Volume 4, Issue 3 (9-2022)                   JAD 2022, 4(3): 44-52 | Back to browse issues page


XML Print


Download citation:
BibTeX | RIS | EndNote | Medlars | ProCite | Reference Manager | RefWorks
Send citation to:

Tenzin J, Phuntsho Y, Thinley P, Tenzin K. Mammal diversity in Biological Corridor No. 03 covering the Sarpang–Tsirang District landscapes of Bhutan. JAD 2022; 4 (3) :44-52
URL: http://jad.lu.ac.ir/article-1-179-en.html
1- Divisional Forest Office, Sarpang, Department of Forests and Park Services, 31002, Bhutan , jigmetenzin16@gmail.com
2- Divisional Forest Office, Tsirang, Department of Forests and Park Services, 36001, Bhutan
3- Ecosystem Management, University of New England, Armidale NSW 2351, Australia
4- School of Ecosystem and Forest Science, University of Melbourne, Australia
Abstract:   (3519 Views)
In Bhutan, protected areas constitute 51.4% of the total geographical area, out of which 7.7% is designated biological corridors (BCs) that serve as connectors between protected areas. The biological corridor (BC-03) constitutes a total area of 407.7 km² and connects Phibsoo Wildlife Sanctuary in the west, Jigme Singye Wangchuck National Park and Royal Manas National Park in the north and southeast through Sarpang–Tsirang District landscapes. However, most BCs, including BC-03, lack comprehensive inventories of mammal species. We conducted joint rapid biodiversity assessment (RBA) using camera trap surveys from November 2019 to February 2020. Our findings from BC-03 include records of 26 mammal species belonging to 11 families in five orders. Nearly half of these species are listed as Endangered, Vulnerable, or Near Threatened. Overall, the BC-03 landscape was found to support 77.8% of the mammal species of Sarpang District and 21.7% of Bhutan (as per Biodiversity Statistics of Bhutan, 2017). Therefore, BC-03 is of conservation interest. Comprehensive conservation plans, periodic monitoring of keystone species, and restrictions on the expansion of cardamom plantations in BCs are suggested for securing wildlife habitats and ensuring long-term persistence of keystone species, including within BC-03 in southcentral Bhutan. 
Full-Text [PDF 23688 kb]   (1664 Downloads)    
Type of Study: Original Research Article | Subject: Species Diversity
Received: 2021/11/4 | Accepted: 2022/09/15 | Published: 2022/09/30

