Data Zone
Country/territory: India
IBA criteria met: A1 (2004)
For more information about IBA criteria, please click here
Area: 1,275 ha
| IBA conservation status | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Year of assessment (most recent) | State (condition) | Pressure (threat) | Response (action) |
| 2003 | not assessed | medium | not assessed |
| For more information about IBA monitoring, please click here | |||
Site description (2004 baseline)
This is a very old sanctuary, established on Ramnagar ridge by the erstwhile Maharaja of Kashmir, nearly 5 decades ago. It is situated north of Jammu city. The Jammu-Srinagar national highway passes through the western side of the Sanctuary. The Sanctuary is roughly wedge-shaped and located in the Kar Nullah which ultimately drains into Tawi river. The topography ranges from gently undulating to very steep cliffs. The forest is a part of the Lower Siwaliks, hence it is important for many Biome restricted species. An important shrine of Mata Vaishno Devi is located close to the Sanctuary, and visited by millions of pilgrims, but due to neglect of this area by the Forest Department, most of the visitors are not aware that they are near a Sanctuary. The area is covered with mixed scrub forest with occasional Chir Pinus trees. The vegetation of the Sanctuary as per the revised classification by Champion and Seth (1968) comes under the major group “Subtropical Northern Mixed Dry Deciduous Forests”. A variety of Subtropical broadleaf trees and shrubs are found in the Sanctuary, dominant among them being Acacia modesta. Some of the species found in this Sanctuary are Acacia arabica, Acacia catachu, Adhatoda vasica Adina coardifolia, Aegle marmelos, Albizzia lebbeck, Bauhinia purpurea, Bombax ceiba, Dalbergia sissoo and Ziziphus mauritiana.
Key biodiversity
AVIFAUNA: Based on preliminary investigations, 37 species of birds have been found in this Sanctuary. Among pheasants, Red Junglefowl Gallus gallus, Kaleej Pheasant Lophura leucomelanos and Peafowl Pavo cristatus are notable. Grey Francolin Francolinus pondicerianus is quite common. The species of conservation interest are Oriental White-backed Vulture Gyps bengalensis and Slender-billed Vulture G. tenuirostris. This site has been selected as a potential habitat for Sino-Himalayan Subtropical Forest biome species. In India, it is the westernmost point of this type of forest.
OTHER KEY FAUNA: This dry deciduous forest harbours Leopard Panthera pardus as the major predator. Despite disturbance, it survives due to its nocturnal habit and elusive nature. Its main natural prey species are Barking Deer Muntiacus muntjak, Cheetal Axis axis, Wild Boar Sus scrofa and Nilgai Boselaphus tragocamelus. Jackal Canis aureus and Jungle Cat Felis chaus are smaller predators. Nonhuman primates recorded are Rhesus Macaque Macaca mulatta and Common Langur Semnopithecus entellus. According to the new classification of Langurs by Groves (2001), the ‘new species’ found in Ramnagar would be S. ajax.
Acknowledgements
Key contributor: Tahir Shawl.
Recommended citation
BirdLife International (2024) Important Bird Area factsheet: Ramnagar Wildlife Sanctuary (India). Downloaded from
https://datazone.birdlife.org/site/factsheet/ramnagar-wildlife-sanctuary-iba-india on 22/11/2024.