Mundanthurai Tiger Reserve, Southern India
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REGIONAL OFFICE FOR ASIA AND THE PACIFIC (RAP), BANGKOK FOOD AND AGRICULTURE ORGANIZATION OF THE UNITED NATIONS October-December 2006 Regional Quarterly Bulletin on Wildlife and National Parks Management Vol. XXXIII : No. 4 Featuring Vol. XX : No. 4 Contents Biodiversity Richness and Rare and Endangered Species in Deh Akro-II Wildlife Sanctuary, Sindh-Pakistan............. 1 Population Status and Distribution of Lesser Adjutant (Leptoptilos javanicas) in Far-Western Lowland Nepal… 9 Conserving a Compact Evergreen Elephant Habitat in Kalakad-Mundanthurai Tiger Reserve, Southern India....... 12 Martes flavigula: In Search of Conservation...................... 20 Giant Squirrel (Ratufa indica) in Similipal Tiger Reserve......24 Study on the Status and Various Uses of Invasive Alien Plant Species in and around Satchari National Park, REGIONAL OFFICE Sylhet, Bangladesh...........................................................28 FOR ASIA AND THE PACIFIC TIGERPAPER is a quarterly news bulletin dedicated to the exchange of information relating to wildlife and national parks management for the Capturing Opportunities for the Poor in Forest Harvesting Asia-Pacific Region. and Wood Processing...................................................... 1 Rehabilitation of Coastal Forests After the Tsunami..............6 ISSN 1014 - 2789 FAO Forestry Staff Movement........................................... 7 Experts Jump Start Asia-Pacific Forestry Outlook Study....... 8 Address Are Forest Governance and Decentralization Heading in the Right Direction?........................................................ 9 TIGERPAPER Asia-Pacific Forestry Chips and Clips................................. 10 FAO Regional Office for Asia and the Pacific New Forestry Publications..................................................14 Maliwan Mansion, Phra Atit Road Committee on Forestry - COFO 2007..................................15 Bangkok, 10200, Thailand FAO Asia-Pacific Forestry Calendar……………….............16 Tel: (662) 697-4000 Facsimile: (662) 697-4445 E-mail: [email protected] Editor: Janice Naewboonnien Advisors: M. Kashio and P. Durst TIGERPAPER is dependent upon your free and voluntary The opinions expressed by the contributions in the form of articles, news items, and announcements in contributing authors are not the field of wildlife and nature conservation in the region. In order to necessarily those of FAO. The better serve the needs of our readers please write to us and send in the designations employed and the information you have or let us know if there is any information that you presentation of the material in the need. We appreciate receiving your letters and make all efforts to TIGERPAPER do not imply the respond. expression of any opinion on the part of FAO concerning the legal or Cover: Black-shouldered kite (Elanus caeruleus) feeding behavior constitutional status of any country, Photo: Hussain Bux Bhaagat territority or sea area, or the delimitation of frontiers. Vol. 33: No. 4 Oct-Dec 2006 | Biodiversity in Deh Akro-II Wildlife Sanctuary| Marbled teal (Marmaronetta angustirostris) – globally threatened duck species now breeding in Sindh (Pakistan) during summer. (Photo: Hussain Bux Bhaagat) BIODIVERSITY RICHNESS AND RARE AND ENDANGERED SPECIES IN DEH AKRO-II WILDLIFE SANCTUARY (NAWABSHAH) SINDH-PAKISTAN by Hussain Bux Bhaagat Introduction Deh Akro-II Wildlife Sanctuary is considered to be internationally important because it represents eh Akro-II Wildlife Sanctuary is located in an example of a natural inland ecosystem Dthe tropical thorn forest sand dune-type comprising a complex of 32 wetlands and unique vegetation zone in Nawab Shah administrative desert habitats, which support a large variety of district of Sindh Province. The Sanctuary is 46 fauna and flora species. The Sanctuary area km northeast of Nawab Shah city and 330 km (approximately 20,500 ha) is typical stable sand from the provincial headquarters of Karachi. This desert, stabilized by desert vegetation and well area of mixed desert and wetland habitat was developed dune formations with elevations of 5- declared a wildlife sanctuary in 1988, under Section 10 m in an east-west orientation. There are also 14 of the Sindh Wildlife Protection Ordinance- flat-bottomed valleys between the dunes, which 1972, and is provided full legal cover under this contain perennial lakes. These lakes are formed ordinance. It supports a diverse flora and fauna in from the seepage from Nara Canal, a mini-river the mainly desert and wetland habitats. Many rare flowing along the southeastern boundary line, the and endangered wildlife species also breed in this Jamrau Canal and rainwater. area. 11 Vol. 33: No. 4 Oct-Dec 2006 The soil