Valmiki Tiger Reserve and Saraiyaman Lake (18118)
India, Asia
Site overview
KBA status: confirmed
Year of last assessment: 2004
National site name: Valmiki Tiger Reserve and Saraiyaman Lake
Central coordinates: Latitude: 27.3083, Longitude: 84.1433
System: terrestrial
Elevation (m): 125 to 880
Area of KBA (km2): 907.46461
KBA classification: Global/Regional TBD
Legacy site: Yes
Site details
Site description: Valmiki Tiger Reserve is located in the northernmost part of West Champaran district of Bihar. The Rivers Gandak and Masan flow through this area. The core area of the Tiger Reserve is a National Park (Jain 2001). Most of the terai forests and grasslands in Bihar have been converted in to agricultural fields. Valmiki Tiger Reserve is the only such habitat left untouched in Bihar. This Reserve is also under tremendous pressure from encroachers and poachers. Saraiya Man Bird Sanctuary is a freshwater body c. 7 km from Bagha. It is known for good numbers of waterbirds. We have designated this small bird sanctuary and the Tiger Reserve as one IBA. The forest types include Mixed Deciduous Forests, Cane brakes, grasslands and swamp forests. Important trees include Sal Shorea robusta, Khair Acacia catechu and Cane Calamus pseudo-tenuis.
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: The avifauna of this Reserve is inadequately studied, but it can be said that where the forest is intact, almost all the terai forest species are likely to occur that are found in Dudhwa (Javed and Rahmani 1998) or the adjoining Sohagi Barwa Sanctuary in Uttar Pradesh. Presently, the grasslands are not in good condition, due to grazing and plantation, but they could be revived with effective management. We might even get back the Bengal Florican Houbaropsis bengalensis that has become locally extinct in the Reserve. Mukherjee (1986) claims to have seen one bird in 1980. To the north of Valmiki Tiger Reserve, in Nepal, is located the Royal Chitwan National Park, where this species is still found (BirdLife International 2001). Globally threatened species such as the Swamp Francolin Francolinus gularis and Sociable Lapwing Vanellus gregarius have been reported from the area (Javed and Rahmani 1991). The Vulnerable Sarus Crane Grus antigone also occurs in small numbers (Anon. 1993, Gopi Sundar et al. 2000). The Greater Adjutant Leptoptilos dubius has not been seen for many decades, but the Lesser Adjutant L. javanicus is still found in streams and ponds. The most important wetland, Bhasa-lotan (= wallow of buffalo), famous for Wild Buffalo Bubalus arnee (=bubalis), has been completely drained out and now a bustling, dirty town stands over it. OTHER KEY FAUNA: Valmiki Tiger Reserve was the 18th tiger reserve to be declared in India, with the sole purpose of arresting the decline of this apex carnivore, and also an ecosystem which could support this endangered animal. Besides Tiger Panthera tigris, it has Leopard P. pardus, Sambar Cervus unicolor, Cheetal or Spotted Deer Axis axis, Hog Deer Axis porcinus and other associated animals of the terai. Wild Buffalo and Swamp Deer Cervus duvaucelii have become locally extinct. Hispid Hare Caprolagus hispidus probably survives in the grassland.
Habitats
Land use: forestry | nature conservation and research | water management
| IUCN Habitat | Coverage % | Habitat detail |
|---|---|---|
| Grassland | 33 | |
| Forest | 33 | |
| Wetlands(Inland) | 33 |
Threats
Summary of threats to biodiversity at KBA: MAIN THREATS: Poaching; Illegal felling of trees; Livestock grazing; Forest fires; Agricultural intensification and expansion; Construction and impact of dykes; Firewood collection; Disease spread from domestic animals to wild animals; Lack of funds; Abandonment/ reduction of land management; Construction of road. Since Valmiki Tiger Reserve is contiguous with both international and interstate boundaries, it is infested with armed dacoits who are involved in the smuggling of Khair Acacia catechu and cane. Charaching is very common. About 81,000 people live in the 142 villages on the fringe of the Reserve. About 20,000 people in the area depend on forest resources for survival for six months of the year, as there is a lack of employment opportunities. The buffer area of the Park is very prone to fires caused by the locals grazing their cattle. The fires are set to encourage growth of grass. Around 60,000 heads of livestock are present in the Reserve, which cause severe damage to the flora. Herbivores in the Reserve are highly susceptible to iodine deficiency disease, goitre and footand- mouth disease (Jain 2001). Forty-two villages hold agricultural and habitation rights. The natural flow of two streams was blocked and 1,691 ha forest land was inundated due to the construction of a rail and road bridge. This led to the death of 15,000 trees in the buffer zone of the Reserve (Jain 2001). The funds for protection, development and management of the Reserve are scarce. Consequently, it is difficult to manage the reserve and infrastructure is inadequate. Eco-development activities were initiated in the Reserve in 1997-1998 (Jain 2001).
| 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 |
| Invasive & other problematic species, genes & diseases | Invasive non-native/alien species/diseases | Unspecified species | Ongoing |
| Natural system modifications | Dams & water management/use | Abstraction of surface water (unknown use) | Ongoing |
| Natural system modifications | Fire & fire suppression | Increase in fire frequency/intensity | Ongoing |
| Biological resource use | Hunting & collecting terrestrial animals | Intentional use (species being assessed is 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 | Work & other activities | Ongoing | |
| Transportation & service corridors | Roads & railroads | Ongoing |
Additional information
References: Anonymous (1993) Important fauna of tiger reserves. Project Tiger, Ministry of Environment and Forests, Government of India, New Delhi. BirdLife International (2001) Threatened Birds of Asia: The BirdLife International Red Data Book. BirdLife International. Cambridge, U.K. Gopi Sundar, K. S., Kaur, J. and Choudhury, B. C. (2000) Distribution, demography and conservation status of the Indian Sarus Crane (Grus antigone antigone) in India. J. Bombay Nat. Hist. Soc. 97 (3): 319-339. Jain, P. (2001) Project Tiger Status Report, Project Tiger, Ministry of Environment and Forests, Government of India, New Delhi. Javed, S. and Rahmani, A. R. (1991) Swamp Francolin in the north Indian terai. World Pheasant Assoc. News. 34: 15-18. Javed, S. and Rahmani, A. R. (1998) Conservation of the avifauna of Dudwa National Park, India. Forktail 14: 55-64. Mukherjee, A. K. (1986) The ecology and conservation of Bengal Florican Eupodotis bengalensis (Gmelin). In Majpuria, T. J. (ed.) Wildlife Wealth of India. Thailand Teepress Service.