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Site description (2004 baseline):

Shiroi Hills is located in the Ukhrul district of Manipur state, at about 100 km northeast of the capital Imphal. Though most of the hills are denuded of forest cover, due to jhum cultivation, the slopes of Shiroi Hills still have good Subtropical Broadleaf Forest with grasses and shrubs on the hilltop. Shiroi Hill is famous for the Shiroi Lily Lilium macklineae, endemic to the Shiroi Ridge. The area supports threatened species such as Mrs. Hume’s Pheasant Syrmaticus humiae, Rufous-necked Hornbill Aceros nipalensis and Blyth’s Tragopan Tragopan blythii. Considering the ecological importance of the area, the state government of Manipur had proposed to declare the Shiroi Hills (about 4,100 ha) as a National Park but the local community did not agree to hand over their area to the government. However, they are willing to protect it through community initiatives (A. U. Choudhury pers. comm. 2002).

AVIFAUNA: There is no information on the avifauna of the Shiroi Hills area, except for the known presence of a few endangered birds. Choudhury (2002) recorded Mrs. Hume’s Pheasant at this site. This globally threatened species (BirdLife International 2001) is still found in the hills of Ukhrul and Senapati districts of Manipur. It is also thinly distributed in the hill tracts of Arunachal Pradesh, Nagaland and Mizoram, northern and western Myanmar and southwestern China (Ali and Ripley 1983, Grimmett et al. 1998, Fuller and Garson 2000). There are two subspecies of Hume’s Pheasant, one of which, S. humiae humiae, is found in India and western Myanmar, while the other, S. h. burmanicus, occurs in southern China, northern and eastern Myanmar and extreme northern Thailand (BirdLife International 2001). The global population is estimated at a few thousand individuals, and the population of subspecies humiae may be as low as 1,000 (McGowan and Garson 1995, BirdLife International 2001). As the species survives in disturbed and secondary forests, deforestation may not be its main threat. However, this large bird is extensively hunted for its flesh. Shiroi Hills is included in the Eastern Himalayas Endemic Bird Area (EBA), identified by Stattersfield et al. (1998). This bird rich area of India has 21 restricted range species of which two have been definitely identified but more are likely to occur. The site lies in Biome-7 (Sino-Himalayan Temperate Forest) and Biome-7 (Sino-Himalayan Sub-tropical Forest) In Biome-7 112 species are listed by BirdLife International (undated). As the habitat is largely intact, many species of this biome are likely to occur here. Detailed investigation on the avifauna is urgently needed.

OTHER KEY FAUNA: As in the other hill forests of Manipur, Leopard Panthera pardus, Wild Dog Cuon alpinus, Hoolock Gibbon Hylobates hoolock, Stump-tailed Macaque Macaca arctoides and the Slow Loris Nycticebus coucang are among the known mammals.

Tiger Panthera tigris and Gaur Bos frontalis are occasionally seen. Not much information is available on the reptiles and amphibians.

MAIN THREATS: Tree felling; Hunting and trapping; Collection of plants; Cultivation.

This hill is the only known home of the Shiroi Lily, and the sentiments and emotions of the local people are closely attached to this flower. Uncontrolled visits by tourists and collection of the Lily has led to its severe decline (Salam Rajesh pers. comm. 2003). Protecting this flower and the hill will also protect the threatened birds found in and around the hill. Tree felling and trapping of galliformes are major threats to the habitat and species. Eye-browed Thrush Turdus obscurus is killed in large numbers by villagers during winter, with glued sticks (Choudhury 1998). The local people could be motivated by making them aware of the need to protect this unique hill range. Since the area is not a sanctuary or a national park, conservation efforts, should be initiated by non-governmental organizations with the community leaders. The streams originating from the Shiroi Hill are the only sources of water for Ukhrul town, the district headquarters.

Key contributors: Anwaruddin Choudhury, Salam Rajesh and W. Rajesh Singh.

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Recommended citation
BirdLife International (2024) Important Bird Area factsheet: Shiroi Community Forest (India). Downloaded from https://datazone.birdlife.org/site/factsheet/shiroi-community-forest-iba-india on 22/11/2024.