texture of the area is of two types: 1) sandy ephemeral species have not been emerging every in the desert; and 2) sandy clay-mixed soil in the year. Such species respond quickly to rainfall and low-lying areas. Salinity and water logging are emerge with the first shower, grow fast, produce common problems in the area. The area is devoid seeds and complete their lifecycles in a span of of any perennial surface fresh water resources and 7-8 weeks. The seeds remain dormant throughout the main water sources are surface water lakes. the dry period. Other plant species found in the These lakes cover an area of 5,000 ha and are sanctuary include Prosopis cineraria, Prosopis formed, one after the other, in valleys between the juliflora, Acacia jacquemontii, Acacia dunes. The size, shape, water quality and depth nilotica, Aerva javanica, Salvadora oleoides, differ among the lakes. The largest lake is about Capparis decidua, Cassia sp, Calligonum 750 ha. Out of 32 lakes, 5 are fresh water and the polygonoides, Euphorbia prostrata, rest are brackish. Another surface water source is Saccharum spontaneum, Saccharum the irrigation water system of Jamrau Canal, which bengalensis, Tamarix aphylla, Zizyphus emerges from Nara Canal in the southeast of the maauritiana, Zizyphus nummularia, Alhagi Biodiversity in Deh Akro-II Wildlife Sanctuary| maurorum, Indigofera sp., Phyla nodiflora, | sanctuary. The depth of the sanctuary lakes ranges Typha domingensis, Tpypa elephantina, from 4-5 m to 15 m, while the ground water table depends on the location and elevation of the Achyranthes aspera, Calotropis procera, and extracting source. However, generally the fresh Tamarix indica. water aquifer depth is 15-20 m. Wetland habitat Summers in the area are very hot and humid, with mean temperatures of 48-52ºC from May to Deh Akro-II is a complex of 32 lakes of different August. Winters are short, dry and mild with sizes, shapes and depths. Basically, these temperatures dropping to 14ºC in January. The wetlands are formed by the seepages from mean rainfall ranges from 80-135 mm with most Jamrau and Nara canals, flowing along the falling during the monsoon (mid-July-August). southeast boundary of the sanctuary. Reed Winter rains fall from December to March and are vegetation and Tamarix spp can be observed at of low intensity. There has been a prevailing the margins of these lakes. The lakes support a drought in the area for the past 8-10 years causing good population of waterfowl, marsh crocodiles, a severe water shortage. The water levels in the otters and fishes. About 1% of the global lakes have decreased by up to 25-30% and the population of the threatened Marbled teal breeds water quality has deteriorated. in these lakes in May to July. The water levels of these lakes increase and decrease due to the Habitat fluctuations in the water levels of Jamrau and Nara canals. Low rainfall has a significant impact Four major habitat types are recognized in the on these wetlands. Some of the wetland flora sanctuary as given below. species are Farsetia hamiltonii, Limeton indicum, Tribulus longipetalus, Cynodon Desert habitat dactylon and Stipagrostis plumose. Sand dunes are the characteristic feature of this Agriculture habitat habitat. Well-developed herbs/shrubs including Calligonum polygonoides, Aerva javanica and This habitat comprises patches of irrigated trees such as Tamarix aphylla, Prosopis agriculture fields lying adjacent (southeast) to the cineraria, Salvadora oleoides and Capparis desert habitat. It houses a good population of decidua manifest the permanent landscape over Black and Grey partridges, reptiles and small the dunes and inter-dunal gaps in this area. Farsetia mammals. Some of the common birds also perch hamiltonii, Limeton indicum, Tribulus in these fields. The use of pesticides and clearing longipetalus, Cynodon dactylon and Stipagrostis of lands for agriculture practices are threats to plumose are common herbs. Due to long dry spells the wildlife in this area. Plant species include: in the area, the herbaceous communities and Achyranthes aspera, Alhagi maurorum, 2 Vol. 33: No. 4 Oct-Dec 2006 | Amaranthus virdis, Aristida adscensionis, Marsh crocodile Biodiversity in Deh Akro-II Wildlife Sanctuary| Brachiaria eruciformis, and Celosia argentea. Marsh (or Mugger) crocodile has been declared Marshy habitat an endangered species under Sindh Wildlife Protection Ordinance-1972 and is also included in This habitat is concentrated along the length of IUCN’s Red Data Book. Previously, Muggers the Nara and Jamrau canals and is formed as a and Gavials inhabited Nara canal (Old Hakra river) result of the seepage from these canals. The most and its tributaries, but after the emerging of these common reed vegetation species are Saccharum wetlands through seepage from Nara canal during spp.,