Mai Valley forests (14337)
Nepal, Asia
Site overview
KBA status: confirmed
Year of last assessment: 2025
National site name: Mai Valley forests
Central coordinates: Latitude: 26.6667, Longitude: 87.6833
System: terrestrial
Elevation (m): 70 to 3050
Area of KBA (km2): 1436.22236
Protected area coverage (%): 0.00
KBA classification: Global/Regional TBD
Legacy site: Yes
Site details
Site description: The Mai Valley forests lie in the northeastern part of the country south of the Kanchenjunga Conservation Area. The Mai watershed falls entirely within Ilam district in Koshi Province, extending from the confluence with the Kankai River at 70 m in the tropical zone to the Darjeeling border at 3050 m in the subalpine zone.
Rationale for qualifying as KBA: A total of 375 bird species have been recorded in the Mai Valley IBA (Inskipp et al 2022). It supports significant populations of Grey-crowned Prinia (Inskipp et al. 2022).<div>Other globally threatened species recorded are: Wood Snipe Gallinago nemoricola (rare visitor), and the following species for which there are no recent records: White-rumped Vulture Gyps bengalensis, Red-headed Vulture Sarcogyps calvus and Great Hornbill Buceros bicornis (former residents). Slender-billed Vulture Gyps tenuirostris, Greater Spotted Eagle Clanga clanga and Steppe Eagle Aquila nipalensis (former passage migrants).</div><div>As extensive suitable habitat occurs for Yellow-vented Warbler, Broad-billed Warbler and Rufous-throated Wren-babbler from the Eastern Himalayas (EBA 130) and for Nepal Cupwing and Hoary-throated Barwing from the Central Himalayas (EBA 129).</div><div>Non-bird biodiversity: Mammals seen recently include the globally threatened Red Panda Ailurus fulgens; the upper Mai valley upper temperate broadleaved forests which have plentiful bamboo are one of the most important sites in Nepal for this species which has a population of around 40 individuals in the area (Phinju Sherpa, Red Panda Network). Other globally threatened mammals include: Himalayan Black Bear Ursus thibetanus (camera-trapped in March 2016, Chaudhary 2016) and Clouded Leopard Pardofelis nebulosa. , According to local people, Asiatic Wild Elephant Elephas maximus visits the southern part of the lower Mai valley. Other mammals recorded include Leopard Cat Prionailurus bengalensis, Wild Boar Sus scrofa, Jungle Cat Felis chaus, Assamese Macaque Macaca assamensis, Rhesus Macaque Macaca mulata, Northern Plains Gray Langur Semnopithecus entellus, Nepal Gray Langur S. schistaceus, Indian Hare Lepus nigricollis, Black Giant Squirrel Ratufa bicolor, Orange-bellied Himalayan Squirrel Dremomys lokriah, Common Palm Squirrel Funambulus palmarum, Five-striped Palm Squirrel F. pennanti, Northern Red Muntjac Muntiacus vaginalis and Yellow-throated Marten Martes flavigula. (Basnet and Sapkota 2006, Chaudhary 2016, Chaudhary and Inskipp 2018, Robson et al. 2008).</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
Habitats
Summary of habitats in KBA: Forests comprise: tropical semi-evergreen mixed broadleaved and some sal Shorea robusta dominated forest (180 m – 1000 m); subtropical semi-evergreen mixed broadleaved with some bamboo (1000 m – 1700 m), lower temperate mixed broadleaved with some bamboo (1700 m –2400 m) and higher up extensive stands of upper temperate broadleaved forest, mainly of Quercus semecarpifolia and Rhododendron spp. with thick bamboo undergrowth and slopes covered with bamboo (Red Panda Network 2018).
