Shallabugh Conservation Reserve (18196)
India, Asia
Site overview
KBA status: confirmed
Year of last assessment: 2004
National site name: Shallabugh Conservation Reserve
Central coordinates: Latitude: 34.1667, Longitude: 74.7000
System: freshwater, terrestrial
Elevation (m): 1580 00
Area of KBA (km2): 18.4355
Protected area coverage (%): 88.08
KBA classification: Regional
Legacy site: Yes
Site details
Site description: Close to Srinagar town, in the Kashmir Valley, lie the Shallabugh marshes. They are fed by the Sindh river and local snowmelt. The depth of the water varies from 0.3 to 2.0 m, and the water level fluctuates considerably according to the rainfall. Large areas of the lake dry up between September and March. The area has extensive reed beds of Phragmites communis and Typha angustata, and rich growth of Nymphea candida and Nymphea stellata in open water areas. Lemna forms mats over the surface in some areas while adjacent areas have willow plantations and paddy fields. The area is thus of great importance for waterfowl.
Rationale for qualifying as KBA: This site qualifies as a Key Biodiversity Area of international significance that was identified using previously established criteria and thresholds for the identification of Important Bird and Biodiversity Areas (IBAs) and for which available data indicate that it does not meet global KBA criteria and thresholds set out in the Global Standard.
Additional biodiversity: AVIFAUNA: The area is an important staging and wintering ground for migratory Anatidae, and a breeding area for a variety of waterfowl. Over 150,000 ducks and geese have been recorded at one time (Rashid Naqash pers. comm. 2003). The site qualifies in A4iii criteria. Detailed studies have not been conducted, but the available information shows that it attracts species such as Common Teal Anas crecca, Northern Pintail A. acuta, Eurasian Wigeon A. penelope, Mallard A. platyrhynchos, Garganey A. querquedula, Gadwall A. strepera, Northern Shoveller A. clypeata, Common Pochard Aythya ferina, White-eyed or Ferruginous Pochard A. nyroca, and Red-crested Pochard Rhodonessa rufina. Many species breed in the extensive marshes, but detailed records are not available. OTHER KEY FAUNA: The only major mammal is the Common Otter Lutra lutra which is found in almost all the large wetlands of the Kashmir Valley. Red fox Vulpes vulpes and Golden Jackal Canis aureus are found in the surrounding agricultural land and forests. These marshes are also rich in fish fauna but not much information is available.
Habitats
Land use: agriculture | fisheries/aquaculture
| IUCN Habitat | Coverage % | Habitat detail |
|---|---|---|
| Shrubland | 50 | |
| Wetlands(Inland) | 50 |
Threats
Summary of threats to biodiversity at KBA: MAIN THREATS: Siltation; Agricultural intensification and expansion; Use of fertilizers and pesticides; Illegal grazing and encroachment. Like other wetlands of the Kashmir Valley, Shallabugh also suffers from over-fishing, infestation by weeds and pollution. Besides the usual anthropogenic pressures/threats, biomedical wastes from the Sher-e-Kashmir Institute of Medical Sciences disposed off in Anchar ends up in Shallabugh. However, the entire wetland is protected as a conservation reserve by the Department of Wildlife Protection, Government of Jammu and Kashmir. Surrounding areas are almost entirely agricultural. The principal threats are siltation eutrophication and encroachment of agricultural land. Run-off from adjacent agricultural land has greatly increased the rate of eutrophication.
| 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 |
| 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 |
| Pollution | Agricultural & forestry effluents | Nutrient loads | Ongoing |
| Pollution | Agricultural & forestry effluents | Herbicides and pesticides | Ongoing |
| Pollution | Industrial & military effluents | Type Unknown/Unrecorded | Ongoing |