Kailam Wildlife Sanctuary (18296)
India, Asia

Site overview

KBA status: confirmed

Year of last assessment: 2005

National site name: Kailam Wildlife Sanctuary

Central coordinates: Latitude: 24.2000, Longitude: 93.4167

System: terrestrial

Elevation (m): 500 to 2018

Area of KBA (km²): 166.95329

KBA classification: Global/Regional TBD

Legacy site: Yes

Site details

Site description: Kailam Wildlife Sanctuary is located within the Kailam-Tipaimukh Hill Range in Churachandpur district. The terrain is mainly hilly, with a large number of streams, and thick forested hillsides. Most of the streams flow from this hill range into the Tuivai river. This is another lesser known area of Manipur state. A hydroelectric power project is proposed on the Tipaimukh river, which is likely to submerge part of the Sanctuary (R.K.Ranjan Singh pers. comm. 2003) This proposed data deficient IBA is covered with Tropical Evergreen and Semi-evergreen Forests and Bamboo brakes.

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: General information on avifauna is lacking, due to which this IBA is considered as Data Deficient. According to A. U. Choudhury (pers. comm. 2003), the bird life is extremely rich, like most of the tropical rainforest areas of Manipur. The Rufous-necked Hornbill Aceros nipalensis, a Vulnerable species, and Grey Sibia Heterophasia gracilis (Restricted Range species) according to BirdLife International (2001) have been reported, but their status and distribution within the site is not known. There are records of Mrs Hume’s Pheasant Syrmaticus humiae from nearby areas (Choudhury 2002), so it may occur at this site also. This site is famous for five species of hornbills: Brown Anorrhinus tickelli, Rufous-necked, Great Pied Buceros bicornis, Wreathed Aceros undulatus and Oriental Pied Anthracoceros albirostris. Kailam WLS is located in the Eastern Himalayas Endemic Bird Area. There are 21 restricted range species in this EBA. Considering the extent of natural forests still remaining in this IBA, most of the restricted range species of the Eastern Himalayas EBA are likely to occur here. The greater part of the Sanctuary is at 1,000 m above msl, so it falls in Biome-9 (Indo-Chinese Tropical Moist Forest). In the higher reaches, between 1,000 m and 2,000 m, Sino-Himalayan Subtropical Forest (Biome-8) is seen. At least 114 biomerestricted species are likely to occur here. A detailed investigation of this IBA is urgently needed. OTHER KEY FAUNA: As in the case of avifauna, not much is known about the mammalian and reptilian fauna. However, the area lies in the general distribution range of the Leopard Panthera pardus, Golden Cat Catopuma temmincki, Serow Nemorhaedus sumatraensis, Hoolock Gibbon Hylobates hoolock, Stump-tailed Macaque Macaca arctoides and Asiatic Black Bear Ursus thibetanus.

Habitats

Land use: agriculture | forestry

IUCN Habitat	Coverage %	Habitat detail
Forest	100

Threats

Summary of threats to biodiversity at KBA: MAIN THREATS: Construction of dam; Jhum cultivation; Hunting. Construction of the proposed Tipaimukh hydroelectric dam is a threat to this IBA as it will submerg a large part of the primary tropical forests. There has been some jhum cultivation around the Sanctuary. Hunting is common in the area as in other areas dominated by indigenous tribes.

Threat level 1	Threat level 2	Threat level 3	Timing
Agriculture & aquaculture	Annual & perennial non-timber crops	Shifting agriculture	Ongoing
Natural system modifications	Dams & water management/use	Large dams	Only in the future
Biological resource use	Hunting & collecting terrestrial animals	Intentional use (species being assessed is the target)	Ongoing

Additional information

References: BirdLife International (2001) Threatened Birds of Asia: The BirdLife International Red Data Book. BirdLife International, U.K. Choudhury, A. U. (2002) Survey of Mrs Hume’s Pheasant in northeastern India. The Rhino Foundation for nature in North East India, Guwahati. Pp 27.