An Important Bird and Biodiversity Area ( IBA ) is an area identified using an internationally agreed set of criteria as being globally important for the conservation of bird populations.
22-655: The Grizzled Squirrel Wildlife Sanctuary ( GSWS ), also known as Srivilliputhur Wildlife Sanctuary , was established in 1988 to protect the Near threatened grizzled giant squirrel ( Ratufa macroura ). Occupying an area of 485.2 km, it is bordered on the southwest by the Periyar Tiger Reserve and is one of the best preserved forests south of the Palghat Gap . The sanctuary covers 485 km (187 sq mi) in western Tamil Nadu , South India in
44-491: A Medicinal Plant Conservation Area at Thaniparai. 69 plant species belonging to 58 taxa and 42 families are used by the Paliyan tribal people, living in the sanctuary, to treat 15 ailments. The conservation problems affecting the sanctuary are human-elephant conflict, human encroachment, cattle grazing and forest fire. Within the sanctuary, there are 7 to 10 temples which attract thousands of pilgrims every year. Water scarcity
66-625: A group of 30 lion-tailed macaques were sighted during the annual census, but in the 2009 census more than 45 lion-tailed macaques, including a sizeable number of young macaques, were sighted in a single group between Nagariyar and Periyakavu patch. Nilgiri Tahr have been sighted in the entire division starting from Kottamala in Rajapalayam to Perumal Malai in Sathuragiri Hills near Sundara Mahalingam temple in Saptoor. A tiger
88-481: A population of a species categorized by the IUCN Red List as Critically Endangered , Endangered or Vulnerable . In general, the regular presence of a Critical or Endangered species, irrespective of population size, at a site may be sufficient for a site to qualify as an IBA. For Vulnerable species, the presence of more than threshold numbers at a site is necessary to trigger selection. The site forms one of
110-429: A set selected to ensure that all restricted-range species of an Endemic Bird Area (EBA) or a Secondary Area (SA) are present in significant numbers in at least one site and preferably more. The site forms one of a set selected to ensure adequate representation of all species restricted to a given biome, both across the biome as a whole and for all of its species in each range state. The assessment by expert individuals
132-489: Is a major problem during dry season due to lack of perennial water source. Measures have been taken to conserve the wildlife in the sanctuary. The entry of cattle into the sanctuary is prevented, particularly in Kottamalai and Watrap. Leases for collection of fruits and minor forest produce have been stopped to increase the food sources. Tree planting, soil conservation and water harvesting have been undertaken to improve
154-618: Is completely lacking. In 1985, following a specific request from the European Economic Community , Birdlife International drew up a list of sites to be protected as a matter of priority. In 1989, a repertoire of IBAs of Europe was released. At first the official name of this type of site was Important Bird Area , hence the acronym IBA, then at the BirdLife World Congress held in Canada in 2014 it
176-851: The Periyar , Naragaiar, Pachaiar, Mangar, Kovilar and Pairakudraiar rivers. The underlying rock throughout the area is granitoid gneiss formation. The lowest altitudes have a mixture of quartz and quartzite . In addition to grizzled giant squirrels, other animals seen here are Bengal tiger , bonnet macaque , common langur , elephants , flying squirrels , gaur , Indian giant squirrel , leopard , lion-tailed macaques , mouse deer , Nilgiri langur , Nilgiri Tahrs , palm civets , porcupine , sambar , slender loris , sloth bear , spotted deer , tree shrews , wild boar and wild cats . Resident and migrating elephants are common. The wildlife census in 2002 counted 156 elephants. There were more grizzled giant squirrels sighted in 2009 than in 2008. In 2008,
198-563: The Sivagiri Reserved Forest of Tirunelveli Forest Division. The elevation ranges from 100 m (330 ft) in the plains and rises to the highest peak, Kottamala , at 2,019 m (6,624 ft). Average annual rainfall is 849.1 mm (33.43 in) and varies between 800 and 2,300 mm (31 and 91 in) in different areas of the sanctuary. Water sources for the sanctuary are the Kallar and Mullaperiyar Dams and
220-529: The long-billed vulture , vulnerable species Nilgiri wood-pigeon , broad-tailed grass warbler , red-faced malkoha and the white-bellied shortwing ( Brachypteryx major ) and near threatened species like the great pied hornbill , Nilgiri pipit , black-and-orange flycatcher and the Nilgiri flycatcher . The Malayan night heron is of lesser concern. The primary raptors here are the serpent eagle , hawks and black eagle . A bird survey in 2013 observed in
242-464: The IUCN used the version 2.3 Categories and Criteria to assign conservation status , which included a separate category for conservation-dependent species ("Conservation Dependent", LR/cd). With this category system, Near Threatened and Conservation Dependent were both subcategories of the category "Lower Risk". Taxa which were last evaluated before 2001 may retain their LR/cd or LR/nt status, although had
