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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.

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.

MAIN THREATS: Exploitation of forest resources; Jhum cultivation and invasive species.

Though significant forest cover still exists outside the lake area, the forests around it continue to deteriorate. The actual reserve forest around Palak Dil is very small (about 10.5 sq. km). The inter-village trail that surrounds it makes it vulnerable to disturbance. There are three main villages in the vicinity of the lake. Of these, Phura with 150 houses is the largest village (Birand and Pawar 2001). Apart from habitat degradation by jhumming, cane extraction, occasional tree felling and hunting for larger vertebrates and birds are constant threats to this IBA site. There is a plan to declare this lake as a sanctuary, but government approval is still pending. Meanwhile, there is a plan to make it a tourist attraction by converting it into a boating resort. This would involve clearing some forest to make rest houses and hotels. The lake also faces danger from invasive species such as the African Cichlid fish Tilapia, introduced in the 1980s. Though the lake yields a steady supply of the introduced fish now, most of the local fish fauna has apparently disappeared.

Key contributors: Ayeshgul Birand, Samrat Pawar and Anwaruddin Choudhury.

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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.