References
1. Barlow, J., Lennox, G. D., Ferreira, J., Berenguer, E., Lees, A. C., Mac Nally, R., Thomson, J. R., Ferraz, S. F., Louzada, J., Oliveira, V. H., Parry, L., Solar, R. R., Vieira, I. C., Aragão, L. E., Begotti, R. A., Braga, R. F., Cardoso, T. M., de Oliveira, R. C. Jr., Souza, C. M. Jr., Moura, N. G., Nunes, S. S., Siqueira, J. V., Pardini, R., Silveira, J. M., Vaz-de-Mello, F. Z., Veiga, R. C., Venturieri, A. and Gardner, T. A. (2016). Anthropogenic disturbance in tropical forests can double biodiversity loss from deforestation. Nature, 535 (7610): 144-7. [DOI:10.1038/nature18326] [PMID]
2. Butchart, S. H., Walpole, M., Collen, B., van Strien, A., Scharlemann, J. P., Almond, R. E., Baillie, J. E., Bomhard, B., Brown, C., Bruno, J., Carpenter, K. E., Carr, G. M., Chanson, J., Chenery, A. M., Csirke, J., Davidson, N. C., Dentener, F., Foster, M., Galli, A., Galloway, J. N., Genovesi, P., Gregory, R. D., Hockings, M., Kapos, V., Lamarque, J. F., Leverington, F., Loh, J., McGeoch, M. A., McRae, L., Minasyan, A., Hernández Morcillo, M., Oldfield, T. E., Pauly, D., Quader, S., Revenga, C., Sauer, J. R., Skolnik, B., Spear, D., Stanwell-Smith, D., Stuart, S. N., Symes, A., Tierney, M., Tyrrell, T. D., Vié, J. C. and Watson, R. (2010). Global biodiversity: indicators of recent declines. Science, 328 (5982): 1164-8. [DOI:10.1126/science.1187512] [PMID]
3. DFO-Sarpang and Tsirang. (2022). Draft Biological Corridor 03: Connecting Jigme Singye Wangchuck National Park, Phibsoo Wildlife Sanctuary and Royal Manas National Park Conservation Management Plan (2023-2032). Department of Forests and Park Services, Ministry of Agriculture and Forests, Bhutan. 86 pp.
4. Dhendup, T. and Dorji, R. (2018). Camera-trap records of small carnivores from Gedu Territorial Forest Division, Bhutan. Small Carnivore Conservation, 56: 1-6.
5. Dhendup, T., Thinley, K. and Tenzin, U. (2019). Mammal diversity in a montane forest in central Bhutan. Journal of Threatened Taxa, 11 (13): 14757-14763. [DOI:10.11609/jott.5058.11.13.14757-14763]
6. DoFPS. (2015). Counting the Tigers in Bhutan: Report on the National Tiger Survey of Bhutan 2014-2015. Department of Forests and Park Services, Ministry of Agriculture and Forests, Thimphu, Bhutan. 60 pp.
7. DoFPS. (2020). Depositing of data of the revised protected area systems of Bhutan by Department of Forests and Park Services (DoFPS/NCD/PAS-01/2020-2021/0808, dated 3rd August 2020). Nature Conservation Division, Department of Forests and Park Services, Ministry of Agriculture and Forests, Bhutan. 1 pp.
8. Dorji, D. P. and Santiapillai, C. (1989). The status, distribution and conservation of the tiger (Panthera tigris) in Bhutan. Biological Conservation, 48: 311-319. [DOI:10.1016/0006-3207(89)90105-5]
9. Jones, K. E. and Safi, K. (2011). Ecology and evolution of mammalian biodiversity. Philosophical Transactions of the Royal Society B Biological Science, 366: 2451-2461. [DOI:10.1098/rstb.2011.0090] [PMID] [PMCID]
10. Karanth, K. U. and R. Gopal. (2005). An ecology-based policy framework for human-tiger coexistence in India. Conservation Biology Series-Cambridge, 9: 373. [DOI:10.1017/CBO9780511614774.024]
11. Keesing, F., Belden, L. K., Daszak, P., Dobson, A., Harvell, C. D., Holt, R. D., Hudson, P., Jolles, A., Jones, K. E., Mitchell, C. E., Myers, S. S., Bogich, T. and Ostfeld, R. S. (2010). Impacts of biodiversity on the emergence and transmission of infectious diseases. Nature, 468: 647-652. [DOI:10.1038/nature09575] [PMID] [PMCID]
12. Kunz, T. H., Braun de Torrez, E., Bauer, D., Lobova, T. and Fleming, T. H. (2011). Ecosystem services provided by bats. Annals of the New York Academic of Science, 1223: 1-38. [DOI:10.1111/j.1749-6632.2011.06004.x] [PMID]
13. Mace, G. M. et al. (2005). Biodiversity, In: Hassan, R., Scholes, R. and Ash, N. (Eds.), Ecosystems and human well-being. Volume 1. Millennium Ecosystem Assessment, Washington, DC, pp. 53-98.
14. Menon, V. (2014). The field guide of Mammal of Indian. Manipal Technologies Ltd, Manipal, India. 528 pp.
15. Mittermeier, R. A., Gil, P. R., Hofmann, M., Pilgrims, J., Brooks, T., Mittermeier, C. G., Lamoreux, J. and Da Fonseca, G. A. B. (2004). Hotspots revisited: earth's biologically richest and most endangered terrestrial ecoregions. CEMEX, USA. 391 pp.
16. National Biodiversity Centre. (2017). Biodiversity Statistics of Bhutan: A Preliminary Baseline, National Biodiversity Centre, Ministry of Agriculture and Forests, Thimphu.
17. National Environment Commission [NEC]. (2011). Biodiversity. National Environment Commission, Thimphu, Bhutan. 33 pp.
18. Nature Conservation Division [NCD]. (2004). Bhutan Biological Conservation Complex: A Landscape Conservation Plan: a way forward. Nature Conservation Division, Department of Forests and Park Services, Ministry of Agriculture, Thimphu, Bhutan. 58 pp.
19. Olson, D. M. and Dinerstein, E. (2002). The Global 200: Priority ecoregions for global conservation. Annals of the Missouri Botanical Garden, 89 (2): 199-224. [DOI:10.2307/3298564]
