Site description (2004 baseline):
AVIFAUNA: Nearly 70 species of birds have been reported from this IBA (Samiran Jha in litt. 2002).
OTHER KEY FAUNA: The area supports a healthy population of the highly endangered Gangetic Dolphin Platanista gangetica (Sinha 2000). Other major species of conservation concern are Gharial Gavialis gangeticus, Marsh Crocodile Crocodylus palustris and Otters Lutra spp.
More than 40 species of commercial fish are found in the reservoir. Since its development nearly 30 years ago, the Farrakka Barrage has become an extremely important inland fisheries centre where every year hundreds of tons of fish is netted. However, this barrage has played havoc with the indigenous fauna, especially the Gangetic Dolphin and Gharial. The barrage has also obstructed the movement of nutritionally valuable fish such as the Hilsa Hilsa ilisha. Sinha (2000) has discussed the adverse impact of this barrage in the context of the highly endangered Gangetic Dolphin. As far as waterfowl is concerned, this barrage has replaced some of the natural wetlands lost under cultivation.
Recommended citation
BirdLife International (2024) Important Bird Area factsheet: Farakka Barrage and adjoining area (India). Downloaded from
https://datazone.birdlife.org/site/factsheet/farakka-barrage-and-adjoining-area-iba-india on 23/12/2024.