Featuring - Food and Agriculture Organization inside and nylon-net fencing on outside. On the top it was covered with agro net (50:50) to protect the turtle from predators. The other

Regional Quarterly Bulletin on Wildlife and National Parks Management

REGIONAL OFFICE FOR ASIA AND THE PACIFIC (RAP), BANGKOKFOOD AND AGRICULTURE ORGANIZATION OF THE UNITED NATIONS

Vol. XL: No. 4 October-December 2013

Featuring

Vol. XXVII: No. 4

SPOTLIGHT ON APFC SILVER ANNIVERSARY IN ROTORUA

REGIONAL OFFICEFOR ASIA AND THE PACIFIC

TIGERPAPER is a quarterly news bulletindedicated to the exchange of informationrelating to wildlife and protected areamanagement for the Asia-Pacific Region.

ISSN 1014 - 2789

Address.

TIGERPAPERFAO Regional Office for Asia and the Pacific

Maliwan Mansion, Phra Atit RoadBangkok, 10200, Thailand

Tel: (662) 697-4000E-mail: [email protected]

Website: http://www.fao.org/asiapacific/rap/nre/links/tiger-paper/en/

Editor: Janice NaewboonnienAdvisor: P. Durst

Contents

TIGERPAPER is dependent upon your free and voluntarycontributions in the form of articles, news items, and announcements inthe field of wildlife and nature conservation in the region. In order tobetter serve the n eeds of our readers please write to us and send in theinformation you have or let us know if there is any information that youneed. We appreciate receiving your letters and make all efforts torespond.

Front cover: Adult male Batagur baska in captivity at Sajnekhali of SundarbanTiger Reserve Photo: PK PanditBack cover: Batagur baska hatchlings basking in captivity at SajnekhaliPhoto: PK Pandit

The opinions expressed by thecontributing authors are notnecessarily those of FAO. Thedesignations employed and thepresentation of the material in theTIGERPAPER do not imply theexpression of any opinion on the partof FAO concerning the legal orconstitutional status of any country,territority or sea area, or thedelimitation of frontiers.

Captive breeding of Batagur baska - a critically endangered species in Sundarban Tiger Reserve................................. 1Population status, habitat utilization, distribution and conservation threats of Hispid hare in Bardia NP, Nepal.... 7Sighting of pheasant-tailed jacana from South Andaman....... 13Influence of rainfall, environmental temperature and ecological changes on mammal activity at two habitats Hanthana Mountain, Sri Lanka........................................ 17Status and conservation issues of Himalayan brown bear in Bashqar Gol, Pakistan................................................. 21Feral fauna of Sikkim: a preliminary survey......................... 26Diversity and distribution of mammals in Amchang WS........ 29

New Zealand hosts the “Silver Anniversary” 25th session of the Asia-Pacific Forestry Commission.......................... 1Asia-Pacific Forestry Commission Partner Events............... 9APFC Newsletter.............................................................. 11World Wildlife Day.............................................................14Asia-Pacific Forestry Chips and Clips................................. 15FAO Asia-Pacific Forestry Calendar................................... 16

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Vol. 40: No. 4 October-December 2013

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CAPTIVE BREEDING OF Batagur baska - A CRITICALLYENDANGERED SPECIES IN SUNDARBAN TIGER RESERVE,WEST BENGAL, INDIA

by Prasanta Kumar Pandit

Introduction

Batagur baska (Gray, 1830) – variously knownas northern river terrapin, batagur, common

batagur, four-toed terrapin, river terrapin, giant riverturtle, giant river terrapin, mangrove terrapin andAsian river terrapin - belongs to the familyGeoemydidae, and order Testudines. Once it wasdistributed in India, Bangladesh, Myanmar, Thailand,Cambodia, Indonesia, Malaysia and Singapore. Butpresently it is found in India and Bangladesh(generally only in mangrove rivers and creeks). Itis extinct in the wild in Thailand, Myanmar andVietnam. It is listed as a critically endangered inthe IUCN Red List, 2006, and also in the “TopTwenty-Five Turtles in Trouble” published by TurtleConservation Coalition in 2011. It is also listed inthe Appendix–I of CITES and commercialinternational trade in specimens of the species isprohibited. In India it is found in the Sundarbansand Bhitarkanika Wildlife Sanctuary of West BengalState and Orissa State, respectively, in eastern India.

Batagur baska is one of the largest and long-livedof the terrapins, having shell length of 60 cm, and iseasily distinguished from other terrapins by thepresence of only four instead of five claws on theforelimb. The carapace is domed and heavilybuttressed with a vertical keel in the young, whichdisappears in the adult. The plastron is large, stronglyangulate laterally in the young, but convex in theadult, truncate interiorly, angularly notchedposteriorly. The head is small with an upturnedsnout; the forehead is covered with small scales.The upper surface of shell and soft parts are anolive-grey or brown color and the lower surface isyellowish. The head is similarly coloured but lighteron the sides. The jaws have a denticulated edgeand the limbs are transversely enlarged with band-like scales. Females and juveniles are olive-grey incolour with grey or brown eyes. Males are darkerand turn completely jet black during the breedingseason with yellow or white eyes (Moll, 1980). Thesizes of adult males are generally smaller thanfemales.

Adult male and female Batagur baska in captivity at Sajnekhali (Photo: PK Pandit)

| Captive breeding of B

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It occurs in aquatic, coastal mangrove estuariesand creeks which are under tidal influences.Sometimes it ventures far up rivers during thebreeding season.

The nesting season varies from December toJanuary and nesting sites are on sandbars in theSundarbans. Batagur baska is omnivorous; itconsumes waterside plants, molluscs, crustaceansand small fishes. Fruits of Sonneratia are a highlyfavoured food item of this species.

Hunting, harvesting of eggs, loss of mangrovehabitat and other food sources, incidental capturein fishing nets and traps, accidental death bycollision with motor-boats, watercrafts, loss ofnesting beaches, pollution, destructive fishingpractices, unseasonal floods, siltation andsedimentation by several activities, habitatalteration and destruction are the key threats tothe survival of the species.

Study area

India’s globally renowned conservation scheme‘Project Tiger’ was launched on23 December 1973 in the Sundarbans. It thus hasthe distinction of being one of the first nine TigerReserves to be declared in the India, which todaynumber 39. Sundarban Tiger Reserve (STR) issituated in the coastal districts of West Bengal,i.e., 24-Parganas (South) and 24-Parganas(North). It lies at the southern-most extremity ofthe lower Gangetic delta, bordering the Bay ofBengal. The entire Sundarban can be describedas a maze of estuaries, river channels and creeksencompassing a number of islands (105) of variousshapes and sizes. The Tiger Reserve has an areaof 2,585 km2 and along with the BangladeshSundarban forms the largest contiguous tract ofmangrove forest anywhere in the world. It is theonly mangrove forest throughout the world(besides Bangladesh) to harbour significant tigerpopulations. Apart from the tiger, the SundarbanTiger Reserve also has a rich array of biodiversityvalues, both floral and faunal.

The Indian Sundarban has a forest area of 4,263km2, of which 2,585 km2 was designated asSundarban Tiger Reserve (STR) in 1973. Withinthis Tiger Reserve 1,699.6 km2 was designated

as Critical Tiger Habitat (CTH) in 2007. Withinthis CTH, lies the Sundarban National Park, havingan area of 1,330.12 km2. The area outside theCTH is known as the Buffer Zone. Within thebuffer area is located Sajnekhali WildlifeSanctuary, covering an area of 362.42 km2. Therest of the area is the multiple use zone, which isused by the local population to fulfil their bonafideneeds. The importance of this area was recognizedby UNESCO and accorded the status of a WorldHeritage Site in 1987.

The Sundarban mangrove ecosystem is consideredunique because of its species richness due to thediverse mangrove flora, which constitutes themangrove-associated flora, back mangrovespecies and several endemic typical mangroveassociated fauna of different groups. In additionto its floral richness, the Sundarban harbours manyrare and endangered animal species in addition tothe Royal Bengal Tiger. These include theestuarine crocodile (Crocodylus porosus), watermonitor lizard (Varanus salvator), the globallycritically endangered river terrapin (Batagurbaska), sea turtles viz. Olive Ridley(Lepidochelys olivacea), Green sea turtle(Chelonys mydus) and Hawksbill turtle(Eretmochelys imbricata), fishing cats (Felisviverrina), smooth-coated otters (Lutraperspicillata), Gangetic dolphin (Platanistagangetica) and Irrawady dolphin (Orcaellabrevirostris) and the Goliath Heron (Ardeagoliath), a rare African visitor; these are some ofthe important species among 53 rare andendangered animals found in the Sundarban. Inaddition, 20 identified species of prawns have beenrecorded and 44 species of crabs, including twoedible ones. The mangrove forest acts as anursery for the finfish and shellfish and sustainsthe fisheries all along the eastern coast of India.It also shelters the metropolis of Kolkata fromcyclonic storms and tidal surges

Captive breeding

Morphological criteria and dichromatic characters(Moll et al., 1981) provides elaborate informationabout differentiating the sex of adult individuals.

The first successful captive breeding of Batagurbaska at the Bronx Zoo was reported by Blanco

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et al. (1991). It was recorded that a total of 82animals were found in six collections worldwide(Anon, 1998a). Under captive conditions, basedon body size and observed colour changes,reproductive maturity was attained afterapproximately 10 years (Blanco et al., 1991). Theyalso reported that one female laid 33 eggs inFebruary 1990 with the application of oxytocin.Out of the total, only six hatchlings (3 abnormal)were produced after 87 days of of incubation in atemperature range of 26–30°C.

A few years back, 11 Batagur baska (8 males &3 females) were recovered from local fishermenof the Sundarban area and kept in pond atSajnekhali of Sundarban Tiger Reserve. On15.08.2012 one female Batagur baska came outfrom the large pond where all the others werekept. This female was then kept in small pond. Inthe meantime, scientists of Madras Crocodile BankTrust (MCBT) came to examine the Batagurbaska and on close observation said that she wasin the immediate egg-laying stage. The other twofemales were also examined and all of them werekept separately in the turtle hatchery unit. But thearea was too small and they did not have sufficientspace, so the egg-laying female was then shiftedvery carefully to a medium pond which was

prepared for egg-laying, i.e. filling of sand in oneside, free movement from water to sand bed. Thepond was covered with double fencing like agronet inside and nylon-net fencing on outside. Onthe top it was covered with agro net (50:50) toprotect the turtle from predators. The other twofemales were carefully returned to their originalbig pond. Nothing was known about Batagurbaska courtship and mating at Sajnekhali. On 5th

April, 2012, the first 5 eggs were found, out ofwhich 2 were broken and remaining three werefound to be damaged. After that, the female laid afew more eggs, which were kept under sand cover1½ feet below ground level. Scientists of MCBT,along with staff of Sajnekhali were constantlymonitoring the situation very closely. After thecompletion of egg-laying, the mother batagur wasshifted to its original habitat, i.e. larger pond. Theeggs were then monitored and adequate measureswere taken for their protection by covering adistance of 3 feet from the parapet level with thincorrugated sheet on all sides of the pond. The firsthatchling was seen in the pond on 12th June. Thirty-two eggs were then removed. The scientists ofMCBT were informed and according to theiradvice, supply of food, protection, care, etc. wasduly taken. Initially, a fresh paste of 250 gm ofBasella rubra for each hatchling was given as

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food. Then shrimps, small fish, water cabbage,twigs of Ipomoea asiatica, etc. were graduallyadded to the diet. But it was found they did notseem to favour fish or shrimp. A few woodenplanks were floated on the pond water for thehatchlings to bask on. From time to time, the waterwas drained from the pools and replaced with freshriver water. It was noted that the hatchlings weremore fond of water cabbage than other items intheir diet. No abnormalities or deformities werenoticed. On 25th August, 75 days after hatching,the weight of 14 hatchlings were taken andrecorded; their weight varied from 96 gm to 138gm. The carapace size of the hatchlings was 5cm x 4 cm. In the meantime, water cabbage andshrimp was provided as a food to the hatchlings.

All the hatchlings were looking healthy and baskedregularly. On 19th September, 2012, all thehatchlings were taken out from pond and counted;interestingly, the total number of hatchlings wasat least 32. Ten hatchlings were weighed and theirweight varied between 139 gm to 146 gm. At thesame time, all the adult Batagur baska were takenout from the larger pond. There were 3 females

and 7 males. One adult could not be removed fromthe pond. The weight of males varies from 10-12kg. and females were 20-22 kg. The total numberof Batagur baska in captivity in the world is lessthan 100. (Per. comm. Shailendra Singh, MCBT).12 June 2012 is an auspicious day in the history ofcaptive breeding of the critically endangered turtlespecies Batagur baska. No vitamins or mineraladditives were offered to hatchlings. No courtshipor intromission was witnessed. No hormone wasgiven to the female to induce egg-laying.

According to Moll (1980), the number of clutcheslaid annually per female is usually two to threeper nesting season. Clutches average 26 eggs innests in the Perek River (Malaysia). The averageegg size is 6.6 x 4.0 cm, and 64 gm in weight. Theincubation period varies from 66-88 days. Growthrates of Batagur baska living under naturalconditions have never been studied adequately.

Juveniles of Batagur baska are reported to beomnivorous. They ingest more animal food suchas molluscs and small fishes to get more calcium.But upon maturity and in the adult stage, it appears

Batagur baska rearing pond at Sajnekhali (Photo: PK Pandit)

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to be more herbivorous in the wild. Egg-layingtook place in the artificial sandbed of the breedingpond. In three months, the carapace length gainwas 28 mm and the average weight was almostnearly double the hatching weight (57.5 gm) witha carapace length of 62.2 mm (among 3 normalindividuals) in captive hatchlings.

Threats

The major threats to the survival of Batagurbaska in the Sundarbans are hunting, harvestingof eggs, loss of mangrove habitat and other foodsources, incidental capture in fishing nets and traps,accidental death by collision with motor-boats,watercrafts, loss of nesting beaches, pollution,destructive fishing practices, unseasonal floods,siltation and sedimentation by several activities,habitat alteration and destruction.

Acknowledgements

The author is grateful Sri S.S. Bist, PrincipalChief Conservator of Forests ( Head of ForestForce), West Bengal and Sri S.B. Mandal,Principal Chief Conservator of Forests,Wildlife and Chief Wildlife Warden, WestBengal for constant encouragement. Theywould also like to thank Dr S. Mukherjee,Field Director Sundarban Reserve and Sri P.Vyas, Director, Sundarban Biosphere Reservefor providing support and facilities.

References

Anon, 1998 a. Census of rare animals incaptivity 1996-97. Int. Zoo Yearbook. Vol.36, p – 560.

Blanco, S., Behler, J.L. and F. Ksotel. 1991.Propagation of the Batagurine turtlesBatagur baska and Callagur borneoensisat the Bronx Zoo. Proc. 1st Int. Symp. onTurtles & Tortoises; Conservation andCaptive Husbandry. pp 63 – 65.

Daniel, J.C. 1983. The book of Indian reptiles.Bombay Natural History Society. OxfordUniversity Press, Bombay, Delhi, Calcutta,Madrass. pp – 26.

Das, Indraneil. 2002. A photographic guide tosnakes and other reptiles of India. NewHolland Publishers (UK) Ltd. pp – 123.

International Union for Conservation of Natureand Natural Resources. 1982. The (IUCN)Amphibia – Reptilia Red Data Book,Part–I: Testudines, Crocodylia,Rhynchocephalia (Compiled by B.Groombridge), IUCN, Gland, Switzerland, pp21 – 25; 2729.

Kostel, F. 1990. Breeding behaviour andactivity patterns of the Asian fresh waterterrapins Batagur baska and Callagurborneoensis. M.S. Thesis. FordhamUniversity, Bronx, New York.

Moll, E.O., Matson, K.E. and E.B. Krehbiel. 1981.Sexual and seasonal dichromatism in theAsian river turtle Callagur borneoensis.Herpetologica 37(4), pp 181 – 194.

