Kaziranga National Park and Tiger Reserve recently reported two significant developments. On October 4, a female elephant calf was born to Kuwari, an elephant that has served the Assam Forest Department for nearly four decades. The calf was named Mayabini, a decision made to honor Zubeen Garg, an Assamese cultural icon who passed away on September 19. Assam’s Forest Minister, Chandra Mohan Patowary, announced the birth and stated that the name, chosen with “immense affection and public goodwill,” aims to convey “new life, hope, and harmony in the wild.”
In a separate report, authorities at the UNESCO World Heritage Site observed the sighting of migratory painted storks (Mycteria leucocephala) on October 3. This marked the species’ return to the park after a three-year absence, with their last recorded presence during a migratory waterfowl census in 2022. Classified as near threatened by the International Union for Conservation of Nature, the painted stork was first documented in Kaziranga in 2004. The appearance of a pair of these distinctive wading birds coincides with the seasonal arrival of winter migratory birds in the region.
Source: https://www.thehindu.com/news/national/assam/kaziranga-elephant-calf-named-mayabini-in-honour-of-zubeen-garg/article70127399.ece