GALLIFORMES AND THEIR CONSERVATION ISSUES IN MIZORAM, NORTH EAST INDIA

Abstract

Galliformes, commonly referred to as ‘gallinaceous birds’ or ‘game birds’, is a large and diverse group of birds that comprises of 70 genera and 284 species, while 45 species of galliformes are known from India. Meanwhile proper record of Galliformes is not available in the state of Mizoram. Therefore a preliminary survey on galliformes was conducted from September 2012 - December 2013 in Mizoram with the aim to provide reliable information on their diversity, distribution range and their conservation issues in the tropical hilly state. The state of Mizoram, located in northeast India, is sandwiched by two international borders, viz. Bangladesh from the west and Myanmar from the east and south. It lies in the Indo-Myanmar Biodiversity Hotspot Area. In order to know the species composition and distribution, information was collected by field survey at important protected areas and secondary information from 245 villages covering all the eight districts. Analysis of secondary information and field survey data indicated that 10 species of Galliformes are present in Mizoram. Out of these, 6 species are Pheasants and other 4 species of Partridge. Among them are one endangered species (Pavo muticus), one vulnerable species (Tragopan blythii) and two near-threatened species (Syrmaticus humiae and Arborophila atrogularis). The four threatened species of Galliformes are patchily distributed in the higher altitudinal region on the eastern side of the state, bordering Myanmar. The other lower risk categories (Arborophila rufogularis, Arborophila torqueola, Bambusicola fytchii, Lophura leucomelanos, Polyplectron bicalcaratum and Gallus gallus) are found to be common and sparsely distributed all through the state. Anthropogenic pressures like habitat destruction due to shifting cultivation, logging, forest fire, deforestation, poaching and hunting, extraction of forest resources, tourism activities and lack of awareness are the main cause of rapid decline in galliformes population in Mizoram. Thereby appropriate conservation measures are discussed.