KBA Profile: Pambar River
National Site Name Pambar River
English Name
KBA delineation Catchments (Level 12)
yes - The catchments in the very upper Pambar River (forested and designated as PA's) contain Focal area delineation all 3 endemic species to the KBA. The upper catchments of the other rivers in the KBA may contain H. palaniensis.
The Pambar River flow north draing the Palni Hills, Western Ghats in Tamil Nadu and Kerala. Parts of the upper catchments in Kerala and Tamil Nadu are designated as the Chinnar Wildlife Sanctuary, Shola (Anamudi) National Park and the Eravikulam National Park, which is well Site description protected decidious forest. As the stream flow downstream they go through a landscape dominated plantations (tea, coffee, and eucalyptus), followed by dense urban areas and horticulture. The other upper catchments are not protected and are impacted by urban and agriculture.
Management required at Yes catchment scale
Management required at focal Yes area within catchment
KBA Trigger Species
Group Species Criterion1 Criterion2 Criterion3 Notes
Crabs Gubernatoriana escheri NA 19025.06277 NA
Fishes Garra menoni VU 11823.96787 NA
Fishes Horalabiosa palaniensis VU 6402.52725 NA Endemic to the KBA
Fishes Hypselobarbus dubius EN NA NA
Mesonoemacheilus Fishes VU 5162.856829 NA Endemic to the KBA pambarensis Fishes Puntius cauveriensis EN NA NA
Plants Anaphalis beddomei VU NA NA
Plants Cyathea crinita EN NA NA
Plants Hydrocotyle conferta EN NA NA
Fishes Nemacheilus monilis NA 10632.57541 NA
Odonata Esme cyaneovittata NA 4808.193268 NA
Odonata Euphaea cardinalis NA 22114.31401 NA
Odonata Idionyx minima NA 17442.77981 NA
Odonata Idionyx periyashola NA 11398.516 NA
Odonata Macromia flavocolorata NA 21648.41687 NA
Odonata Merogomphus longistigma NA 26458.05683 NA
Onychogomphus Odonata NA 27739.64776 NA nilgiriensis
Odonata Protosticta antelopoides NA 17066.74095 NA
Odonata Protosticta davenporti NA 17361.03282 NA
Plants Anaphalis leptophylla VU NA NA
Plants Anaphalis wightiana VU NA NA
Plants Notonia shevaroyensis VU NA NA
Crabs Baratha pushta NA 11317.41043 NA ADD - endemic to KBA and focal area
Endemic to KBA and will qualify for Crabs Snaha escheri NA NA NA Restricted Range criteria
Protected Areas Overlap with KBA
Name Designation Desig. Type Status PA Management Focus Eravikulam National Park National Designated No freshwater biodiversity management
Anamalai Sanctuary National Designated No freshwater biodiversity management
Chinnar Sanctuary National Designated No freshwater biodiversity management
Western Ghats World Heritage Site International Inscribed No freshwater biodiversity management
Anamudi National Park National Proposed No freshwater biodiversity management
Potential KBA Stakeholders*
Palni Hills Conservation Council
Kestrel Adventures
Tamil Nadu Forest Department
Anglad Institute of Natural History
Periyakulam Forestry College, Tamil Nadu Agricultural University
Wildlife Information Liaison Development Society
Vattakanal Conservation Trust
ACT India Foundation
Kodai International School
Toxic Link
Zoological Survey of India, Southern Regional Station
KBA Freshwater Habitats
5.1 Permanent Rivers/Streams/Creeks(includes waterfalls)
5.2 Seasonal/Intermittent/Irregular Rivers/Streams/Creeks 5.4 Bogs Marshes Swamps Fens Peatlands[generally over 8ha]
5.5 Permanent Freshwater Lakes(over 8ha)
5.7 Permanent Freshwater Marshes/Pools(under 8ha)
15.1 Water Storage Areas(over 8ha)
Threats to KBA
Threats (IUCN Classification Scheme) Notes
1.1 Housing & urban areas
1.2 Commercial & industrial areas
1.3 Tourism & recreation areas
2.1 Annual & perennial non-timber crops
2.2 Wood & pulp plantations Eucalyptus
2.3 Livestock farming & ranching
2.4 Marine & freshwater aquaculture
7.2 Dams & water management/use
8.1 Invasive non-native/alien species/diseases Fishes
9.1 Domestic & urban waste water
9.2 Industrial & military effluents
9.3 Agricultural & forestry effluents
9.4 Garbage & solid waste
Conservation actions for KBA Conservation actions In (IUCN Classification Needed Notes place Scheme)
1.1 Site/area protection Yes Yes Focal area already partially protected.
1.2 Resource & habitat Yes Focal area already partially protected. protection
Management of existing Protected Areas to incorporate freshwater 2.1 Site/area management Yes biodiversity. Catchment management across KBAs, especially for the upper catchments
2.2 Invasive/problematic Yes Wattle and fishes species control
2.3 Habitat & natural Palni Hills Conservation Council have undertaken some restoration of water Yes process restoration bodies within Kodaikanal Lake
4.1 Formal education Yes Forest Department
4.2 Training Yes Forest Department
4.3 Awareness & Yes All stakeholders communications
5.2 Policies and regulations Yes Plantations and industry
5.3 Private sector standards Yes Plantations and industry & codes
Exisiting urban development policies and implementation of Wetland 5.4 Compliance and Yes (Conservation and Management) Act 2010 & Water (Prevention and Control enforcement of Pollution) Act 1974.
Food Security
Used for food security Score Notes
1. Subsistence
Optional/alternative 2 Essential staple 2
Emergency 0
2. Commercial
Local 2
Regional 0
National 0
3.Migrant fishers 1
Notes Mostly fish
Other
Nathanella indica is a mayfly species endemic to the KBA (Palni Hills). There is also Tor remadevi a newly described fish species endemic to the KBA. Travancoriana convexa (a freshwater crab, LC) is also known from this KBA (its type locality). Three frogs species are endemic to the KBA (Ghatixalus asterops, Raorchestes Other biodiversity dubois, Raorchestes griet) and on species (Raorchestes resplendens) is endemic to the this KBA and the adjacent Chalakkudi River KBA. There is also a recent record of the freshwater shrimp Macrobrachium canarae.
Protected areas overview
1. Bahir, M.M. and Yeo, D.C.J. 2007. The Gecarcinucid freshwater crabs of southern India (Crustacea: Decapoda: Brachyura). The Raffles Bulletin of Zoology. 16:309-354. References 2. Easa, P.S. and Shaji, C.P. 1996. Freshwater fishes of the Pambar River, Chinnar Wildlife Sanctuary , Kerala. Journal of the Bombay Natural History Society, 93: 304-306.
Dahanukar, N., Jayachandran, K.V., Irudayaraj, V., Iyer, P., Katwate, U., Krutha, S.K., Molur, S., Pati, S.K., Acknowledgments Pragatheesh, A. Raghavan, R., Rehel, S.M., Sivaramakrishnan, K.G. and Subbramanian, K.A.
* Potential KBA stakeholders have not been contacted in any official capacity nor have they endorsed the KBA – they are a list of potential stakeholders to inform any organisation or individual who may want to undertake conservation activities on freshwater biodiversity in this KBA