Zeilad Lake Sanctuary (18300)
India, Asia
Site overview
KBA status: confirmed
Year of last assessment: 2004
National site name: Zeilad Lake Sanctuary
Central coordinates: Latitude: 24.9000, Longitude: 93.3833
System: freshwater, terrestrial
Elevation (m): 200 to 240
Area of KBA (km2): 5.88472
KBA classification: Global/Regional TBD
Legacy site: Yes
Site details
Site description: This site is located in the West Manipur Hills and is known for its five lakes surrounded by tropical rainforest. Located 20 km away from the district headquarters, Tamenglong town, it is in the basin of the Barak river (Choudhury 2002) and has hilly terrain.
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: Very little is known about the bird life, but there are reports of the White-winged Duck Cairina scutulata (Choudhury 2002) which is treated as Vulnerable by BirdLife International (2000). This site needs further surveys, as a complex of five montane lakes surrounded by tropical rain forest might be the haunt of many rare and endangered birds. The Near Threatened Great Pied Hornbill Buceros bicornis and Brown Hornbill Anorhinus tickelli are found in the area (A.U. Choudhury pers. comm. 2003). The only survey on birds was carried out by Choudhury (2003) during which most of the commoner species were recorded. Interestingly, one collared Kingfisher was also observed. OTHER KEY FAUNA: The Hoolock Gibbon Hylobates hoolock, Assamese Macaque Macaca assamensis, Stump-tailed macaque M. arctoides, Capped Langur Trachypithecus pileata, Slow Loris Nycticebus coucang, Asiatic Black Bear Ursus thibetanus, occasional Tiger Panthera tigris, and turtles in the lakes, are noteworthy (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. Although notified as a wildlife sanctuary, enforcement is still inadequate. Felling of trees, jhum cultivation on the hill slopes 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 (2000) Threatened Birds of the World. Birdlife International, Cambridge. Choudhury, A. U. (2002) Major inland wetlands of north-eastern India. A report submitted to SACON, Coimbatore. Pp. 49.