• Summary
• Text account
• Data table and detailed info
• Map
• Reference and further resources

Site description (2004 baseline):

Satoi is located the middle of the Naga Hill ranges. It has intact prime forests and deep wooded valleys. This Data Deficient site is perhaps extremely rich in avifauna. It harbours temperate and subtropical broadleaf (evergreen) forests. The temperate forest is found mostly above 2,000 m. So far the only ornithological survey in the area was carried out in June 1996 (Choudhury 1997). The state bird of Nagaland, Blyth’s Tragopan Tragopan blythii, occurs here in good numbers, especially above 2,000 m. This species features in tourist brochures, posters, hotel publicity material, and government offices. In Satoi range, it is less persecuted than in other areas, due to which a good population is still found there.

AVIFAUNA: Choudhury (2001) has reported 487 species of birds from Nagaland, including 9 globally threatened, 5 near threatened and 8 restricted range species. Many of these species are likely to occur in Satoi Range. The most important species, for which this site is designated as an IBA, is Blyth’s Tragopan. It is locally known as Ayigah by the Sema Nagas and Mu by Angami Nagas. According to Choudhury (1997), Satoi is undoubtedly one of the best areas for this species in Nagaland. It usually occurs above 2,000 m in broadleaf forest. Although the tragopan usually occurs above 1800 m, due to disturbance and clearance of forest between 1800 m and 2000 m, it is not seen around these elevations. Although Mrs. Hume’s Pheasant Syrmaticus humei could not be recorded during a recent survey (Choudhury 2002), this rare species is likely to be present in the lower slopes. Satoi Range lies in the Eastern Himalayas Endemic Bird Area (EBA) (Stattersfield et al. 1998). Among the six major EBAs of India, this EBA has the maximum number of species (21 compared to 16 in Western Ghats EBA and 11 in Western Himalayas EBA). However, only Grey Sibia Heterophasia gracilis, a restricted range species, has been reported from Satoi, mainly because no detailed study on birds has been conducted here. Similarly, this site has two important biomes, with a total of 207 biome species, as listed by BirdLife International (undated), but it is not known how many biome species occur in Satoi. Some other species recorded in the area are the Black Eagle Ictinaetus malayensis and Black-winged Kite Elanus caeruleus. Latter was recorded at 2020 m which was the second highest elevation record for the species (Choudhury 1996).

OTHER KEY FAUNA: Despite the hunting pressure, the following species still survive: Asiatic Black Bear Ursus thibetanus, Leopard Panthera pardus, Serow Nemorhaedus sumatraensis, Barking Deer Muntiacus muntjak, Stump-tailed Macaque Macaca arctoides and Hoolock Gibbon Hylobates hoolock.

MAIN THREATS: Poaching; Tree felling; Building of roads.

As the area is not under the control of the State Forest Department, there is no check on felling of trees, which occurs near villages. However, the main threat to the almost intact forests of Satoi comes from building of roads, which will open up vast areas for the timber mafia. Before major harm is done to this biodiversity hotspot, some measure of protection, either through community participation or through the State Forest Department, should be provided. Detailed investigation of the biodiversity, especially avifauna, should be conducted to assess the true wealth of this site.

Key contributors: Anwarunddin Choudhury, Khekiho Sohe, M. I. Bora and Akato Sema.

---

Recommended citation
BirdLife International (2024) Important Bird Area factsheet: Satoi Range (India). Downloaded from https://datazone.birdlife.org/site/factsheet/satoi-range-iba-india on 22/11/2024.