Bandli Wildlife Sanctuary

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Himachal Pradesh ranks third among all the states in the country in terms of the percentage of total area of the state under Protected Area (PA) coverage. Its thirty two Sanctuaries and two National Parks occupy 13.6% of the state’s geographical area as compared to the national average of 4.7% (HPFD 2004b). While two of the state’s sanctuaries each cover a large area of more than 1000 km2, as many as sixteen out of the total thirty two sanctuaries are less than 75 km2 in area. One of these is the Bandli Wildlife Sanctuary - a small Protected Area of 41.32 km2 located at a distance of about 8 km from the town of Sundernagar, District Mandi, Himachal Pradesh. It extends from 31o25’21’’ to 31o29’02’’ North and 76o52’04’’ to 76o56’54’’ East. The Sanctuary was established over four decades ago in 1962 while the final notification for its gazettement was issued in 1999 (HPFD undated, Singh et al., 1990). It is representative of the North-West Himalaya province of the Himalayan biogeographic zone classified as 2 A (Rodgers et al., 2002).

Physiographic features

Topography: Bandli Wildlife Sanctuary occurs in hilly terrain spanning an altitudinal range from about 600 m to over 2000 m. The change in altitude is abrupt and steep with the highest point of Bandli Tibba at an altitude of 2162 m. The area consists of steep rock and cliffs with about 5% of the area under precipitous rocky slopes.

Land use: The approximate proportion of land use categories in Bandli WLS consists of 40% land under tree cover and an equal proportion under grasslands. Land under shrub cover and precipitous rocks comprise 15% and 5% respectively.

Drainage: The southern, western and northern sides of the Sanctuary form part of the catchments of the Satluj River while the eastern side drains into the Beas River through Bhadrolu Nala. The southern side is bound by Seri Khad. Numerous nalas dissect the terrain of the Sanctuary (Fig. 2).

Rock and soil type: The rock type is predominantly calcite limestone with a few shale bands and gray colored dolomite having quartz veins. The base rock has resulted in shallow textured soils which, on the whole, are well-drained. Open areas near habitation have soil which is poor in organic matter due to repeated burning. Northern and eastern aspects consist of certain areas with soil rich in nutrient content.

Climate: The cold, dry, and wet seasons are distinctly marked with temperature variation ranging from 36oC in summer to as low as -1oC in winter. The highest reaches of the area receive mild snowfall every year. Ground frost is common during winter and mild fog conditions persist for a small duration during the monsoon season. The annual rainfall in the area averages to about 1500 mm. Wind conditions remain mild for most of the year with high velocity winds only occurring on hilltops.

Vegetation

The vegetation of the area corresponds with Northern Dry Mixed Deciduous Forests 5B/C2, Himalayan Subtropical Chir Pine Forest 9/C1b 12/C1/1a and Lower West Himalayan Temperate Forest – Ban Oak Forest categories of forest as per Champion and Seth (1968).

Northern Dry Mixed Deciduous type of forest is found on the southern and also partly on the western slopes of the Sanctuary occurring in the lowest areas of Bandli WLS from about 600 m upto the higher reaches till about 1300 m. Some of the major species characterising this forest type in the Sanctuary are given in Table 5.4.

Scientific name Local name
Acacia catechu Khair
Cassia fistula Amaltas
Emblica officinalis Amla
Terminalia bellerica Bahera
Bauhinia racemosa Safed kachnar
Dalbergia sissoo Shisham
Syzygium cumini Jamun

 The other common associates are Lannea coromandelica and Mallotus phillippinensis.

Major shrub species, forming a rather broken shrub cover in some parts of Bandli WLS, comprise the following (Table 5.5):

Table 5.5

Scientific name Local name
Carissa opaca Garna, Karauda
Dodonaea viscosa Mendar
Woodfordia floribunda --
Adhatoda vasica Basuti
Murraya koenigii Currypatta,Gandhela
Zizyphus mauritiana Ber
Euphorbia royleana --

Commonly occurring climbers include Bauhinia vahlii and Pueraria tuberosa.

Himalayan subtropical pine forest characterised by Pinus roxburghii (chir pine) forms a light canopy in Bandli WLS. A number of shrub species are found distributed in the chir pine forest, prominent among them being Indigofera dosua, Felmingia fruticulosa, Rubus elipticus, and Viburnum coriaceum.

The ban oak or Quercus leucotrichophora (earlier known as Q. incana) forest occupies the lower portion of the Himalayan belt, particularly in the outer ranges and on southern aspects. In Bandli WLS, Q. leucotrichophora trees form a fairly closed canopy in patches where they are well-developed while in others, the trees remain short-boled and form a more open forest. Along nalas or moist ravines, a mixture of deciduous trees also contribute to the main canopy. Cinnamomum tamala (tej patta) trees also occur frequently interspersed with Q. leucotrichophora.

The Sanctuary area also comprises patches of grassland dotted with Phoenix trees. The grassy slopes of Bandli WLS occur in steep terrain often with precipitous slopes that are inaccessible to humans and large livestock and serve as important forage areas for wild ungulates particularly goral (Naemorhedus goral).