20. Paro Forest Division [PFD]. (2020). Conservation Management Plan for Biological Corridor-01 (Connecting Jigme Dorji National Park (JDNP) and Jigme Khesar Strict Nature Reserve (JKSNR), Paro Forest Division, Department of Forests and Park Services, Ministry of Agriculture and Forests, Bhutan. 97 pp.
21. Penjor, U., MacDonald, D. W., Wangchuck, S., Tandin, T. and Tan, C. K. W. (2018). Identifying important conservation areas for the Clouded Leopard Neofelis nebulosa in a mountainous landscape: Inference from spatial modeling techniques. Ecology and Evolution, 8: 4278-4291. [DOI:10.1002/ece3.3970] [PMID] [PMCID]
22. Penjor, U., Wangdi, S., Tandin, T., David, W. and Macdonald, D. W. (2021). Vulnerability of mammal communities to the combined impacts of anthropic land-use and climate change in the Himalayan conservation landscape of Bhutan. Ecological Indicator, 121: 107085. [DOI:10.1016/j.ecolind.2020.107085]
23. RGoB. (2008). The Constitution of Bhutan. Royal Government of Bhutan, Thimphu, Bhutan. 33 pp.
24. Sanderson, J. and Harris, G. (2013). Automatic data organization, storage, and analysis of camera trap pictures. Journal of Indonesian Natural History, 1 (1): 1-10.
25. Sarpang Forest Division [SFD]. (2016). Zero Poaching: Ensuring Tiger Protection beyond Protected Areas (2016-2018). Divisional Forest Office, Sarpang, Department of Forests and Park Services, Bhutan.
26. Schipper, J. et al. (2008). The status of the World's land and marine mammals: diversity, threat and knowledge. Science, 322: 225-230.
27. Seidensticker, J. (2010). Saving wild tigers: a case study in biodiversity loss and challenges to be met for recovery beyond 2010. Integrative Zoology, 5: 285-299. [DOI:10.1111/j.1749-4877.2010.00214.x] [PMID]
28. Sherpa, M., Wangchuk, S. and Wikramanayake, E. D. (2004). Creating biological corridors for conservation and development: A case study from Bhutan, In: Harmone, D. and Worboys, G. L. (Eds.), Managing Mountain Protected Areas: Challenges and Responses for the 21st Century. Andromeda Editrice, Italy. pp. 128-134.
29. Tempa, T., Hebblewhite, M., Goldberg, J. F., Norbu, N., Wangchuk, T. R., Xiao, W. and Mills, S. L. (2019). The spatial distribution and population density of tigers in mountainous terrain of Bhutan. Biological Conservation, 238: 108192. [DOI:10.1016/j.biocon.2019.07.037]
30. Tenzin, J. and Dhendup, P. (2017). Habitat characteristics, relative abundance and conservation threats of Himalayan Bull frogs (Nanorana leibigii Günther, 1860) in primary tributaries of Simkhar River, Bhutan. Bhutan Journal of Natural Resources and Development, 4: 29-38.
31. Tenzin, J. and Wangyal J. T. (2019). New record of Blue-eyed Eastern Spadefoot Toad Leptobrachium bompu (Amphiia: Megophryidae) from Sarpang District in Bhutan. Journal of Threatened Taxa, 11: 13385-13389. [DOI:10.11609/jott.4134.11.3.13385-13389]
32. Tenzin, J., Dhendup, P., Choki, K., Wangdi, T., Tshering, D., Dorji, D., Bomjan, M., Tenzin, K. and Thinley, P. (2021a). Increase in tiger numbers outside a protected area: the case of Sarpang Forest Division in south-central Bhutan. Catnews, 73: 27-28.
33. Tenzin, J., Dhendup, P., Dorji, D., Nidup, S. and Thinley, P. (2021b). Annotated checklist and conservation status of mammal species in Sarpang District, Bhutan. Indonesian Journal of Social and Environmental Issues, 2 (3): 258-270. [DOI:10.47540/ijsei.v2i3.398]
34. Tenzin, J., Dhendup, T., Dhendup, P, Dorji, T., Choki, K., Wangchuk, S., Dorji, S., Nidup, C. and Dorji, T. (2019). Six felid species occur outside protected areas in south-central Bhutan. Catsnews, 70: 25-27.
35. Thinley, P., Dorji, T., Leki, L., Phuntsho, S., Dorji, N., Phuntshok P., Dorji, P., Lassoie, J. P., Morreale, S. J. and Curtis, P. D. (2015). Estimating Wild tiger (Panthera tigris Linnaeus) abundance and density using a spatially-explicit capture-recapture model in Jigme Dorji National Park, Bhutan. Bhutan Journal of Natural Resources and Development, 2 (1):1-10. [DOI:10.17102/cnr.2015.01]
36. Tshewang, G. and Wangchuk, U. (2019). Conservation management plan for Biological Corridor No. 5 that connects Royal Manas National Park and Jomotsangkha Wildlife Sanctuary (2020-2029), Pemagatshel Forest Division, Department of Forests and Park Services, Thimphu, Bhutan.
37. Wangchuk, T., Thinley, P., Tshering, K., Tshering, C., Yonten, D., Pema, B. and Wangchuk, S. (2004). Field Guide to the Mammals of Bhutan. Department of Forests and Park Services. Ministry of Agriculture, Royal Government of Bhutan. 180 pp.
38. WWF Bhutan. (2021). Biological corridors. Accessed from https://www.wwfbhutan.org.bt/projects_/bhutan_biological_conservation_complex/biological_corridors/#:~:text=Biological%20Corridors%20were%20first%20established,nine%20of%20Bhutan's%20protected%20areas

Add your comments about this article : Your username or Email:
CAPTCHA

Send email to the article author


Rights and permissions
Creative Commons License This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International License.

  | Journal of Animal Diversity

Designed & Developed by : Yektaweb