Moll, E.O. 1980. Natural history of the riverterrapin, Batagur baska (Gray) inMalaysia. Malaysian J. Sci. 6(A): 23 – 62.

Author’s address: Deputy Field Director,Sundarban Tiger Reserve, PO- Canning Town,Dist. – South 24 Parganas, PIN – 743329, WestBengal, INDIA;E mail: [email protected]

One-day-old Batagur baska hatchlings (Photo: PKPandit)

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77

POPULATION STATUS, HABITAT UTILIZATION,DISTRIBUTION AND CONSERVATION THREATS OF HISPIDHARE (Caprolagus hispidus, Pearson, 1839) IN BARDIANATONAL PARK OF WESTERN NEPAL

by Promod Tandan and Bhuwan Dhakal

Introduction

The hispid hare is a species with a monotypicgenus and one of the world’s rarest mammals.

It was feared to be extinct in 1964. It is listed as“endangered” in the IUCN Red Data Book andin Appendix - I of the National Park and WildlifeConservation Act, Nepal, 1973 and by CITES(Chapagain & Dhakal, 2001). Native to thefoothills of the Himalayas, historically it has beenrecorded in tracts along the southern Himalayanfoothills from Uttar Pradesh (India) through Nepaland southwards as far as Dhaka in Bangladesh(Blandford, 1888; Dawson, 1971). At present, itis restricted to few grassland patches of northernIndia and southern Nepal with a population of onlya few hundred due to habitat degradation andillegal killing (Maheshwaran, 2002; Hoffman etal., 2005).

With increasing human pressure on grassland, avery limited area is left as refuges for smallmammals like the hispid hare and they are beingpushed to the brink of extinction (Adhikari, 1999;Oliver, 1985). Chapman et al. (1990) suggested acaptive breeding program for hispid hare, but Bell(1986) stated that the captive breeding programfor the species didn’t succeed and therefore it israrely kept in captivity (Wilson, 1994). This raisesa serious question for its long term survival outsidethe natural habitat. In Nepal, the species wasbelieved to be exist in Suklaphanta WildlifeReserve, Chitwan National Park and BardiaNational Park by Oliver in 1984, but its presentstatus outside Suklaphanta WLR is not known,necessitating the need for the study outside thereserve for long term in situ conservation.

Materials and methodology

Study area

Bardia National Park (BNP) is the biggest nationalpark (estd.1976; 968 km2) of the western lowlandterai of Nepal. There are 7 main vegetation typesviz: sal forest, khair-sisoo forest, moist riverineforest, mixed hardwood forest, wooded grassland,phantas and flood plain grassland. They haveprovided suitable habitat for more than 38 speciesof mammals (9 endangered), 25 reptiles, 60 fishesand more than 400 species of birds. The totaldensity and biomass of wild herbivores (excludingmega herbivores) in the mosaic of grassland andgrassland-related habitats of BNP are among thehighest recorded in Asia (more than 200 animals/km2) (Andersen & Naess, 1993; Moe & Weege,1996).

The following objectives were undertaken for thestudy: To study the population, ecology, extent of

movement and habitat utilization of hispid harein Bardia National Park.

To determine the distribution of hispid hare inBardia National park, including an assessmentof their conservation threats.

To make recommendations to the parkmanagement to manage the habitat and thespecies more scientifically.

Methods

The study was performed during two seasons:winter/before burning (November — February of2008); Summer/after burning (March- June of

| Population status, habitat utilization, distribution and conservation of H

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2009) with data gathering through discussions withpark staff, NTNC staff, local experts, concernedpeople and a literature search. All grasslandpatches, forests and edges between the grasslandsand forests of Bardia National Park were surveyedfor fresh and old pellet groups.

Status through pellet estimation

Making a direct count of rabbits is not a suitablemethod for determining their distribution (Burnhamet al., 1980; Buckland et al., 1993) as the hispidhare is elusive and agile, plus the presence of tallgrassland. Therefore, the pellet count method wasfollowed for the research. Strip transects weresystematically laid perpendicular to the Babai riverin each grassland of the Babai Valley at the sameplaces where the above-mentioned samplingworks were done (the number of transectsdepended on the extent of pellets available)(Maheshwaran, 2000; Yadav, 2006). A maintransect line of 50m was drawn with a striptransect of 20m length and 2m breadth on eitherside. The searching for pellets was done withinthe transect line to determine the pellet density.

Habitat, food ecology and distribution

For the habitat ecology, the layout of transectsand plots were the same as in the vegetation studyexcept for the plot shape and size. The sampleplot size for plants used was as suggested bySchemnitz (1980), which is 10m x 10m (r=5.64m)for tree layer, and 4m x 4m (r= 2.6 m) for all woodyundergrowth up to 3m in height. Circular sampleplots (10m2, r=1.78m) were used for grass speciesin each plot (Gyawali, 2003). Recordings were

made of plant species with their number, speciesand coverage lying within the circle. The soilsample was taken from a depth of 10cm from thecircular area to measure calcium (CA), magnesium(Mg), potassium (K), phosphorus (P) and sodium(Na). The analysis of the animal habitat noted thesurrounding features such as cover, groundmorphology (broken, unbroken, smooth, presenceof boulders, rocks) grassland type, aspect andnearby water sources.

For the food ecology of the species, amicrohistological analysis of hispid hare pellets wasdone to analyze its food preference (Baumgartnerand Martin, 1939; Holechek et al., 1982).

The animal distribution were observed andrecorded with GPS on the basis of directobservation and pellet presence. Later those pointswere transformed into the digitized Topo-map ofBardia National Park, 1996 by using GIS softwareArc View version 3.2 from WWF, Nepal.

Conservation threats and measures

To assess threats and conservation measures forthis animal the park staff, key informants, wildlifeexperts, local people and other concernedauthorities were interviewed with the help of aquestionnaire. The field survey and questionnairesurvey also assessed the effect of burningpractices on the animal. The occupancy ratesand detection probabilities of Hispid hare inMulghat phanta were estimated as a test for siteoccupancy on the basis of the pellet groups(MacKenzie et al. (2002) cited in Donovan &Hines, 2007).

Data analysis

Pellet density/ha = numberTransect × areaTransect

groups pellets Total 10000

Habitat Preference (Pokhrel, 1996). =

To

P

10000

Importance Value Index (IVI) = Relative frequency+ Relative density+ Relative coverage

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Whereas, the data related to microhistological analysis were analyzed using following formulas:

1) Relative Importance value (RIV)of each plant species observed in the plant sample= RIVx= Dx(“fx)

Where, RIVx = Relative Importance Value for species x Dx = Mean percent of species x in fecal sample fx = Frequency of species x in fecal sample

Following two Indices were computed to detect selection of plant eaten:i) Diet selection value(DSV) = RIVx/ PVx X 100

Where, DSVx= Diet selection value for species x RIVx = Relative importance value of species x in the diet PVx = Prominence value of species x in the habitat.

ii) Ivlev’s electivity index (Ivlev, 1961 cited in Jnawali, 1995)IEI

i = r

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Where, IEI = Ivlev’s electivity index for species i r

i= Percentage of species I in the diet

Results and discussion

A total of 682 transects were made andconsequently the study was performed ondifferent grassland phantas within the Park,broadly categorized into 4 categories: 1) Aroundthe park headquarters (169 transects); 2) Lamkohliand its adjacent areas (114 transects); 3) Lalmatti,Chisapani and Rambhapur (43 transects); and 4)Babai valley (356 transects). Out of these sitesonly 7 grassland patches in the Babai valley heldpopulations of hispid hare. The pellet density ofhispid hare was 4.07/ha in winter and 8.71/ha insummer, indicating that in the winter season pelletswere distributed in only small areas and some ofthose areas did not lie in the transects during thestudy. The ecology of hispid hare has beenanalyzed in 2 parts:1) food ecology; and 2) habitatecology.

Food ecology

The diet of hispid hare consisted of 23 diversespecies of food plants, but > 90% of the volume inthe diet was contributed by less than 10 species.

Imperata cylindrica was the most preferred foodspecies (25.65% winter & 45.68% summer).Saccharum spontaneum, Imperata cylindrica,Desmostachya bipinata, Cynodon doctylon andSaccharum munja were the 5 most preferredspecies and constituted more than 85% of the foodplant species. Grass species were the mostpreferred plant species, which constituted 98.10% (winter) and 95.25% (Summer) of the diet ofthe hispid hare. 56.52% of the plant species werecommonly preferred in both seasons, out of which11 were grass species. The higher proportion ofgrasses in the diet of hispid hare in the post-burningseason might be due to two reasons: 1) the natureof the grasses that were inhibited in growth byother plants, which were decreased after fire; and2) less availability of food plants after the burningin the dry season leads the animals to consume adiverse variety of plants to fulfill their nutritionalrequirements. (Laurie, 1978). The general patternof food plant selection was related to speciesabundance in the natural habitat. Mean RIV andPVs (adjusted to relative size of habitat) werepositively correlated in both seasons (r2= 0.861,p<0.001; r2= 0.732, p<.001). Ivlev’s Electivity



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Index (IEI) also showed the highest preferencevalues were found for Imperata cylindrica(IEI=0.51in winter and 0.71) in summer. It wasfollowed by Saccharum spontaneum (0.69 &0.45) and Cynodon doctylon (0.24 & 0.22) withleast preference by browse species.

Habitat ecology

Most of the habitat (>80%) was low-lying withouthuman disturbances, except in the case ofprescribed burning by the park. Hispid haredistribution was found to range from 1-100m fromthe nearest road. Its distribution was found to bedependent on the distance to water sources thatranged from 34m to 200m in mean distance. Thehare mostly preferred water sources within 0-50m (65.51%) in winter and 50–100m (30.65%)in summer. The habitat found to be utilized byhispid hare was classified into 7 categories:1) Forest (dominated by trees of any species);2) Edge of forest and grassland;3) Tall grassland (containing grasses >1m.height);4) Short grassland (grass height from 15cm to1m in height);5) Open grassland (grasses <15cm height);6) Open –tall grassland (grasses that are presentin patches in the habitat dominated by sand); and7) River banks (dominated by boulders, sand nearthe rivers and streams).

Hispid hare did not utilize the forest and the edgebetween the forest and grassland. It mostlypreferred river banks (48.27%) in the winterseason, followed by open grassland (20.68%).In the summer season it mostly preferred the opengrassland (35.48%) formed after burningpractices, and open tall grassland (29.05%).Regarding the IVI, Saccharum spontaneum hadthe highest IVI (103.47) in winter followed byImperata cylindrical (50.17) and Cynodondoctylon (39.19). In the summer seasonImperata cylindrica had the highest IVI(104.47), followed by Saccharum spontaneum(49.87) and Cynodon doctylon (22.42). About83% of the total plant species in winter seasonand 79% of the species in summer season hadIVI values of less than 10.

Most of the pellets (>50%) were found with adecrease in grass cover (<25%) with preferencefor Imperata cylindrica and Saccharumspontaneum, which is almost similar toMasheshwaran’s (2002) findings in India, implyingthat there are specific needs relating to the areaswith less coverage and open patches within thetall grassland. According to the Occupancy model,hispid hare had a decreasing detection probabilityfrom survey 1 to survey 3. The probability of siteoccupancy by the species was 0.798, indicatingthat almost 80% of the Mulghat phanta wereoccupied by the hispid hare. However, a detailedscientific study regarding the site occupancy needsto be done regarding the species.

Soil Analysis

The majority (>80%) of soil colors of the phantaoccupied by hispid hare was found to be brownish-white with a sandy, silty texture. The majority ofthe phantas had higher Ca and Mg values afterburning than before burning; normal values: Ca (10-20 mg/100gm) and Mg (0.6- 1.8mg/100gm). Thisindicates that there was sufficient storage of Caand Mg nutrients in the summer season from therock minerals with the help of microorganisms andby the normal leaching process. These Ca and Mgvalues indicate that the status of phantas is suitablefor grasses, inhibiting further encroachment by thewoody species (Rai, 1977). The K value is alsohigher after burning (<1.5mg/100gm), illustratingthe current security of grassland from woodyinvasion as K is essential for photosynthetic activityand increases resistance to diseases in plants.

Distribution

The distribution map shows that the species is highlydependent on being close to the water. Most ofthe populations are found along the riverside,whereas only a few were found to occupy areasthat were far from the water The distribution ofthe species in seven phantas is given in the map.

Status, conservation threats and suggestions

The major threats to the survival of hispid hare iskilling and poaching by humans, weak parkmanagement and invasion of grassland by woodyand invasive species, for which strict and proper

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ational Park |

park management and detailed study of the specieswere suggested. The study revealed that theremay be some direct effect at the time of burning,but it is not that great as the distribution of thehare was found to be much higher in the post-burning season than pre-burning due to availabilityof more open areas. In general, therefore, itappears that annual burning is good for the hispidhare, although frequent burning in a year must beavoided. The burning season (Feb- Apr) seems tobe applicable in the Babai valley, because thegrasses are fully mature at that time. Duringburning in the habitats preferred by hispid hareand other endangered species, care must be takento leave suitable patches and the burning shouldbe done under the direct supervision of the parkstaff.

The species-poor distribution as compared to otherhare species in such restricted areas like Babaipoints to three causes: 1) their poor adaptivecapability to the environment and sensitivity toenvironmental change; 2) their low reproductivecapacity; and 3) flooding. During the study season,the species had isolated populations and did notprefer the adjacent jungle area of grassland, butduring the monsoon season this is the only areathat is not inundated, limiting large populations ofdifferent animals in the remaining constricted

habitats, which might have also played a role in itslimited population in the area.

Conclusion

The study successfully proved the presence ofhispid hare in Bardia National park, with pelletdensity of 4.07/ha in the winter and 8.71/ha in thesummer season. The microhistological analysis ofthe pellets revealed that the hispid hare highlyprefers grass species (98.10% in winter season)with Imperata cylindrica (25.65% in winter and45.68% after burning), Saccharum spontaneum(19.48% & 14.68%), and Cynodon doctylon(13.64% & 11.89%) being the main food species.The study also revealed that the species preferredopen areas rather than tall bushy grassland habitat.It mostly preferred the riverbank (48.21%) andopen grassland (20.68%) in winter and opengrassland (35.48%) and open tall grassland(29.05%) in the summer season. The major threatsto the species were found to be the grasslandinvasion by woody invasive plant species,uncontrolled park burning, poor park management,predation and flooding. Strict and proper parkmanagement, research and awareness about thespecies, and efficient co-ordination was suggestedas the solution to reducing these threats.

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Recommendations

Research should be initiated and carried outon hispid hare biology in its habitats throughoutthe country.

Coordination among the conservationorganizations working in Bardia is needed.

Annual burning has been found to be donewithout actual guidelines. Therefore, thefollowing points should be considered: i) Properpatch burning in the same phantas rather thanwidespread burning so that the species likethe hispid hare will have shelter sites; ii)Burning must be carried out under closesupervision of the park staff; iii) Burningschedule must avoid the breeding season ofhispid hare and other endangered smallmammals that reside in grassland; iv) Cautionmust be exercised while burning at or nearthe hispid hare habitats.

Conservation awareness among the locals,park staffs themselves and army personnel isof vital importance.

Adequate park staff must be allocated forChepang, Guthi and Parewaodar post alongwith proper equipment and facilities.

Acknowledgements

Special gratitude to CEPF-WWF Nepal forproviding the opportunity for the study onhispid hare. Particular thanks for the supportfrom Dr. Sarala Khaling, Mr. Angphuri Sherpa,Dr. Dinesh Raj Bhuju and Dr. Pralhad B.Yonzon. Thanks also to the Department ofNational Parks and Wildlife ConservationKathmandu, especially Mr. Shyam Bajimaya,Dr. Narendra Man Babu Pradhan, Shiva RajBhatta, Warden Mr. Tika Ram Adhikari, Asst.Warden Mr. Jhamak Bdr. Karki and Mr.Ramesh Thapa and all the staff from BardiaNational Park who deserve special recognitionfor their kind permission for the research andcontinuous support, and lastly for thecontributions from Mr. Chiranjivi Pokhrel, Mr.Naresh Subedi and Sitaram Adhikari.