Fauna

Mammals: Bandli Wildlife Sanctuary provides habitat for a variety of mammalian species that include carnivores such as the leopard and leopard cat. Among wild ungulates, goral and barking deer are found here. The major faunal species of Bandli WLS are presented in Table 5.6:
 

 Common name Scientific name WPA* schedule
Barking deer Muntiacus muntjak Schedule III
Goral Naemorhedus goral Schedule III
Common leopard Panthera pardus Schedule I
Leopard cat Prionailurus bengalensis Schedule I
Jungle cat Felis chaus Schedule II
Jackal Canis aureus Schedule II
Indian fox Vulpes bengalensis Schedule II
Common Indian mongoose Herpestres edwardsi --
Himalayan yellow throated marten Martes flavigula Schedule II
Rhesus macaque Macaca mullata Schedule II
Hanuman langur Semnopithecus entellus Schedule II
Himalayan palm civet Paguma larvata Schedule II
Indian flying squirrel Petaurista petaurista Schedule
Black bear Ursus thibetanus Schedule I
Indian porcupine Hystrix indica Schedule IV
Indian hare Lepus nigricollis Schedule IV

* The Wildlife (Protection) Act 1972

Reptiles: Monitor lizard (Varanus bengalensis), Common krait (Bungarus caeruleus) and Rat snake (Ptyas mucosus) have been reported from the Sanctuary (HPFD Undated).

Avifauna: Bandli WLS supports a large variety of birds including four species of pheasants. The Sanctuary is a stronghold for Himalayan pheasants particularly the Cheer pheasant (Catreus wallichii), a vulnerable species endemic to the Himalaya. In addition to the Cheer pheasant, the Sanctuary also supports populations of the Kalij pheasant (Lophura leucomelanos), Indian peafowl (Pavo cristatus) and red junglefowl (Gallus gallus).Table 5.7 lists some of the important avifauna of Bandli WLS.

Table 5.7 List of birds found in Bandli WLS

 S.No. Common name Scientific name WPA* Schedule
1 Cheer pheasant Catreus wallichii Schedule I
2 Indian peafowl Pavo cristatus Schedule I
3 Kalij pheasant Lophura leucomelanos Schedule I
4 Red junglefowl Gallus gallus Schedule IV
5 Chukor Alectoris chukar --
6 Black partridge Francolinus francolinus Schedule IV
7 Grey partridge Francolinus pondicerianus Schedule IV
8 Common quail Coturnix coturnix Schedule IV
9 Red-wattled lapwing Vanellus indicus --
10 Common hoopoe Upupa epops --
11 Common Indian nightjar Caprimulgus asiaticus Schedule IV
12 Rufous treepie Dendrocitta vagabunda Schedule IV
13 Black-headed jay Garrulus lanceolatus Schedule IV
14 Yellow-billed blue magpie Urocissa flavirostris Schedule IV
15 Blue-throated barbet Megalaima asiatica Schedule IV
16 Coppersmith barbet Megalaima haemacephala Schedule IV
17 Paradise flycatcher Terpsiphone paradisi Schedule IV
18 Pied bush chat Saxicola caprata --
19 Indian robin Saxicoloides fulicata --
20 Magpie robin Copsychus saularis Schedule IV
21 Common pariah kite Milvus migrans --
22 Rock pigeon Columba livia --
23 House sparrow Passer domesticus --
24 Common kestrel Falco tinnunculus --
25 Spotted dove Streptopelia chinensis Schedule IV
26 Ring dove Streptopelia decaocto Schedule IV
27 Spotted owlet Athene brama Schedule IV
28 Golden oriole Oriolus oriolus Schedule IV
29 Black-lored tit Parus xanthogenys Schedule IV
30 Great tit Parus major Schedule IV
31 Verditer flycatcher Muscicapa (Eumyias) thalassina Schedule IV
32 White-throated fantail flycatcher Rhipidura albicollis Schedule IV
33 Spotted forktail Enicurus maculatus --
34 Asian koel Eudynamys scolopacea --
35 Brainfever bird Hierococcyx varius --
36 Eurasian eagle owl (lndian great-horned owl) Bubo bubo Schedule IV
37 Jungle babbler Turdoides striatus Schedule IV
38 Blue (Himalayan) whistling thrush Myophonus caeruleus Schedule IV
39 Jungle crow Corvus macrorhynchos --
40 Common myna Acridotheres tristis Schedule IV
41 Brahminy myna Sturnus pagodarum Schedule IV
42 Rock bunting Emberiza cia --
43 Himalyan bulbul Pycnonotus leucogenys Schedule IV
44 Red-vented bulbul Pycnonotus cafer Schedule IV
45 Black bulbul Hypsipetes leucocephalus Schedule IV
46 Black drongo Dicrurus macrocercus Schedule IV
47 White-breasted king fisher Halcyon smyrnensis Schedule IV
48 Plum-headed parakeet Psittacula cyanocephala Schedule IV
49 Slaty-headed parakeet Psittacula himalayana Schedule IV

* The Wildlife (Protection) Act 1972

Conservation value: The Bandli WLS is home to a variety of species of flora and fauna that include threatened species such as the leopard (Panthera pardus) and the black bear (Ursus thibetanus). In addition to large mammals, Bandli WLS provides habitat for four species of pheasants out of the total seven species of pheasants found in Himachal Pradesh (HPFD 2003). It has been recognised as an Important Bird Area (IBA) for the Cheer pheasant (Catreus wallichii), an endemic vulnerable species restricted to the Himalayan region in India (Islam and Rahmani 2004). Due to its specialised habitat requirements, the Cheer pheasant shows a patchy distribution usually between 1200 to 3250 m altitude in the Himalayan range. Many subpopulations are reported to be less than ten individuals in small patches of suitable habitat. In India, most reported populations are now confined to Himachal Pradesh and it is known to occur in atleast 12 protected areas in the state. The main threats to the species are from hunting and collection of eggs for local food consumption and loss of habitat to farming as grassland is converted to terraced fields for cultivation (Fuller and Garson 2000, Ramesh 2003, Sharma and Pandey 1989). Bandli WLS thus holds significance for the conservation of the Cheer pheasant as it provides the habitat features such as precipitous rocky terrain with grass, scrub and scattered trees required by this vulnerable species.

 


Last Updated: October 5, 2015