Important Fauna of Himalaya around Wetland Mukesh Kumar Chalise PhD*

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1 Chalise M. K. (2007). Important fauna of Himalaya around Wetland p Bhandari B.B. & Gea J.J. (Eds.). Himalayan Wetlands: Risk, Challenges and Opportunities. Changwon, Ramsar Wetlands Center, South Korea. Important Fauna of Himalaya around Wetland Mukesh Kumar Chalise PhD* Wetlands are classified according to landscape where they are found. For example they are high altitude wetlands, mountain wetlands. When said high altitude wetlands, they are lakes, ponds, rivers, glaciers, glacial lakes, meadows, etc. in high altitude areas. Bhandari (2005) has defined "High Altitude Wetlands are those types of wetlands which are found above the elevation of 3,000 masl". They are generally above the tree line. Wetland by Types in Nepal According to faunal diversity Wetland in Nepal may be classified into five categories with their own characteristics (Shrestha 1994). 1. Trans Himalayan wetlands: deep water lakes, alpine lakes, and rivers capture lakes such as Rara, Tilicho, Phoksindo, Gosainkunda, etc. 2. Midland-mountain wetlands: relatively shallow lakes such as Phewa, Begnas, Nagpokhari, Taudaha, Mai Pokhari, etc 3. Lowland tropical wetlands: seasonally flooded riverine floodplains including bordering forest areas such as swamps, bogs and river flooded areas such as Beeshhajari Tal, etc, 4. Managed wetlands: ponds, rice fields, bogs, fisheries ponds 5. Artificial wetlands: manmade water bodies such as reservoir, irrigation canal, ponds etc. Mountain fauna The fauna in the mountain and near the wetland would bears probably double characteristics and adaptation. They have to accommodate on one hand adversely and abruptly changing weather and climatic conditions and on the other adapt to constantly humidity. The harsh climate, regular and irregular terrain and low atmospheric pressure obviously required certain physiological and morphological development within animals for their successful adaptation. To save their existence from extreme climatic change and other atmospheric factors the animals have the power of adaptive characteristics such as locomotion, hibernation, moulting, color change, burrowing and seasonal migration. They also have developed more or less rounded body, growth of *Central Department of Zoology, TU, Kirtipur, Kathmandu, Nepal. 52

2 thick and long fur, insulating subcutaneous fat layer, short ear and strong legs with strong hoof or sole. Therefore, vast areas of mountain ranges are devoid of larger size animals compare to their plain areas. However, the worlds highest, steepest and youngest mountain range such as the Himalaya possesses almost one third of the larger mammalian species that could be called true mountain species (Singh 1985, Shrestha, 1997, Chalise 2004, Table 1). Table 1: List of some known Mammals of the Himalayan range Civet 1. Common palm civet 2. Large Indian civet (Viverra zibetha) (Paradoxurus hermaphrodities) 3. Spotted Linsang (Prionodon pardicolor) 4. Himalayan palm civet (Paguma larvata) Pandas 1. Giant Panda (Ailuropoda 2. Red Panda (Ailurus fulgens) melanoleuca) Goat 1. Himalayan wild goat (Capra 2. Ibex (Capra ibex) hircus) 3. Markhor (Capra falconeri) 4. Himalayan thar (Hemitragus jemlahicus) 5. Ghoral (Nemorhaedus goral) 6. Serow (Capricornis sumatrensis) 7. Takin (Budorcas taxicolor) Sheep 1. MarcoPolo Sheep (Ovis ammon 2. Shapu (Ovis orientalis) polii) 3. Nayan (Ovis ammon hodgsoni) 4. Bharal (Pseudois nayaur) Deer 1. Kashmir stag (Cervus elephus 2. Thamin (Cervus eldi) hanglu) 3. Sambhar (Cervus unicolor)* 4. Musk deer (Moschus moschiferus) 5. Musk deer (Moschus 6. Chevrotain (Ragulus meminna) chrysogaster) 7. Barking deer (Muntiacus muntjak)* Antelope 1. Tibetan antelope (Pantholops 2. Chinkara (gazelle gazella) hodgsoni) Cat 1. Snow leopard (Uncia uncia) 2. Clouded leopard (Neofelis nebulosa) 3. Golden cat (Felis temmincki) 4. Leopard cat (Felis bengalensis) 5. Pallas cat (Felis manul)- little 6. Jungle cat (Felis chaus) known 7. Fishing cat (Felis viverrina)* 8. The Lynx (Felis lynx) Dog 1. Jackal (Canis aureus) 2. Red fox (Vulpes vulpes) 3. The wolf (Canis lupes) 4. The Dhole (Cuon alpinus) Horse 1. Wild ass (Equus hemianus kiang)* 2. Wild horse (Equus sp.) Wild Yak 1. Bos grunnies 53

