Nargu Wildlife Sanctuary (18161)
India, Asia

Site overview

KBA status: confirmed

Year of last assessment: 2004

National site name: Nargu Wildlife Sanctuary

Central coordinates: Latitude: 31.9383, Longitude: 76.9842

System: terrestrial

Elevation (m): 970 to 4034

Area of KBA (km²): 265.22352

KBA classification: Global/Regional TBD

Legacy site: Yes

Site details

Site description: Nargu is one of the most densely populated protected areas of Himachal Pradesh, with human density above 100 per sq. km and livestock density 200 per sq. km. Interestingly, all legal procedures such as the final notification for declaration of a Sanctuary have been completed. Human beings have already occupied most of the flat areas and cultivable portions, leaving only inaccessible reaches for wildlife. Livestock graze all over the Sanctuary. Based on the classification of Champion and Seth (1968), six types of vegetation can be seen in this area: A small portion of Subalpine forest in the higher reaches, followed by Kharsu Oak Forest, Moist Temperate Deciduous Forest, Western Mixed Coniferous Forest, Moist Deodar Forest, Moru Oak Forest, Ban Oak Forest, and finally, Subtropical Pine Forest.

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: There is no information on the bird life, although unconfirmed reports indicate that Western Tragopan Tragopan melanocephalus and Cheer Catreus wallichii are found. Four species listed in Biome-7 have been identified, but there may be many more. This site is included as an IBA due to its potential as habitat of Cheer Pheasant and Biome species. OTHER KEY FAUNA: Asiatic Black Bear Ursus thibetanus, Leopard Panthera pardus, Himalayan Palm Civet Paguma larvata, Barking deer Muntiacus muntjak, Musk Deer Moschus chrysogaster and Goral Nemorhaedus goral are still found in remote areas but their conservation status is unknown. Not much is known about the reptiles and other fauna of this potential IBA.

Habitats

Land use: agriculture

IUCN Habitat	Coverage %	Habitat detail
Forest	100

Threats

Summary of threats to biodiversity at KBA: MAIN THREATS: Human settlements; Forest fire - natural and man-induced; Intense grazing pressure; Collection of firewood, other forest products; Grazing of livestock. Anthropogenic pressure is the major issue. There are 170 villages inside the Sanctuary, with a population of nearly 50,000 people and three times as many heads of livestock. Furthermore, itinerant graziers visit the Sanctuary during summer with huge herds of livestock. Local people are allowed fuelwood and medicinal plant collection. Musk Deer is hunted by organized gangs of poachers. Rodgers and Panwar (1988) and Rodgers et al. (2000) have recommended joining this Sanctuary to the 1,400 ha Khokan WLS by including intervening forest, to make it a large sanctuary of 32,000 ha.

Threat level 1	Threat level 2	Threat level 3	Timing
Agriculture & aquaculture	Livestock farming & ranching	Nomadic grazing	Ongoing
Agriculture & aquaculture	Livestock farming & ranching	Small-holder grazing, ranching or farming	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	Gathering terrestrial plants	Unintentional effects (species being assessed is not the target)	Ongoing
Biological resource use	Logging & wood harvesting	Unintentional effects: subsistence/small scale (species being assessed is not the target) [harvest]	Ongoing
Residential & commercial development	Housing & urban areas		Ongoing

Additional information