Dhorpatan Hunting Reserve (14328)
Nepal, Asia
Site overview
KBA status: confirmed
Year of last assessment: 2025
National site name: Dhorpatan Hunting Reserve
Central coordinates: Latitude: 28.6000, Longitude: 83.0000
System: terrestrial
Elevation (m): 2000 to 7246
Area of KBA (km2): 1440.84984
Protected area coverage (%): 82.45
KBA classification: Global/Regional TBD
Legacy site: Yes
Site details
Site description: <br>
Rationale for qualifying as KBA: A total of 197 species has been recorded (Inskipp 1989, Panthi and Thagunna 2013, Subedi 2003). In the past, DHR supported the largest known population of globally threatened Cheer Pheasant in Nepal. Red-headed Vulture Sarcogyps calvus is the only other globally threatened species recorded and it is a rare visitor to DHR.<div>DHR supports significant populations of two restricted-range species: Hoary-throated Barwing from the Central Himalayas (EBA 129) and Cheer Pheasant from the Western Himalayas (EBA 128).he restricted-range White-throated Tit Aegithalos niveogularis from the Western Himalayas (EBA (128) is probably resident, though its abundance is unknown and more fieldwork may show that DHR supports a significant population.</div><div>Non-bird Biodiversity: A number of globally threatened mammals occur including Red Panda Ailurus fulgens, Himalayan Black Bear Ursus thibetanus, Himalayan Musk Deer Moschus chrysogaster, and also the near-threatened Himalayan Serow Capricornis thar, Himalayan Tahr Hemitragus jemlahicus.</div>
Manageability of the site: Site identified based on BirdLife International's Important Bird and Biodiversity Areas, under which manageability is strongly recommended but not explicitly documented
Delineation rationale: Protected IBAs extended to include designated Buffer Zones
Habitats
Summary of habitats in KBA: There are large areas of temperate forests and alpine vegetation and DHR was found to support a significant proportion of the characteristic species of the Sino-Himalayan temperate forest biome and also of the Eurasian high montane biome.
Threats
Summary of threats to biodiversity at KBA: People living around Dhorpatan Hunting Reserve depend upon forests and their resources for sustenance and daily livelihood which has created a passive pressure upon forests along with avian fauna inhabiting the reserve and areas around it. The major threats for management of this reserve include poaching and trade of wildlife, unregulated overgrazing in rangelands, uncontrolled forests fires and unregulated harvesting of medicinal and aromatic plants (DHR, 2019). The specific conservation issues for avian fauna in the area include:<div> Forest fires and overgrazing degrading bird habitats.<br> Illegal egg collection of pheasants (Singh et al., 2011) and other birds.<br> Snares, traps, illegal poaching using guns (Panthi and Thagunna, 2013; Singh et al., 2011).<br> Degradation of potential bird habitats due to encroachment.<br> Sedimentation and pollution in and around wetlands (Panthi et al., 2014).<br> Drying of wetlands like Rudra Taal seasonally causing depletion in feeding habitats for birds.</div><div> Illegal firewood and timber collection inside forests causing forest habitat degradation.<br> Contradiction between conservation plans for avian fauna and developmental plans of local level government (e.g construction of hydropower, electricity transmission lines, road networks and communication towers without consideration of the environmental impacts on birds).<br> Use of homemade catapults for killing birds by children due to lack of awareness.<br> And illegal trade of pheasants for meat.</div>
| Threat level 1 | Threat level 2 | Threat level 3 | Timing |
|---|---|---|---|
| Agriculture & aquaculture | Annual & perennial non-timber crops | Small-holder farming | Ongoing |
| Agriculture & aquaculture | Livestock farming & ranching | Small-holder grazing, ranching or farming | Ongoing |
| Biological resource use | Hunting & collecting terrestrial animals | Intentional use (species being assessed is the target) | Ongoing |
| Biological resource use | Gathering terrestrial plants | Unintentional effects (species being assessed is not the target) | Ongoing |
| Biological resource use | Logging & wood harvesting | Unintentional effects: subsistence/small scale (species being assessed is not the target) [harvest] | Ongoing |
| Natural system modifications | Fire & fire suppression | Increase in fire frequency/intensity | Ongoing |
| Residential & commercial development | Housing & urban areas | Ongoing | |
| Energy production & mining | Renewable energy | Ongoing | |
| Human intrusions & disturbance | Recreational activities | Ongoing |
Additional information
References: <div>Department of National Parks and Wildlife Conservation (2015e) Protected area information. Dhorpatan Hunting Reserve. http://www.dnpwc.gov.np/index.php/page/43 Downloaded 12 April 2015.</div><div>DHR (2019) Dhorpatan Hunting Reserve Management Plan (2076/77 – 2080/81) Dhorpatan Hunting Reserve Office, Dhorpatan, Baglung, Nepal.</div><div>Inskipp, C (1989) Nepal’s forest birds: their status and conservation. ICBP Monograph No. 4. International Council Bird Preservation, Cambridge, UK. </div><div>Panthi, S, Dhakal, M,Thagunna, S and Thapa, B (2014) Status of wetland in Dhorpatan Hunting Reserve, Nepal. Open Journal of Ecology 4:245-252. http://dx.doi.org/10.4236/oje.2014.4502 Downloaded 18 April 2015.</div>Panthi, S and Thagunna, SS (2013) Birds of Dhorpatan Hunting Reserve, Nepal. Open Journal of Forestry 3 (4): 109-114.<div>Singh, P, Subedi, P, Garson, P, and Poudyal, L (2011) Status, habitat use and threats of cheer pheasant Catreus wallichi in and around Dhorpatan Hunting Reserve, Nepal. International Journal of Galliformes Conservation, 2:22–30.</div><div>Subedi, P (2003) Status and distribution of Cheer Pheasant (Catreus wallichi) in Dhorpatan Hunting Reserve, Nepal. Unpublished report submitted to World Pheasant Association and Oriental Bird Club, August 2003.<br><br></div>
Contributors: Site identified based on Important Bird and Biodiversity Areas by the BirdLife International Partnership