References

Adhikari, T.R. 1999. Grassland managementimpacts on small mammals. In: Grassland

ecology and management in protectedareas of Nepal Vol.2: 92-95. Departmentof National Park and Wildlife Conservation/International Centre for Integrated MountainDevelopment/World wildlife fund, Nepal.

Bell, D.J. 1986. A study of the Hispid hareCaprolagus hispidus in Royal SuklaphantaWildlife Reserve, Western Nepal: ‘Asummary report’. Dodo, Journal of theJersey Wildlife Preservation Trust, 23, pp:24-31.

Bhatta, S.R. 1999. Status paper of Royal BardiaNational Park. Vol.2. Department ofNational Park and Wildlife Conservation/International Centre for Integrated MountainDevelopment/World Wildlife Fund, Nepal.

Blandford, W.T. 1988. The fauna of BritishIndia including Ceylon and Burma:Mammalia. Taylor and Francis, London, UK.

Chapman J.A. et al.1990. Conservation actionneeded for rabbits, hares and pikas.

CITES. 2000. Amendment of Appendix I &IIof CITES. 11th Meeting of the Conferenceof Parties, Nairobi, Kenya.

Dawson, M.R. 1971. Fossil mammal of Java 1.Notes on Quaternary (MammaliaLogomorpha) from Central Java.Proc.konickl Nederl.Akad. Weter schappen,Amsterdam, 74:27-32pp.

Gyawali, N. 2003. Status and habitat use ofBarasingha Cervus duvauceli duvaucelipopulation in Royal Suklaphanta WildlifeReserve, Far Western Lowland, Nepal.B.Sc.Forestry Thesis.T.U, Nepal.

Hoffmann, Robert S., Smith, Andrew T., Wilson,D. E., and D.M. Reeder (Eds). 2005.Mammal species of the world (3rd edition).Johns Hopkins University Press. pp. 194-195.ISBN 0-801-88221-4. http://www.bucknell.edu/msw3.

Holecheck, J.L., Vavra, M. and R.D. Pieper. 1982.Botanical composition determination ofrange herbivores diets. A review. J. Rangemgmt. 35 (3): 309-315.

Jnawali, S.R. 1995. Population ecology ofgreater one-horned rhinoceros(Rhinoceros unicornis) with particularemphasis on habitat preference, foodecology and ranging behavior of areintroduced population in Royal BardiaNational Park in Lowland Nepal. PhD.

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| Sighting of pheasant-tailed jacana from South A

ndaman |

SIGHTING OF PHEASANT-TAILED JACANA (Hydrophasianuschirugus Scopoli, 1758) FROM SOUTH ANDAMAN

by C. Sivaperuman, J. Dinesh and G. Gokulakrishnan

Dissertation submitted in Agriculturaluniversity of Norway, Norway.

Maheswaran, G. 2002. Ecology andconservation of the endangered hispidhare Caprolagus hispidus in JaldaparaWildlife Sanctuary, West Bengal, India.Journal of the Bombay Natural HistorySociety, 103 (2-3).

Moe, S.R. and P. Wegge. 1996. Spacing andhabitat use of Axis Deer (Axis axis) inLowland Nepal. Can.J.Zool. 72:1735-1744pp.

Oliver, 1984. The Distribution and Status ofhispid hare: The summarized findings of1984 Pigmy hog/Hispid hare field surveyin northern Bangladesh, Southern Nepaland Northern India. Dodo, Journal of theJersey Wildlife Preservation Trust, 21:6-32pp.

Rai, M.M. 1977. Principles of soil science. 3rdedition. Macmillan India Limited, India.

Schemnitz, D.S. 1980. Wildlife ManagementTechnique Manual. Published by WildlifeSociety, Washington D.C., U.S.A.

Tikadhar, B.K.1983. Threatened animals ofIndia. Zoological Survey of India, India. 133-134.pp.

Yadav, B.2006. Status, distribution andconservation threats of Hispid hare(Caprolagus hispidus) in RoyalSuklaphanta Wildlife Reserve, Nepal. Athesis submitted to the Institute of Forestry,Pokhara, TU.

www.greenexpander.com downloaded 16 theFeb. 2007

Authors’ contact address: [email protected]

The Andaman and Nicobar archipelago com-prises 572 islands and extends over 800 km,

running north to south between 6°452 N and 13°302N latitudes and 90°20’ E and 93°562 E longitudeswith an area of 8,249 km2. The Andaman andNicobar islands can be broadly divided into twogroups, namely, the Andamans and the Nicobars.These two groups are separated by the Ten-degreeChannel, which is about 150 km wide and 400fathoms deep. Average annual temperature variesfrom 24° to 28° C and the rainfall is slightly higherin Nicobar with an annual average of 3,000 to 3,500mm. The elevations range from 0 to 732 m atSaddle Peak in North Andaman and 642 m atMount Thulier in Great Nicobar Island.

A study on the birds of Andaman and NicobarIslands was initiated by Beavan (1867) who listedthe avifauna of Andaman Islands, followed byHume (1873, 1874 a,b, 1876) and Abulali (1964,1965, 1967, 1971, 1979, 1981). More recently, afew researchers have contributed to the records

of avifauna of Andaman and Nicobar Islands(Tikader, 1984; Sankaran and Vijayan, 1993;Kailash and Rajan, 1994; Chandra and Kumar,1994; Sankaran, 1995, 1998, 2001; Vijayan, 1996,2007; Yoganand and Davidar, 2000; Sivakumar andSankaran, 2002; Yahya and Zarri, 2003; Ezhilarsiand Vijayan, 2006; Sivakumar, 2007; Pande et al.,2007 and Sivaperuman et al., 2010)

The authors have been surveying the areafrequently as a part of the major ecological studieson wetland birds in South Andaman initiated during2012, sponsored by the Science EngineeringResearch Board (SERB), Department of Scienceand Technology, Government of India and INS-Utkrosh, Ministry of Defence, Government ofIndia. During these surveys, four Pheasant-tailedjacanas were recorded in the tsunami-inundatedwetlands at Sippighat, South Andaman (Lat.: 11°

36.298’ N; Long.: 92° 41.464’E; Lat.: 11° 36.207’N; Long.: 92° 41.477) in April 2013, along with aflock of Little egrets Egretta garzetta (Linnaeus),

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Pheasant‐tailed Jacana Hydrophasianus chirugus (Scopoli)

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Tsunami inundated wetlands, South Andaman

| Sighting of pheasant-tailed jacana from South A

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Median egret Mesophoyx intermedia (Wagler),Common moorhen Gallinula chloropus(Linnaeus), Purple moorhen Porphyrioporphyrio (Linnaeus), Lesser whistling-duckDendrocygna javanica (Horsfield) and Cottonteal Nettapus coromandelianus (Gmelin). ThePheasant-tailed jacana was also sighted again onthree other occasions in April 2013 in the samelocality.

The Pheasant-tailed jacanas that were sightedduring the survey are non-breeding adults, chieflydull brown and white with a black “necklace” onupper breast without the long tail. The Pheasant-tailed jacana is resident and widely distributedthroughout India. It breeds in India, Southeast Asiaand Indonesia (Ali and Ripley, 1983; Kumar etal., 2005). A review of literature revealed that Aliand Ripley (1983), Tikader (1984) and Kumar etal. (2005) have not reported this species fromAndaman and Nicobar Islands. The presentsighting is the first report of Pheasant-tailed Jacanafrom South Andaman Islands.

References

Abdulali, H. 1964. Four new races of birds fromthe Andaman and Nicobar Islands. J.Bombay Nat. Hist. Soc. 61(2): 410-417.

Abdulali, H. 1965. The birds of the Andamanand Nicobar Islands. J. Bombay Nat. Hist.Soc. 61(3): 483–571.

Abdulali, H. 1967. The birds of the NicobarIslands, with notes on some Andamanbirds. J. Bombay Nat. Hist. Soc. 64 (2): 139-190.

Abdulali, H. 1971. Narcondam Island and noteson some birds from the Andaman Islands.J. Bombay Nat. Hist. Soc. 68(2): 385-411.

Abdulali, H. 1979. The birds of Great and CarNicobars with some notes on wildlifeconservation in the Islands. J. BombayNat. Hist. Soc. 75(3): 744-772 (1978).

Abdulali, H. 1981. Additional notes onAndaman birds. J. Bombay Nat. Hist. Soc.78 (1): 46-49.

Ali, S. and S.D. Ripley. 1983. Hand Book of thebirds of India and Pakistan. OxfordUniversity Press, Oxford. 737 pp.

Kumar, A., Sati, J.P., Tak, P.C. and J.R.B. Alfred.2005. Handbook on Indian wetland birds

and their conservation. Zoological Surveyof India, Kolkata. 468 pp.

Beavan, R.C. 1867. The avifauna of theAndaman Islands. Ibis 3 (3): 314-334.

Chandra, K. and S. Kumar. 1994. Observationson avifauna of Great Nicobar Islands,India. Indian Forester 953-955.

Ezhilarsi, N. and L. Vijayan. 2006. Birds ofChidiyatapu Biological Park, SouthAndaman. Zoos’ Print Journal 21 (12):2517-2518.

Hume, A.O. 1873. Notes on avifauna of theIslands of the Bay of Bengal. StrayFeathers (5): 421-423.

Hume, A.O. 1874a. Additional notes on theavifauna of the Andaman Islands. StrayFeathers II (6): 490-501.

Hume, A.O. 1874b. Contributions to theornithology of India. The Islands of theBay of Bengal. Stray Feathers II (1,2&3):29-324.

Hume, A.O. 1876. Additional notes on theavifauna of the Andaman Islands. StrayFeathers IV (4,5&6): 279-294.

Kailash, C. and P.T. Rajan. 1994. Observationon avifauna of Mount Harriett NationalPark, South Andaman (A & N Islands).Indian Forester 1996 (October): 965-968.

Pande, S., Sant, N., Ranade, S., Pednekar, S.,Mestry, P., Deshpande, P., Kharat, S. and V.Deshmukh. 2007. Avifaunal survey ofAndaman and Nicobar Islands, January2007. Indian Birds 3(5): 162-180.

Sankaran, R. 1995. The distribution, status andconservation of the Nicobar MegapodeMegapodius nicobariensis. BiologicalConservation 72: 17-26.

Sankaran, R. 1998. An annotated list of theendemic avifauna of the Nicobar Islands.Forktail 13 (February): 17-22.

Sankaran, R. 2001. The status andconservation of the Edible-nest swiftlet(Collocalia fuciphaga) in the Andaman &Nicobar Islands. Biological Conservation97: 283-294.

Sankaran, R. and L. Vijayan. 1993. The avifaunaof the Andaman and Nicobar Islands: Areview and the current scenario. In: BirdConservation: Strategies for the Ninetiesand Beyond. 255-271. Verghese, A., Sridhar,

(continued on p.17)

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S. and Chakravarthy, A. K. (eds.).Bangalore: Ornithological Society of India.

Sivakumar, K. and R. Sankaran. 2002. Newrecords of birds from the Andaman andNicobar Islands. Forktail 18: 149-150.

Sivakumar, K. 2007. The Nicobar megapode.Status, ecology and conservation:Aftermath tsunami. Dehra Dun, WildlifeInstitute of India: 1-45.

Sivaperuman, C., Venkatraman, C. and C.Raghunathan. 2010. Avifauna of Andamanand Nicobar Islands: An Overview. In:Recent trends in biodiversity of Andamanand Nicobar Islands. pp. 399-412.Ramakrishna, Raghunathan, C andSivaperuman, C. (Eds.). Zoological Survey ofIndia, Kolkata.

Tikader, B.K. 1984. Birds of Andaman andNicobar Islands. Zoological Survey of India,Kolkata. 167 pp.

Vijayan, L. 1996. Status and conservation ofthe Andaman teal (Anas gibberifrons

albogularis). Gibier Faune Sauvage 13:831-842.

Vijayan, L. 2007. Ecology and conservation ofthe Andaman teal. J. Bombay Nat. Hist.Soc. 103 (2&3): 231-238.

Yahya, H.S.A. and A.A. Zarri. 2003. Status,ecology and behaviour of Narcondamhornbill, (Aceros narcondami) inNarcondam Island, Andaman and NicobarIslands, India. J. Bombay Nat. Hist. Soc.99 (3): 434-445.

Yoganand, K. and P. Davidar. 2000. Habitatpreferences and distributional status ofsome forest birds in Andaman Islands. J.Bombay Nat. Hist. Soc. 97 (3): 375-380.

Authors’ address: Zoological Survey of India,Andaman and Nicobar Regional Centre, PortBlair - 744 102, Andaman and NicobarIslands; E-mail: [email protected]

INFLUENCE OF RAINFALL, ENVIROMENTALTEMPERATURE AND ECOLOGICAL CHANGES ONMAMMAL ACTIVITY AT TWO HABITATS (SECONDARYFOREST AND PINUS PLANTATION), HANTHANAMOUNTAIN, PERADENIYA, SRI LANKA

by Niroshan Jayalath Bandara and Suyama Meegaskumbura

Introduction

Fundamental to studies involving thedetermination of the abundance of animals by

census techniques is the assumption that theirdetectability remains constant through the time.However, environmental parameters may affectthe behavior, and therefore the detectability ofanimals, and this changes between sample periodsas the parameters vary (Goldingay, et al., 1998 ;Golly et al., 1975).

For example, terrestrial animals show increasedactivity on warm cloudy nights, with even greateractivity when these conditions are accompanied

by rain (Golly, et al., 1975). Unfortunately, only afew studies have examined the effects of suchfactors. (Brennan, 2006). In addition, weatheraffects the abundance and “trapability” of smallmammals (Golly, et al., 1975). Usually the effectof weather on small mammal activity is discussedin general terms or in respect to the most obviousweather variables. However, studies show thatweather effects are difficult to isolate due to thecorrelation and interactions between variables suchas rainfall, humidity, temperature, moonlight,barometric pressure, season, habitat and species(Taylor, 2004).

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In this study we were mainly concerned abouteffects of three variables on small mammalactivity: rainfall; air temperature; and occasionalforest fires. Rainfall was a key factor to consider,as the study site was located in the central hills,where a very high amount of rainfall is observedthroughout the year. However, responses to rainare well documented for several mammal species(Goldingay et al., 1986). Although most studiesobserved an increase in mammal activity followingthe rain, so far it is little understood. The animalsmay be seeking areas of shelter in which to foragewhich could reflect an increase in activity (Knopfet al., 1996). On the other hand, some recentstudies showed rainfall to be significantly relatedto the trapability of the yellow-footed antechinus(Kavanagh et al., 1998).

Air temperature has a direct impact on smallmammals (Wright et al., 1992). Changes in airtemperature will cause changes in the type ofhabitat selected and influence the daily activity ofmammals (Brown, 1974). As sudden climaticchanges are very common in the study site, this isa very important factor to assess.

Understanding how fire influences the distributionof biota in fire-prone environments is essential foreffective ecological and conservation management(Kelly, 2010). However, small mammal populationsdisplay variable responses to prescribed burningdepending on species-specific habitatrequirements (Brennan, 2006). Fire may affectsmall mammals directly or indirectly throughchanges in environmental conditions (Knopf et al.,1996).

The objective of this study was to evaluate theeffect of rainfall, environmental temperature andmanmade forest fires on the distribution,abundance and activity of mammals in secondaryforest habitat and Pinus plantations.

Materials and methods

The study was conducted in two habitat typeslocated at the Hantana mountain area: Pinusplantation (06°26’N, 80°25’E, elevation 460 m)and natural secondary forest (06°26’N, 80°25’E,elevation 460 m). Mammals were detected byusing hair tubes, which is an efficient and

advantageous method of mammal censusingcompared to other methods (Entwistle et al.,2000).

