Jiri - Makru Wildlife Sanctuary (18295)
India, Asia
Site overview
KBA status: confirmed
Year of last assessment: 2004
National site name: Jiri - Makru Wildlife Sanctuary
Central coordinates: Latitude: 24.8458, Longitude: 93.2913
System: terrestrial
Elevation (m): 80 to 500
Area of KBA (km2): 167.33986
KBA classification: Global/Regional TBD
Legacy site: Yes
Site details
Site description: This site is located between the rivers Jiri and Makru, both tributaries of the Barak river near the Assam-Manipur border. It lies partly in Imphal East (Jiribam Sub-division) district and partly in Tamenglong district. The terrain is hilly, being part of the West Manipur Hills. Tropical Wet Evergreen and Semi-evergreen Forest dominate (A.U. Choudhury pers. comm. 2003). This site is important for forest birds.
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: This is a Data Deficient site and should be surveyed on a priority basis. The Green Peafowl Pavo muticus was found in the area till 1960s. Stray birds might still occur. Local villagers belonging to the Zeliangrong Naga reported of encountering stray Green Peafowl along the Jiri River during 1990s. BirdLife International (2001) considers it as globally threatened. Other threatened birds reported but not confirmed include the White-winged Duck Cairina scutulata and Rufous-necked Hornbill Aceros nipalensis. The Near-Threatened Great Pied Buceros bicornis and Brown Hornbill Anorrhinus tickelli are, however, found in the area (A. U. Choudhury pers. comm. 2003). OTHER KEY FAUNA: Seven species of primates are present, including the Capped Langur Trachypithecus pileata and Hoolock Gibbon Hylobates hoolock. Carnivores include the Wild Dog Cuon alpinus, Asiatic Black Bear Ursus thibetanus, Leopard Panthera pardus, Sambar Cervus unicolor, Barking Deer Muntiacus muntjak, Serow Nemorhaedus sumatraensis and Gaur Bos frontalis (Choudhury 2002). There are past records of the Gharial Gavialis gangeticus from thr Makru River (A. U. Choudhury pers. comm. 2003).
Habitats
Land use: agriculture | forestry
| IUCN Habitat | Coverage % | Habitat detail |
|---|---|---|
| Wetlands(Inland) | 50 | |
| Forest | 50 |
Threats
Summary of threats to biodiversity at KBA: MAIN THREATS: Felling of trees; Jhum cultivation; Poaching of birds; Insurgency. Although it was notified as a wildlife sanctuary, enforcement is still inadequate. Felling of trees, jhum cultivation and poaching of birds are the main issues.
| Threat level 1 | Threat level 2 | Threat level 3 | Timing |
|---|---|---|---|
| Agriculture & aquaculture | Annual & perennial non-timber crops | Shifting agriculture | 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: BirdLife International (2001) Threatened Birds of Asia: The BirdLife International Red Data Book. BirdLife International, Cambridge, U.K. Choudhury, A. U. (2002) Distribution and Conservation of the Gaur Bos gaurus in the Indian Subcontinent. Mammal Review 32(3): 199-226.