3 Bears 1. Himalayan Black Bear 2. Brown Bear (Ursus arctos) (Selanarctos thibetanus) Monkeys 1. Tibetan Monkey (Macaca thibetana) 2. Assamese monkey (Macaca assamensis) 3. Himalayan Langur (Semnopithecus ajax) 4. Hoolock Gibbon (Hylobates hoolock) Note: * not real Himalayan Protected by Nepal Government Law Yak (Bos grunnies) is the largest animal found in the Himalaya. The small mammals: Himalayan yellow throated martens (Martes flavigula), Himalayan weasel (Mustela siberica), Badger (Melogale sp.), Himalayan leaf-nose bat (Hipposideros armiger), Flying squirrel (Hylopetess fimbriatus), Himalayan mouse hare (Ochotona roylei). Many bird species, pheasants, migratory ducks and cranes are temporary inhabitant of mountains. Hill stream and snow fishes, amphibians and reptiles are also found. Up to 5000m insects are commonly found. Jumping spider at the north of Everest and dark glacier fleas at 19,000ft are unique. Fauna around Wetland in Nepal The biodiversity in and around wetland areas are unique by their presence. However, the diversity falls on two basic categories which include a) gill breathing animals and b) lung breathing animals. Again by their water dependant life style they are broadly grouped into three forms, a) Adaptation in water (Aquatic fauna), b) nearby wetland dwellers (Hydrophilic fauna), c) Moist/Humidity dependent fauna. Such possessions have happened due to their physiological development and habitat preference. Aquatic Animals Fishes, insects and lower organisms are the basic component of aquatic animal life. Either they have developed primary characteristics adapted to water life such as gills and swim bladder development, body contour modification, locomotion by fins or flapper or web and or able to accommodate on low amount of dissolve oxygen they need to survive. The Dolphin, wetland birds, Crocodiles, and Frogs are totally dependent on water as water is their habitat. They depend on wetlands for the food, social gathering and use the habitat as anti-predatory option to protect themselves from predators. They have also developed accordingly and some are bigger than terrestrial animal in size. However, in higher altitude no large animals are found in Nepal. 54

4 The dytiscid beetle, mayfly, and caddis fly larvae are well represented aquatic arthropods in high altitude. Water shrimp (Gammarus), snail (Limnea), and ram's horn (Planorbis) are abundant. There are some cases of snow trout such as Schizothorax nipalensis, Schizothorax macrophalamus, Schizothorax rarensis, sucker head (Garra), and stone-loach (Noemacheilus). Among amphibians, the Himalayan toad (Bufo himalayanus) is best represented in high altitude wetland. Himalayan newt (Tylototriton verrucosus) of Maipokhari Ilam seems important for species conservation as it is less known from other parts of Nepal. Wetland birds that are found in highland wetland area include Bar- headed Goose (Anser indicus) Ruddy Shelduck (Tadorna ferruginea), Common teal (Anas crecca) and mallard are represented for highland wet areas. In the Gosainkunda area of the Langtang Himalaya some reported birds are also such as Tufted duck (Aythya fuligula), Common merganser (Mergus merganser), Northern pintail (Anas acuta), Brown Dipper (Cinclus pallasii) and small resident birds such as White-capped Water Redstart (Chaimarrornis leucocephalus) and Plumbeous Water Redstart (Rhyacornis fuliginosus) are also found along the river. Smooth otter is a well represented mammal while Himalayan Water shrew (Chimarrogale himalayica), Tibetan Water shrew (Nectigale elegans), Water shrew, Sikkim vole (Pitymys sikimensis) are also common in the high mountain area (Shrestha, 1994 in Bhandari et al 1994). Otter are also found in the area where fishes are not recorded (Kyes and Chalise, 2005; Chalise pers. obs, 2007). Nearby Wetland dwellers The animals that are for one or more reasons dependent on water bodies include, insects, fishes, Herpetofauna, resident birds, migratory birds, as well as mammals. Smooth Indian Otter, Common Otter, small clawed otter, Crab Eating Mongoose, fishing cat, Pika (Ochotona royle), weasels and yellow throated martin are recorded around the rocky shrub land near the river system. The high altitude wetland or riverine area provide good habitat for Rock pigeon (Columba livia), Snow pigeon (Columba leuconotaare) common around the rocky areas of high altitude near the rivers. The otter, Pika (Ochotona royle), weasels and martin are recorded around the shrub near the river system in Langtang. Kyanzing and Gosainkunda area are the home of large number of pika species. Similarly, the lower area of Gosaikunda provides the marginal habitat of musk deer and red panda and the northern slope of area provides plenty of signs and symptoms of Himalayan thar (Hemitrages jemlahicus), musk deer (Moscus chrysogaster) and snow leopard. Himalayan Thar and Musk deer is the animal around Langtang Khola area and its bank habitat. Similarly, Himalayan Langur (Semnopithecus ajax), Serow (Capricornis 55

