Papum Reserve Forest (18055)
India, Asia
Site overview
KBA status: confirmed
Year of last assessment: 2004
National site name: Papum Reserve Forest
Central coordinates: Latitude: 27.0000, Longitude: 93.1667
System: terrestrial
Elevation (m): 100 to 1600
Area of KBA (km2): 687.8137
KBA classification: Global/Regional TBD
Legacy site: Yes
Site details
Site description: This large IBA is in western Arunachal Pradesh and is located between two IBAs, Itanagar Wildlife Sanctuary to the east and Pakke Wildlife Sanctuary to the west. The site covers foothills as well as some higher hills in the Himalaya. A large number of perennial streams irrigate this IBA, and ultimately drain into the Brahmaputra river. Papum Reserve Forest forms part of the Eastern Himalayas Endemic Bird Area (Stattersfield et al. 1998). A large part of the site is covered by Sub-tropical Dry Evergreen and Semi-evergreen Forests, while the higher areas are under Subtropical Broadleaf Hill Forest cover (A. U. Choudhury pers. comm. 2003).
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: This large reserve forest, with almost similar fauna and flora as Pakke Wildlife Sanctuary, was overlooked in many of the earlier surveys (Singh 1999). The White-winged Duck Cairina scutulata and Rufous-necked Hornbill Aceros nipalensis have been recorded in the area (A. U. Choudhury pers. comm. 2003). Three more species of hornbill are still fairly common: the Near Threatened Great Pied Buceros bicornis, Wreathed Aceros undulatus and Oriental Pied Anthracoceros albirostris. A detailed avifaunal survey is long overdue, as such a large wilderness with tropical forest, although disturbed at places, is rare. OTHER KEY FAUNA: These include the Tiger Panthera tigris, Asian Elephant Elephas maximus, Gaur Bos frontalis, a small population of the rare Wild Water Buffalo Bubalus arnee (=bubalis) and a record of the Temminck's Golden Cat Felis temminckii (Choudhury 2003).
Habitats
| IUCN Habitat | Coverage % | Habitat detail |
|---|---|---|
| Wetlands(Inland) | 50 | |
| Forest | 50 |
Threats
Summary of threats to biodiversity at KBA: MAIN THREATS: Encroachment; Felling of trees; Poaching; Grazing. The major issue is encroachment and felling of trees. People are coming down from higher areas to settle along the flat lands near the Assam border. Charaching and grazing the cattle are other problems.
Additional information
References: Choudhury, A. U. (2003) The mammals of Arunachal Pradesh. Regency Publications, New Delhi. Singh, P. (1999) Bird survey in selected localities of Arunachal Pradesh, India. Wildlife Institute of India, Dehra Dun. Pp. 92. Stattersfield, A. J., Crosby, M. J., Long, A. J. and Wege, D. C. (1998) Endemic Bird Areas of the World: Priorities for Biodiversity Conservation. BirdLife Conservation Series No. 7. BirdLife International, Cambridge,U.K.