In recent news, tigers have been found inhabiting the Barnadi Wildlife Sanctuary (BWS) in Assam by the World Wide Fund for Nature-India (WWF). BWS, one of the smallest wildlife sanctuaries in Assam, covers an area of only 26.22 square kilometers.
Key Information about Barnadi Wildlife Sanctuary
Barnadi Wildlife Sanctuary is situated in northern Assam’s Baksa and Udalguri districts bordering Bhutan. This sanctuary is surrounded by the Barnadi and Nalapara rivers on its west and east respectively. The Assam Government affirmed it as a Wildlife Sanctuary back in 1980. It was specifically established to protect two species: the Pygmy Hog (Sus salvanius) and Hispid Hare (Caprolagus hispidus).
Biodiversity in Barnadi Wildlife Sanctuary
The sanctuary plays host to many threatened species including the Asian Elephant (Elephas maximus), Tiger (Panthera tigris), and Gaur Bos frontalis. Notably, around 60% of the BWS is comprised of grassland, with most of it now being considered as grassy woodland. The main forest types include Tropical Moist Deciduous lining the northern edge of the sanctuary, and a mixture of scrub and grassland in the southern part with few trees.
Vegetation Alterations
Human activity has drastically transformed the vegetation in this area, leading to the clearance of most natural vegetation, which has been replaced by commercial plantations of Bombax ceiba, Tectona grandis, and Eucalyptus, as well as thatch grasses, primarily Saccharum, with some Phragmites and Themeda.
Protected Areas in Assam
Apart from Barnadi Wildlife Sanctuary, Assam is home to several other protected areas including Dibru-Saikhowa National Park, Manas National Park, Nameri National Park, Rajiv Gandhi Orang National Park, and the famous Kaziranga National Park.
About the Hispid Hare or Assam Rabbit (Caprolagus hispidus)
This creature resides in the southern foothills of the central Himalayas and populates tracts of early successional tall grasslands, also known as elephant grass. With the onset of the dry season, most grassy areas are subjected to burning, leading the rabbits to seek refuge in marshy areas or grasses adjacent to river banks that are fire-resistant.
Threats and Protections for Hispid Hare
The habitat of the hispid hare has become highly fragmented due to escalating agriculture, flood control, and human development activities. The natural process of succession of grassland into woodlands further reduces suitable habitat for these creatures. However, to protect these endangered species, they have been listed under Appendix I of CITES, Schedule I of Wildlife Protection Act of 1972, and as Endangered on the IUCN Red List.
