Majuli, Bordoibam-Bilmukh and freshw...