Pani Dihing Wildlife Sanctuary

Pani-Dihing Bird Sanctuary (Assamese: পানী দিহিং অভয়াৰণ্য) is a 33.93-square-kilometre (13.10 sq mi) bird sanctuary located in Sivasagar district, Assam. It is 22 km (14 mi) away from Sivasagar town.[2] This protected area was established as a Bird Sanctuary in August 1996 by the Government of Assam.[3] It was identified as a potential bird sanctuary in late 1980s. The first systematic ornithological surveys in the area was conducted by noted conservationist Dr Anwaruddin Choudhury in 1987-88.[4] Pani-Dihing is a complex of grassland and wetland. Some of the wetlands including channels or beels include Tokia, Jarjaria, Boloma, Dighali, Singorajan, Sagunpora, Kandhulijan, Fulai and Gaiguma. A detailed background of Pani-Dihing has also been published.[5] Pani-Dihing and adjacent areas is on the global map being an Important Bird & Biodiversity Area [6]

Pani-Dihing Bird Sanctuary
Map showing the location of Pani-Dihing Bird Sanctuary
Map showing the location of Pani-Dihing Bird Sanctuary
Location of Pani-Dihing Bird Sanctuary in Assam
LocationSivasagar district, Assam, India
Nearest citySivasagar
Coordinates27°7′19″N 94°35′47″E[1]
Area33.93 km2 (13.10 sq mi)
Established1996
Governing bodyDepartment of Environment & Forests, Assam

Climate

The climate of the area is tropical monsoon and annual temperature ranges between 7-38 degree Celsius annually. Annual rainfall is approximately 2400–3200 mm with a relative humidity of 65-85 %.

Rivers

The sanctuary is bordered by the Brahmaputra and the Disang rivers in the north west and south respectively.[3]

Fauna

As many as 267 species of birds including 70 species of migratory birds have been identified and recorded at Pani Dihing.[7] Some notable birds seen here are bar-headed goose, greylag goose, Indian spot-billed duck, mallard, gadwall, wigeon, garganey, shoveller, red-crested pochard, common pochard, ferruginous duck, greater adjutant stork, lesser adjutant stork, open-bill stork, white-necked stork, glossy ibis, grey plover, Himalayan griffon and white-rumped vulture[8] Assam's first record of bank myna was from Pani-Dihing.[9] Among mammals, there were past records of great Indian one-horned rhinoceros and tiger. Wild elephants, hog deer, rhesus monkey and otters[10]

Threats

Although an important birding area supporting a very large population of birds, Pani-Dihing has suffered on account of poaching, grazing of cattle and fishing within the sanctuary premises.[7][11]

See also

References
  1. "Pani-Dihing Bird Sanctuary". Wikimapia.org. Retrieved 19 June 2013.
  2. "Department of Environment & Forests (Government of Assam)". online.assam.gov.in. Archived from the original on 8 July 2013. Retrieved 19 June 2013.
  3. "Panidihing–A Paradise of Birds North east diary". Yojana. August 2013. Retrieved 9 August 2013.
  4. "Choudhury, A.U. (1988). Some rare ornithological records from Sibsagar, Assam". Cheetal 29(2): 3–9.
  5. Choudhury, A.U. (2003). My days in Pani-Dihing and other Sivasagar wetlands. Pakhitirtha (Souvenir- Bird Festival). Pp. 14–18
  6. Rahmani et al. (2016) Important Bird and Biodiversity Areas of India. Vol. I. Bombay Natural History Society, Mumbai and BirdLife International (UK)
  7. "Plan to rid reserve of cattle, poachers". The Telegraph. 28 September 2010. Archived from the original on 5 October 2010. Retrieved 9 August 2013.
  8. "Choudhury, A.U. 1991. Bird observations from Sibsagar district, Assam, India". Forktail. 6: 35–42.
  9. Choudhury, A.U. (2000). The birds of Assam. Gibbon Books & WWF-India, Guwahati. Pp. 240.
  10. Choudhury, A.U. (2013). The mammals of North East India. Gibbon Books & Rhino Foundation with support from COA, Taiwan. Pp. 432.
  11. "Beastly tales from Panidihing - Poachers, villagers poison birds in Sivasagar sanctuary for meat". The Telegraph. 6 November 2002. Archived from the original on 29 October 2013. Retrieved 9 August 2013.


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