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Site description (2004 baseline):

The Anshi National Park lies in the Western Ghats, adjoining the state of Goa, to the south of the Dandeli Wildlife Sanctuary. Earlier, it was a part of Dandeli WLS. This step “to alter the limits and boundaries of the sanctuary was considered necessary in view of the hydroelectric project, naval base, rehabilitation of displaced persons, road, transmission lines, mining and other industries which existed in it” (quoted in Lal et al. 1994). The Park area is less disturbed than the Dandeli Wildlife Sanctuary. To the west, the Park adjoins the Cotigao Wildlife Sanctuary in Goa. Anshi can be reached from Bangalore by road or rail to Dharwad (470 km), then by road to Dandeli (62 km) and on to Anshi (38 km). Anshi NP contains deep valleys, steep hills, and rich Wet Evergreen and Semi-evergreen forests. Tectona grandis, Eucalyptus and Silver Oak Grevillea robusta plantations were raised in the Park. Invasive species such as Eupatorium, Chromolaena odorata, Lantana camara and Parthenium sp. are found in the Park. Eupatorium has spread in open areas created by clear felling carried out in the past, along roads, and in the grid lines cut by the Karnataka Power Corporation.

AVIFAUNA: Not much work has been done on the avifauna of this IBA site. In a brief survey by Sanjay Sondhi, Anchal Sondhi and Sanjay Thakur in October 1998, 89 species were sighted. Although they sighted only one threatened species, many restricted range (endemic) species were seen. They sighted two species of woodpeckers (Small Yellow-naped Picus chlorolophus chlorigaster and Common Golden-backed Dinopium javanense), while in the adjoining Dandeli Wildlife Sanctuary, eight species were counted (Sondhi et al. 1998). This proves that if longterm studies are conducted in this site, many more species would be identified. This site is particularly important for many forest birds such as the Rufous-bellied Hawk-Eagle Hieraaetus kienerii, Black Eagle Ictinaetus malayensis, Crested Hawk-Eagle Spizaetus cirrhatus, Grey Junglefowl Gallus sonneratii, and Blue-bearded Bee-eater Nyctyornis athertoni. They are not threatened but as their forest habitat is shrinking, their sightings are worth mentioning. Recently, Rasmussen and Anderton (in press) have upgraded many subspecies to full species. One such case is the Rubythroated Yellow Bulbul, which was earlier considered by Ali and Ripley (1987) as a subspecies of Pycnonotus melanicterus but now it is a full species Pycnonotus gularis. This species is found at this site. Another noteworthy case is of South Indian Black Bulbul Hypsipetes ganeesa, which was earlier a subspecies of Hypsipetes madagascariensis (Ali and Ripley 1987) or H. leucocephalus (Inskipp et al. 1996). Both these species are confined to the forests of the Western Ghats and other south Indian hills. BirdLife International (undated) has listed 15 species under Biome-10 (Indian Peninsula Tropical Moist Forest) and 16 species under the Western Ghats Endemic Bird Areas (EBA 123: Stattersfield et al. 1998). Based on the available information, eight biome and six endemic species have been found here. Once detailed studies are conducted, more species are likely to be found. The Anshi NP was selected as an IBA based on regular sighting of the Nilgiri Wood-Pigeon Columba elphinstonii and its vast extant habitat, and also on the basis of many restricted range (endemic) and biome species.

OTHER KEY FAUNA: Anshi NP has all the large mammals expected in a large Semievergreen and Evergreen forest of the Western Ghats, such as the Asian Elephant Elephas maximus, Tiger Panthera tigris, Leopard P. pardus, Gaur Bos frontalis, Sambar Cervus unicolor, Spotted Deer Axis axis, Barking Deer Muntiacus muntjak, Wild Dog Cuon alpinus and Sloth Bear Melursus ursinus. Jungle Cat Felis chaus, Leopard Cat Prionailurus bengalensis, Small Civet Viverricula indica, Mongoose Herpestes edwardsi, Jackal Canis aureus are the smaller predators. Wild Boar Sus scrofa, Mouse Deer Moschiola meminna, Common Langur Semnopithecus entellus, Bonnet Macaque Macaca radiata, Slender Loris Loris tardigradus, Malabar Giant Squirrel Ratufa indica, Common Giant Flying Squirrel Petaurista petaurista and Porcupine Hystrix indica are also reported. Among reptiles, King Cobra Ophiophagus hannah is an important indicator species of the prime evergreen forest.

MAIN THREATS: Large development projects; Human settlements; Electricity transmission lines; Agriculture intensification; Pollution; Invasive species (weed infestation).

Anshi NP and the adjoining Dandeli Wildlife Sanctuary have many conservation problems arising out of tribal communities residing inside protected areas, the question of their displacement and rehabilitation, and ill-conceived development projects. The Kalyani Coke and Cogeneration plant and the revival of the Mahadei Diversion Project of the Khanapur taluka of Belgaum district would seriously threaten these forests. Local environmental groups are opposing the 440 KV high tension Kaiga-Narendra power line of the National Grid Corporation. This power line will pass through Anshi and Dandeli and would involve cutting of millions of trees in an area of 520 acres. An alternative route for the power line, which will be less harmful, has been suggested. The Kaiga Atomic Power Station has caused water pollution of the Kaneri river, which flows on the north side of the Park. Besides, there is a problem of water scarcity in summer, since most of the waterways dry up by February. Check dams have been constructed across many streams for soil and water conservation.

Key contributors: Thejaswi Shivanand, Sanjay Sondhi, Anchal Sondhi and Sanjay Thakur.

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Recommended citation
BirdLife International (2024) Important Bird Area factsheet: Anshi National Park (India). Downloaded from https://datazone.birdlife.org/site/factsheet/anshi-national-park-iba-india on 22/11/2024.