Dharan forests (14327)
Nepal, Asia
Site overview
KBA status: confirmed
Year of last assessment: 2005
National site name: Dharan forests
Central coordinates: Latitude: 26.8167, Longitude: 87.2833
System: freshwater, terrestrial
Elevation (m): 100 to 1300
Area of KBA (km2): 821.70082
KBA classification: Global/Regional TBD
Legacy site: Yes
Site details
Site description: Dharan forests stretch from east to west in Sunsari and Morang districts, and constitute a significant portion of the forest remaining in Sunsari. Tropical evergreen tree species mixed with Sal Shorea robusta form the main vegetation type. Apart from the lower Mai valley forests, which are more degraded and fragmented, Dharan forests form the only significant area of this forest type that remains in Nepal. The forest is bisected by the major Itahari to Dharan road and lies nearly one hour’s drive from Koshi Tappu Wildlife Reserve. In addition five gravelled roads run parallel to the Dharan to Itahari road in the east linking the people of the Siwalik region with the terai.
Rationale for qualifying as KBA: This site qualifies as a Key Biodiversity Area of international significance because it meets one or more previously established criteria and thresholds for identifying sites of biodiversity importance (including Important Bird and Biodiversity Areas, Alliance for Zero Extinction sites, and Key Biodiversity Areas) KBA identified in the CEPF Ecosystem Profile of the Eastern Himalayas Hotspot (2005). Taxonomy, nomenclature and threat category follow the 2002 IUCN Red List.
Additional biodiversity: It is estimated that the large number of 300 bird species occurs in this forest, although a complete inventory is still to be made. The globally threatened Lesser Adjutant, White-rumped and Slender-billed Vultures are some of the globally threatened bird species found in the area. The near-threatened Wedge-billed Wren Babbler was recently recorded in Nepal for the first time from Dharan forests; it was probably overlooked previously. There are large areas of tropical forests that are likely to support significant populations of species characteristic of the Indo-Chinese Tropical Moist Forest and Indo-Malayan Tropical Dry Zone biomes. Non-bird biodiversity: Bengal Fox Vulpes bengalensis, Hanuman Langur Semnopithecus entellus, Wild Boar Sus scrofa, Chital Axis axis, Black Giant Squirrel Ratufa bicolor and Indian Hare Lepus nigricollis are a few of the mammal species found here. The forest is also the main corridor route of the Asian Elephant Elephas maximus which visits east Nepal from India.
Habitats
| IUCN Habitat | Coverage % | Habitat detail |
|---|---|---|
| Artificial - Terrestrial | 50 | |
| Forest | 50 |
Threats
| 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 |
| Invasive & other problematic species, genes & diseases | Invasive non-native/alien species/diseases | Unspecified species | 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 |
| Human intrusions & disturbance | Recreational activities | Ongoing | |
| Residential & commercial development | Housing & urban areas | Ongoing | |
| Transportation & service corridors | Roads & railroads | Ongoing |
Additional information
References: Inskipp (1989a), Basnet (2003).