Kuarbari Dalani (18088)
India, Asia

Site overview

KBA status: confirmed

Year of last assessment: 2005

National site name: Kuarbari Dalani

Central coordinates: Latitude: 27.2342, Longitude: 94.3112

System: freshwater, terrestrial

Elevation (m): 90 00

Area of KBA (km²): 1.58426

KBA classification: Global/Regional TBD

Legacy site: Yes

Site details

Site description: Kuarbari or Koabari is a small marshy area near Dhakuakhana township in Lakhimpur district, eastern Assam. Surrounded by villages with cultivation, this site attracts a large number of waterfowl including Spot-billed Pelican Pelecanus philippensis, Greater Leptoptilos dubius and Lesser L. javanicus Adjutants and Asian Openbill Anastomus oscitans (Choudhury 2000). The villagers in the area are highly motivated to protect the area and there is virtually no hunting, although poisoning was regular in the past. Dalani means swamp. Dal is a kind of aquatic grass. This wetland IBA has the usual short grasses on the fringe. Bamboos and tall trees are found in the surrounding villages.

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: AVIFAUNA: Detailed study on this site has been conducted since 1989. Due to the protection by villagers, quite a large number of waterfowl are found here, although the site still does not qualify in A4iii criteria (= 20,000 waterbirds). This site has been selected purely on the basis of regular and significant numbers of the adjutant storks found here. Critically Endangered Oriental White-backed Vultures Gyps benghalensis and Slender-billed vultures G. tenuirostris are also seen, but they are widespread, move around a lot and are found in numerous other areas. OTHER KEY FAUNA: As the wetland is surrounded by human habitation, not many wild mammals are found in the site.

Habitats

Land use: agriculture | fisheries/aquaculture

IUCN Habitat	Coverage %	Habitat detail
Wetlands(Inland)	33
Grassland	33
Artificial - Terrestrial	33

Threats

Summary of threats to biodiversity at KBA: MAIN THREATS: Agriculture; Fishing; Grazing by livestock; Poisoning of birds. Although the villagers are highly motivated towards conservation, there is always a threat from poachers who poison birds. This can be stopped by extensive conservation education and enforcement of the Wildlife Protection Act. However, siltation and cultivation, and not occasional poaching, are going to be the major issues for the survival of this site. A local NGO, the Megamix Nature Club, has been trying to create awareness among the villagers. This site could be declared as Community Conservation Area, under the amended Wildlife (Protection) Act, 2003.

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)	Only in the future
Biological resource use	Fishing & harvesting aquatic resources	Unintentional effects: subsistence/small scale (species being assessed is not the target) [harvest]	Ongoing
Pollution	Agricultural & forestry effluents	Soil erosion, sedimentation	Ongoing

Additional information

References: Choudhury, A. U. (2000) Birds of Assam, Gibbon Books & WWF-India NE Region, Guwahati. Pp. 240.