Why in News?
The Hargila bird is in the news because Prime Minister Narendra Modi praised the women-led "Hargila Army" of Assam during his Mann Ki Baat radio address on 28 June 2026.
Basic Information about the Hargila Bird
- Common Name: It is globally known as the Greater Adjutant Stork.
- Local Name: In Assamese, it is called "Hargila," which translates to "bone-swallower" due to its habit of swallowing massive pieces of bones.
- Physical Profile: It is a massive bird standing between 120 to 152 cm (approx. 5 feet) tall with a massive wingspan of around 250 cm.
- Key Features: It has a long pale grey bill, a bare neck/head with vibrant yellow to orange skin, and a distinct dangling pouch used during courtship.
Habitat and Distribution
- Global Stronghold: Over 80% to 85% of the entire global population resides in the state of Assam, India.
- Other Regions: Outside of Assam, smaller populations are restricted to Bhagalpur in Bihar (India) and parts of Cambodia.
- Preferred Environment: It inhabits wetlands, floodplains, marshes, and builds colonial nests on tall trees near human settlements.
Ecological Role and Diet
- Nature's Waste Managers: They act as vital scavengers, feeding primarily on carrion, animal carcasses, and organic waste, keeping the wetlands clean.
- Diet Variety: Being opportunistic omnivores, they also feed on fish, frogs, large insects, reptiles, and rodents.
Conservation Status and Threats
- IUCN Red List: Its conservation status was recently upgraded from 'Endangered' to 'Near Threatened' due to successful population recovery.
- Legal Protection: In India, it is protected under Schedule IV of the Wildlife (Protection) Act, 1972.
- Primary Threats: Suffer severely from habitat loss, the cutting down of nesting trees on private lands, pollution, and the draining/encroachment of wetlands.
The "Hargila Army" Movement
- The Pioneer: The movement was founded by Dr Purnima Devi Barman, a wildlife biologist from the environmental NGO Aaranyak.
- Cultural Integration: Dr Barman changed mindsets by integrating the bird into local folk songs, organizing baby showers for newly hatched chicks, and providing women with looms to weave the bird motif into traditional attire like gamochas.
- Global Honors: Her grassroots leadership earned her the prestigious UN "Champions of the Earth" award and the Whitley Gold Award (referred to as the Green Oscar).
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