Shola around Kodaikanal (18401)
India, Asia

Site overview

KBA status: confirmed

Year of last assessment: 2004

National site name: Shola around Kodaikanal

Central coordinates: Latitude: 10.2183, Longitude: 77.5747

System: terrestrial

Elevation (m): 1500 to 2700

Area of KBA (km²): 10.554905

KBA classification: Global/Regional TBD’

Legacy site: Yes

Site details

Site description: The Bear Shola, Tiger Shola, Pambar Shola, Vattakanal Shola, Peumalmalai Shola and Blackburn Shola of Palni Hills are located in and around Kodaikanal within a radius of 8 km. Bombay Shola is located on the edge of Kodaikanal, while Vattakanal is 6 km outside it. In Bombay Shola, the ground cover is meagre due to heavy exploitation. The montane quasi-temperate climate of Kodaikanal plateau is maintained due to the presence of these sholas and the century old Pine and Wattle plantations. Among these sholas, the Pambar and Vattakanal Sholas are probably the best preserved. Vattakanal Shola contains six extremely rare and endangered tree species and numerous terrestrial orchids. These sholas are home to many endemic species of plants, amphibians, butterflies and birds (S. Balachandran pers. comm. 2002). The plateau bears grasslands alternating with wooded shola. Many endemic and endangered plant species were reported from Pampar and Vattakanal. About 75% of the plateaus originally bore grassland. The grasslands are famous for Strobilanthes kunthianus, which blossoms once in 12 years. The occurrence of the highly endangered Bentinckia condopanna at Pampar Shola is noteworthy. The Pambar Sholas, also has some very rare species such as Sonerila pulneyensis, Hoya wightii palnensis, Plectranthus bourneae, Tichoglottis tenera and Phyllanthus chandrabosei.

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: Almost all the high altitude endemics of the Western Ghats have been seen in these sholas. Interestingly, the threatened and endemic Nilgiri Wood-Pigeon Columba elphinstonii, which was rare during the 1980s, has now become quite common, and found to breed in these shola patches. No decline has been observed in other endemic species, including White-bellied Shortwing Brachypteryx major and Nilgiri Flycatcher Eumyias albicaudata, which is evident from their common occurrence in the gardens and campuses of Kodaikanal town. From BNHS ringing data of the last 30 years, it was found that the Black-and-Orange Flycatcher Ficedula Nigrorufa and White-bellied Shortwing from neighbouring forest patches (Poombarai) have shown a steady increase in the total bird catch since the 1970s (Balachandran pers comm. 2003). However, the Nilgiri Pipit Anthus nilghiriensis has decreased, mainly due to the plantation of exotic trees in Shola grasslands (Balachandran et al. 2003). Of the 16 restricted range species of the Western Ghats (Stattersfield et al. 1998), seven have been reported from this IBA (Balachandran pers. comm. 2002). OTHER KEY FAUNA: The major predators are the Tiger Panthera tigris and Leopard Panthera pardus but the sightings of these two predators have become rare in these sholas due to human disturbance. Barking Deer Muntiacus muntjak is the commonest ungulate. The Gaur Bos frontalis and Wild Boar Sus scrofa population is increasing (S. Balachandran pers. comm. 2003). Wild Dog Cuon alpinus and Sambar Cervus unicolor have decreased. Indian Giant Squirrel Ratufa indica is found in all suitable forest patches. The Bonnet Macaque Macaca radiata has increased to pest proportion as tourists feed the animals.

Habitats

Land use: forestry | rangeland/pastureland

IUCN Habitat	Coverage %	Habitat detail
Grassland	50
Forest	50

Threats

Summary of threats to biodiversity at KBA: Though villagers get their fuel requirements from the Wattle plantations bordering the sholas, they also collect dead wood and trees fallen due to landslides and strong winds. Women carrying head loads of firewood is a frequent sight in the morning and the evening. Bombay Shola is the closest source of firewood for the Kodaikanal town and has suffered from its unfortunate location. At Vattakanal Shola, landslides regularly topple a large number of trees. The Forest Department is replacing old plantations with native shola species such as Elaeocarpus glandulosus, Syzygium densiflorum, Neolitsea scrobiculata, Michelia nilagirica and others. There is a proposal to declare a wildlife sanctuary in the Upper Palnis, which will also include a portion of this IBA site (S. Balachandran pers. comm. 2003). Bombay Shola, which survives within Kodaikanal Municipal limits, though protected, is under threat from dumping of waste and minor tree felling. The emergence of Kodaikanal as a popular hill station has had a disastrous effect on the region’s ecology. Human settlements have spread over large areas around the town and forestland has been encroached upon. Many species of animals, such as the Bear, the Tiger and the Nilgiri Tahr, have disappeared. Names such as “Tiger Shola” certify that these species existed in the region. Even the Nilgiri Langur, a species that was once common, has disappeared from the forests around Kodaikanal. The growing number of people living and visiting the hill station has resulted in mountains of half-burnt waste and garbage being dumped in nearby Blackburn Shola. Despite effective bans on plastic and the construction of a waste treatment plant, pollution remains a major concern (Ian Lockwood pers. comm. 2003). Tremendous changes in the bird community structure have been noticed in and around this site. Urbanization around Kodaikanal has led to temperature increase, due to which generalist birds species from the mid and lower elevations (e.g Brahminy Kite Haliastur indus, Black Kite Milvus migrans, Chestnut-headed Beeeater Merops leschenaulti, House Crow Corvus splendens) are now seen at higher altitudes, where they compete with the habitat specialist endemic birds. The invasion of weeds Lantana and Eupatorium is very common. The pressure on the forests for firewood keeps increasing, which leads to degradation and loss of forest cover. The area under Reserve Forest in Kodaikanal Division is dwindling gradually due to handing over of forested land to State and Central Government departments for various purposes such as horticulture, Bee Research Station, Sheep Breeding Research Station, and for the various irrigation projects. Some areas in the Reserve Forest have been given on lease to other departments of the State and Central Governments and to the public for right of way, access to the temple, access to water from the streams and for road building and channels. Land was given for the establishment of Bee Research Stations to the Industry and Commerce Department and to Gandhi Niketan Ashram at Tiger Shola. Licences have been issued by the Collector for diverting water from jungle streams to Adukkam village at Tiger Shola. The sum total of the anthropogenic pressures can be seen in the general degradation and loss of biodiversity.

Threat level 1	Threat level 2	Threat level 3	Timing
Agriculture & aquaculture	Annual & perennial non-timber crops	Agro-industry farming	Ongoing
Agriculture & aquaculture	Annual & perennial non-timber crops	Small-holder farming	Ongoing
Invasive & other problematic species, genes & diseases	Invasive non-native/alien species/diseases	Named species	Ongoing
Invasive & other problematic species, genes & diseases	Problematic native species/diseases	Named species	Ongoing
Natural system modifications	Dams & water management/use	Abstraction of surface water (domestic use)	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
Geological events	Avalanches/landslides		Ongoing
Human intrusions & disturbance	Recreational activities		Ongoing
Pollution	Garbage & solid waste		Ongoing
Residential & commercial development	Commercial & industrial areas		Ongoing
Transportation & service corridors	Roads & railroads		Ongoing

Additional information