Pabho Reserve Forest (18096)
India, Asia
Site overview
KBA status: confirmed
Year of last assessment: 2004
National site name: Pabho Reserve Forest
Central coordinates: Latitude: 27.0537, Longitude: 94.0000
System: freshwater, terrestrial
Elevation (m): 90 00
Area of KBA (km2): 14.74925
KBA classification: Global/Regional TBD
Legacy site: Yes
Site details
Site description: This site is located near the confluence of the Ranga river with the Khabolu river and consists of degraded grassland with beels and marshes. The woodland area has been completely destroyed due to felling. This site was known as Milroy Buffalo Sanctuary during British days as a good number of Asiatic Wild Buffalo Bubalus arnee (= bubalis) used to occur (Choudhury 1994). Situated 20 km south of Lakhimpur town, the district headquarters, this wetland complex is an important site for waterbirds.
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: More than 130 species have been listed but more are likely to occur (A. U. Choudhury pers. comm. 2003). Among threatened species, regularly seen are the Greater Adjutant Leptoptilos dubius and Lesser Adjutant Leptoptilos javanicus, Spot-bill Pelican Pelecanus philippensis and Swamp Francolin Francolinus gularis. The White-winged Duck Cairina scutulata has not been reported in recent years (Choudhury 2000). A few thousand waders and ducks winter in the area. It is also a potential site for the Vulnerable species Black-breasted Parrotbill Paradoxornis flavirostris. OTHER KEY FAUNA: Gangetic Dolphin Plantanista gangetica is seen in the Khabolu river while the Water Buffalo has become stray. Tiger Panthera tigris is an occasional visitor (A.U. Choudhury pers. comm. 2003).
Habitats
Land use: agriculture | fisheries/aquaculture
| IUCN Habitat | Coverage % | Habitat detail |
|---|---|---|
| Wetlands(Inland) | 20 | |
| Grassland | 20 | |
| Forest | 20 | |
| Shrubland | 20 | |
| Artificial - Terrestrial | 20 |
Threats
Summary of threats to biodiversity at KBA: MAIN THREATS: Encroachment for agriculture; Reclamation and siltation of beels; Fishing; Poaching of birds. Encroachment is a major concern for the area as about a third is already under illegal cultivation. Reclamation of beels, heavy fishing and poaching of birds are other main issues. Detailed investigation on the bird life and other wildlife of this site is urgently required. If properly protected, this site has potential to become a very important waterfowl habitat.
| Threat level 1 | Threat level 2 | Threat level 3 | Timing |
|---|---|---|---|
| Agriculture & aquaculture | Annual & perennial non-timber crops | Small-holder farming | Ongoing |
| Biological resource use | Hunting & collecting terrestrial animals | Intentional use (species being assessed is the target) | Ongoing |
| Biological resource use | Fishing & harvesting aquatic resources | Unintentional effects: large scale (species being assessed is not the target) [harvest] | Ongoing |
| Pollution | Agricultural & forestry effluents | Soil erosion, sedimentation | Ongoing |
Additional information
References: Choudhury, A. U. (1994) The decline of Wild water buffalo in Northeastern India. Oryx 28(1): 70-73. Choudhury, A. U. (2000) The Birds of Assam. Gibbon Books and WWFIndia, N E Regional Office, Guwahati.