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Site description (2004 baseline):

Alniya is an irrigation tank that supports agriculture in the surrounding areas through minor and major canals. Many pairs of Sarus Crane Grus antigone use the habitat around the lake for breeding. In February 2002, Manoj Kulshreshtha, State Coordinator of IBCN, conducted a survey. He found 20-21,000 waterfowl in the lake, and 16 pairs of Sarus raising their chicks. Due to scanty rainfall in 2002, this lake was affected and reduced to one-fourth of its total capacity. With normal rainfall and consequently normal waterspread, there could be 30,000 waterfowl here. This is identified as an IBA on the basis of the large number of waterfowl that gather in this wetland in winter. No proper floral study has been conducted in this wetland. Common plants found in the waterbody were Ceratophyllum muricatum, Eichhornia crassipes, Ipomoea aquatica, Lemna aequinoctalis, Phragmites karka, Polygonum glabrum, Potamogeton pectinatus and Vallisneria spiralis.

AVIFAUNA: Among the threatened species listed in the Red Data Book (BirdLife International 2001), the Sarus Crane is a regular breeding species at the lake. The other globally threatened species recorded is the Indian Skimmer Rynchops albicollis. Seven Skimmers were recorded in May 1989 by Vyas (1990) and one in July 1989 by Sangha and Kulshreshtha in (1998). Alniya is close to the National Chambal Sanctuary (another IBA) where the Indian Skimmer often breeds, so these birds are likely to be arriving from there. Dalmatian Pelican Pelecanus crispus, classified as Conservation Dependent by BirdLife International (2001), is regularly seen at Alniya Dam (Vyas 1993). The Great White Pelican P. onocrotalus is also seen here. Common species are Little Cormorant Phalacrocorax niger, Common Teal Anas crecca, Common Pochard Aythya ferina, Coot Fulica atra, Redwattled Lapwing Vanellus indicus, Indian River Tern Sterna aurantia, Black-winged Stilt Himantopus himantopus, Little Grebe Podiceps ruficollis, Pond Heron Ardea grayii, Ruff Philomachus pugnax and Ruddy Shelduck Tadorna ferruginea. The Near Threatened species recorded were Darter Anhinga melanogaster, Painted Stork Mycteria leucocephala and Blacknecked Stork Ephippiorhynchus asiaticus (Vyas 1990, 1993). Vyas has seen up to seven individuals of Black-necked Stork in January 1990 when the water of Alniya Dam was partially drained for irrigation purpose and a large shallow zone was created where fish, frogs and crustaceans were trapped. Other interesting records from this site are White Stork Ciconia ciconia and Black Stork Ciconia nigra, both winter migrants to India. It is likely that many waterbird species are present in Alniya Dam above their 1% threshold levels determined by Wetlands International (2002). This site has been selected as an IBA based on the presence of a breeding population of the globally threatened Sarus crane (A1 criteria) and presence of more than 20,000 waterbirds (A4iii criteria).

OTHER KEY FAUNA: Eleven species of commercially valuable fish including Amblypharyngodon mola, Catla catla, Channa marulius, Cirrhinus mrigala, Cyprinus carpio var. communis, Puntius sarana, and P. ticto, were recorded from the reservoir. Not much is known about other wildlife.

MAIN THREATS: Agriculture; Pesticides; Encroachment; Eutrophication.

This wetland is commonly used for agriculture, irrigation, fishing, drinking and wallowing by cattle, and clay gathering. Agricultural practices were seen in the dried up area of lake. Over-use of water for agriculture, use of pesticides, encroachment of the lake by local villagers, reduction in water level, and eutrophication are the major conservation issues.

Key contributors: Manoj Kulshreshtha, Harkirat Singh Sangha and Rakesh Vyas.

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Recommended citation
BirdLife International (2024) Important Bird Area factsheet: Alniya Dam (India). Downloaded from https://datazone.birdlife.org/site/factsheet/alniya-dam-iba-india on 22/11/2024.