Threats
Summary of threats to biodiversity at KBA: <div>In the 1980s and 1990s Mai valley forests suffered from severe fragmentation and degradation through over-exploitation for fuelwood, fodder and bamboo and overgrazing by livestock. Illegal logging was also taking place (Halliday and McKnight 1990; 1993). A 2008 survey of Mai valley forests found that the forests were facing the same threats as in the 1980s and 1990s and it was often difficult to locate large tracts of intact forest (Robson et al. 2008). However, deforestation may not be continuing in the subtropical and temperate zones. In contrast to the 2008 findings, the 2022 survey observed large areas of high-quality forest with mature trees and dense undergrowth in the subtropical and lower temperate zones still remained (Inskipp et al. 2022). </div>There was some evidence of grazing in forests near the small settlements here, but away from these, the forests were in excellent condition with much bamboo and other undergrowth. Here there were many large trees, mainly of Quercus semecarpifolia and Rhododendron spp. with huge trunks and branches clothed in mosses and epiphytic ferns and orchids (Chaudhary and Inskipp 2018, Inskipp et al. 2019 ). <div>The lower Mai forests (tropical, subtropical and some lower termperate) are in a much poorer condition than forests higher up. They have suffered from severe fragmentation and degradation through over-exploitation for fuelwood, fodder and bamboo and overgrazing by livestock in the 1980s and 1990s. Illegal logging was also taking place (Inskipp 1989a, Halliday and McKnight 1990, 1993). The forest areas were not being effectively managed although some forests had been handed back to local people as community forests (Baral and Inskipp 2005).</div><div>Hunting is probably a significant threat to birds in the MVF. Relatively few individuals and species of Galliformes and Columbiformes, which are favoured birds for trapping and eating, were recorded during our survey, compared to other bird species. Gunshots were heard on 4 March from Hangetham forests. Feathers adjacent to the remains of a recent fire indicate that a Satyr Tragopan had been killed and eaten here (Inskipp et al. 2022).</div>
| Threat level 1 | Threat level 2 | Threat level 3 | Timing |
|---|---|---|---|
| Agriculture & aquaculture | Annual & perennial non-timber crops | Agro-industry farming | Ongoing |
| 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 | Named species | Only in the future |
| 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 |
| Human intrusions & disturbance | Recreational activities | Ongoing | |
| Residential & commercial development | Housing & urban areas | Ongoing | |
| Transportation & service corridors | Roads & railroads | Ongoing |
Additional information
References: <div>Baral, HS and Inskipp, C (2005) Important Bird Areas in Nepal: key sites for conservation. Bird Conservation Nepal and BirdLife International, Kathmandu and Cambridge.</div><div>Basnet, Y. R. and Sapkota, J. (2006) Ornithological survey of lower Mai-valley, Ilam, eastern Nepal. A report to OBC, U.K, Bird Conservation Nepal. Unpublished. 31pp.</div><div>Chaudhary, R (2016) Birds recorded in the Mai valley in 2014 and 2016. Unpublished.</div><div>Chaudhary, H and Inskipp, C (2018) Upper Mai valley, Koshi flood plain and Chimdi Lake, January 2018. Unpublished.</div><div>Halliday, J and McKnight, G (1990) An investigation of the status and conservation of forest birds in the Mai and Tamur valleys in eastern Nepal. Unpublished report.<br> Halliday, J (1993) Notes on birds recorded in Khaptad National Park, 28 March – 7 April 1993.Unpublished. pp. http://himalaya.socanth.cam.ac.uk/collections/inskipp/1993_011.pdf<br></div><div>Inskipp, C and Baral, HS (2019) Nepal’s forest birds: their status and conservation. Fully revised edition. Himalayan Nature, Kathmandu.</div><div>Inskipp, C., Acharya, S. and Giri, T. (2022) Birds and habitats recorded in the lower Mai Valley Important Bird and Biodiversity Area. Nepalese Journal of Zoology 6(1):30-47. </div>Red Panda Network (2018) Red Panda Network. https://redpandanetwork.org/what-we-do/community-based-conservation/ Downloaded 9 February 2018.
Contributors: Site identified based on Important Bird and Biodiversity Areas by the BirdLife International Partnership