Data Zone
Site description (2004 baseline):
AVIFAUNA: Not much information is available on the general bird life of this site, except for opportunistic observations. The globally threatened Wood Snipe Gallinago nemoricola is occasionally seen in the Rhododendron-Fir forest of Shingba, and Ibisbill breeds on the shingle beds of the Yumthang Chu in small numbers, usually not more than two pairs. Grandala, a local altitudinal migrant, is seen sometimes in apparently all-female flocks. Blood Pheasant Ithaginis cruentus and Himalayan Monal Lophophorus impejanus breed in the higher reaches of the Sanctuary while the Himalayan Griffon Gyps himalayensis is a resident of the cold desert. Gould’s Shortwing Brachypteryx stellata, Rufous-bellied Crested Tit Parus rubidiventris and the restricted range Hoary-throated Barwing Actinodura nipalensis are common in forest patches. The Firetailed Sunbird Aethopyga ignicauda is conspicuous when Rhododendrons are in bloom. Rufous-bellied Eagle Hieraaetus kienerii was sighted in Yumthang in June 1984. Jungle Crows are now resident at this altitude of c. 4,000 m with increasing tourist pressure (U. Lachungpa pers. comm. 2003). This IBA lies at the interface of Biome-5 (Eurasian High Montane: Alpine and Tibetan) and Biome-7 (Sino-Himalayan Temperate Forest). Therefore, species of both biomes are represented. It has alpine meadows and scrubs, so we get Tibetan Partridge Perdix hodgsoniae, Tibetan Snowcock Tetraogallus tibetanus and Hume’s Short-toed Lark Calandrella acutirostris, while at slightly lower altitude where Montane Broadleaf Evergreen and Mixed Broadleaf–Coniferous Forest are found, species representing Biome-7 predominate. BirdLife International (undated) has listed 48 species in Biome-5, out of which 19 have been seen in this IBA. The Biome-7 has a long list of 112 species, of which 19 are found here. Looking at the intact habitat and the fact that no one has conducted detailed study on the avifauna of this site, more species of this biome are likely to be found here. Interestingly, two species of Biome-8 (Sino- Himalayan Subtropical Forest) have also been reported from this site: Short-billed Minivet Pericrocotus brevirostris and Rufouschinned Laughingthrush Garrulax rufogularis (U. Ganguli- Lachungpa, pers. comm. 2002). This is not unusual as there is a very diffuse borderline between biomes, and secondly, birds of the Himalayas, like any mountain region in the world, show seasonal altitudinal movements.
OTHER KEY FAUNA: Notable mammals include Red Panda Ailurus fulgens, Musk Deer Moschus chrysogaster, Yellow-throated Marten Martes flavigula, Himalayan Weasel Mustela sibirica, Himalayan Mouse-Hare Ochotona roylei, Long-eared Bat Plecotus auritus, Himalayan (Nepal) Langur Semnopithecus schistaceus and other typical temperate species. The enigmatic Caterpillar-Fungus Cordyceps sinensis which is a highly prized species found in very restricted patches at the upper limits of the Sanctuary, but yet to be recognized as a forest produce by the State Forest Department. In the river, the exotic fish Brown Trout Salmo trutta was introduced by the State Forest Department in the 1980s, while suitable sheltered waterbodies harbour the Sikkim Snow Toad Scutiger sp. (Anon. 2003).
The Lachung-Yumthang Valley lies along the western flanks of the Chumbi Valley of Tibet. Hence this IBA has considerable military presence and a small but significant State Police presence. The North Sikkim Highway bifurcates at the low altitude township of Tsungthang, 25 km away and continues right up to Zadong at Yumesamdong for c. 50 km. This was also the old trade route to Tibet across the Dongkia La. There is a need for constant maintenance of this road due to considerable traffic and in fact the Yumthang ‘meadows’ were created as a result of past timber barter across the border and the more recent removal of the Fir forest to make the road. The State Forest Department had also attempted timber extraction from this region in the 1980s. Presence of stray dogs around army camps is noticeable. As more Lachungpa tribals look forward to alternative livelihoods like tourism, livestock, mostly cows and horses are often let loose and some virtually abandoned. Yaks however are herded as they still fetch good returns (Anon. 2003). These graze in the Shingba- Yumthang-Yumesamdong region during summer, migrating to ‘tree forests’ in lower altitudes in winter. This is in sharp contrast to the Dokpa yak herders in the Tso Lhamo IBA who migrate to higher wind-blown apparently barren pastures in winter (Ganguli- Lachungpa and Rahmani 2003). The military and the local mountaineering institute use the area for their exercises which often take them to areas not normally accessible to casual visitors. During a recent tourist expedition, Musk Deer traps in the form of live Rhododendron bushes worked into hedges were found in the higher reaches of the Yumthang valley (U. Lachungpa pers. comm. 2002) and during a recent Japanese botanical expedition, porters found and collected Cordyceps sinensis (Til Bahadur Subba pers. comm. 2003 to U. Ganguli-Lachungpa). Tourism is a booming industry in the state and the Yumthang- Lachung package sees up to 200 vehicles per day plying in this small IBA during summer when the rhododendrons are in bloom or during winter when there is snowfall. The fallout of this enterprise in the form of garbage and vandalism, noise pollution, deforestation due to increased demand for firewood, disturbance by picnickers to breeding birds like Ibisbill, wagtails and pipits is already apparent and needs to be addressed. Collection of wild edible and medicinal plants and plants with religious significance had always been a traditional activity but commercial harvesting of the same has been banned for five years by the State Forest Department (Anon. 2003). The Forest Department has also established Eco-Development Committees (EDCs) in Lachung village, ‘Smriti Van’ a ‘Memorial Forest’ fenced plot for tree plantation at Yumthang, and further seeks to establish medicinal plant conservation and development areas in this IBA.
Recommended citation
BirdLife International (2024) Important Bird Area factsheet: Yumthang - Shingba Rhododendron Wildlife Sanctuary (India). Downloaded from
https://datazone.birdlife.org/site/factsheet/yumthang--shingba-rhododendron-wildlife-sanctuary-iba-india on 23/12/2024.