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Site description (2004 baseline):

The Kais Wildlife Sanctuary, lies in the Kullu district of Himachal Pradesh. This small (1,419 ha) high altitude sanctuary includes parts of the catchment of the Kais Nala, an important tributary of the River Beas. It was declared mainly to protect the Musk Deer Moschus chrysogaster and pheasants, in 1954 under the then Punjab Wild Birds and Wild Animals Protection Act, 1933. There is a lack of published information on the vegetation of Kais WLS. It is estimated that 1,174 ha of the Sanctuary is forested. Fir Abies pindrow and Spruce Picea smithiana, with some Oak Quercus semecarpifolia, Maple Acer sp., Poplar Populus sp., Walnut Juglans regia and Cedar Cedrus deodara, predominate at lower altitudes, while the alpine zone bears Birch Betula utilis and Rhododendron scrub forest.

AVIFAUNA: Practically no work has been done on the avifauna of this Sanctuary, although there is some information on the pheasants, for which it is famous. The globally threatened Western Tragopan Tragopan melanocephalus and Cheer Pheasant Catreus wallichii are reported to be present (Singh et al. 1990). The more common species include Himalayan Monal Lophophorus impejanus, Kaleej Pheasant Lophura leucomelana and Koklass pheasant Pucrasia macrolopha. The Chukar Partridge Alectoris chukar is also present. This site is designated an IBA based on the presence of two threatened pheasant species. Checklist of the birds of this site is not available so we do not know how many restricted range and biome species are found here. This site is considered as Data Deficient.

OTHER KEY FAUNA: Musk Deer is the most famous mammal of this Sanctuary, but its population has declined drastically due to poaching for its musk pod. Brown Bear Ursus arctos is seen in the subalpine and alpine areas, while Asiatic Black Bear Ursus thibetanus is found at lower altitudes. Himalayan Tahr Hemitragus jemlahicus, Barking Deer or Indian Muntjak Muntiacus muntjak and Goral Nemorhaedus goral are the major wild ungulates that have to share the limited resources of the area with a large number of domestic animals.

Leopard Panthera pardus is sometimes found very close to villages and settlements in search of easy prey. Not much is known about the lesser carnivores of the Sanctuary.

MAIN THREATS: Burning of vegetation; Grazing; Firewood collection.

There are no villages inside the Sanctuary though there are many villages around it. Local inhabitants have the right to graze domestic animals, collect fuelwood, medicinal plants and minor forest produce. A shrine located inside the Sanctuary attracts many pilgrims every year. The Forest Department issues permits to nomadic graziers to graze their livestock inside the Sanctuary. There is a road inside the Sanctuary, under the control of the Public Works Department.

Key contributor: Sanjeeva Pandey.

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Recommended citation
BirdLife International (2024) Important Bird Area factsheet: Kais Wildlife Sanctuary (India). Downloaded from https://datazone.birdlife.org/site/factsheet/kais-wildlife-sanctuary-iba-india on 24/12/2024.