A total of 80 hair tubes, 40 in each habitat, wereplaced every month for five consecutive days fromNovember 2011 to March 2012. Pieces of friedcoconut were used as bait. Trap locations wereselected and tagged. The daily mean rainfall dataof the study site for each trial was obtained fromthe Meteorological Department of Sri Lanka. Theenvironmental temperature was recorded 4 timesa day and the daily mean temperature wascalculated. Prominent ecological changes of thePinus plantation were recorded throughout thestudy. Collected hair samples were identifiedaccording to the methods of Amerasinghe (1983).

Results

In both secondary forest and Pinus plantation fivespecies of mammals were identified throughcollected hair samples, including Mus musculus,Ratufa macroura, Bandicota indica, Rattusnorvegicus and Rattus rattus.

During the rainy periods, the number of trappedhair samples decreased in both the forest habitat(Figure 1), and the Pinus plantation (Figure 2).During these days almost no hair samples werecollected. But during drier periods with a negligibleamount or no rainfall a comparatively highernumber of hair samples was detected. In foresthabitat 53 hair samples were collected. From these,only 3 (5.66%) samples were collected during therainy days. The other 50 (94.34 %) samples werecollected when there was no or less rain. In Pinushabitat 38 samples were found. Out of 38, only 3(7.89 %) samples were collected during the dayswith high rainfall. The remaining 35 (92.11 %) werecollected during less or no rainfall days.

As the temperature increased the number ofcollected hair samples also increased in bothsecondary forest and Pinus plantation (Figure 1;Figure 2). The maximum number of hair sampleswere trapped when high environmentaltemperatures combined with low or no rainfall.(Figure 1; Figure 2). But when low environmentaltemperature combined with high rainfall, hardly

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any hair samples were trapped (Figure 1; Figure2).

Significant variations in the number of trapped hairsamples due to ecological changes were mainlyobserved in Pinus plantations. Between 30December and 1 January the shedding of leavesand corns of Pinus plants was observed (Table1). During that period a higher number of hair

samples was trapped. But between January 31and February 2, the Pinus plantation was subjectedto a man-made forest fire. During this period onlya few hair samples were trapped. Nevertheless,due to the rainfall between February 2 and March2, re-growth of ground vegetation was observed(Table 1). At the same time the number of trappedhair samples also increased.

Figure 1: Variations of number of trapped hair samples with environmental temperature and rainfall in secondary forest habitat, Hanthana Mountain, Sri Lanka

Figure 2: Variations of number of trapped hair samples with environmental temperature and rainfall in pinus plantation, Hanthana Mountain, Sri Lanka.

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Table 1: Foremost ecological changes observed in Pinus plantation during each trial from November 2011 to April 2012. Trial period Major Ecological Change Trial 1 (Nov-30, Dec-1, Dec-02, Dec-03) High rainfall, Tree falling Trial 2 (Dec-30, Dec-31, Jan-01, Jan-02) Pinus corns and leaves falling Trial 3 (Jan-31, Feb-1, Feb-2, Feb-3) Man made fire, bare ground with no cover Trial 4 (Mar-2, Mar-3, Mar-4, Mar-5) Ground vegetation re-growth and ground covered

by pinus leaves Trial 5 (Mar-31, Apr-1, Apr-2, Apr-3) No major changes observed

Discussion

Little is known about abundance-climaterelationships for animals because few long termstudies have addressed the issue (Golley et al.,1975). The effects of climate on abundance canbe mediated by many factors. Short term weatherextremes lasting a few days can be amelioratedor exploited by altering behavior. This may bedisplayed by the increasing or decreasing activityof mammals. This study indicates a decrease ofmammal activity during high rainfall and lowtemperature. But just after a rainfall, mammalsshow a sudden increase in their activity. This mayprobably mean that they lack food throughout therainy period. Immediately after the rain ends, theyswiftly move around the habitat foraging for food.But if rainfall is associated with low temperatures,it will reduce small mammal activity. They tend toremain in their burrows, where they are able touse stored food supplies.

Small mammals are very sensitive to ecologicalchanges. In the Pinus plantation during the leavesand corn shedding period, a sudden increase ofmammal activity can be observed. During thisperiod a large number of Pinus corns and groundcover generated by Pinus leaves provide suitablehabitats for small mammal food sources such assmall insects and within a short period a largenumber of mammals are attracted to the Pinusplantation. But when the Pinus plantationexperiences burning, mammal activities drop to avery low level. Then between February and March,due to high rainfall, the ground vegetation of thePinus plantation begins to re-grow and the Pinushabitat again becomes hospitable to mammals.One month after the fire (March), mammals re-colonize the Pinus habitat.

References

Amerasinghe, F.P. 1983. The structure andidentification of the hairs of the mammalsof Sri Lanka. Ceylon Journal of Science16: 76-124.

Brennan, L.A.2006. Texas quails: ecology andmanagement. Texas A & M University Pressp. 45-48.

Goldingay, A. 1986. Capture-related aspects ofthe ecology of Antechinus flavipes.Australian Mammology 9:132-133

Golly, F.B., Petrwshevski, G.K. and L.Rhszkowski. 1975. Small mammals: theirreproductivity and population dynamics.Cambridge University Press p. 36-42

Kelly, L.T. 2010. The short term responses ofsmall mammals to wildlife semi-aridscrublands, Australia. Wildlife Research37: 293-300

Knopf, F.L. and Samson, F.B. 1996. Ecology andconservation of great plain vertebrates.Springer Pp.217

Taylor, Z. 2004. Barn owls: predator preyrelationships and conservation. CambridgeUniversity Press p. 130-150

Wright, H.C., Coffin, J.B.A. and N.E. Aseng.1992.The patterned peat lands ofMinnesota. University of Minnesota Pressp. 92-97

Zabel, C.J. and R.G. Anthony. 2003. Mammalcommunity dynamics: management andconservation in the coniferous forest.University of Cambridge Press p. 125-143.

Authors’ address: Department of Zoology,Faculty of Science, University of Peradeniya,Sri Lanka.

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STATUS AND CONSERVATION ISSUES OF HIMALAYANBROWN BEAR (Ursus arctos isabellinus) IN BASHQAR GOL,DISTRICT CHITRAL, PAKISTAN

by Ajaz Ahmed, Shafiqullah Khan and Hamid Ahmad

| Status and conservation issues of Him

alayan Brow

n Bear in B

ashqar Gol, P

akistan |

Introduction

The Himalayan brown bear (Ursus arctosisabellinus) is restricted to the alpine

meadows and sub-alpine scrub zone above the treeline between 3,900 m to 5,100 m elevation. Bothblack and brown bear are reported in Chitraldistrict. The Himalayan brown bears occupy theHindu Kush Range in the northern part of theChitral District, the Kalam area in Swat Kohistan,Kaghan Valley, and Palas Valley in Indus Kohistan(Arshad, 2003). There are 3 populations (Kalam,Indus Kohistan, and Kaghan) and 2 subpopulations(Tirch Mir, Chitral) of the Hindu Kush range inKhyber Pakhtunkhwa. A population reported fromSiranNalla in Hazara District, and the subpopulationin Chitral Gol National Park are extinct (Schaller.1977, Mirza. 2003). A small subpopulation of TirchMir still persists at the headwaters of Yarkhun andalong the Afghan border. Fulton (1903) reportedthat brown bears were common in the Turkho andYarkhun valleys, and Schaller (1977) also observedsome signs in that area. The Kalash peoplepracticed bear hunting and it was considered as

sign of bravery, strength and courage. Bears werealso hunted for their fats which was used in localmedicines and to stimulate hair growth.

Study area

The present survey focused on the status andconservation issues of brown bear in Bashqar Gol,which is one of the socio-ecologically importantwatersheds of Laspur valley in Chitral district,Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Pakistan. The valley hasborders with Swat, Gilgit-Baltistan and GolainValley of Chitral. Bashqar Gol is famous for scenicviews, wetlands and biological diversity. BashqarGol lies out of the monsoon rains and has arid,temperate and alpine zones. The precipitation inwinter is in the form of snow, while in summerthere is occasional rainfall. December and Januaryare the coldest months during which the entirearea get covered with snow and temperatures fallseveral degrees below freezing point. The studyarea comprises different types of habitats includingsub-alpine scrub, alpine meadows and tundra.There are seasonal settlements and cultivated

Bashqar Gol (Photo: Courtesy of Ajaz Ahjmed)

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areas around Garik (3,343 m). The stream bed ofBashqar Gol is characterized as sub-alpine scrubwhich supports vegetation like Artemisiabrevifolium, Salix tetrasperma, Bitula utilis,Popolus ciliata, Juniperus communis,Hippophaer rhamnoides (Sea buckthorn),Tamarix spp and Rosa webbiana. The alpinezone of Bashqar Gol includes the area aroundBashqar Gol Lake and the surrounding semi-hillyterrains support Ephedraea gerardiana,Artemisia brevifolium, Artemisia maritime,Metricaria chamomile, Chenopodium album,Astragalus spp, Carexdivisia, Geranium spp,Euphorbia spp, Bunium persicum and other wildberries.

Habitat type and quality are key factors for wildlifedistribution. Bashqar Gol has several species ofwildlife that are ecologically, economically andscientifically very important, including Snowleopard (Uncia uncia), Brown bear (Ursusarctos), Wolf (Canis lupus), Himalayan ibex(Capra ibex). Chinese birch mouse (Sicistacaudata), Pika (Ochotona spp), Snow cock

Map of the Study Area.

(Tetraogallus himalayensis), Chakur partridge(Alectoris chukar), Bearded vulture (Gypaetusbarbatus) and Golden eagle (Aquila chrysaetos).In Bashqar Gol, presently Himalayan ibex is theonly herbivore comprising the prey base forcarnivores, but according to the local people Muskdeer also inhabited the area. The most prominentfeature of Bashqar Gol is a biologically activesoligenous lake (Bashqar Chaat) which is locatedat an elevation of 3,679 m above sea level. Thelake covers about 200 ha has its inflow towardsLaspur Valley.

Methodology

Questionnaires and and observations to assess theoccurrence and distribution of predators have beenwidely used in Europe and North America (Fulleret al., 1992; Martizanis, 1994). Focused groupinterviews and semi-structured questionnaireswere used as survey tools to obtain informationon sightings, depredations and major threats to thebrown bear in the survey area.

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Counts of tracks or scats have been widely usedto assess the relative abundance of wildlife rangingfrom Elephants to Bobcats (Jackson and Hunter,1996). The survey was conducted betweenAugust 1, 2012 to August 7, 2012 in Bashqar Gol,one of the important watersheds of Laspur Valley,District Chitral. During the survey 20 transectswere marked out at the selected potential sites ofBrown bear, ranging from 300 m to 950 mdepending upon the terrain and topography. Datawas decoded as per the Snow LeopardInformation Management System (SLIMS)standards (Jackson and Hunter, 1996), which wasused as a survey protocol to estimate the relativedensity of Brown bear.

Results

The survey team directly observed Brown bearin Bashqar Gol and looked for other evidencessuch as feces, pugmarks and fur. During the

Table 1: SLIMS findings of Bashqar Gol

Sites All signs Pugmarks Feces Fur

Total 15 15 9 4 2

Average 0.75 0.75 0.45 0.2 0.1

Minimum 0 0 0 0 0

Maximum 4 4 3 2 1

Signs/km 1.26 0.76 0.33 0.17

survey a total of 15 signs of Brown bear wererecorded consisting of pugmarks (60%), feces(27%), and fur (13%). Sign density was 1.26 signsper kilometer, indicating low carnivore density inthe study area. It was also observed that most ofthe signs were fresh (45%), followed by old (25%)and very old (30%) respectively. According tothe local people’s perception, about 80% of therespondents’ categorized Brown bear as common,5% as rare and only 6% said it is absent in thevalley. The local people displayed a positiveattitude toward Brown bear and did not considerit a threat to their livestock. It was also confirmedby the locals that in the study area the populationof Brown bear is declining at alarming rate due tohabitat loss, fragmentation, human-inducedmortality, commercial poaching for the sale ofbears parts and retaliatory poisoning. Details ofthe SLIMS finding of the study area are given inTable 1.

Discussion

Brown bear was observed in Bashqar Gol in theevening in close proximity of juniper scrub forestat Garik. In the study area Brown bear alsodescends to the lower parts in birch and Salix forestin search of succulent plants. The bulk of theirdiet is made up of vegetable matter, including sedgeleaves and succulent rhizomes. During the surveyit was reported by the wildlife watchers of thearea and the local people that they had seen Brownbear feed upon bulbs, roots and sometimes theyturned over the stones and rocks in search ofinsects. They usually feed for one or two hoursbefore sunrise and again in the afternoon. Brownbear can also develop the habit of killing domestic

livestock; The brown bear is under continuousthreat to its survival in Pakistan in general andChitral in particular. The Brown bear has beenlisted as Critically Endangered in Pakistan.

Some of the threats/conservation issues identifiedin the study are as follows.

1. Loss of habitatA great threat to wildlife, including the Brownbear, in Bashqar Gol is the disappearance of habitator the competition with domestic grazing animals.During the survey it was confirmed that the sub-alpine scrub of Bashqar Gol is shrinking at a highrate. Pressure on forests for fuelwood collectionis degrading the natural alpine vegetation.


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| Encroachment for agriculture and excessivegrazing by domestic animals is also a major threatto the habitat of the wildlife of Bashqar Gol

2. Retaliatory poisoningAccording to the local community, in 2010-2011 atotal of 82 depredation cases attributed to threecarnivore species (Snow leopard, Wolf and Brownbear) were reported in the area affecting 28households. For the damage to their agriculturefields the local communities made claims forcompensation but in most cases the WildlifeDepartment was not in the position to compensatethe affected community. As a result, the localsstill keep their livestock in the Bashqar Gol and assuch, grazing has not been stopped in area. Thepresence of livestock in the area attracts carnivorepredators towards more easy prey like goats,sheep and yaks. When a Snow leopard, Wolf orBrown bear kills a grazing animal, the owner ofthe herd poisons the carcass to kill the predators.This leads to the death of not only the attackingpredator but also many other carnivores andscavengers who are dependent on the left-overhunt. This situation has resulted in reducing thenumber of wildlife to an alarming level in BashqarGol.

3. Over-grazingHeavy grazing in the different ecological zones ofBashqar Gol is also one of the major threats tothe wildlife of the area. The huge number ofdomestic animals including sheep, goats and yaksconsume all available forage of an area whilemoving to another place, thus leaving nothing forwild ungulates and posing tough competition forthe wild animals.

4. Weak law enforcementThe rules and regulations that have been framedregarding the protection and conservation ofnatural resources have typically not beenimplemented properly due to weak lawenforcement. Therefore illegal hunting andshooting still exist. Now the government hasstarted to work with stakeholders and concernedcommunities for the protection, conservation andsustainable use of wildlife by providing someenforcement.

5. Limited resourcesChitral Wildlife Division through the Ranger OfficeWildlife, Wildlife Range Booni is responsible forthe conservation and protection of wildlife in thearea. There is inadequate field staff and lack ofproper training of existing staff, combined withlimited funds, which means that they cannotperform their duties effectively.

Recommendations

A long term awareness programme should beinitiated to increase the level of awareness ofstudents, teachers, and local communities, thegovernment, non-governmental organizationsand law enforcement agencies regarding theBrown bear population status, habitatconservation needs and their role in theecosystem.

The northern part of District Chitral providesa good habitat for Brown bear and otherassociated wildlife species. The existingprotected areas are insufficient both innumbers and sizes to provide adequate refugeand food to Brown bear. The only protectedarea in this part of Chitral is Broghil NationalPark which was established in 2009, but theWildlife Department has insufficient capacityto properly manage this national park. Thereis a need for the establishment of protectedareas like national parks, and gamesanctuaries especially focusing on Brownbear, and a need to improve the capacity ofthe Wildlife Department to manage the existingprotected areas and create new ones.

