The High Altitude Wildlife Areas of Western Arunachal Pradesh
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Mishra, C., Datta, A. & Madhusudan, M. D. 2004. The high altitude wildlife of Western Arunachal Pradesh: a survey report. CERC Technical Report No. 8. Nature Conservation Foundation, International Snow Leopard Trust, and Wildlife Conservation Society (India Program), Mysore, India. Cover photographs Front: A high altitude lake near Kyemnya La, within the proposed wildlife reserve Back: Large eared pika Ochotona macrotis; Wooden mask from Tawang CERC Technical Report No. 8 The High Altitude Wildlife of Western Arunachal Pradesh A Survey Report Submitted to The Rufford Foundation, UK Van Tienhoven Foundation, The Netherlands By Charudutt Mishra1,2, Aparajita Datta1,3 & M. D. Madhusudan1,3 1 Nature Conservation Foundation, Mysore, India 2 International Snow Leopard Trust, Seattle, USA 3 Wildlife Conservation Society, Bangalore, India The High Altitude Wildlife of Western Arunachal Pradesh: A Survey Report Abstract The high altitude wildlife of Arunachal Pradesh, located in the Eastern Himalaya biodiversity hotspot, has remained unexplored and unprotected. Between August and October, 2003, we undertook a biological expedition in the high altitudes (> 3000 m) of Tawang and West Kameng Districts of Western Arunachal Pradesh, with the objective of inventorying wildlife and identifying areas for the establishment of wildlife reserves. The expedition documented the occurrence of a rich mammalian species assemblage (34 species), 12 of which are of global conservation importance. Our discovery of the Chinese goral Nemorhaedus caudatus represents a new addition to the list of large mammals of the Indian sub-continent. We also recorded a primate belonging to the sinica group of the genus Macaca, which is potentially a species new to science. We recorded 150 bird species, identified 140 plant species, and prepared a preliminary description of the high altitude vegetation. We also documented peoples’ dependence on natural resources (grazing, collection of timber and medicinal plants), and the threats to the region’s wildlife, including widespread hunting, and persecution of the snow leopard Uncia uncia and dhole Cuon alpinus in retaliation against livestock depredation. Preliminary vegetation maps were prepared using field data in conjunction with satellite imageries. Based on information about the wildlife assemblages, extent of high altitude habitat, and levels of anthropogenic disturbance, we identify and propose an important site (815 km2) for the creation of a wildlife reserve. Future conservation efforts need to focus on establishing the state’s first high altitude wildlife reserve, and garnering the support of indigenous people for wildlife conservation through community-based programs. i CONTENTS Abstract i Acknowledgements v CHAPTERS Chapter 1. A biological expedition in the high altitudes of 1 Western Arunachal Pradesh, Eastern Himalaya Chapter 2. Conservation status of the high altitude wildlife of 9 Western Arunachal Pradesh, Eastern Himalaya Chapter 3. Vegetation and wildlife habitat mapping in the high 19 altitudes of Western Arunachal Pradesh, Eastern Himalaya Chapter 4. Conserving high altitude wildlife in Western 25 Arunachal Pradesh APPENDICES Appendix 1. Discovery of the Chinese goral Nemorhaedatus 29 caudatus in Arunachal Pradesh: another addition to the large mammals of the Indian sub-continent. Appendix 2. A report on the Tawang macaque Macaca sp. 35 Appendix 3. Birds of Tawang and West Kameng Districts, 41 Arunachal Pradesh Appendix 4. Plants recorded in the high altitudes of Tawang and 45 West Kameng Districts, Arunachal Pradesh Appendix 5. Vegetation and wildlife habitat mapping: technical 47 details iii Acknowledgements The need for this expedition was first expressed by foresighted officials of the Arunachal Pradesh Forest Department, and amongst them, we would especially like to thank Shri. S.K. Raha, CCF-Wildlife, and Mr. Pekyom Ringu, DCF. We are grateful to Mr. Raha for support, encouragement, and research permits. Special thanks are due to Mr. Ringu, who invited us to conduct the expedition, and facilitated the project right from its inception. We also wish to thank the DFOs and ACFs of Bomdila and Tawang Divisions for their assistance. We are most grateful to the two international conservation institutions that funded the expedition – The Rufford Foundation and the Van Tienhoven Foundation. We would like to thank Josh Cole, Herbert Prins, and H. P. Nooteboom for making this possible. Thanks are also due to Mr. Omak Apang, who extended valuable logistical support in Tawang, where we were privileged to have the ever smiling Dorje Norbu and Jimmy Gyatso as our guides. Tsering Dargey, Sangey, Thukten, and numerous other guides and porters not