Saipung (18289)
India, Asia
Site overview
KBA status: confirmed
Year of last assessment: 2005
National site name: Saipung
Central coordinates: Latitude: 25.3333, Longitude: 92.7500
System: terrestrial
Area of KBA (km2): 231.74874
KBA classification: Global/Regional TBD
Legacy site: Yes
Site details
Site description: The IBA site includes Saipung Reserve Forest, the oldest notified reserve in the state of Meghalaya, having been gazetted in 1877! It is also the largest Reserve Forest in the state and is located near the North Cachar Hills district in neighbouring Assam State. Saipung is relatively inaccessible.
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 Eastern Himalayas Hotspot (2005). Taxonomy, nomenclature and threat category follow the 2002 IUCN Red List.
Additional biodiversity: AVIFAUNA: The area is rich in wildlife but information is available only on primates and wild elephants (Choudhury 1999a, 1999b). Adequate data on birds is not available to properly assess the site as an IBA. Hence, it has been named as a Data Deficient site. The Threatened species that are likely to occur include the Whitewinged Duck Cairinia scutulata, Rufous-necked Hornbill Aceros nipalensis, and Beautiful Nuthatch Sitta formosa.
Habitats
| IUCN Habitat | Coverage % | Habitat detail |
|---|---|---|
| Forest | 100 |
Threats
Summary of threats to biodiversity at KBA: MAIN THREATS: Poaching; Encroachment; Felling of trees. The area is inhabited by the Biate tribe (belonging to Kuki-Chin group) and they have already encroached on a portion of the Reserve Forest. They are expert trappers and hunters, and hence poaching pressure is significant. There was a proposal to declare Saipung RF as a Sanctuary along with Norpuh Block II RF, and some community area was to be acquired as a link between these two Reserve Forests. Although the proposal did not materialize, the word “link” became associated with the RF, and it began to be referred to as Saipung Link Sanctuary, creating confusion.
| 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 | Logging & wood harvesting | Unintentional effects: subsistence/small scale (species being assessed is not the target) [harvest] | Ongoing |
Additional information
References: Choudhury, A. U. (1999a) Wildlife in Jaintia Hills district of Meghalaya with a proposal for a national park/wildlife sanctuary. Interim Report. The Rhino Foundation for nature in NE India, Guwahati. Pp 4. Choudhury, A. U. (1999b) Status and conservation of the Asian elephant Elephas maximus in north-eastern India. Mammal Review 29(3): 141-173.
Contributors: Key contributor: Anwaruddin Choudhury.