The existing rules are not properlyimplemented because of certain loopholes andweaknesses. It is noteworthy that the totalarea of district Chitral is 14,850 km2 and thereare only 52 wildlife field staffs for the wholedistrict ,which means a single wildlife staff iscovering an area of 286 km2. The WildlifeDepartment should strengthen both thefinancial and human resources. Communityparticipation in wildlife conservation, especiallyof Brown bear, should be ensured.

The conservation of Brown bear is difficult tohandle through isolated efforts; joint actionswould be required on the part of majorstakeholders. The government institutions,being the custodians, have a crucial role, while

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others have important roles too. However,such roles can only be effectively realized ifthere is proper co-ordination between all theseinstitutions. This is possible only if a strategicdirection is determined with an agreed actionplan, determined through general consensusto guide all interventions related to Brown bearconservation in its natural habitats.

Acknowledgements

The authors would like to thank Fakhru Islam,Sayed Yaqoob Shah and Zaheer Shah, theWildlife Field Staffs of Chitral Wildlife Divisionfor their assistance in data collection, and thelocal people of Bashqar Gol who shared theirknowledge, information and experiences withthe survey team. WWF-Pakistan Chitral is alsoacknowledged for their logistical support.

Authors’ addresses: Ajaz Ahmed, KP ForestDepartment Chitral, 17200 Pakistan, E-mail:[email protected]; Shafiqullah Khan,WWF-Pakistan Field Office Chitral Pakistan,E-mail: [email protected]; HameedAhmed, Pakistan GLOF Project, Met OfficeChitral, E-mail: [email protected]

References

Ahmad, A. 1994. Protection of Snow leopardsthrough grazier communities - someexamples from WWF-Pakistan’s projectsin the Northern areas. J.L. Fox and DuJizeng (eds.) Proceedings of the SeventhInternational Snow Leopard Symposium.ISLT, Seattle, pp. 265-272.

Ajaz, A. 2013, Feasibility study for BashqarGol Game Reserve. KP Wildlife DepartmentChitral.

Himalayan Wildlife Foundation. 1999. Deosaibrown bear project, 1998. Final Report.Himalayan Wildlife Foundation, Islamabad,Pakistan.

Ajaz, A, Khan, Shafiqullah and Hameed Ahmad.2011. Ecological Assessment of BashqarGol, Brown Bear Project. WWF PakistanChitral.

Fox, J.L. 1994. Snow leopard conservation inthe wild - a comprehensive perspectiveon a low density and highly fragmentedpopulation. Pages 3-15 in: J.L., Fox and DuJizeng (editors). Proceedings of the SeventhInternational Snow Leopard Symposium(Xining, Qinghai, China, July 25-30, 1992).International Snow Leopard Trust, Seattle,Washington

Fuller, K.T., Berg, W.E., Radde, G.L., Lenarz,M.S., and G.B. Joselyn. 1992. A history and

current estimate of wolf distribution andnumbers in Minnesota. Wildlife SocietyBulletin, 20, 42-55.

Garshelis, D. and B. Mclellan. 2004. BearSpecialist Group Notes: Where are thebears? International Bear News 13:10–1

Jackson, R. and D.O. Hunter. 1996. Snowleopard survey and conservationhandbook. International Snow Leopard Trust,Seattle, Washington and U.S. GeologicalSurvey, Fort Collins Science Center, Colorado,pp.39 and appendices.

Martzanis, G. 1994. Brown bear in Greece:distribution, present status, and ecologyof northern pindus subpopulations.International Conference on Bear Researchand Management, 9, 187-198.

NWFP Wildlife Department. Chitral. 2004-07.Distribution and status of wildlife inNWFP. Annual Reports.

Rasool, G. 1982. Jungle Kai Basi (Urdu). WWFPakistan, Lahore, Pakistan.

Roberts, T.J. 1997. The mammals of Pakistan.Oxford University Press, New York, NewYork, USA.

Sathyakumar, S. 1999. Status and managementof the Himalayan brown bear in India.Pages 125–128.


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FERAL FAUNA OF SIKKIM: A PRELIMINARY SURVEYby Jha Ajeya and Jha Vanya

Introduction

Sikkim is the second smallest state of India.Geographically, it lies at the head of the Bay

of Bengal. At its Eastern frontier the Richi Pangolarange and the river Dichu separate it from Bhutan.Khangchenzonga and Singlila ranges define itswestern limit. In the north the boundary betweenSikkim and Tibet lies along the crest of the GreatHimalaya and Donkya ranges, which form thewatershed between the Teesta River in Sikkimand Yaruchu River in Tibet. The country is shapedlike a horseshoe and is 80 to 100 km wide (east towest) and about 160 km long (north to south).

There are many geographical factors thatcontribute to Sikkim’s awesome biodiversity, butperhaps the altitudinal gradation alone isresponsible for most of it. The landscape offersalmost every possible mountain panorama. Suchan immense topographic heterogeneity oflandscape is unrivalled for such a small tract ofland. The altitude ranges from 300 to 8,580 m;thus, summers are hot and the temperature in thelower reaches may soar to about 40°C. Wintersare extremely cold, particularly at the higherelevations where snow covers the landscapethroughout the year. Further, a typical tropicalmonsoon prevails over this tract. The heavy rainfallthis region receives and its proximity to the Bayof Bengal makes it one of the most humid tractsin the Himalayas and therefore, thick and vastforests cover practically the entire state. Thereare also regions in Sikkim which are practicallyrainless. Partly because of its ecologically cruciallocation (between the paleoarctic and orientalregions) Sikkim’s biodiversity is matched by onlya few other regions in the world.

Feral animals

Most of the animals that have been domesticatedby humans can be categorized into three categories(Inbal Brickner, 2000; Inbal Brickner, 2003):

Domestic pets – animals that live as petswith an individual or a household. Their ownersprovide for most of their requirements.

Strays – animals that live in and around cities,towns and rural areas. They generally surviveon resources provided by the human beingsthey live around, but are not owned.

Ferals – animals that live and reproduce inthe wild and survive by hunting or scavenging.None of their needs are provided intentionallyby people.

These represent stages and not necessarily theanimals. This distinction, therefore, is notcategorical as the same animal could be a pet,stray or feral depending upon the time andcircumstances. Such animals, therefore, are veryoften comfortable being pet, stray or feral and eventhrive (Inbal Brickner, 2003). All animals aredescended from wild ancestors. The features thatessentially differentiate feral animals from the petones are the extent to which they rely on humansand also to some extent on their behavior towardspeople (Scott and Causey, 1973; Green andGipson, 1994). Feral dogs, for example differ fromtheir pet cousins in being highly social and theycontinue to live together in the same pack for years(Daniels and Bekoff, 1989). This could be becausepet dogs look upon their human companions astheir “pack”. Feral dogs on the other hand findmotivation to make relatively permanent packs forenhanced vigilance resulting in greater protectionagainst potential predators and increased abilityto gain access to higher quality food resources(Daniels and Bekoff, 1989). Feral animals havean intense interaction with their ecosystem – veryoften with disastrous results.

In Italy, it was reported in one instance that fivedogs completely destroyed the largest flamingocolony in the country (Cagkiari, Sardinia) and thetotal destruction of water bird colonies caused by

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dogs is regularly reported in several lagooncomplexes in Italy. Wildlife scholars are focusedon research on feral and invasive species workbecause of their rapid spread, economic cost, andeffects on ecological systems. (Larson, 2005)

It is therefore vital to undertake a study of theferal animals in every ecosystem. In Sikkim a fewsporadic reports on feral populations exist but nocomprehensive study has been conducted so far.The present study was undertaken to make apreliminary investigation of a few important feralspecies in the state and ascertain their status onthe basis of a widely accepted nomenclaturesystem proposed by Colautti and MacIsaac.

Methodology

The study was based on general observation anddata collection over a period of 6 years. It wasconfined to the state boundaries of Sikkim. Thestudy is largely exploratory in design and is basedon literature review and participatory surveys.Primary data for the study was collected by

interviewing local inhabitants and army personnelposted in Sikkim. The interview questions werelargely open-ended and were confined to thepresence, movements and status of feral animalsin the state. The researchers also madeindependent observations to verify at least someof the information collected through the surveys.As mentioned earlier, an attempt has been madeto ascertain the status of select feral fauna on thebasis of a nomenclature system proposed byColautti and MacIsaac.

Definitions in the context of feral and invasivespecies have been inconsistent, which has resultedin confusion both in literature and in popularpublications (Williams and Meffe, 2005). It isobvious that the use of even simple, basic termsto articulate ecological concepts can lead toconfused debates and damage conservation efforts(Colautti and MacIsaac, 2004). In this context anomenclature system has been proposed byColautti and MacIsaac as given in Table 1. Thishas been used to assign the status of the selectferal fauna of the state.

Table 1: Nomenclature System Proposed By Colautti And Macisaac

Stage Characteristic

0 Propagules residing in a donor region

I Traveling

II Introduced

III Localized and numerically rare

IVa Widespread but rare

IVb Localized but dominant

V Widespread and dominant

Results and discussion

In all, eight common domestic species wereidentified and studied. These include three birdsand five mammals. The list comprises Pigeon,

Peacock, Kalij pheasant, Dogs, Cats, Pigs, Goatsand Yaks. Their respective status has beenprovided in Table 2.

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Table 2: Status of Feral Fauna as per nomenclature provided by Colautti and Macisaac

S.N. Feral Species Stage Characteristic

1 Dogs V Widespread and dominant

2 Cats V Widespread and dominant

3 Boar IVa Widespread but rare

4 Goats III Localized and numerically rare

5 Yak III Localized and numerically rare

6 Peacock IVb Localized but dominant

7 Pigeon V Widespread and dominant

8 Kalij Pheasant IVa Widespread but rare

Conclusion

From the results it may be concluded that Sikkimhas its share of feral species which require closerscrutiny to understand their spread and impact onthe environment. This is creating problems for thelocal fauna of this biodiversity hotspot. Feral dogs,for example, have been known to be powerfulpredators and have killed rare species such as Redpanda, Musk deer, Gorals and even migratory birds(Anon, 2009; Anon, 2009a; Anon, 2013).Researchers recorded the killing of a Barking deerby stray dogs in the campus of Sikkim ManipalInstitute of Technology. Some incidents of humansbeing attacked by feral dogs in North Sikkim havealso been reported (Anon, 2012).

The characteristics of the biogeography of selectferal species in the state have been recorded andit is hoped that this information will be incorporatedin the overall conservation plans of the state.

ReferencesAnonymous. 2009. Feral dogs pose threat to

wild animals in Sikkim. The Times of India,June 7, 2009

Anonymous. 2009a. Project launched to catchferal dogs in Sikkim. The Assam Tribune,June 15, 2009

Anonymous. 2012. Feral Dog attacks on therise in east Sikkim. Sikkim Now, May 82012

Anonymous. 2013. Corporation to emulateSikkim model to sterilize stray dogs. TheTimes of India June 16, 2013

Colautti, R.I., and H.J. MacIsaac. 2004. A neutralterminology to define ‘invasive’ species.Diversity and Distributions 10: 134-41

Daniels T.J. and M. Bekoff. 1989. Populationand social biology of free-ranging dogs,Canis familiaris. Journal of Mammalogy.70: 754-762.

Green J.S. and P.S. Gipson. 1994. Feral Dogs.Prevention and Control of WildlifeDamage 1994. Cooperative ExtensionDivision Institute of Agriculture and NaturalResources University of Nebraska – LincolnUnited States Department of AgricultureAnimal and Plant Health Inspection ServiceAnimal Damage Control Great PlainsAgricultural Council Wildlife Committee.

Inbal Brickner. 2000. The impact of domesticdogs (Canis familiaris) on wildlife welfareand conservation: a literature review.With a situation summary from Israel reportsubmitted to Prof. Yoram Yom-Tov.

Larson, B.M.H. 2005. The war of the roses:demilitarizing invasion biology. Frontiers inEcology and the Environment 3(9):495-500

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DIVERSITY AND DISTRIBUTION OF MAMMALS INAMCHANG WILDLIFE SANCTUARY

by Bidyut B. Sharma, Saugot Choudhury, Dipankar Lahkar, Biswajit

Barua and Arup Barua

Introduction

This paper reports the results of a surveycarried out in Amchang Wildlife Sanctuary, in

Assam, India, to identify the mammalian fauna.The Amchang WLS comprises three ReserveForests (RF), viz., Amchang RF (53.18 km2),South Amchang RF (15.50 km2), and KhanaparaRF (9.96 km2). The entire wildlife sanctuary hasan area of 78.64 km2. The three reserved forestswere combined to establish this sanctuary, videgovernment notification (order no. FRW.11/224/25), on 19-06-04.

Although the government has recognized therichness of the biodiversity of the area, not mucheffort has been given to studying the faunal andfloral assemblages of the sanctuary. There are norecords of previous faunal studies of this area.However, the preliminary documentation of thefloral and faunal diversity by forest officials priorto declaration of the three reserved forests as asanctuary, recorded the presence of 24 speciesof mammals. The intent of this report is to providea checklist of the mammals found and recordpreliminary information regarding their distributionin the sanctuary.

Study area

Amchang WLS lies between 26° 13’E - 26°09’E and 91° 50’N - 91° 59’N. Geologically, the

area is a continuation of the Khasi and Jaintia Hillsof Meghalaya and forms a part of the Shillongplateau. The area is predominantly a granite terrainand the rocks are considered to be of pre-Cambrian age. Innumerable streams andstreamlets and some brooks flow along the valleysin the hill ranges. Most of them are ephemeral innature and remain dry in the winter season. Theybegin in the hills and flow outward, etching intothe low-lying alluvial tracts, emptying finally intothe river Brahmaputra. The flow patterns of thestreams are dendritic in nature; a few marshylands also occur, which were found to be welldrained. The average elevation in the area is about150-225 m.

The vegetation in the sanctuary is predominantlyof the semi-evergreen and moist-deciduous typewith secondary growth. Sal (Shorea robusta),teak (Tectona grandis), bamboo species, banana,cane, etc. are some of the dominant species. Theundergrowth is very thick and dominated bynumerous varieties of herbs, shrubs and grasses.

Methodology

A total of 8 sites were surveyed from September2006 to May 2007, viz., Bonda, Panikhaiti,Hajongbari, Thakurkuchi, Panbari, Botahghuli,Kumarkuchi, and Khanapara. A modified transectmethod (Burnham et al, 1980; Indo-US primateproject, 1995; Struhsaker, 1997; Chetry et al,

Scott M.D. and K. Causey. 1973. Ecology offeral dogs in Alabama. Journal of WildlifeManagement. 37: 253-265

Williams, J.D. and G.K. Meffe. 2005. Status andtrends of the nation’s biologicalresources: Nonindigenous species.Washington, DC: US Geological Survey

Remote Sensing, Dehradun - 248 001,Uttarakhand, India.

Authors’ addresses: Jha Ajeya, Sikkim ManipalInstitute of Technology, Majitar, Rangpo - 737132, East Sikkim, India, E-mail:[email protected]; Jha Vanya, Institute of

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and forest condition. Transects were laid in astratified random manner to cover allrepresentative areas of the park (Kent et al, 1994).The surveys were initiated in the morning (0600hrs) and terminated in the evening (1600 hrs).While walking along forest trails searches weremade to find evidence of prey killed by carnivoresalong with scats, dung, pellets and pugmarks.Animal drinking spots were surveyed for animalpugmarks. During the survey efforts were madeto identify the calls of different animals. Wheneverany animal group was sighted, the group size andgroup activity was noted down and if possiblephotographed. However, surveys were abandonedwhenever there was continuous rainfall for morethan one hour because this made the trailsexcessively muddy and slippery. Fringe villagersand woodcutters were also interviewed and colorphotographs were shown to ascertain the presenceof some nocturnal mammals.

