Status of the Red Listed Western Tragopan (Tragopan melanocephalus) in Azad Jammu & Kashmir, Pakistan. Final Report (OBC Grant, P1010)

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1 Status of the Red Listed Western Tragopan (Tragopan melanocephalus) in Azad Jammu & Kashmir, Pakistan. Final Report (OBC Grant, P1010) By: Muhammad Naeem Awan Sponsor

2 Suggested Citation: Awan, M. N., Status of the Red Listed Western Tragopan (Tragopan melanocephalus) in Azad Jammu & Kashmir, Pakistan Final Progress Report submitted to Oriental Bird Club, UK. Pp.12. A view of Katha Peeran a newly explored site of Western Tragopan in AJ&K.

3 PROJECT SUMMARY Western Tragopan (Tragopan melanocephalus) is currently listed as Vulnerable (BirdLife International, 2013) and Azad Jammu & Kashmir (Pakistan) is believed to still hold more important population pockets in other parts of the state. Current project was continuation of efforts to establish the status and distribution of Western Tragopan in AJ&K using the call count technique along with assessment of different threats through a questionnaire survey. Surveys were conducted on the plots between 44 to 56 to collect the information. Current surveys explored katha Peeran another major site holding Tragopan population with 5.10 males/km 2 of the surveyed area whereas Jura is explored for the first time with 2.38 males/km 2 only. All the surveys sites are facing anthropogenic pressures and protection of sites has been recommended to help protect the species and its habitat.

4 Acknowledgment I am really thankful to Mr. James Goodhart and the Oriental Birds Club for granting me the donation of GBP1500 to continue the surveys and exploring the further sites holding Tragopan population. My special thanks are due to Mr. Francis Buner for his continued guidance throughout the project period and to further help analyze the data to understand the current status of the species in Azad Kashmir. Thanks are also due to Officials and field staff of the Wildlife department of Azad Jammu & Kashmir, for all the support they provided during the field work. Thanks are also to Neville Kingdon from Game and Wildlife Conservation Trust for helping in developing the distribution map of the species currently used in the report.

5 PROJECT SPECIES AND AREA The Western Tragopan (Tragopan melanocephalus) is currently listed as Vulnerable (BirdLife International, 2013) due to a number of threats throughout its range including ongoing habitat loss and degradation subsistence firewood through farming, collecting, overgrazing of the understory vegetation by livestock, and unregulated non-timber forest product collection, hunting and trapping (Whale, 1996; BirdLife International, 2013). Islam (1982) estimated the species abundance in three main Figure 1. Tragopan potential Distribution map with 2014 survey plots regions of AJK (i.e. Machiara National Park, Salkhala GR, Jagran valley). Current Potential distribution of Western Tragopan with surveyed and unsurveyed plots has been marked after collection of information from Wildlife field staff, locals and hunters and has been plotted in the form of distribution map (Fig. 1). Recently the species status was estimated in four of these areas (Machiara, Salkhala, Jagran and Pir-Chiansi/Pir- Hasimar ). Awan and Buner (2010) identified nine important calling sites (plot,1-9) in Machiara National Park, based on the information collected from hunters and locals and

6 a total of 22 calling males were recorded from Machiara National Park. The further survey for the species was conducted in the Salkhala Game Reserve in 2010, which recorded a total of 13 calling males from six survey plots (plot,10-15) (Awan, 2010). Recently more surveys has been conducted in Jagran valley (plot,16-27) and Pir- Chinasi/Pir-Hasimar zone (plot,28-38) to confirm the presence/absence of the species. The project area (plot.44-56) is found in Neelum Valley of Azad Kashmir supports a good habitat for Western Tragopan, but information about the distribution, population status and threats to the species remains unknown. The successful planning for the conservation of Western Tragopan requires a baseline study showing presence/absence for a complete analysis of its current status, threats and key site for Conservation. Along with presence/absence and status survey anthropogenic pressure data was also collected to assess impact on the breeding habitat of Western Tragopan. Objectives To confirm presence/ absence of Western Tragopan on identified survey plots To estimate the abundance of the specie on the selected survey plots. To ascertain the impact of hunting on Pheasants, especially Western Tragopan. To build capacity of Wildlife Department staff to conduct pheasants surveys.

7 Results Presence/absence and abundance estimates Following Awan and Buner (2014) and Awan (2013), in total 13 plots (44-56) were selected for 2014 surveys. These plots were selected from three valleys i.e. Katha Peeran (Site I), around Salkhala (Site C) and Jura (site J) (Fig.1. Table.1.). Gaston s (1980) dawn call count was used to estimate the presence /absence and abundance of the species. Tragopan has been confirmed at 8 plots out of 13 (Table.1). In total 16 calling males were recorded from all the 13 plots. Survey recorded 10 calling males from Katha Peeran, 4 from around Salkhala whereas 2 males were recorded from Jura (Table.1). Table -1. Western Tragopan presence/absence and abundance estimates Area/location Date Coordinates Local name I 44 May May May May June June June 03 Number of birds recorded Katha Peeran 'N, 'E Jandrai 2 M 'N, 'E Doga 1 M 'N, 'E Bungus 2 M 'N, 'E Kala Burz 3 M 'N, 'E Choorian 2 M 'N, 'E Jabri Nil 'N, 'E Cill Nil Comments Low disturbance, comparatively less pastoral migration, least populated as compared to Jagran valley, habitat intact C 51 May May May 26 Outside Salkhala Game Reserve 'N, 'E Rawta Nullah 1 M 'N, 'E Palri Nullah 2 M 'N, 'E Gail Nullah 1 M Better protection due to LOC and controlled locals movement, J Jura High disturbance, 'N, 73 no watch and 54 June 'E Sathran 2 M ward, declining

