Data Zone
Country/territory: India
IBA criteria met: A1, A4i (2004)
For more information about IBA criteria, please click here
Area: 38,954 hectares (389.54 km2)
| IBA conservation status | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Year of assessment (most recent) | State (condition) | Pressure (threat) | Response (action) |
| 2003 | not assessed | low | not assessed |
| For more information about IBA monitoring, please click here | |||
Site description (2004 baseline)
Tripura is a small state in northeast India, mostly hilly. Gumti is the largest wildlife sanctuary of the state, covering an area of 38,954 ha which includes about 4,200 ha of wetland. The state has three categories of lakes: oxbow lakes, tectonic/landslide lakes, and artificial reservoirs. The oxbow lakes, locally called beels, are mostly small and scattered in the plains.The largest artificial lake in the State is the Dumbur lake or Gumti Reservoir, which was formed due to the construction of a hydroelectric dam in 1974 across the Gumti river, near the confluence of the Raima and Sarma rivers. There are about 48 islands in the Reservoir (Choudhury, 2002), many of them are rich in wildlife, including primates (Ranjitsinh, 1989) and birds (A. U. Choudhury, pers. comm. 2003)
Key biodiversity
AVIFAUNA: Not much information is available on the bird life of Gumti Reservoir. Since its establishment, the Reservoir has started attracting waterfowl. Owing to deforestation in the catchment, about half of the reservoir has silted up, creating shallow zones, which are very attractive for waders and ducks. The site has more than 51 avian species (Choudhury 2002). According to Choudhury (pers. comm. 2003), this site would qualify for A1 and A4 criteria. Lesser Adjutant Leptoptilos javanicus, a Vulnerable species, and Darter Anhinga melanogaster, a Near Threatened species (BirdLife International 2001), are likely to be present in good numbers.
OTHER KEY FAUNA: The forested part of this Sanctuary, which also serves as the catchment area of the Reservoir and the Gumti river, is rich in non-human primates. The species are: Phayre’s Langur or Leaf Monkey Trachypithecus phayrei, Capped Langur Trachypithecus pileatus, Hoolock Gibbon Hylobates hoolock, Pig-tailed Macaque Macaca nemestrina, Rhesus Macaque Macaca mulatta, Slow Loris Nycticebus coucang (Gupta 2001, Ranjitsinh 1989, A. U. Choudhury pers. comm. 2003). Leopard Panthera pardus is the largest predator. Barking Deer Muntiacus muntjak is known to occur.
The Asiatic Elephant Elephas maximus is an occasional visitor.
Acknowledgements
Key contributor: Anwaruddin Choudhury.
Recommended citation
BirdLife International (2024) Important Bird Area factsheet: Gumti Wildlife Sanctuary (India). Downloaded from
https://datazone.birdlife.org/site/factsheet/gumti-wildlife-sanctuary-iba-india on 18/12/2024.