Duration of the Project : One Year
Project Carried Out By :
Nature Environment & Wildlife Society in collaboration with Wildlife Wing, Forest Department, West Bengal
Funded By :
Wildlife Wing, Forest Department, West Bengal
Introduction:
Mahananda Wildlife Sanctuary situated in Terai region of Darjeeling District of West Bengal, has one of the richest heritage of wild flora & fauna. A lot of developmental activities around the sanctuary & in the nearby Siliguri town had led to increased biotic pressure in some parts of the sanctuary, specially in its southern & western fringes. The proposed survey is expected to generate a reasonably exhaustive information-base for the Sanctuary, with respect to its floral & faunal wealth, which will be helpful in analising, the results of past management and provide direction for future management of the wildlife in the Sanctuary.
Objectives:
Floral Survey: Floral Survey of the Sanctuary will be carried out to identify mainly the major tree; shrub and herb species occurring in the region.
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Faunal Survey : Faunal Survey will be carried out to identify major vertebrate species occurring within the Sanctuary. Particular emphasis will be given to study the mammalian and avifaunal of the region.
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Water Parameters : The dissolved oxygen, free carbon-di oxide, Ph value, acidity, alkalinity and hardness of the principal water bodies within the Sanctuary will be deter mined.
Faunal Survey:
The recording of faunal species has been made on:
a) Visual sighting
b) Indirect evidence, such as:
calls, analysis of dropping, foot prints, etc.
Whenever possible, attempts have been made to keep photographic evidences of the occurrence of any animal species within the sanctuary.
• 32 species of mammals are sighted during the survey.
• 253 species of birds are sighted during the survey.
• 29 species of butterflies & Moths are sighted during the survey.
• 6 species of amphibians are sighted during the survey.
• 8 species of reptiles are sighted during the survey.
Floral Survey:
• 39 species of trees are sighted during the survey.
• 55 species of herbs are sighted during the survey.
• 54 species of shrubs are sighted during the survey.
• 22 species of climbers are sighted during the survey.