8 55 June June 'N, 'E Bari Behak Nil 'N, 'E Chitta Pani Nil Total 16 habitat due to forest exploitation Surveys covered an area of 1.96 Km 2 in Katha Peer from 7 survey plot of 0.28 Km 2 radius and 0.84Km 2 area was covered in Salkhala and Jura area each. In total 3.64 Km 2 was surveyed and from the total surveyed 3.49 males/km 2 has been recorded. During the current surveys Katha Peeran (Site I) has been found as another site holding good population of Tragopan with 5.10 males/km 2 and human disturbance is also not so high whereas Salkhala (Site C) is already having natural protection due to LOC with 4.76 males/km 2 but the Jura (Site J) has been found under huge human disturbance and habitat decline with Targopan population at 2.38 males/km 2 only. Figure 2. Survey team members

9 Human impact assessment In Katha Peeran 13 human settlements were recorded within 1km 2 of the survey plots with 0.5 settlements /Km 2, similar ration was recorded from Salkhala whereas 3.6 settlements/km 2 were recorded from Jura. No evidences of hunting were recorded from the 5 out of 7 sites in Katha Peeran whereas hunting was recorded common in Jura. Surve y plot Distance (m) to the closest settlement from survey plot No. of human settlements Houses No. of cattle No. of goats & sheep No. of horses, mules & donkeys Hunting No No No No No Yes Yes No No No Yes Yes Yes Figure 3. Herds of Goats in the study area

10 Grazing is also high in Jura as compared to two sites leading to habitat decline. There is no wildlife protection staff in the Katha Peeran and Jura which further contributes to habitat degradation of Tragopan. Like other mountain areas of AJ&K, Communities have similar life style and depends upon extraction of natural resources to fulfill their daily livelihoods needs. Figure 4. Naeem at hunting surveys

11 Conservation Recommendations. This survey has explored a new population of Western Tragopan in Katha Peeran in AJ&K which has never been surveyed. this area is of great importance in regard with Tragopan as it lies adjacent to Jagran Valley. In Jagran valley human population is higher than the katha Peeran and disturbance to species breeding population is less which provide a fine breeding grounds to Tragopan. This site (Katha Peeran ) needs conservation actions like conservation awareness campaign to educate communities which will be helpful in the conservation of the species breeding habitat. Enterprise development could be used as alternate livelihood to minimize the pressure on the natural resources of the area. This could be helpful if engaging the women of the area in some income generating activities, so that they may spent much of their time in their business for income generation rather than going to forest for 4-5 months which is, in fact, less productive and also increasing pressure on the natural resources. Although the communities are not very much involved in the hunting in Katha Peeran but appointment of permanent wildlife field staff could make the conservation even better with little efforts. Further surveys are recommended in other part of the valley to explore more sites holding Tragopan population which would be helpful in complete assessment of the species distribution and abundance in AJ&K. To protect the breeding habitat of the species it is very important to start conservation education of the traditional pastoralist who stay inside the breeding habitat for 4-5 months and create disturbance to the species and also damage the habitat.

12 References Ali, S. and S. Dillon Ripley Compact handbook of the Birds of India and Pakistan. Oxford University Press, New Delhi. AWAN, M. N, Traditional Trap Used For Capturing Pheasants in Pakistan. 2, pp Newsletter of the Galliformes Specialist Group. Awan, M. N. and Buner, F. (2014) Conservation of Western Tragopan Tragopan melanocephalus around Salkhala Game Reserve, Azad Kashmir, Pakistan. Birding Asia. UK. 21: BirdLife International, (2013. Species factsheet: Western Tragopan (Tragopan melanocephalus), accessed July 2013 Buner, F. and Lewis, R Monitoring workshop and assessment of survey and catching techniques for Western Himalayan Galliformes in Kohistan, North West Frontier, Pakistan, May Gaston, A.J., Islam, K. and J.A. Crawford The Current Status of the Western Tragopan (Tragopan melanocephalus). WPA Journal 8: Islam, K Status and Distribution of the Western Tragopan in Northeastern Pakistan. In WPA Proceedings of the International Symposium on Pheasants in Asia 2: Johnsgard, P.A The Pheasants of the World. Oxford University Press, Oxford. Mirza, Z.B., Chaudhry, A.A.and M. Asghar Pheasant Surveys in Pakistan. Journal of the Bombay Natural History Society 75: Roberts, T.J The Birds of Pakistan. Vol. 1 Non-Passeriformes. Oxford University Press,