Data Zone
Country/territory: India
IBA criteria met: A1, A3 (2004)
For more information about IBA criteria, please click here
Area: 2,000 hectares (20.00 km2)
| IBA conservation status | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Year of assessment (most recent) | State (condition) | Pressure (threat) | Response (action) |
| 2003 | not assessed | high | not assessed |
| For more information about IBA monitoring, please click here | |||
Site description (2004 baseline)
The Mizoram state has three types of (natural) lakes: valley lakes, tectonic/landslide lakes and artificial reservoirs, but the only lake of significance is Palak Dil, which is a natural lake in a depression in the hills. Palak Dil may possibly be a combination of valley and tectonic lakes. Locally in Mizoram, lakes are called dils. There are many such dils scattered all over the state, but they are tiny pools or marshy depressions such as Rengdil, Tamdil and Mampui Dil (Choudhury 2002). Palak Dil, the largest lake in Mizoram is situated about 20 km southeast of Ngengpui Wildlife Sanctuary. The forest around the lake is Tropical Wet Evergreen. Many of the nearby hills are covered by jhum (slash and burn cultivation) and bamboo brakes. The eastern shore and at least the first hill chain behind it are forested. The lake is surrounded by moderately steep hills. The area has dipterocarp dominated Tropical Evergreen Forest. The forests are rich in palms, rattans, dense cane-brakes and reeds along the lake margin (Birand and Pawar 2001). Except for stray records of White-winged Duck Cairina scutulata, there is no globally threatened species.
Key biodiversity
AVIFAUNA: Over 70 species of birds were recorded from the region during an IBA survey (Birand and Pawar 2001), though the bird life is certainly much richer. Species recorded include the Chestnutwinged Cuckoo Clamator jacobinus, White-rumped Shama Copsychus saularis, Red-headed Trogon Harpactes erythrocephalus, Long-tailed Broadbill Psarisomus dalhousiae, Silver-breasted Broadbill Serilophus lunatus, Greater Necklaced Laughingthrush Garrulax pectoralis and Lesser Necklaced Laughingthrush G. monileger. Palak Dil and its forests occur in Biome-9, i.e. Indo-Chinese Tropical Moist Forest. Of the 19 species listed for this biome in India, Grey Peacock Pheasant Polyplectron bicalcaratum, Palechinned Flycatcher Cyornis poliogenys, Black-backed Forktail Enicurus immaculatus, and Lesser Necklaced Laughingthrush Garrulax monileger have been seen by Birand and Pawar (2001) but more species are likely to occur. Some birds of Sino-Himalayan Subtropical Forest (Biome-8) are also seen here during winter, such as the Bay Woodpecker Blythipicus pyrrhotis, Orange-bellied Chloropsis Chloropsis hardwickii, White-throated Bulbul Alophoixus flaveolus and Nepal Fulvetta Alcippe nipalensis.
OTHER KEY FAUNA: Mammals include the Oriental Small-clawed Otter Amblonyx cinereus and Hairyfooted Flying Squirrel Belomys pearsoni (Birand and Pawar 2001). Other species are the Hoolock Gibbon Hylobates hoolock, Dhole Cuon alpinus, Asian Black Bear Ursus thibetanus, Fishing Cat Prionailurus viverrina, Tiger Panthera tigris, Asian Elephant Elephas maximus and Gaur Bos frontalis.
Acknowledgements
Key contributors: Ayeshgul Birand, Samrat Pawar and Anwaruddin Choudhury.
Recommended citation
BirdLife International (2024) Important Bird Area factsheet: Palak Dil (India). Downloaded from
https://datazone.birdlife.org/site/factsheet/palak-dil-iba-india on 19/12/2024.