Data Zone
Country/territory: India
IBA criteria met: A1 (2004)
For more information about IBA criteria, please click here
Area: 57,825 hectares (578.25 km2)
| IBA conservation status | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Year of assessment (most recent) | State (condition) | Pressure (threat) | Response (action) |
| 2013 | good | very high | medium |
| For more information about IBA monitoring, please click here | |||
Site description (2004 baseline)
The Kumbalgarh Wildlife Sanctuary in the Aravalli ranges is situated in the hilly tracts of Rajsamand, Udaipur and Pali districts. These wooded tracts formed the dividing line between the erstwhile states of Mewar and Marwar and were favourite hunting grounds of the rulers of these states. Kumbalgarh commands a spectacular view of the vast sandy plains of Marwar in the west, the northeast to southwest streak of parallel ranges of the Aravalli in the middle, and the undulating plains of Mewar in the east. The Sanctuary also forms a dividing line between the two major watersheds of Rajasthan. To its eastern side is found the source of the River Banas, which flows into the Bay of Bengal routed through the rivers Chambal, Yamuna and Ganga. The rainwater on the western slope forms small rivers including Sukdi, Mithadi, Sumer and Kot which form the tributaries of River Luni that flows out in the Great Rann of Kutch. The Sanctuary is well known for the presence of a large population of Grey Junglefowl Gallus sonneratii and Grey Wolf Canis lupus. It is also one of the best protected forests left in the Aravalli mountains. The Sanctuary is connected by road to Udaipur (75 km), Rajsamand (40 km) and Pali (80 km). The nearest railway station is Falna.
Key biodiversity
AVIFAUNA: The Sanctuary, with perennial waterbodies and streams supports dense forest cover. More than 200 bird species are reported (Sharma 2002, Chhangani 2002). The threatened bird species are Sarus Crane Grus antigone and Indian Skimmer Rynchops albicollis, reported by Sharma (2002) and Chhangani (2002) respectively. Kumbalgarh is an excellent representative of the natural vegetation and avifauna of the Aravalli. Twenty five out of 59 bird species of Biome-11 (Indo-Malayan Tropical Dry Zone) are found here. The site was selected on the basis of criteria A3 (Biome restricted assemblages), although some threatened species are also found.
OTHER KEY FAUNA: Among the large mammals, the Sanctuary harbours Leopard Panthera pardus, Sloth Bear Melursus ursinus, Wild Boar Sus scrofa, Sambar Cervus unicolor, Spotted Deer Axis axis, Chinkara Gazella bennettii, Four-horned antelope Tetracerus quadricornis and Bluebul Boselaphus tragocamelus Common Langur Semnopithecus entellus is a commonly seen primate of the Sanctuary. Grey Wolf Canis lupus, Golden Jackal C. aureus, Hyena Hyaena hyaena, Indian Fox Vulpes bengalensis, Pangolin Manis crassicaudata, Porcupine Hystrix indica, Mongoose Herpestes edwardsii and Black-naped Hare Lepus nigricollis are the more commonly observed smaller mammals.
Acknowledgements
Key contributors: Satish K. Sharma, Raza Tehsin, Satya P. Mehra, and Sarita Sharma..
Recommended citation
BirdLife International (2024) Important Bird Area factsheet: Kumbalgarh Wildlife Sanctuary (India). Downloaded from
https://datazone.birdlife.org/site/factsheet/kumbalgarh-wildlife-sanctuary-iba-india on 23/12/2024.