GUWAHATI: A first-of-its-kind and two-year joint research carried out in the Indo-Bhutan Jomotsangkha-Barnadi Forest Complex by forest managers of Dhansiri and Jomotsangkha Wildlife Sanctuary (WLS) has found that the forest complex is high in biodiversity with 27 species of mammals recorded during the study that used camera trapping techniques.
The study findings were presented in a meeting between the forest managers and other stakeholders on Indo-Bhutan Jomotsangkha-Barnadi forest complex that was held recently at Nonai Forest Range under Dhansiri Forest Division, BTC, Assam.
The Jomotsangkha-Barnadi forest complex spread across India and Bhutan comprising 456 sq.km of contiguous forest located in the eastern Himalayan biodiversity hotspot.
The research was carried out in technical support from Aaranyak which was supported by WildCat Conservation Alliance, informed Dr M Firoz Ahmed, head of Tiger Research and Conservation Division (TRCD) of Aaranyak, a top-bracket biodiversity conservation and research organisation with its headquarter in Guwahati.
The research study has flagged that the forest complexes on Indian side is less significant to conservation and ecosystem due to small size and conservation value of the areas is immense when the entire forest complex spread over the Indo-Bhutan areas is seen as a single unit.
The forest complex is also a key waterscape for sustainable living and livelihood of lakhs of people living in Udalguri, Darrang and Sonitpur district of Assam.
Divisional Forest Officials from both the transboundary forest divisions of India and Bhutan attended the meeting and collectively endorsed actions to priorities the forest complex as a single unit to jointly address conservation management issues.
Ugyen Tshring, Chief Forestry Officer, Jomotsangkha Wildlife Sanctuary, along with seven other forest staff joined from the Bhutan. Rabinson Narzari, Additional Principal Chief Secretary, BTC, A. Swargiary, Additional Principal Chief Conservator of Forest and Council Head of Forest, BTC; A Dewan, ACF, D. Das, ACF, Range Officers and other forest officials of Dhansiri forest division participated in the meeting.
Dr. Anupam Sharma and Dr. Hiten Baishya represented from WWF-India. Madhurjay Sharma, Divisional Forest Officer, Dhansiri Forest Division hosted the meeting in collaboration with Aaranyak. Altogether 18 delegates attended the meeting.
The meeting stressed on improving forest law enforcement on the India administered forest areas so as to prevent illegal activities getting spread into Bhutanese territory. A Swargiary suggested exploring the opportunity to bring the remaining forest areas under wildlife protected area network between Barnadi Wildlife Sanctuary and Dhansiri River to ensure habitat protection and connectivity in the area.
Rabinson Narzari highlighted the potential of ecotourism in the area and informed that BTC administration was developing key tourism infrastructure to promote the area as a destination at national and international level.
Mr Tshering, CFO, JWLS stated that the Bhutan Forest department is increasing the area of Jomotshangkha WLS by about 900sq.km to ensure ecological security of the region. He expressed deep concern on illegal tree felling by some people from bordering areas deep inside JWLS which are difficult to patrol for them at a frequent interval. He proposed for joint patrol in those sensitive areas with Indian counterparts.
Jomotshangkha Wildlife Sanctuary is one of the ten protected areas in Bhutan. The Sanctuary covers an area of 335sq.km and is bordered by Udalguri district of Assam in the south and Arunachal Pradesh in the east.
As the Sanctuary lies within the Indo-Bhutan border, it provides critical habitat for survival of several threatened species in both the countries. The sanctuary harbors a wide array of the endangered wildlife species such as the Royal Bengal Tiger, Common Leopard, the Himalayan Black Bear, Gaur, and Asiatic Wild Elephant. The Sanctuary is said to be the only habitat for the rare and endangered Pygmy hog and the hispid hare.