Data Zone
Country/territory: India
IBA criteria met: A1, A3 (2004)
For more information about IBA criteria, please click here
Area: 88,078 hectares (880.78 km2)
| IBA conservation status | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Year of assessment (most recent) | State (condition) | Pressure (threat) | Response (action) |
| 2003 | not assessed | high | not assessed |
| For more information about IBA monitoring, please click here | |||
Site description (2004 baseline)
Valmiki Tiger Reserve is located in the northernmost part of West Champaran district of Bihar. The Rivers Gandak and Masan flow through this area. The core area of the Tiger Reserve is a National Park (Jain 2001). Most of the terai forests and grasslands in Bihar have been converted in to agricultural fields. Valmiki Tiger Reserve is the only such habitat left untouched in Bihar. This Reserve is also under tremendous pressure from encroachers and poachers. Saraiya Man Bird Sanctuary is a freshwater body c. 7 km from Bagha. It is known for good numbers of waterbirds. We have designated this small bird sanctuary and the Tiger Reserve as one IBA. The forest types include Mixed Deciduous Forests, Cane brakes, grasslands and swamp forests. Important trees include Sal Shorea robusta, Khair Acacia catechu and Cane Calamus pseudo-tenuis.
Key biodiversity
AVIFAUNA: The avifauna of this Reserve is inadequately studied, but it can be said that where the forest is intact, almost all the terai forest species are likely to occur that are found in Dudhwa (Javed and Rahmani 1998) or the adjoining Sohagi Barwa Sanctuary in Uttar Pradesh. Presently, the grasslands are not in good condition, due to grazing and plantation, but they could be revived with effective management. We might even get back the Bengal Florican Houbaropsis bengalensis that has become locally extinct in the Reserve. Mukherjee (1986) claims to have seen one bird in 1980. To the north of Valmiki Tiger Reserve, in Nepal, is located the Royal Chitwan National Park, where this species is still found (BirdLife International 2001). Globally threatened species such as the Swamp Francolin Francolinus gularis and Sociable Lapwing Vanellus gregarius have been reported from the area (Javed and Rahmani 1991). The Vulnerable Sarus Crane Grus antigone also occurs in small numbers (Anon. 1993, Gopi Sundar et al. 2000). The Greater Adjutant Leptoptilos dubius has not been seen for many decades, but the Lesser Adjutant L. javanicus is still found in streams and ponds. The most important wetland, Bhasa-lotan (= wallow of buffalo), famous for Wild Buffalo Bubalus arnee (=bubalis), has been completely drained out and now a bustling, dirty town stands over it.
OTHER KEY FAUNA: Valmiki Tiger Reserve was the 18th tiger reserve to be declared in India, with the sole purpose of arresting the decline of this apex carnivore, and also an ecosystem which could support this endangered animal. Besides Tiger Panthera tigris, it has Leopard P. pardus, Sambar Cervus unicolor, Cheetal or Spotted Deer Axis axis, Hog Deer Axis porcinus and other associated animals of the terai. Wild Buffalo and Swamp Deer Cervus duvaucelii have become locally extinct. Hispid Hare Caprolagus hispidus probably survives in the grassland.
Acknowledgements
Key contributors: Arvind Mishra, Asad R. Rahmani and Pushp Jain.
Recommended citation
BirdLife International (2024) Important Bird Area factsheet: Valmiki Tiger Reserve and Saraiyaman Lake (India). Downloaded from
https://datazone.birdlife.org/site/factsheet/valmiki-tiger-reserve-and-saraiyaman-lake-iba-india on 23/12/2024.