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Site description (2004 baseline):

This IBA site was named after the river Mhadei (Mandovi) which is considered as the lifeline of Goa. The entire site occupies 43% of the geographical area of Goa State. Mhadei Wildlife Sanctuary with an area of 20,800 ha is the part of Mhadei river basin. It is considered ecologically rich and pristine. The Mhadei is an interstate river, with its catchment area spread over Goa, Karnataka and Maharashtra. The IBA is within the Western Ghats. The forest types range from Moist Deciduous, Semi-evergreen and Secondary Scrub. An annual rainfall of 3,000 mm spread roughly over five months, and high relative humidity between 70% to 80%, make ideal conditions for plant growth and diversity. Thus, thick forests, humid climate and moist soil have contributed to the species richness in this region. This IBA site is of great cultural significance as most of the sacred groves of Goa are located in this region. The sacred grove Nirankarachi is dominated by a unique plant species Myristica malabarica, which is endangered and endemic to the site.

AVIFAUNA: The Mhadei Valley has a large number of endemic and biome restricted species. More than 150 species of birds are known to occur in the site. This site is an important part of the Western Ghats Endemic Bird Area and, of the 16 endemic bird species of this EBA (Stattersfield et al. 1998), seven have been recorded from Mhadei Valley. The Ruby-throated Yellow Bulbul Pycnonotus melanicterus gularis, a subspecies of the Black-headed Yellow Bulbul is restricted to the Western Ghats complex and its geographical range starts from Goa southwards, i.e. from the forests of Mhadei. This bird has the distinction of being the State Bird of Goa. BirdLife International (undated) has listed 15 species in Biome-10, of which 12 are reported from Mahadei.

OTHER KEY FAUNA: The conditions of this site are especially suited for reptilian fauna. More than 45 species of snakes are known to occur in the region. Of the 14 Pit Vipers found in India, 8 are reported to occur in this region including the Green Pit Viper Trimeresurus gramineus, and Humpnosed Pit Viper Hypnale hypnale. Apart from snakes, the thick forests of Mhadei provide ideal habitat for agamids, skinks and geckos.

The highly endemic Wroughton’s Freetailed Bat Otomops wroughtoni is found in one of the Barapeda caves near Talewadi of Khanapur on the Goa-Karnataka border. Krishnapur caves are one of the three habitats worldwide of another rare bat Taphozous theobaldi. Another species of bat, Megaderma spasma, that inhabits the Talewadi caves, is localized in the Indian subcontinent (Bates and Harrison 1997).

There are confirmed reports of the presence and movement of tigers (Panthera tigris) in the area, which is contiguous to Mollem, Dandeli, Mhadei and Netravati wildlife sanctuaries.

Similarly among invertebrates, endemism is high, and hundreds of species are found. Butterflies range from the Malabar Tree Nymph Idea malabarica, and Southern Birdwing Troides minos, India’s largest butterfly, to the Grass Jewel Zizeeria trochilus, India’s smallest. The Atlas Moth Altacus atlas, is also recorded here.

MAIN THREATS: Deforestation; Poaching; Encroachment.

Extensive habitat degradation and loss are a constant problem at the site. Altering the habitat structure has resulted in reduction in abundance and range of several bird species. The reasons of the habitat alterations are: a) Kumeri (shifting cultivation) which involves clearance of pristine forest and is doing irreparable damage. There has been some reduction in this practice, but the conversion of forest into cashew plantations continues unabated. b) Plantation of exotic species such as Acacia and Eucalyptus in natural forests openings. The monoculture plantations result in loss of plant diversity, which in turn affects the abundance of bird and other fauna. c) The most important conservation issue is the Mhadei Diversion Scheme proposed by the Karnataka Government. The diversion of Mhadei into the Malaprabha basin will have a devastating effect on the pristine forests of the Mhadei Valley. In this ecologically rich area, the Karnataka Government has planned a chain of seven diversion dams and three main dams for the Mhadei Hydroelectric Project. Besides these projects, Karnataka has plans to divert Katka and Palna tributaries of Dudhsagar or Khandepar river to Supa and Kalinadi basins. This will affect the whole forest area on the banks of these tributaries. Another grave danger comes from open-cast mining. There are about 40 mining leases, of which only 11 mines are active, while others are not working. The miners lease owners want the potential mining areas to be excised from the Sanctuary. The Government of Goa, keen to garner votes, constituted a committee, which recommended that only ‘active mines’ may be permitted to carry on mining operations strictly within the areas assigned to them, without any future expansion, and such mines within the Sanctuary may be phased out gradually.

Key contributor: Harvey D’Souza.

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Recommended citation
BirdLife International (2024) Important Bird Area factsheet: Mhadei Wildlife Sanctuary and area (India). Downloaded from https://datazone.birdlife.org/site/factsheet/mhadei-wildlife-sanctuary-and-area-iba-india on 23/12/2024.