Results

A checklist of the mammalian fauna of AmchangWLS is listed below in Table-I. The status ofspecies according to Wildlife (Protection) Act,1972 and IUCN is given, along with theirdistribution inside the wildlife sanctuary.

Discussion

The present study has generated a fairlycomprehensive list of species, although additionalspecies may be present in the less accessibleareas, or in dense vegetation or tall grass pockets.A total of 38 species were recorded during thestudy, which is more than what had been earlierrecorded by forest officials. Also, the distributionof each species in the survey sites wasdetermined, based upon direct sightings andinformation from local people. The status of mostof the species according to the IUCN categoriesshows the importance of the sanctuary from aconservation perspective. It was observed thatthere is severe pressure on the sanctuary due tohuman activities. Although hunting of wild animalsmay occur, the main problem faced by thesanctuary is deforestation and encroachment.There is also the problem of stone quarrying, earthcutting and charcoal making, which are highly

detrimental to the sanctuary. Thus, a conservationmanagement plan should be formulated and actedupon by the concerned authorities. Furtherresearch is required regarding the ecology anddemographic status of the mammals in thesanctuary.

Acknowledgements

The authors would like to thank theDepartment of Forest and Environment,Government of Assam, for providing necessarypermissions to carry out the project. Specialthanks go to ‘Aaranyak’ for its logistic support.This is a part of the research project that wasfinancially supported by Aaranyak-RuffordSmall Grants for Nature Conservation.

References

Barthakur, K. 1975. Pre-Cambrian geology ofthe Narengi –Kamarkuchi area, KamrupDistrict, Assam. Unpublished M.PhilDissertation.Department of Geology, GauhatiUniversity.

Burnham, K.P., Anderson D.R., and J.L. Laake.1980. Estimate of density from linetransect sampling of biologicalpopulations. Wildlife Monograph. 72.Washington, D.C.: The Wildlife Society.202pp.

Champion, H., and S.K. Seth. 1968. A revisedsurvey of the forest type of India.Government of India Press, Nasik.

Chetry, D., Medhi, R., Biswas, J., Das, D., andP.C. Bhattacharjee. 2003a. A Survey of non-human primates in the NamdaphaNational Park, Arunachal Pradesh (India).International Journal of Primatology.Vol.24, No.2.pp.383-388.

Choudhury, S., Sharma, B. B., Barua, B., Sarma,N., Lahkar, D., and A. Barua. 2007.Documentation of faunal diversity ofAmchang Wildlife Sanctuary with specialreference to the lesser known forms.

Indo-US Primate Project. 1994-1995. AnnualReport-I.

Menon, V. 2003. A field guide to Indianmammals. Dorling Kindersely (India) Pvt.Limited, Delhi.

NRC. 1981. Techniques for the study ofprimate population ecology. National

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Research Council (NCR), National AcademyPress, Washington D.C., 227.

Sally Walker & Sanjay Molur (Compilers). 2006.Conservation of Western HoolockGibbon- Summary 2006. From PHVAWorkshop Report, 2005, Zoo OutreachOrganization, CBSG-South Asia,Coimbatore,20pp.

Shweta and V.K. Singh 2008. Mammals of theworld. Stadium Press LLC, U.S.A.

Authors’ addresses: Bidyut B. Sharma,Department of Environmental Science, GauhatiUniversity, Guwahati-781014, Assam, India, E-mail: [email protected];Saugot Choudhury, Applied EnvironmentalResearch Foundation, Uttarakhand, India;Dipankar Lahkar, Department of Wildlife andConservation Biology, North OrissaUniversity, Baripada- 757003, Orissa, India;Biswajit Barua, Department of Botany,Guwahati College, Guwahati-781020, Assam,India.

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Table I: Checklist of the mammalian fauna of Amchang WLS Sl. No.

Family Name IUCN Status

WPA, 1972 Status

Distribution (in Amchang WLS)

1 Lorisidae Nycticebus cougang DD Sch I S1, S3, S6

2 Pongidae Hylobates hoolock hoolock

En Sch I S3, S4

3 4 5 6 7

Cercopithecidae

Macaca mulatta Macaca assamensis Macaca nemestrina Macaca speciosa Presbytis pileatus

LR Vu Vu Vu Vu

Sch II Sch II Sch II Sch II Sch II

S1, S2, S3, S4, S5, S6, S7, S8

S1,S7

S1, S3

S1, S3, S4, S7

S1, S3, S4, S6, S7

8 9 10

Cervidae

Cervus duvaucelii Axis porcinus Muntiacus muntjak

LR LR

Sch III Sch III

S2, S3, S4

S2, S3

S2, S3, S6

11 Bovidae Bos gauras Vu Sch I S1, S2, S3, S4, S5, S6, S7, S8

12 Suidae Sus scrofa LR Sch III S1, S3, S6, 13 Elephantidae Elephas maximus En Sch I S1, S2, S3, S4, S6, 14 15 16

Canidae

Canis aureus Canis alpinus Vulpus bengalensis

LR Vu LR

Sch I Sch II Sch II

S2, S3, S4, S5, S6, S7, S8

S1, S2, S3, S4, S5, S6

S1, S2, S3, S4, S5, S6, S7, S8

17 18 19 20 21

Felidae

Panthera purdus Neofelis nebulosa Felis chaus Felis bengalensis Felis viverrina

LR Vu LR Vu Vu

Sch I Sch I Sch I Sch I Sch I

S3, S4,S6, S3, S4, S6, S2, S3, S5, S6

S1, S3, S6, S8

S3, S5

3 23 2


| D

iver

sity

and

dis

trib

utio

n of

mam

mal

s in

Am

chan

g W

ildl

ife

Sanc

tuar

y |

Table I: Checklist of the mammalian fauna of Amchang WLS (con’t) Sl. No.

Family Name IUCN Status

WPA, 1972 Status

Distribution (in Amchang WLS)

22 23 24 25

Viverridae

Viverricula indica Viverra zibetha Paradoxurus hermaphroditus Artictis binturong

LR Vu LR DD

Sch II Sch II Sch II Sch I

S3, S4

S4, S3, S4

26 Herpestidae Herpestes auropunctatus Sch IV S1, S2, S6, S8

27 Manidae Manis pentadactyla LR Sch I S1, S6

28 Leporidae Lepus nigricollis S3, S4, S5, S6

29 Hystricidae Hystrix brachyura Vu Sch II S1, S3, S4, S5, S6

30 31 32

Sciuridae

Ratufa bicolor Callosciurus macclellondi Callosciurus pygerythrus

Sch II S1, S2, S3, S4

S1, S3, S4, S5, S6, S7, S8

S1,S3, S4, S5, S6, S7, S8

33 Pteropodidae Pteropus giganteus Sch V S1, S2, S3, S4, S5, S6, S7, S8

34 Vespertilionidae Pipistrellus coromandra Sch V S1, S2, S3, S4, S5, S6, S7, S8

35 36 37

Muridae

Bandicota sp. Rattus rattus Mus musculus

Sch V Sch V Sch V

S1, S2, S3, S4, S5, S6, S7, S8

S1, S2, S3, S4, S5, S6, S7, S8

S1, S2, S3, S4, S5, S6, S7, S8

38 Rhizomidae Rhizomys sinensis Sch V S1, S2, S3, S4, S5, S6, S7, S8

DD=data deficient, En=endangered, LR=lower risk, Vu=vulnerable S1 = Bonda, S2 =Panikhaiti, S3 = Hajongbari, S4 = Thakurkuchi, S5 = Panbari, S6 = Botahghuli, S7 = Kumarkuchi, and S8 = Khanapara.; WPA= Wildlife (Protection ) Act, 1972

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FOREST NEWSFOREST NEWS

Vol. 27: No. 4 2013

NEW ZEALAND HOSTS THE “SILVER ANNIVERSARY”25th SESSION OF THE ASIA-PACIFIC FORESTRYCOMMISSION

Forestry can contribute vastly to enhancingprosperity if concerted efforts are made by forestmanagers, governments and the private sector.This was the message that emerged from agathering of more than 200 leading forestryexperts and policy makers, meeting in Rotorua,New Zealand, 5-8 November 2013. At theinvitation of the Government of New Zealand,Rotorua, the heartland of forestry of NewZealand, hosted the “Silver Anniversary” 25th

Session of the Asia-Pacific Forestry Commission(APFC). This was the second time that Rotoruahosted the Commission – the first being nearlyhalf a century ago, in 1964.

The main theme of the Session was “Forestsfor prosperity.” The theme highlighted the multi-dimensional and complex linkages betweenforests, society and prosperity. The topic wasconsidered timely since the role of forests inenhancing prosperity has not been fullyunderstood or widely appreciated. Delegatesdiscussed the theme at length and proposed newideas to foster collaborative efforts to seize theopportunity for forests to make real contributionsto prosperity and well-being.

Hiroyuki Konuma, FAO’s Assistant Director-General for Asia and the Pacific, receives a traditional Maorigreeting at the Opening Session of the 25th APFC meeting held in Rotorua, New Zealand.

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The objectives of the 25th Session of APFC wereto:(i) discuss and assess technical and policy issues

and trends of relevance to forestry in theregion;

(ii) develop and advance mechanisms forregional and sub-regional cooperation inaddressing forestry problems;

(iii) advise FAO on policy formulation and onpriorities for its forestry programmes in theregion.

Participants came from a wide range ofbackgrounds, including delegates from 28 membercountries and 2 United Nations organizations, andobservers and representatives from 16 regionaland international inter-governmental and non-governmental organizations. The heads of forestryfrom 17 member countries participated.

Opening ceremony

At the opening of the 25th Session of APFC,delegates were welcomed by a traditional maoripowhiri, a welcoming ceremony conducted by thelocal Te Arawa iwi tribe, which included speeches,dancing, singing and a hongi (traditional greetingdone by pressing one’s nose and forehead at anencounter).

Following the powhiri, Mr. Hiroyuki Konuma, theFAO Assistant Director-General and RegionalRepresentative for Asia and the Pacific, welcomedparticipants on behalf of FAO. He thanked theGovernment of New Zealand and especially theMinistry for Primary Industries, for theiroutstanding preparatory work and arrangements.He stressed the importance of pursuing proactive,prosperity-enhancing approaches as he said, “Ina world where people’s aspirations are changingrapidly and dramatically, it is not enough to simplylift people above the poverty line; a proactiveprosperity-enhancing approach must be pursued.”

Ms. Eva Muller, FAO Director of ForestEconomics, Policy and Products welcomedparticipants on behalf of the FAO AssistantDirector-General for Forestry. She highlighted theimportance of people-centred, landscape-scaledapproaches in forestry that recognize andmaximize the contributions of forests and trees to

food security, sustainable livelihoods anderadication of poverty.

The Honorable Jo Goodhew, Associate Ministerfor Primary Industries, Government of NewZealand, welcomed the distinguished guests anddelegates to Rotorua. She emphasized hergovernment’s commitment to sustainability,including the importance assigned to indigenousforests. She stressed the importance of combatingillegal logging due to the harm it causes to theenvironment, local communities and the legitimateindustry.

Forests for prosperity

The Commission recognized that the MillenniumDevelopment Goals provide a framework forenhanced global prosperity and poverty alleviation.Delegates highlighted a need for sustained growthwith equity, recognizing a need to avoid depletionof natural resources. Several countries highlighteda need to accelerate towards green economyprinciples.

Forest financing: Investing for prosperity

The Commission noted that forest financing is amajor challenge with significant shortfalls infunding for sustainable forest management. Whilethe challenge exists, delegates also recognized thatbroad options for forest financing include statebudgets, private sector investment, financing fromthe international community and payments forecosystem services. Delegates noted a significantopportunity to mainstream forestry in nationalplanning and policy-making, including allocation ofnational budget, in view of the values provided byforest ecosystems.

The Commission noted the importance ofrecognizing, and reflecting in marketconsiderations, the multiple benefits provided byforests, including timber, non-wood forest productsand ecosystem services, in order to strengthen thefinancial basis for sustainable forest management.However, delegates also recognized significantdifficulties in valuing ecosystem services, and inimplementing practical systems of payments forecosystem services, as appropriate for respectivemember countries.

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The Commission emphasized that more needs tobe done to draw attention to the multiple benefitsof forests, including strengthening forestrycommunications efforts. It further highlighted aneed for further work on methodological issuesrelated to payments for ecosystem services,including development of valuation methods thatrecognize the full benefits and values of forests.Finally, the Commission urged FAO to assistcountries in understanding and accessing sourcesof forest financing such as from multilateraldevelopment banks.

Forest law enforcement, governance andtrade (FLEGT): Emerging legalityrestrictions and responses

The Commission welcomed the many tangiblemeasures and support for addressing issues relatedto FLEGT that had evolved in recent years,including legality requirements in consumercountries, voluntary partnership agreements,timber legality verification systems, forestcertification, codes of practice for forestharvesting, guidelines for forest enterprises andoperators, timber tracking systems, chain-of-custody certification, and enhanced monitoring bycivil society.

Delegates requested FAO to continue efforts toraise awareness and increase understanding ofevolving international demand-side legalityrequirements, through regional information ortraining workshops and other mechanisms, andfurther coordinate with other FLEGT supportprogrammes. In this regard, the Commissionencouraged efforts to more actively engage theprivate sector in these activities.

The Commission requested FAO, in collaborationwith other partner organizations, to address FLEGTcapacity building needs through targeted supportprovided through the EU-FLEGT Programme.Noting particular challenges in meeting legalityassurance requirements to small-scale timberproducers, and to those sourcing raw materialsfrom these smallholders, and/or from trees outsideforests, home gardens and farm forests, theCommission urged FAO to give particular attentionto supporting them.

Delegates appreciated the development of theVoluntary Guidelines on Responsible Governanceof Tenure of Land, Fisheries and Forests andhighlighted their usefulness in helping to informtenure reform processes and providing aframework for further discussions on sensitiveissues related to forest and land tenure. TheCommission recommended that FAO buildawareness of the Voluntary Guidelines onResponsible Governance of Tenure of Land,Fisheries and Forests and facilitate the sharing ofexperiences and approaches in implementing theGuidelines.

State of forestry in the Asia-Pacific region

Delegates underscored continuing threats toforests from a number of sources such as landconcessions for agro-industrial development,mining, and hydro-electric and other infrastructurewere noted. Furthermore, escalating pressures onforests as a result of growing populations,expanding economic development and changingsocietal expectations were noted. The Commissionencouraged FAO to conduct additional analysison the impacts of these drivers of change onforests.

In line with the “Forests for prosperity” theme ofthe Commission session, several countries reportedon recent initiatives to expand value-added woodprocessing, enhance wood recovery from forestresources, tap new market opportunities, developpayments for ecosystem services, and create morejobs in the forestry sector.

Delegates highlighted the growing importancegiven to adaptive and mitigative measures torespond to climate change and natural disasters.Significant progress was reported in strengtheningcapacities for measurement, reporting andverification, forest monitoring and assessment, andnational forest inventories, often supported byREDD+ readiness programmes. Progress wasalso reported with respect to governance structuresand participatory processes, and disaster riskassessment and preparedness. The Commissionnonetheless noted many remaining challenges,including lack of technical capacity and high costsconstraining REDD+ readiness activities, climate

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change adaptation, and resilience to naturaldisasters.

Delegates highlighted continuing emphasis ondecentralization and devolution of forestmanagement, community forestry, participatoryapproaches, and strengthening of forest tenure andaccess rights for local forest-dependent people.

The Commission encouraged FAO to work withregional partners and member countries to giveincreased attention to forest landscape restoration,including natural regeneration of forests, and todevelop natural regeneration strategies tocomplement intensive planted forest programmes.

In-session seminar: Building resilience inforests, landscapes and communities

The Commission noted a need to ensure resiliencebuilding activities in the full range of forest typesincluding secondary forests, coastal forests andmangroves. The importance of restoring forestsand maintaining natural forest dynamics, beforesevere depletion occurs, was also noted.

