Melkote Temple Wildlife Sanctuary (18224)
India, Asia
Site overview
KBA status: confirmed
Year of last assessment: 2007
National site name: Melkote Temple Wildlife Sanctuary
Central coordinates: Latitude: 12.7092, Longitude: 76.6363
System: terrestrial
Elevation (m): 880 to 1127
Area of KBA (km2): 92.33827
KBA classification: Global/Regional TBD
Legacy site: Yes
Site details
Site description: Situated north of Mysore, this Sanctuary was declared to protect the Grey Wolf Canis lupus pallipes. It has been named after the Melkote Yoganarasimhaswami Temple, a famous pilgrimage centre nearby. The Sanctuary is located in Mandya district and can be approached by rail or road from Bangalore to Mandya (100 km), then by road to the Sanctuary (35 km). The Sanctuary is divided into two blocks, Mudibetta (448 ha) and Narayanadurga (4,534 ha). Between the two blocks, a number of villages and cultivated land are present. The landscape is rocky, with dry deciduous and scrub vegetation (Manjrekar 2000). Cycas circinalis, an endangered gymnosperm, is characteristic of this area (Manjrekar 2000). A few patches of Shorea talura exist. Other species include Acacia leucophloea, Anogeissus latifolia, Ailanthus triphysa, Albizzia sp., Azadirachta indica, Dalbergia sp., Santalum album and Zizyphus sp. (Manjrekar 2000). The forest is the catchment area of the Thonnur lake, one of the largest and deepest perennial irrigation tanks in the area (T. Shivanand in litt. 2003).
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 Western Ghats Hotspot (2007). Taxonomy, nomenclature and threat status follow the 2002 IUCN Red List.
Additional biodiversity: AVIFAUNA: Thejaswi Shivanand (in litt. 2003) who visited Narayanadurga Hill which forms the northern boundary of the Melkote Temple WLS, many times for birdwarching, noted 173 species till September 2002. The bird life of Narayanadurga is generally characteristic of a dry scrub forest, with the main attraction being the Yellowthroated Bulbul Pycnonotus xantholaemus. Shivanand counted between 28 to 35 individuals in this IBA. They are generally seen in threes or fours, but flocks up to 30 are also seen in this IBA (T. Shivanand in litt. 2003). This site is mainly selected on the basis of presence of a good population of Vulnerable Yellow-throated Bulbul. OTHER KEY FAUNA: Besides the Grey Wolf, carnivores include of Leopard Panthera pardus, Jungle Cat Felis chaus and Red Fox Vulpes vulpes. Chital Axis axis and Wild Boar Sus scrofa are their main natural prey.
Habitats
Land use: agriculture | urban/industrial/transport
| IUCN Habitat | Coverage % | Habitat detail |
|---|---|---|
| Forest | 50 | |
| Shrubland | 50 |
Threats
Summary of threats to biodiversity at KBA: MAIN THREATS: Over-grazing; Illegal mining; Encroachment. Grazing of livestock leading to soil erosion, is the major problem. There is no village inside the Sanctuary, but the surrounding area is heavily populated by humans and livestock. Wolf, Hyena Hyaena hyaena and Leopard attack the livestock, resulting in much resentment among farmers. There is practically no management of the Sanctuary which has only two forest guards looking after 50 sq. km of highly disturbed area. The Blackbuck Antilope cervicapra, the main natural prey of the Wolf Canis lupus has disappeared. Encroachment by marginal and large farmers is rampant. Scrub forest, on which the Yellow-throated Bulbul depends, has been thinned down at several places. Illegal quarrying occurs in the Sanctuary. Despite the fact that the forest is the catchment area for Thonnur irrigation tank, there does not appear to be any concern among the authorities or local communities to protect the forest.
| Threat level 1 | Threat level 2 | Threat level 3 | Timing |
|---|---|---|---|
| Agriculture & aquaculture | Annual & perennial non-timber crops | Agro-industry farming | Ongoing |
| 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 past and unlikely to return |
| Biological resource use | Hunting & collecting terrestrial animals | Persecution/control | Only in the future |
| Biological resource use | Logging & wood harvesting | Unintentional effects: subsistence/small scale (species being assessed is not the target) [harvest] | Ongoing |
| Energy production & mining | Mining & quarrying | Ongoing |
Additional information
References: Manjrekar, N. (ed.) (2000): A Walk on the Wild Side. Karnataka Forest Department, Wildlife Wing, Bangalore.
Contributors: Key contributor: Thejaswi Shivanand.