only made the expedition possible, but thoroughly enjoyable. We wish to thank all of them as well as the residents of the surveyed areas for their support, hospitality, and for sharing their knowledge (and their arrack!) with us. Dr. K. Haridasan provided us valuable information on the region and enthusiastically helped us with plant identification. Anindya ‘Rana’ Sinha is thanked for his significant contributions to the description of the Tawang macaque, and for his enthusiasm to initiate follow up work on the species. Dr. Jagdish Krishnaswamy offered valuable guidance with the mapping exercise, and R. Raghunath assisted with cartography. M. D. Manamohan provided us with pictures of the Chinese goral. Naresh Vedagiri and Pavithra Sankaran helped us procure the field equipment just in time for the expedition. Tsewang Namgail helped with editing the manuscript. P. Suresha, as always, provided extensive support to the project from Mysore with his typically understated efficiency. Thank you all! Charu, Aparajita and Madhu January 2004, Mysore v Introduction Chapter 1 A biological expedition in the high altitudes of Western Arunachal Pradesh, Eastern Himalaya Introduction A rich diversity of life The state of Arunachal Pradesh in northeast India is uniquely situated in the transition zone between the Himalayan and Indo-Burmese regions (26°28'– 29°30'N and 91°30'– 97°30'E; 83,743 km²; Fig. 1)1,2. Arunachal is located within the Eastern Himalaya global biodiversity hotspot3 and is also among the 200 globally important ecoregions4. The state harbours the world’s northernmost tropical rainforests and is estimated to have nearly 50 % of the total flowering plant species in India5-8. Of the 1200 bird species in India, nearly 600 have been recorded from the state9, which is also recognized as an important endemic bird area10. Arunachal is also home to fascinating species of large herbivores such as the takin Budorcas taxicolor, goral Nemorhaedus goral, and serow Nemorhaedus sumatraensis, several species of primates, and carnivores such as the common leopard Panthera pardus, clouded leopard Neofelis nebulosa, and tiger Panthera tigris. The wide altitudinal range (100 m to over 6000 m) within Arunachal has brought about a great diversity of habitat and forest types, and a rich diversity of animal and plant life. Lowland tropical evergreen and semi-evergreen forests occur up to 1500 m, temperate oak and conifer forests up to 3500 m, and alpine areas above 3500 m. Large areas of forest still remain in the state, in part due to its low human population density (13 per km2)11. Although Arunachal has the lowest human density compared to other Indian states, its decadal growth rate (1991-2001) of 26% is higher Fig. 1. Map of Arunachal Pradesh, north-east India. Hatched regions represent protected areas. The high altitude region (> 3000 m) of the state is shaded gray. Note the near absence of protected areas in the high altitudes. 1. Eagle’s Nest Wildlife Sanctuary 2. Sessa Orchid Sanctuary 3. Pakhui WS 4. Itanagar WS 5. Kane WS 6. Yordi Rabe Supse WS 7. Mouling National Park 8. Dihang Dibang Biosphere Reserve 9. D’Ering WS 10. Mehao WS 11. Kamlang WS 12. Namdapha NP. 1 Chapter 1 Wildlife of Arunachal’s high altitudes has remained poorly explored than the national average11. The people are predominantly tribal, with scheduled tribes forming 79% of the population. There are 26 main tribes and numerous sub-tribes, each with a specific geographic distribution and distinct linguistic, cultural and social identities. These tribal groups speak about 50 languages and dialects, belonging mostly to the Tibeto-Burmese branch of the Sino-Tibetan language family. Agriculture is the main occupation (nearly 80%) of the people of Arunachal. Arunachal’s wildlife reserves Nine wildlife sanctuaries and two national parks covering an area of 9246 km² (11 % of the state) have been established by the Arunachal Pradesh Forest Department (Fig. 1). Another wildlife sanctuary, called Tale Valley, has also been declared recently. Yet, the protected areas of Arunachal largely cover only the low- and mid-elevation forests (Fig. 1). This is despite the fact that 23 % of the area of the state is above 3000 m. Only small parts of Namdapha Tiger Reserve (Changlang District), Kamlang Wildlife Sanctuary (Lohit) and Yordi Rabe Supse Wildlife Sanctuary (West Siang) extend into the high altitude zone. The recently designated Dibang Valley Biosphere Reserve does cover some high altitude regions, but its protected area status is only nominal, with minimal protection infrastructure or inventorying of wildlife. Wildlife research and exploration in Arunachal Most wildlife surveys in Arunachal have also been restricted to low and mid elevation forests, and include surveys of rare species12-16 and avifauna9,17-20. Recent herpetofaunal