The Commission recognized an urgent need toincrease self reliance and resilience in manyforest-dependent communities. The importance ofcapturing cross sectoral synergies betweenforestry and agriculture in building communityresilience was noted. Delegates highlighted thepotential of the Forest and Farm Facility forbuilding the capacity of countries in this regardand noted that globalization and new regional tradeagreements may adversely affect some ruralcommunities.

The Commission requested FAO to: (i) facilitatethe sharing of experiences on building resiliencein forests, landscapes and forest dependentcommunities; (ii) give increased attention tobuilding resilience to natural disasters, includingdeveloping a regional action plan in relation toforests and natural disasters; (iii) produce aknowledge product relating to forests and droughtsin Asia and the Pacific; and (iv) that membercountries explore opportunities to interface theseactivities with the International Year of FamilyFarming (2014).

Progress in implementing APFC- and FAO-supported activities in the region

The importance of the Global Forest ResourcesAssessment (FRA) programme wasacknowledged. Delegates noted the importanceof trees outside forests, including fruit trees, inmany countries in the region. The use of remotesensing technology and associated capacitybuilding and technology transfer under the FRAprogramme was welcomed. The Commissionurged member countries to participate actively inthe 2015 Global Forest Resources Assessment andto submit their reports in a timely manner. TheCommission further requested FAO to providetechnical support for strengthening nationalcapacities for forest monitoring and assessment,and efforts to harmonize data collection andreporting.

The Commission welcomed the establishment ofthe Asia-Pacific Forest Policy Think Tank(APFPTT) and the Asia-Pacific ForestryCommunications Network (APFCN) asmechanisms for capacity building, awarenessraising, and sharing information, expertise andknowledge. Delegates highlighted the roles of thetwo mechanisms in promoting grassroots successstories in Asia-Pacific forestry.

The Commission noted the importance of researchand education in developing a sound foundationfor sustainable forest management. The variousinitiatives of international organizations workingto promote education and research in the regionwere acknowledged, including FAO’s efforts toestablish an Advisory Panel on Forest Knowledge.

The Commission acknowledged FAO’s on-goingefforts to promote forest landscape restoration andforest rehabilitation. The Commission requestedFAO to continue to give this work high priority,including giving attention to watershedmanagement and soil and water conservation.

The Commission noted the particular vulnerabilitiesof Small Island Developing States (SIDS) to naturaldisasters. A need for individualized approaches toprovision of support to SIDS was acknowledged.Several countries appreciated FAO assistance inutilization of senile coconut resources. Delegates

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highlighted a need for support to some countriesto obtain access to appropriate forest tree seedsupplies.

The Commission noted the need for greater supportto communities and grassroots stakeholders incountries. The Commission highlighted the benefitsof translation of relevant publications into locallanguages.

The Commission noted on-going work onmainstreaming gender into forest policies andrequested FAO and partner organizations todevelop a regional action plan on gendermainstreaming to progress this work.

Several countries noted the complex array ofinternational agreements, processes and financingmechanisms (including the Global EnvironmentFacility) relating to forestry. The Commissionrequested that FAO continue to assist countriesin understanding and responding to internationalagreements, participating in dialogues, andformulating proposals for donor support.

The Commission urged FAO to continue to seekopportunities to collaborate and harmonize workon cross-cutting issues with other internationalagencies including the member organizations ofthe Collaborative Partnership on Forests.

The Commission noted the potential for greaterinvolvement of national offices of FAORepresentatives in forestry activities. Delegateshighlighted the value of receiving written reportson implementation of their activities from relevantinternational forestry organizations at future APFCsessions.

Heads of forestry dialogue: Policies tosupport wood processing development

Some delegates noted a wide range of constraintsto investment in wood processing, including pooror excessive regulation, trade restrictions, lowprofitability, issues surrounding economies of scale,security of wood supplies, distance from markets,weak supporting infrastructure, monopolisticindustry structures, relative incentive regimes,deficiencies in capacities and expertise, and limitedaccess to appropriate science and technology.

Delegates noted a number of key elements increating enabling environments for woodprocessing, including firm political commitment,market-driven policies, investment in research anddevelopment of technology, upgrading competitiveadvantages, development of raw materialresources, and regulatory frameworks conduciveto business.

Countries recognized a general desire to enhancedomestic wood processing capacities, includingdevelopment of downstream and remanufacturingfacilities. Several delegates highlighted potentialbenefits of sharing experiences in developing woodprocessing industries. The Commissionencouraged member countries to report onprogress in developing new wood processingcapacity at subsequent APFC sessions.

The Commission requested FAO to exploremechanisms to support special diagnostic missionsto interested countries, with a view towardfostering an enabling environment for rational andcompetitive wood processing.

Forests and climate change: Pathway toprosperity?

Delegates noted that the links between forests andclimate change had served to effectively draw theattention of diverse interest groups to theenvironmental, social and cultural importance offorests. The Commission urged members to seizethe opportunity for promoting the importance ofthe forestry sector.

The Commission highlighted the critical roles oflocal stakeholders in managing forests effectivelyin the face of challenges posed by climate change.Delegates highlighted the need for adequatefinancial and technical support to implementcommunity-based natural resources management.

The Commission requested FAO to continueworking closely with partner organizations withinthe framework of the United Nations FrameworkConvention on Climate Change to support REDD+initiatives.

Delegates noted the predicted increase in thefrequency and severity of natural disasters as a

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result of climate change. The Commissiontherefore encouraged FAO and member countriesto work to increase disaster preparedness andbuild greater understanding of the roles of treesand forests in mitigating natural disasters andsupporting post-disaster recovery.

Delegates noted that attention has largely shiftedto adaptation considerations in many countries, butthat capacities to support adaptation to climatechange is limited in many areas. The Commissionrequested FAO to provide technical support tobuild capacities in member countries to addressclimate change adaptation at policy levels and tostrengthen resilience and implementation of climatechange adaptation measures at community levels.The Commission requested FAO to supportregional sharing of information, forest data, andexperiences related to the roles of forests inclimate change adaptation, in collaboration withother international and regional partners andestablished mechanisms.

Strategic developments in FAO and the UN

In view of FAO’s role as the leading global forestryorganization the Commission emphasized theimportance of continuing FAO’s core technicalwork in forestry under the new strategicframework. Delegates highlighted emerging areassuch as the contribution of forests to food securityand nutrition, and resilience of forest-dependentcommunities.

The Commission recommended FAO’s role in theglobal forest architecture, especially theCollaborative Partnership on Forests, to bestrengthened taking into account the review of theinternational arrangement on forests to beconducted for the eleventh session of the UnitedNations Forum on Forests in 2015.

The Commission noted that the multi-functionalityof forests and their contributions to all threedimensions of sustainable development areinadequately reflected in the MillenniumDevelopment Goals. Delegates noted that forestshave been recognized as an important element in“The future we want,” the outcome document ofthe Rio+20 conference.

The Commission strongly recommended thedevelopment of a stand-alone sustainabledevelopment goal on forests and emphasized theneed to raise the profile of forests in the SustainableDevelopment Goals (SDGs), with targets andindicators reflecting the multi-functionality offorests and their contribution to sustainabledevelopment.

The Commission noted that the Open WorkingGroup on Sustainable Development Goals (OWG)established through the Rio+20 process is currentlydebating the formulation of sustainabledevelopment goals. Key features of SDGs arethat they should be action-oriented, aspirational,easy to communicate and should address all threedimensions of sustainable development. TheCommission urged countries in the Asia-Pacificregion to actively engage in the discussions on aforest-related SDG through the OWG.

The Commission requested FAO to support theprocess of consideration and development of anSDG on forests and particularly the developmentof relevant targets and indicators.

Tools for sustainable forest management

The Commission welcomed initial work on thedevelopment of the SFM Toolbox and noted thatit could provide valuable support for sustainableforest management in the region. Delegatesencouraged FAO to collaborate with other forest-related organizations, in particular ITTO andCIFOR, in the further development of the Toolboxand to focus on identified gaps and to avoidduplication of efforts. The Commission requestedFAO to provide training on the use of the Toolboxwhen completed.

The Commission welcomed the work of FAO onthe development of the Voluntary Guidelines onNational Forest Monitoring as requested by COFO2012 and endorsed the proposed scope andprocess. Delegates suggested to include a sectionon how to integrate forest monitoring results intopolicy and decision-making processes in countries.

The Commission urged FAO to continue to workwith other organizations to harmonize definitionsand streamline forest-related reporting, building on

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the work of the Collaborative Partnership onForests Task Force on streamlining forest-relatedreporting and on the Collaborative ForestResources Questionnaire. The Commission furtherurged FAO to continue to provide support tocountries to design and implement national forestmonitoring systems.

Delegates shared experiences on forest firemanagement, noting that fire management is a tooland that community-based forest fire managementhas proved to be effective in the region. Delegatesrecommended focusing more strongly on fireprevention and on the development of emergencyresponse management systems. Delegates wereprovided with additional information on theInternational Wildland Fire Conference that willbe held in the Republic of Korea in 2015.

The Commission welcomed the update on the“Smart Fire” Umbrella Programme andencouraged FAO to identify additional resourcesfor its implementation. It encouraged members totake advantage of the inclusion of disaster riskreduction and wildfires in GEF-6. The Commissionurged FAO to continue to strengthen internationalcooperation on fire-related activities and supportregional networks and initiatives.

Forests and food security: Follow-up to theconclusions of the international conference

Delegates agreed that the conference had beenvaluable and timely in highlighting the numerouscontributions that forests make to food securityand nutrition and encouraged further initiatives tohighlight these important linkages. It wassuggested that World Food Day celebrationsoffered excellent opportunities to highlight thecontributions that forests make to food security ineach country.

Delegates emphasized that efforts to ensure foodsecurity and nutrition should be balanced withneeds for sustainable forest management, includingproduction of timber and non-wood forest productsand provision of ecosystem services of forests.Delegates further stressed that agriculturalproduction could be increased without further lossor degradation of forests and that safeguards were

needed to ensure that the full impacts of forestconversion are taken into account.

Delegates noted that there was a lack ofcomprehensive data and information on thecontributions of trees and forests to food securityand nutrition. The Commission requested FAO todevelop methodologies, standard definitions andterminology to support the collection, analysis, andreporting of such data, and to provide guidanceand assistance to member countries inimplementing such activities.

Preparations for the XIV World ForestryCongress

The Commission welcomed the preparations beingmade for the XIV World Forestry Congress, whichwill be held in Durban, South Africa, in September2015.

The Commission recognized that the Congresswould provide an excellent opportunity to promotethe findings of the Global Forest ResourcesAssessment 2015.

The Commission requested FAO to explore thepotential for incorporating a high-level ministerialcomponent as part of the Congress.

Regional issues identified by the commissionfor the attention of the committee on forestry(COFO) and the FAO regional conference forAsia and the Pacific

The Commission noted the new governancestructure of FAO including the increasedimportance of the Committee on Forestry (COFO)and the FAO Regional Conference for Asia andthe Pacific in the development of the Organization’sprogramme of work and budget. The Commissionexpressed its concern over the potential fordeprioritization of forestry in the new governancestructure. The Commission encouraged membercountries to ensure that forestry is stronglyrepresented in national delegations and/or innational processes to develop priorities forpresentation to the FAO Regional Conference.

The Commission proposed several topics for theagenda of the 22nd session of COFO including: (i)

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development of a stand-alone SDG for forestry;(ii) the importance of forestry in combating climatechange and land degradation; (iii) payments forecosystem services; and (iv) forest financing.

The Commission noted that the Chair and theSecretary would work to identify otherrecommendations from the proceedings of the 25th

session of APFC for the attention of COFOincluding: (i) issues relating to forest governance,particularly in relation to forest tenure and accessrights; (ii) forest landscape restoration; and (iii)building resilience against climate change andnatural disasters.

L-R Patrick Durst (FAO-Secretary APFC), Eva Muller (FAO), Hiroyuki Konuma (ADG-FAO), Su Chunyu (China),Jo Goodhew (Associate Minister for Primary Industries, New Zealand), Jarred Mair (New Zealand-ChairpersonAPFC), Marcial Amaro Jr. (Philippines), Warren Parker (New Zealand)

Other business

The Commission was informed of activitiesimplemented by four of its working groups andinitiatives: the Asia-Pacific Forest Invasive SpeciesNetwork (APFISN); The Asia-Pacific ForestPolicy Think Tank (APFPTT); the Asia-PacificForestry Communications Network; and the Kids-to-Forests (K2F) initiative.

Date and place of the next session

The Commission noted with appreciation theexpression of interest by the delegation from thePhilippines to host its twenty-sixth session.

Special features of the twenty-fifth session of APFC

Innovative approaches were used throughout the Session. Besides the formal Session of APFC there were a number of events and activities which were built around the Session to share information and stimulate discussions on certain topics, namely: 1. The “Speed Geeking” session featured 18 organizations presenting their activities and

programmes and answering questions from audience participants within a relatively short time frame (5 minutes). After the allocated time had elapsed, the audience participants moved to the next presenter.

2. A field trip - the Ministry for Primary Industries of New Zealand organized a field trip on Thursday, 7 November 2013, in partnership with the following organizations: Scion, New Zealand’s Department of Conservation (Mokoia Island), Waiariki Institute of Technology, Crown Forestry and Lockwood.

3. A side event on “Implementing the Forest Instrument: Experiences from Pilot Countries” was held on Friday, 8 November.

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ASIA-PACIFIC FORESTRY COMMISSION PARTNEREVENTS

Prior to the formal APFC Session, eight pre-session workshops were convened 3-4 November, namely:1. Forest restoration at landscape level in Asia-Pacific (organized by RECOFTC and FAO);2. Mainstreaming gender issues into forest policy (organized by RECOFTC and FAO);3. Forestry strategic planning in the Asia-Pacific region (organized by APFNet and FAO);4. What has REDD+ done for us?, (organized by UN-REDD, FAO and GIZ);5. Third forestry college deans’ meeting (organized by APFNet and FAO);6. Sustainable forest management for prosperity in the Pacific Island countries (organized by

SPC, GIZ and FAO);7. Forests and natural disasters (organized by FAO, APAFRI and SPC);8. Tools for ecological and economic impact assessment of invasive alien species in forest

ecosystems (organized by APFISN, USDA Forest Service, New Zealand Ministry of PrimaryIndustries, Kerala Forest Research Institute (KFRI) and FAO).

WHAT HAS REDD+ DONE FOR THEFOREST?

Twenty-two participants gathered to discuss theprovocative question “What has REDD+ done forus?” This side event explored the concepts of “noregret” benefits of REDD+ Readiness initiatives.With the substantial investments already made insuch initiatives in the Asia-Pacific region, will theanticipated results be of long term benefit to forestsector stakeholders whether or not an internationalclimate change agreement is eventually forth-coming? Introducing the event, Wulf Killman (GIZPacific) noted the timeliness of this topic,particularly with regard to meeting theexpectations of forest-dependent communities.Presentations and a panel discussion drew onexperiences from Papua New Guinea, thePhilippines, Vietnam and the wider Pacific region.

MAINSTREAMING GENDER INTOFOREST POLICIES

This one-day regional workshop was attended by13 participants. It enhanced learning amongstakeholders, including policy-makers, on promotingintegration of gender equality in national forestpolicy. Stakeholders representing eight APFCmember countries - Cambodia, Fiji, Indonesia,

Nepal, the Philippines, Sri Lanka, Thailand, andVietnam - participated in the workshop. Thisallowed for cross-country learning and sharing ofexperiences in integrating gender perspectives intonational forest policy. The workshop concludedthe way forward and made a number ofrecommendations including: review policies andaction plans; increase the sharing of goodpractices and examples; allocate resources tomore gender-related activities; build capacityspecifically for policy makers at all levels; andenhance the number of women in decision making.

