Manjira Wildlife Sanctuary (18023)
India, Asia
Site overview
KBA status: confirmed
Year of last assessment: 2004
National site name: Manjira Wildlife Sanctuary
Central coordinates: Latitude: 17.9645, Longitude: 78.0395
System: freshwater, terrestrial
Elevation (m): 915 00
Area of KBA (km2): 31.28384
KBA classification: Global/Regional TBD
Legacy site: Yes
Site details
Site description: Manjira Wildlife Sanctuary in Medak district, located 50 km northwest of Hyderabad, is recognized as an important wetland for migratory birds. The water body provides considerable ecological diversity to support a large population of wetland birds. The reservoir provides drinking water to Hyderabad and Secundrabad, hence water is always stored even during the dry season. The reservoir has several islands with extensive marshy fringes, which provide good nesting sites for waterbirds. Interestingly, Manjira was declared a sanctuary not for its large congregation of birds, but for its small population of the Mugger crocodile Crocodylus palustris (Vijaya Kumar and Choudhury 1994). An area of 2,800 ha between Singoor and Manjira Barrage was declared a crocodile sanctuary in June 1978 (Vijaya Kumar 1988-1992). In the mid 1980s, Manjira became known to bird watchers and an annual waterfowl count was initiated. The reservoir supports submergent and emergent vegetation. A narrow margin of Typha, Ipomoea and Acacia fringes the waterline, while agricultural fields surround the reservoir and the river (Vijaya Kumar and Choudhury 1994). The river does not flow through the forested area. In the dry savannah type vegetation, scattered Acacia, Prosopis, Tamarindus indicus and Azadirachta indica are seen. The reservoir has several islands with extensive marshy fringes.
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)
Additional biodiversity: AVIFAUNA: Around 73 species of birds are recorded from this site (Vijaya Kumar and Choudhury 1994, 1995; Vijaya Kumar 1998-1992), including many species of Biome-11, i.e., Indo-Malayan Tropical Dry Zone. During winter, there are usually 30,000 birds (Vijaya Kumar 1988-1992). Although the number of the species present during winter remains roughly the same, the species population fluctuates. A very large congregation of Common Teal Anas crecca and Cotton Pygmy-goose Nettapus coromandelianus is found. Sometimes more than 1,500 Ruddy Shelduck Tadorna ferruginea are seen (Vijaya Kumar and Choudhury 1995). A Greater Flamingo Phoenicopterus ruber, ringed in 1971-74 in Lake Rezaiyeh, Azerbaijan, Iran was recovered here in the winter of 1986-87 (Vijaya Kumar 1988-1992). Fourteen species of birds breed in Manjira, Darter Anhinga melanogaster, Asian Openbill Anastomus oscitans, Painted Stork Mycteria leucocephala, Coot Fulica atra and Black-crowned Night Heron Nycticorax nycticorax being the most significant breeders (Vijaya Kumar and Choudhury 1994). Many species are present in this IBA in much higher numbers than their 1% biogeographic population threshold determined by Wetlands International (2002). For instance, the population of Barheaded Goose Anser indicus is estimated to be between 52,000 to 60,000 (Wetlands International 2002). At Manjira, up to 500 are found regularly which is almost 1% of the population. To give a more specific example, about 3% of the non-breeding population of Brahminy Duck winters in Manjira. Wetlands International (2002) estimates about 50,000 individuals of this species in South Asia, whereas in Manjira, Vijaya Kumar and Choudhury (1995) have found up to 1,500. When the rainfall is inadequate in northwest India, large numbers of Demoiselle Crane Grus virgo are seen in peninsular India. For instance, 1986-87 saw extreme drought conditions in Gujarat, the main stronghold of Demoiselle and Common cranes Grus grus. In January 1987, about 3,000 Demoiselle cranes were seen in Manjira which according to recent population estimates by Wetlands International (2002), would be 3% of the total population of this species wintering in the Indian subcontinent. Such examples reinforce the importance of having a chain of IBAs in the general distribution of species range, so that if, one region is affected by human pressures or environmental factors, the species has other areas to fall back upon. In recent years, Lesser Adjutant Leptoptilos javanicus and Indian Skimmer Rynchops albicollis, both Vulnerable species, have been sighted at Manjira (A. Pittie pers. comm. 2001). OTHER KEY FAUNA: Among other fauna, an important species is the Mugger or Marsh Crocodile Crocodylus palustris.
Habitats
Land use: agriculture | fisheries/aquaculture | nature conservation and research | water management
| IUCN Habitat | Coverage % | Habitat detail |
|---|---|---|
| Wetlands(Inland) | 100 |
Threats
Summary of threats to biodiversity at KBA: MAIN THREATS: Agriculture; Fuelwood collection; Grazing. On the northwest boundary of Manjira wetland, a larger waterbody has been formed by damming the Manjira river at Singur. Vijaya Kumar and Choudhury (1989) found nearly 22,000 birds in this waterbody including Red-crested Pochard Rhodonessa rufina and Bar-headed Goose Anser indicus, which were not seen in the Sanctuary. This area should be added to the notified area to develop Manjira-Singur Waterfowl Sanctuary. Incidentally, the Mugger population in Singur is quite good.
| 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 | Logging & wood harvesting | Unintentional effects: subsistence/small scale (species being assessed is not the target) [harvest] | Ongoing |
Additional information
References: Vijaya Kumar, V. (1988-1992) Birds of Manjira Wildlife Sanctuary. Mayura 9: 12-16. Vijaya Kumar, V. and Choudhury, B. C. (1989) Impact of habitat changes on the Wintering Demoiselle Cranes Anthropoides virgo in Manjira River, Medak district, Andhra Pradesh. Proceedings of the International Crane Congress, Rajkot. Vijaya Kumar, V. and Choudhury, B. C. (1994) A report on waterfowl study in Manjira Wildlife Sanctuary, Andhra Pradesh, India and its implication in Long-Term Management of this Sanctuary. Pavo 32 (1 & 2): 47 - 57. Vijaya Kumar, V. and Choudhury, B. C. (1995) Studies on Waterfowl of Manjira Wildlife Sanctuary, Medak District, Andhra Pradesh. Mayura 12: 20-35. Wetlands International (2002) Waterbirds Population Estimates: Third Edition. Wetlands International Global Series No. 12. Wageningen, The Netherlands.