Pfutsero-Chizami (18330)
India, Asia
Site overview
KBA status: confirmed
Year of last assessment: 2004
National site name: Pfutsero-Chizami
Central coordinates: Latitude: 25.6000, Longitude: 94.3333
System: terrestrial
Elevation (m): 1400 to 2300
Area of KBA (km2): 120.55646
KBA classification: Global/Regional TBD
Legacy site: Yes
Site details
Site description: Pfutsero-Chizami IBA is located in Phek district in southern Nagaland, bordering Manipur. Ripley (1952) has referred to Pfutsero in his paper. Blyth’s Tragopan Tragopan blythii and Mrs Hume’s Pheasant Syrmaticus humiae are the main threatened species found in the area. A part of this IBA forms the catchment area of the Chindwin river of Myanmar. This IBA is hilly with good forest cover, particularly the ridges and tops of the hills. Near Chizami, secondary forest with shrubs, scrub and grass dominates. This is mainly due to anthropogenic factors (A. U. Choudhury pers. comm. 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)
Additional biodiversity: AVIFAUNA: More than 80 bird species have been recorded in the area during brief surveys, but there may actually be more than 200 species. While the subtropical forest near Pfutsero is a stronghold of Blyth’s Tragopan (Choudhury 2001), the secondary forest near Chizami is known for Mrs Hume’s Pheasant (Choudhury 2002a). Besides these two globally threatened species, four restricted range species (including Blyth’s Tragopan) have been recorded in the area. There is no recent record of the Rufous-necked Hornbill Aceros nipalensis, as all hornbills are under heavy poaching pressure for their meat and feathers. The featheres are in great demand for use in ceremonial headdresses. Among the so-called game birds, Kaleej Pheasant Lophura leucomelanos, Red Junglefowl Gallus gallus, Rufous-throated Hill Patridge Arborophila rufogularis and Mountain Bamboo Partridge Bambusicola fytchii are found. OTHER KEY FAUNA: The Stump-tailed Macaque Macaca arctoides, Asiatic Black Bear Ursus thibetanus, Dhole Cuon alpinus, Leopard Panthera pardus Barking Deer Muntiacus muntjak and Serow Nemorhaedus sumatraensis are noteworthy mammals (A. U. Choudhury pers. comm. 2003). There is a recent record of the rare and elusive Spotted Linsang Prionodon pardicolor from Chizami, where it is reportedly not uncommon (Choudhury 2002b).
Habitats
Land use: agriculture | forestry
| IUCN Habitat | Coverage % | Habitat detail |
|---|---|---|
| Forest | 50 | |
| Shrubland | 50 |
Threats
Summary of threats to biodiversity at KBA: MAIN THREATS: Felling of trees; Jhum cultivation on the slopes; Domestic Firewood; Poaching. Felling of trees, jhum cultivation, hunting and wildlife trapping are the main conservation issues. In Pfutsero township, the highest urban settlement in Nagaland at 2100 m, there is a great demand for wood in winter for domestic fuel. Since the site is a major habitat of Mrs. Hume’s Pheasant, a ‘community reserve’ may be established like that of Khonoma.
| 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 | Gathering terrestrial plants | Unintentional effects (species being assessed is not 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. (2001) Some bird records from Nagaland, north-east India. Forktail 17: 91-103. Choudhury, A. U. (2002a) Survey of Mrs. Hume’s Pheasant: NE India. Final Report to OBC, UK Technical Report No. 5 of The Rhino Foundation for Nature NE India, Guwahati.Pp. 30. Choudhury, A. U. (2002b) Some recent records of the Spotted linsang Prionodon pardicolor from India. Small Carnivore Conservation 27: 12. Ripley, S. D. (1952) A collection of birds from the Naga Hills. J. Bombay Nat. Hist. Soc. 50: 475- 514.