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Site description (2004 baseline):

The Pushpagiri Sanctuary, situated in the Western Ghats, is covered with thick evergreen and semi-evergreen forests and sholagrassland habitat. The imposing Kumaraparvata Peak forms the core of the Sanctuary, with dense sholas on the upper reaches and evergreen forests lower down. The steep terrain of the Sanctuary has created some impressive waterfalls along the various streams that originate in these mountains. Due to its relative inaccessibility, the Sanctuary has remained quite untouched. By road it could be approached from Mysore to Mercara (120 km), and on to the Sanctuary (25 km). To the north and the west, the Sanctuary merges with the equally spectacular rainforests of Bisle (Sakleshpur Sub-division) and Kukke Subramanya of Mangalore Division. It is contiguous with the Sampaje Reserve Forest to the south. Together, these forests are home to an extremely rich floral and faunal diversity. Most of it, particularly toads and frogs, are yet to be recorded. The 1,800 m Kumar Parvata and Pushpagiri Peaks in the Sanctuary are among the most challenging treks in Karnataka. The Sanctuary gives rise to Kumaradhara, probably the only undammed river in Karnataka, still unpolluted and natural, till it gushes out from these evergreen forests near the temple town of Kukke Subramanya. The Sanctuary has mostly evergreen and semi-evergreen forests. Rhododendrons are also found in the sholas (Manjrekar 2000).

AVIFAUNA: The bird life has not been systematically studied, but T. Shivanand’s observations (pers. comm. 2001) indicate the presence of some 110 species. This IBA lies in the Western Ghats Endemic Bird Area (EBA) (Stattersfield et al. 1998). Of the 16 restricted range species identified from this EBA, 12 are found here, proving the importance of this site. This list also includes one globally Vulnerable species, the Nilgiri Wood-Pigeon Columba elphinstonii. BirdLife International (undated) has listed 15 biome restricted species under Indian Peninsula Tropical Moist Forest (Biome-10), of which 12 species have been found in this IBA site. It is likely that with better surveys, the remaining three species (Small Greenbilled Malkoha Phaenicophaeus viridirostris, Hill Swallow Hirundo domicola and Loten’s Sunbird Nectarinia lotenia) would also be found. This site was selected as an IBA due to the presence of one globally threatened and many restricted range and biome species.

OTHER KEY FAUNA: This IBA is rich in mammalian diversity. Almost all the larger mammals of the Western Ghats are found here, from the Asian Elephant Elephas maximus to Brown Palm Civet Paradoxurus jerdoni. Three species of primates are present: Common Langur Semnopithecus entellus, the endemic and highly endangered Liontailed Macaque Macaca silenus and the more common Bonnet Macaque Macaca radiata. Among the carnivores are Tiger Panthera tigris, Leopard P. pardus, Wild Dog Cuon alpinus, Jungle Cat Felis chaus and Sloth Bear Melursus ursinus. Large herbivores include the Gaur Bos frontalis, Sambar Cervus unicolor, Chital Axis axis, Barking Deer Muntiacus muntjak and Wild Boar Sus scrofa. Mouse Deer Moschiola meminna is also reported from this Sanctuary. The Nilgiri Marten Martes gwatkinsi and Clawless Otter Amblonyx cinereus are also reported. Reptiles include the Western Ghats Gliding Lizard Draco dussumieri, King Cobra Ophiophagus hannah and Bamboo Pit Viper Trimeresurus gramineus.

MAIN THREATS: Land encroachment; Poaching; Firewood collection by the people of nearby temple town of Kukke Subramanya.

A new road is being built to Hamihalla village through the Sanctuary. The residents of Hamihalla say they are content with the existing road and as such there is no need for an alternate longer route. The road has been tarred up to the entrance of the Sanctuary. For the time being, construction has been stopped. Any further construction will destroy prime grasslands and virgin shola rainforests. Nethravathi Diversion Scheme: The proposed network of canals and dams start at Lingadahole in Pushpagiri Wildlife Sanctuary and cut north into the Kudremukh National Park. The proposed canals carrying water will then pass through the Bhadra Tiger Reserve. Unlike the earlier hydroelectric projects in the Western Ghats, most of which submerged forest areas at the dam sites and backwaters only, this proposed scheme is going to deforest the Western Ghats for a long stretch. While the Nethravathi diversion project feasibility reports claim that the total forest area intended to be submerged is 7,716 ha, it does not mention the forest cover that will be lost to transport men and material, or the service roads to be constructed to approach the work sites, settlements for the construction workers and for those finally involved in working and maintenance of the power project, power transmission lines to be laid and finally the green cover to be lost while digging the canal.

Key contributors: Thejaswi Shivanand and Ameen Ahmed.

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Recommended citation
BirdLife International (2024) Important Bird Area factsheet: Pushpagiri Wildlife Sanctuary (India). Downloaded from https://datazone.birdlife.org/site/factsheet/pushpagiri-wildlife-sanctuary-iba-india on 22/11/2024.