Risks and threats in preserving of Bumdeling wildlife Sanctuary
Tanden Zangmo/Thimphu
In contrary to conventional beliefs that presence of human settlements, developmental
activities and farming within the park areas impedes conservation of flora and fauna, a
research conducted by the department of forest and park services has found out that
human settlement and farming practices are critical to its preservation.
In commemoration of 108 National day, the Ministry of Agriculture and Forest has
launched three publications which provides information on the importance of human
settlement and farming while conserving endangered species.
The research findings were recorded by a team of researchers from the BWS recently
conducted a study in park provinces of BWS , one of the prime habitats of BNC and other
endangered wildlife species , in an attempt to not only identify the different threats, but
also to determine other risks.
The park officials have identified six threats associated to the park and conservation of
flora and fauna in the park vicinity.
As per the book called ‘Protected Areas of Bhutan’ One of the critical observations made
is the reduction in the feeding areas and habitat loss due to fallow land where farmers
abandon their paddy field due to unfertile soil for cultivation.
From the six threats, such as biological, social, natural, political threats etc, the
researchers pointed out that the biological threat has a more direct impact on decline on
the number of flora and fauna.
For instance the finding states that there is a strong statistical correlation between bird
population and farming practices. This means the bird population depends on the way and
type of farming activities people practice. “More areas under cultivation means more
foraging areas for cranes, thus more numbers of cranes visitation,” the research book
states.
The research also states that the habitat loss is continuously happening due to landslides,
flood and other human activities such as construction of infrastructure, collection of
forest products and litering the park areas.
The park is also at the risk of losing protected species like Tiger, snow leopard, musk
deer and black necked crane due to poaching, habitat change, disturbance and retaliatory
killing
The team has examined and tried to look into the developmental activities where
construction of unfriendly road and cutting of transmission line corridors has resulted into
habitat fragmentation and destruction of vegetation
This study analysis concludes that the people are an integral part and parcel of the
sustainability of Black-Necked cranes and other wildlife, and their participation in the
wildlife conservation works is very much important.
Population trends of the most vulnerable bird species, BNCs (Grus nigricollis), the
researchers said is fluctuating, possibly due to habitat loss and degradation.
BWS was established in 1994 in the northeastern part of Bhutan covering over an area of
1520.61 km square and the park covers three gewogs of Trashiyangtse dzongkhag and
one gewog ecach from Mongar and Lhuntse.
The park is home for 734 plant species including 31v ferns, 349 herbs, 64 orchids, 108
shurbs, 42 mammals, 343 birds, 202 butterflies, 18 species of snakes, 4 lizards and 7 fish
species which signifies that the park has rich diversity of both flora and fauna.
The park is also identified as an important bird thriving area by the Birdlife International
as the endangered species like BNC, wood snipers and grey-crowned prinias and other
significant birds are found in the park provinces. Also the park is recognized of the
Bhutan’s swallowtail, a butterfly species rediscovered.
Tanden Zangmo/Thimphu
In contrary to conventional beliefs that presence of human settlements, developmental
activities and farming within the park areas impedes conservation of flora and fauna, a
research conducted by the department of forest and park services has found out that
human settlement and farming practices are critical to its preservation.
In commemoration of 108 National day, the Ministry of Agriculture and Forest has
launched three publications which provides information on the importance of human
settlement and farming while conserving endangered species.
The research findings were recorded by a team of researchers from the BWS recently
conducted a study in park provinces of BWS , one of the prime habitats of BNC and other
endangered wildlife species , in an attempt to not only identify the different threats, but
also to determine other risks.
The park officials have identified six threats associated to the park and conservation of
flora and fauna in the park vicinity.
As per the book called ‘Protected Areas of Bhutan’ One of the critical observations made
is the reduction in the feeding areas and habitat loss due to fallow land where farmers
abandon their paddy field due to unfertile soil for cultivation.
From the six threats, such as biological, social, natural, political threats etc, the
researchers pointed out that the biological threat has a more direct impact on decline on
the number of flora and fauna.
For instance the finding states that there is a strong statistical correlation between bird
population and farming practices. This means the bird population depends on the way and
type of farming activities people practice. “More areas under cultivation means more
foraging areas for cranes, thus more numbers of cranes visitation,” the research book
states.
The research also states that the habitat loss is continuously happening due to landslides,
flood and other human activities such as construction of infrastructure, collection of
forest products and litering the park areas.
The park is also at the risk of losing protected species like Tiger, snow leopard, musk
deer and black necked crane due to poaching, habitat change, disturbance and retaliatory
killing
The team has examined and tried to look into the developmental activities where
construction of unfriendly road and cutting of transmission line corridors has resulted into
habitat fragmentation and destruction of vegetation
This study analysis concludes that the people are an integral part and parcel of the
sustainability of Black-Necked cranes and other wildlife, and their participation in the
wildlife conservation works is very much important.
Population trends of the most vulnerable bird species, BNCs (Grus nigricollis), the
researchers said is fluctuating, possibly due to habitat loss and degradation.
BWS was established in 1994 in the northeastern part of Bhutan covering over an area of
1520.61 km square and the park covers three gewogs of Trashiyangtse dzongkhag and
one gewog ecach from Mongar and Lhuntse.
The park is home for 734 plant species including 31v ferns, 349 herbs, 64 orchids, 108
shurbs, 42 mammals, 343 birds, 202 butterflies, 18 species of snakes, 4 lizards and 7 fish
species which signifies that the park has rich diversity of both flora and fauna.
The park is also identified as an important bird thriving area by the Birdlife International
as the endangered species like BNC, wood snipers and grey-crowned prinias and other
significant birds are found in the park provinces. Also the park is recognized of the
Bhutan’s swallowtail, a butterfly species rediscovered.