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#1732780411129264-405: The category been assigned with the same information today the species would be designated simply "Near Threatened (NT)" in either case. Important Bird Area IBA was developed and sites are identified by BirdLife International . There are over 13,000 IBAs worldwide. These sites are small enough to be entirely conserved and differ in their character, habitat or ornithological importance from
286-639: The eastern water-shed of the Western Ghats and consists of high hills and valleys, with a number of peaks reaching up to 2,019 m (6,624 ft). The Grizzled Squirrel Wildlife Sanctuary is located from 9° 21' to 9° 48' N and 77°21' to 77°46' E. The sanctuary lies mostly in Virudhunagar district especially in Srivilliputtur and partly in Madurai district . The sanctuary is bounded to
308-422: The habitat. The possibility of an elephant corridor could be studied by tracking elephants using radio collars . The sanctuary is 45 km away from Virudhunagar town and about 75–80 km away from Madurai city. Srivilliputtur railway station is situated 5 km way from the sanctuary. Forest rest houses are available at Mudungiar , Pudupatti and Mudaliaroothu . There are many private lodges near
330-516: The near future, but it does not currently qualify for the threatened status. The IUCN notes the importance of reevaluating near-threatened taxa at appropriate intervals. The rationale used for near-threatened taxa usually includes the criteria of vulnerable which are plausible or nearly met, such as reduction in numbers or range. Those designated since 2001 that depend on conservation efforts to not become threatened are no longer separately considered conservation-dependent species . Before 2001,
352-542: The north by the Andipatti hills, south by Tirunelveli District , east by Srivilliputhur and Rajapalayam towns and west by Theni town and Theni District . It is the eastern boundary of the Periyar river watershed. This sanctuary is contiguous to Periyar Tiger Reserve on the south western side and the Megamalai Reserve Forest on the north western side and Its southern limit is contiguous with
374-579: The sanctuary including many rare and endemic species. Some of the rare butterflies spotted here include Evershed's ace , silver royal , orange awlet , and Hampson's hedge blue . The sanctuary is a mix of tropical evergreen forests and East Deccan dry evergreen forestss of 69.32 km (26.76 sq mi), dry deciduous forests and South Western Ghats moist deciduous forests of 51.66 km (19.95 sq mi)), grassland of 152.18 km (58.76 sq mi) and cultivated land of 121.07 km (46.75 sq mi). The sanctuary includes
396-869: The sanctuary rare endemic species including Sri Lankan frogmouth , mountain and rufous-bellied hawk-eagles , great Indian and Malabar pied hornbills , mountain and green imperial pigeons which are all species found only in the higher altitudes of Western Ghats. Some of the rare migratory birds spotted included the steppe eagle , Eurasian sparrowhawk and bluecapped rockthrush . The sanctuary has numerous reptiles including king cobras , Indian rock python and many endemic species namely pit vipers , ornate flying snake , Draco or gliding lizard, large-scaled calotes and Monilesaurus ellioti and amphibians including endemic ones like Micrixalus , Indirana , Nyctibatrachus , Ramanella , Rhacophorus malabaricus , Raorchestes and Pseudophilautus . There are over 220 species of butterflies documented in
418-506: The sanctuary. There are no roads inside the sanctuary and hence visitors must cover it on foot. Guides are available on request from the sanctuary office to accompany tourists on treks. Near-threatened species A near-threatened species is a species which has been categorized as " Near Threatened " ( NT ) by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) as that may be vulnerable to endangerment in
440-578: The surrounding habitat. In the United States the program is administered by the National Audubon Society . Often IBAs form part of a country's existing protected area network, and so are protected under national legislation. Legal recognition and protection of IBAs that are not within existing protected areas varies within different countries. Some countries have a National IBA Conservation Strategy, whereas in others protection
462-492: Was also seen in Sathuragiri during the 2009 census. In recent years there has been a significant increase in the population of the tahrs with the census in 2011 putting their numbers at 220 individuals. Recognised as an Important Bird Area , over 275 species of birds are seen in this sanctuary including 14 species of birds endemic to the Western Ghats , such as the critically endangered Oriental white-backed vulture and
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#1732780411129484-408: Was decided to adopt the name Important Bird and Biodiversity Area , without changing the acronym. IBAs are determined by an internationally agreed set of criteria. Specific IBA thresholds are set by regional and national governing organizations. To be listed as an IBA, a site must satisfy at least one of the following rating criteria: The site qualifies if it is known, estimated or thought to hold
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