FORESTRY STRATEGIC PLANNING INTHE ASIA-PACIFIC REGION

Why strategic planning? How can we collaboratein the future on this topic? These were amongstthe key questions asked during this particularworkshop. Patrick Durst (FAO) and Qu Guilin(APFNet) stressed the importance of buildingregional collaboration to support countries in theirefforts to improve the strategic planning process.Yurdi Yasmi (FAO) indicated that there is a lot tolearn from each other and a wealth of informationavailable, for example the Asia– Pacific ForestrySector Outlook Study. The following countriesshared their experiences: Australia, China, LaoPDR, Malaysia, Mongolia, Myanmar, Papua New

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Guinea, Philippines, Thailand, and the USA. Theworkshop suggested practical steps forward tocontinue collaboration and strengthen strategicplanning process across the region such as throughnetworking, workshop and capacity building.

FOREST LANDSCAPE RESTORATION(FLR)

Twenty people attended the workshop, which wasconvened to bring together key stakeholders inFLR to share knowledge, discuss future steps, andfacilitate partnerships among organizations in theregion. Presenters reviewed the history of FLRefforts, highlighted the shift towards managingforests for multiple values and ecosystemservices, emphasized the need to scale uprestoration efforts to the landscape scale, andidentified policy and regulatory issues limiting FLPimplementation.

Participants reflected on the current state of FLRand requirements for success, including strategicspatial planning, multi-stakeholder consultation,and clear tenure and use rights. The workshopconcluded with a brain-storming session, whichcompiled suggestions for collaboration and futuredirections. These included identifying key actors,sharing knowledge, and creating newcommunication platforms and materials.

TOOLS FOR ECOLOGICAL ANDECONOMIC IMPACT ASSESSMENT

Patrick Durst (FAO) welcomed participants to theAsia-Pacific Forest Invasive Species Network(APFISN) workshop on tools for ecological andeconomic assessment of invasive alien species inforest ecosystems. Kenichi Shono providedopening remarks. Eighteen participants attendedthe workshop, representing 14 countries. Theworkshop aims to conduct hands-on training tothe nodal officers of APFISN to undertake botheconomic and ecological impact assessment ofalien invasive species in their forests. This is anessential pre-requisite to communicate the alienspecies to government officials and the generalpublic. The training was facilitated by ShiromaSatyapale and Melanie Newfield, both from the

Ministry for Primary Industries, New Zealand, andGary Man from the USDA Forest Service.

FORESTS AND NATURAL DISASTERS

This session addressed the multiple roles of forestsand the forest sector in the various stages ofdisaster risk management, from mitigation andpreparedness through to response and recovery.Session 1 summarized the underlying science andtechnical knowledge of the relationships betweenforests and hazards such as landslides, wildfiresand floods. In Session 2, the focus shifted to thehuman dimensions of disaster risk management.In this session, presenters highlighted thecontributions of community forestry in buildingresilience, and how social vulnerabilities, accessto resources, and local capacities act to mediatedisaster impacts. The workshop then broke intogroups in order to brainstorm potential actions anddirections for governments and internationalorganizations to take at each stage of the “5 Rs”of disaster risk management. Simmathiri Appanahclosed the workshop by reiterating that disasterscan provide opportunities to redesign and rebuild,and that it is forest management rather than foreststhat can contribute to mitigating, or increasing, therisk of disasters.

SFM IN PACIFIC ISLAND COUNTRIES

Sustainable Forest Management (SFM) in thePacific island nations, a workshop composed of40 participants, served as the forum for countriesto share their SFM methods and issues faced. ArtKlassen, the keynote speaker, addressed thedilemma of SFM and stressed the need to “thinkglobally, act locally.” Country presentations on SFMfrom each region were given by Fiji, Kiribati, Niue,Samoa, and Solomon Islands. Each representativeintroduced the current country status and thechallenges encountered, as well as the guidelinesand government policies. The final session titled“A dream or a reality?” was moderated by WulfKillman, together with five panelists –representatives of Micronesia, Melanesia andPolynesia, Secretariat of the Pacific Community(SPC) and the private sector. Every country agreedthat they were on the way to achieving SFM. SFM

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is more than a dream, and each country is workingin different ways to accomplish this reality.

THIRD FORESTRY COLLEGE DEANSMEETING

On 4 November 2013, the Third Forestry CollegeDeans Meeting in the Asia-Pacific region was heldin the Rotorua Energy Events Center, New

An innovative feature of the APFC meetings, firstintroduced during the 22nd session held in Vietnam,was the daily newsletter that was circulated to allparticipants. The newsletter recapped the eventsof the previous day, announced the events for thenext day, gave tips and interesting information

Zealand, gathering about 14 deans and chancellorsfrom 13 regional economies. Facing the emergingchallenges of forestry and education development,the deans and professors this time addressed themeeting theme of “Evolving methods of curriculumdelivery in post-secondary forest education” andagreed in principle on a concrete action plan foradvancing the Forestry College Deans’ MeetingMechanism in the Asia-Pacific region.

about the host country, and featured photos andspot interviews with participants about their viewson how the meeting was going. The newsletterswere creatively put together and represented alot of hard work on the part of the team compilingit.

Newsletter team (L-R): Sarah Dickson-Hoyle (IFSA)Wirya Khim (FAO)Carolina Yang (IFSA)

APFC NEWSLETTER

Vol. 27: No. 4 2013

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The Collaborative Partnership on SustainableWildlife Management (CPW) welcomes theUnited Nations General Assembly decision toproclaim 3 March as World Wildlife Day, as ameans of celebrating the importance of the world’sflora and fauna, strengthening efforts to conservebiodiversity and stepping up the fight against theillegal trade in wildlife.

As a voluntary partnership comprising 12international organizations with substantivemandates and programmes in wildlifemanagement, the Partnership offers a uniqueplatform for coordinated action among its twelvefounding members in promoting the sustainableuse and conservation of terrestrial vertebratewildlife in all biomes and geographical areas.

Established in March 2013, the Partnership helpsgenerate better understanding of critical wildlifemanagement issues and their linkages to human-wildlife-conflict, food security, sustainablelivelihoods and good governance. Building on theexpertise of its members, its focus has been onassessing different policy options to ensure cross-sectoral cooperation in support of efforts bycountries to manage their wildlife resourcessustainably.

On the occasion of World Wildlife Day, theCollaborative Partnership on Sustainable WildlifeManagement calls on all governments, parties tomultilateral environmental agreements, donoragencies, including development banks, private

and corporate donors, and business consortia, otherrelevant international bodies and organizations,indigenous and local community organizations andcivil society, to make concerted and coordinatedlong-term efforts to support actions that promoteinnovative initiatives that conserve wildlife,improve the health and well-being of humans andcombat illegal activities related to wildlife.

Such action needs to recognize the cross-sectoraldimensions of wildlife management by involvingand engaging stakeholders outside the wildlifeconservation community, including, localcommunities and Indigenous Peoples, andsupporting their efforts.

The Partnership will examine underlying causesof unsustainable wildlife management practices,their social, economic and ecological implications,and report on progress in fulfilling its work, throughits collaborative arrangement among members.The next meeting of the Partnership, on the marginsof the General Assembly of the InternationalCouncil for Game and Wildlife Conservation, inApril 2014, will further the implementation of itswork programme and strengthen fundraising.Subsequently, the first progress report of thePartnership will be presented in October 2014, inPyeongchang, Republic of Korea, during thetwelfth session of the Conference of the Partiesto the Convention on Biological Diversity.

http://www.fao.org/forestry/wildlife-partnership

WORLD WILDLIFE DAY

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ASIA-PACIFIC FORESTRY CHIPS AND CLIPS

REDD+ LEARNING SESSIONS

The WWF Forest and Climate Programme’s onlineLearning Sessions are free and designed toleverage and share REDD+ knowledge andexpertise. Every month a REDD+ expert is invitedto present a webinar on a key issue, so thatREDD+ practitioners around the globe can haveaccess to the latest information related to REDD+.Learn more at the following website: http://wwf .panda .o rg /wha t_we_do / foo tp r in t /forest_climate2/redd_learning/learning_sessions/– WWF Global –

MANGROVES CAN ADAPT TO RISINGSEA LEVELS

“The response of mangrove soil surfaceelevation to sea level rise,” a new report by TheNature Conservancy and Wetlands International,shows that mangroves can adapt to rising sealevels by building up soils in some locations, allayingfears that mangroves may be lost as sea levelsrise.

Coastal ecosystems such as mangroves canreduce risk to people and infrastructure from wavedamage and flooding. The continued provision ofthese coastal defense services by mangroves isdependent on their capacity to adapt to projectedrates of sea level rise. This report explores thecapacity of mangrove soil surfaces to increase inelevation in response to local rises in sea level.– Wetlands International Global Newsletter

August 2013 –

WORLD BANK AIDS LAOS’ FORESTS

The World Bank has signed a grant agreement of$31.83 million to aid the Government of LaoPeople’s Democratic Republic’s sustainable forestmanagement project.

The $31.83 million grant agreement is for Laos’Scaling-Up Participatory Sustainable ForestManagement Project, which aims to achieve theexpansion of areas under approved ParticipatorySustainable Forest Management plans, as well asdevelopment and piloting of a landscape approachto forest management, in support of REDD+ tofurther avoid unnecessary loss of forest andincrease carbon storage.

In addition, the project also aims to increase thenumber of people with monetary and non-monetary benefits from forests, decrease the rateof forest cover loss, enhance carbon storage fromimproved protection and forest restoration, andreduce emissions from deforestation and forestdegradation in project areas.

The grant follows Laos’ Forestry Strategy to theyear 2020, with the goal of improving the qualityand quantity of forested areas, as well as generatea sustainable stream of forest products.– EcoSeed –

NEW TEAKNET COORDINATOR

The International Steering Committee ofTEAKNET unanimously nominated Dr. P.K.Thulasidas, Scientist, Kerala Forest ResearchInstitute, as the new TEAKNET Coordinator. Dr.Thulasidas has served in KFRI for 29 years,specializing in Wood Science, and has a specialinterest in anatomy and wood properties of teakand other tropical timbers. He is also theCoordinator of the IUFRO Teakwood WorkingParty.

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FAO ASIA-PACIFIC FORESTRY CALENDAR

FOREST NEWS is issued by the FAO Regional Office for Asia and the Pacific as part of TIGERPAPER. This issue ofFOREST NEWS was compiled by Patrick B. Durst, Senior Forestry Officer, FAO/RAP.

22-33 April 2014. Inception Workshop for TCP/RAS/3408 - Control and management ofdestructive forest invasive species in South Asian natural and planted forests.” Colombo, SriLanka. Contact: Kenichi Shono, FAO Regional Office for Asia and the Pacific, 39 Phra Atit Road,Bangkok 10200, Thailand; E-mail: [email protected].

5-6 May 2014. Equitable Development - “Sustainable landscapes, green growth and povertyreduction.” Contact: Yurdi Yasmi, FAO Regional Office for Asia and the Pacific, 39 Phra Atit Road,Bangkok 10200, Thailand; E-mail: [email protected]

12-23 May 2014. 7th Executive Forest Policy Course: People, land use and forestry in thePacific - Policy challenges in the 21st Century. Nadi, Fiji. Contact: Patrick Durst, FAO RegionalOffice for Asia and the Pacific, 39 Phra Atit Road, Bangkok 10200, Thailand; E-mail:[email protected]

23-27 June 2014. 22nd Session of the Committee on Forestry (COFO). Rome, Italy. Contact:Peter Csoka, Secretary COFO, Forestry Department, FAO, Rome, Italy; E-mail: [email protected]

7-11 September 2015. XIV World Forestry Congress. Durban, South Africa. Contact: Tiina Vahanen,Associate Secretary-General of the XIV World Forestry Congress, Forestry Department, FAO, Rome,Italy; E-mail: [email protected]

FORESTRY PUBLICATIONS: FAO REGIONALOFFICE FOR ASIA AND THE PACIFIC (RAP)

For copies please write to: Senior Forestry Officer for Asia and the Pacific,FAO Regional Office for Asia and the Pacific, 39 Phra Atit Road, Bangkok 10200, Thailand.

Or visit the FAO website for an electronic version: http://www.fao.or.th/publications/publications.htm

East Asian forests and forestry to 2020 (RAPPublication 2010/15)

Forests beneath the grass: Proceedings of theregional workshop on advancing the application ofassisted natural regeneration for effective low-costforest restoration (RAP Publication 2010/11)

Forest policies, legislation and institutions in Asiaand the Pacific: Trends and emerging needs for2020 (RAP Publication 2010/10)

Report of the Asia-Pacific Forestry CommissionTwenty-third session (RAP Publication 2010/09)

Asia-Pacific forests and forestry to 2020. Asia-Pacific Forestry Sector Outlook Study II (RAPPublication 2010/06)

Forest law enforcement and governance: Progressin Asia and the Pacific (RAP Publication 2010/05)

Forest insects as food: humans bite back.Proceedings of a workshop on Asia-Pacificresosurces and their potential for development(RAP Publication 2010/02)

Strategies and financial mechanisms forsustainable use and conservation of forests:experiences from Latin America and Asia (RAPPublication 2009/21)

Asia-Pacific Forestry Week: Forestry in achanging world (RAP Publication 2009/04)

The future of forests: Proceedings of aninternational conference on the outlook for Asia-Pacific forests to 2020 (RAP Publication 2009/03)

Re-inventing forestry agencies. Experiences ofinstitutional restructuring in Asia and the Pacific(RAP Publication 2008/05)

Forest faces. Hopes and regrets in Philippineforestry (RAP Publication 2008/04

Reaching consensus. Multi-stakeholderprocesses in forestry: experiences from the Asia-Pacific region (RAP Publication 2007/31)

Trees and shrubs of Maldives: An illustrated fieldguide (RAP Publication 2007/12)

A cut for the poor: Proceedings of theInternational Conference on Managing Forests forPoverty Reduction Capturing Opportunities inForest Harvesting and Wood Processing for theBenefit of the Poor (RAP Publication 2007/09)

Trees and shrubs of the Maldives (RAPPublication 2007/12)

Developing an Asia-Pacific strategy for forestinvasive species: The coconut beetle problem –bridging agriculture and forestry (RAP Publication2007/02

The role of coastal forests in the mitigation oftsunami impacts (RAP Publication 2007/01)

Taking stock: Assessing progress in developing andimplementing codes of practice for forestharvesting in ASEAN member countries (RAPPublication 2006/10)

Helping forests take cover (RAP Publication 2005/13)

Elephant care manual for mahouts and campmanagers (RAP Publication 2005/10)

Forest certification in China: latest developmentsand future strategies (RAP Publication 2005/08)

Forests and floods – drowning in fiction or thrivingon facts? (RAP Publication 2005/03)

In search of excellence: exemplary forestmanagement in Asia and the Pacific (RAPPublication 2005/02)

What does it take? The role of incentives in forestplantation development in Asia and the Pacific(RAP Publication 2004/27)

Advancing assisted natural regeneration (ANR) inAsia and the Pacific (RAP Publication 2003/19) -2nd edition

Practical guidelines for the assessment,monitoring and reporting on national level criteriaand indicators for sustainable forest managementin dry forests in Asia (RAP Publication: 2003/05)

Applying reduced impact logging to advancesustainable forest management (RAP Publication:2002/14)

Trash or treasure? Logging and mill residues inAsia-Pacific (RAP Publication: 2001/16)

Regional training strategy: supporting theimplementation of the Code of Practice for forestharvesting in Asia-Pacific (RAP Publication: 2001/15)

Forest out of bounds: impacts and effectivenessof logging bans in natural forests in Asia-Pacific:executive summary (RAP Publication: 2001/10)

Trees commonly cultivated in Southeast Asia: anillustrated field guide - 2nd edition (RAPPublication: 1999/13)

Documents

Featuring - Food and Agriculture Organization inside and nylon-net fencing on outside. On the top it was covered with agro net (50:50) to protect the turtle from predators. The other