AsianScientist (Oct. 18, 2011) – WWF-India has initiated a study of Nandhor Valley, with the two priority corridors of Kilpura-Khatima and Boom-Bhramdev, as a protected breeding area for endangered tigers.
Nandhor Valley lies in the heart of the Terai Arc Landscape (TAL), an 810 kilometer stretch extending from Bihar in the east of India through to the Yamuna river in the west, near Delhi.
There are nine protected areas in the TAL region that houses the tiger, Asian elephant, and the Indian rhinoceros.
With a total area of 1800 sq km, the Nandhor valley encloses wildlife corridors that serve as migration routes for an elephant population of about 30 individuals, from the Haldwani Forest Division to the Sukhlaphanta Wildlife Reserve across the border in Nepal. It also has nearly 1000 sq km of tiger habitat that needs to be better protected.
“WWF-India has initiated a study in Nandhor Valley, which is one of the potential tiger areas in the TAL India. Tigers once had a wide distribution across the Nandhor Valley, however, they have been exterminated through much of their previous range due to various causes driven by adverse human impacts,” said Joseph Vattakaven, tiger coordinator for WWF-India.
“This landscape can house a breeding population of 40-50 tigers, but poaching of ungulates, i.e. the prey species by local communities is potentially a major cause of absence of tigers in this area,” he added.
Nandor valley is governed by the three forest divisions of Haldwani, Terai East, and Champawat (Boom Range), and the key potential area for tiger and elephants falls in Haldwani Forest Division surrounded by Champawat in north east and Terai East in south.
Recently, the WWF-India team along with Forest Department staff camera-trapped one tiger from this area, said Dr. K. D. Kandpal, Coordinator at the WWF-India TAL-Kaladhungi field office.
“This is a potential site where we could see tiger numbers doubling in coming years. Two priority corridors namely Kilpura-Khatima and Boom-Bhramdev of TAL fall in Nandhor. If protected in a better way, Nandhor can serve as a source population for tigers across boundaries in the Himalayas (Indo-Nepal),” Kandpal said.
WWF-India has been working in the Nandhor Valley for the last two years to save its elephant and tiger populations.
Through its contribution of an elephant named Rani, the Haldwani Forest Division of the Uttarakhand Forest Department was able to patrol these forests during the six month period when the area becomes inaccessible by foot due to high water levels.
Rani allows staff to secure an area of 200 sq km that was previously unpatrolled. WWF-India hopes to provide one or two more elephants to secure the whole area.
——
Source: WWF India.
Disclaimer: This article does not necessarily reflect the views of AsianScientist or its staff.
