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Site description (2004 baseline):

This site is a group of several grassland areas, situated about 15 km northeast of Ajmer City, adjacent to National Highway No. 8. During a good monsoon, the Lesser Florican Sypheotides indica breeds in some of the better protected grasslands (Sankaran 2000). Most of these grasslands are privately owned, and are maintained for fodder production. Owing to human population pressures, legal problems and growth and division of families, these grasslands are constantly being fragmented and converted to crop fields or put to other use. Killing of floricans by grassland owners is still a problem but due to intensive publicity by Ravi Sankaran, many owners now protect this endangered bird. Another species of conservation concern is the Sarus Crane Grus antigone, which breeds when rainfall is adequate. Sarus is not hunted at all, as it is considered a sacred bird. Prosopis chilensis and Acacia nilotica are the two dominant woody species, both in private and government lands. Privately protected sites are dominated by grasses, which are harvested from October- November or grazed by small herds of cattle. Common lands are heavily grazed upon throughout the year. No systematic study of the flora has been done.

AVIFAUNA: No detailed study has been undertaken, except for opportunistic observations made during surveys of the Lesser Floricans. Almost all bird species of seasonal semi-arid grasslands, such as larks, warblers, francolins and quail are seen. This IBA falls at the junction of three biomes i.e.Biome-11 (Indo-Malayan Tropical Dry Zone), Biome-12 (Indo-Gangetic Plains) and 13 (Saharo-Sindian Desert), therefore, some of the bird species representing these biomes are reported here. However, none of these biome-restricted species are presently of conservation concern.

OTHER KEY FAUNA: No large mammal or reptile of conservation concern is found in this site.

MAIN THREATS: Poaching; Encroachment on pasture and riverine land; Population pressure; Easy accessibility to the site; Habitat loss due to agriculture; Effect of pesticides.

The major conservation issue is how to protect these pockets of grassland on a long-term basis. As long as protecting these grasslands is economically favourable, villagers will protect them, but as soon as they find that by converting these grasslands into crop fields or some other use will give them greater benefit, they will do so. Being a fodder deficit state, Rajasthan needs millions of tons of grass to feed its growing population of livestock. However, very few steps have been taken to protect grasslands and harvest them at the right time. There is an urgent need to develop a system that encourages villagers to protect the grassland during monsoon and harvest it for fodder at the right time. Village level grass cooperative societies, on the pattern of milk cooperatives, could be developed.

Key contributors: Ravi Sankaran and Asad R. Rahmani.

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Recommended citation
BirdLife International (2024) Important Bird Area factsheet: Gawana Arain, Mangaliyawas, Ramsar, Goyal, Ratakot, Badar (India). Downloaded from https://datazone.birdlife.org/site/factsheet/gawana-arain-mangaliyawas-ramsar-goyal-ratakot-badar-iba-india on 23/12/2024.