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Site description (2004 baseline):

This site comprises Garampani (605 ha) and Nambor (3,700 ha) wildlife sanctuaries in Karbi Anglong district and the proposed Nambor-Doigrung Wildlife Sanctuary in Golaghat district. The area is low undulating country, being at the edge of an Archaean plateau called Karbi Plateau. The plains are the floodplains of the Dhansiri river. The forest type is Tropical Semi-evergreen with pockets of pure Evergreen, interspersed with small forest marshes. The area is known for its hot springs, hence named Garampani (Garam = hot; pani = water). The Nambor forests are important for the Asian Elephant Elephas maximus and Gaur Bos frontalis. Nambor and Garampani were in the news in the early 1990s because of the ‘elephant phenomenon’, when the wild pachyderms used to stop vehicular traffic in search of food. More than a thousand local tourists visit Garampani every winter for picnics. The forest is largely intact, with a closed canopy. The middle storey is dense and the undergrowth includes cane brakes. Figs Ficus spp. are common and provide food to many frugivores. The undergrowth is usually shrubby. Some deciduous tree species such as Tetrameles nudiflora can be seen throughout the range.

AVIFAUNA: More than 160 species of birds have been recorded in the area, including the Endangered White-winged Duck Cairina scutulata (Choudhury 2000), Near Threatened Great Pied Hornbill Buceros bicornis and the Lesser Adjutant Leptoptilos javanicus in the adjoining fields. This could be a very important IBA for the conservation of White-winged Duck. Choudhury (2000) estimated a population of 20 ducks in Nambor. As the forest is largely intact, this site is extremely important for the protection of many forest birds of the Indo-Chinese Tropical Moist Forests (Biome-9) and the Indo-Gangetic Plains (Biome-12). Detailed survey of bird life is required in this site to know the full avian diversity of this IBA.

OTHER KEY FAUNA: Besides the Asian Elephant and the Gaur, there are Tiger Panthera tigris, Leopard P. pardus, Pig-tailed Macaque Macaca nemestrina, Assamese Macaque M. assamensis, Rhesus Macaque M. mulatta, Slow Loris Loris tardigradus, Capped Langur Presbytis pileatus and Hoolock Gibbon Hylobates hoolock (Choudhury 1993).

In the past, Gharial Gavialis gangeticus was reported from Dhansiri river but now only a few turtles and snakes including the King Cobra Ophiophagus hannah and Indian Rock Python Python molurus are found in this IBA.

MAIN THREATS: Encroachment; Vehicular traffic; Poaching, especially by people from Nagaland; Illegal felling.

A busy national highway passes through the sanctuaries as well as the reserve forest. Wild animals are often crushed to death by the speeding vehicles and are also disturbed. This IBA is inadequately protected and needs immediate attention.

Key contributor: Anwaruddin Choudhury.

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Recommended citation
BirdLife International (2024) Important Bird Area factsheet: Garampani, Nambor and Doigrung (India). Downloaded from https://datazone.birdlife.org/site/factsheet/garampani-nambor-and-doigrung-iba-india on 18/12/2024.