5 sumatraensis), Barking deer and wild rats are observed in the nearby forest of the Langtang Khola (Chalise pers. obs, 2007). Moist / Humidity Dependent Animals The animals that are found in moist and humid microhabitat are included in this category. Generally in the shady part of the upland or moist part of the plain they prefer to spend the large amount of their time. The Barking Deer, Hog Deer, Wild boar, Sambhar, Monkeys, Rodents, Herpetofauna, Insects, and some other Herbivores, Carnivores could be included in this category due to their presence near the wetland and associated areas. The humid area loving or dependent faunas are many in number. The moist area provide good habitat as it possess forested areas. The fauna ranges from Himalayan honey bee (Apis cerena) to Assamese monkey (Macaca assamensis) to snake. The wild bee always has its hive at the rocky slope in a bank of river. The primate species Assamese and Langur are also dwellers of riverside forest area as it provide succulent herbs and other food items including insect larva (Chalise 2003). The barking deer is the beauty of mountain terrain forest along the riverside. Different bird species such as Himalayan monal (Lophophorus impejanus), Blyth s pipit (Anthus godlewskii), Eurasian Crag martin (Hirundo rupestric), Crimson-browed Finch (Propyrrhula subhimachala), Blue whistling thrush (Myophonus caeruleus) and White-browed Rose finch (Carpodacus thura) are common around the wetland in high altitude. Recommendations The following recommendations are on the basis of importance and availability of wild fauna in and around the wetlands of Nepal. 1. Identification of high altitude wetland of Nepal The wetlands are identified for different purposes. However, high altitude wetlands important for the fauna should be identified along with their vulnerability topographical location. 2. Identification of wetland associated zones and periphery The wild animals and biodiversity are not confined in aquatic places only. Most of the important species exist in wetlands and their periphery areas. Therefore, scientific study and identification of such areas are major concern for the initiation of any work at high altitude area. 3. Inventory on Biodiversity of Wetland and associated areas 56

6 Establishing the inventory and database of high altitude wetland fauna need to be initiated immediately. Presently information about wetland is available but not on fauna of high altitude wetlands. So, information is generally taken from lowland areas. A separate information bank of high altitude wetland fauna is of urgently required. 4. Site specific recommendation for conservation and sustainable use Wetland biodiversity is a great asset for high altitude areas of Nepal. They are the part of human livelihood and natural ecosystem. The site specific conservation management plan and method of sustainable use should be explored and recommended. Conclusion High altitude wetlands of Nepal are the source of aquatic system for whole country. The areas are important for altitudinal adapted fauna as well as for migratory birds as a resting ground. Due to Nepal's unique position its highland possess unique biodiversity and much more can be expected in wetlands of such areas. Reference: Bhandari, Bishnu B High altitude wetlands of Nepal: views and reviews on conservation. The proceedings of the national workshop on High altitude wetlands of Nepal, Kath FEM. Bhandari, Bishnu, T.B.Shrestha and John McEachern (Eds) Safeguarding wetlands of Nepal. Proceedings of the national workshop on wetlands management in Nepal, 3-5 March Kathmandu IUCN Nepal CBS Environment statistics of Nepal. CBS publication. Central Bureau of Statistics, National Planning Commission Secretariat, Government of Nepal. Chalise, M. K. (2003). Assamese Monkeys (Macaca assamensis) in Nepal. Primate Conservation. No. 19: The Journal of the IUCN/SSC Primate Specialist Group, Conservation International, USA. Chalise M.K Nepal's Wildlife Part 3 (In Nepali vernacular). Natural History Society of Nepal, Kathmandu, Nepal, p

7 Kyes, R. C. and Chalise, M. K A final report of Assessment of the snow leopard in Langtang National Park, Nepal, ISLT, Seatle, USA. Singh J. S Environment regeneration in Himalaya (Concept and Strategies) (eds). The Central Himalayan Environment Association and Gyanodaya Prakashan Nainital, India. Shrestha, T.K Wetland fauna in Nepal. In: Bhandari, et al (Eds) Safeguarding wetlands of Nepal. Proceedings of the national workshop on wetlands management in Nepal, 3-5 March Kathmandu IUCN Nepal Shrestha, T.K Mammals of Nepal. Bimala Shrestha, Kathmandu Nepal. Shrestha, T.B Historical importance of ponds in Nepal. In wetland and culture, The proceedings of the seminar on cultureal aspects of Nepal's wetlands edited by Bishnu B. Bhandari, Kathmandu, FEM. --//-- 58