Kosi Tappu

Koshitappu_Priyansha
Abstract:
Koshi Tappu Wildlife Reserve(KTWR) is the smallest wildlife reserve of Nepal. Itlies on the floodplains of the Sapta Koshi River in the south-eastern Terai. The popular reserve is set against the backdrop of the Eastern Himalaya, including Makalu (8475 m), the world's fifth highest mountain. Its main objective is to conserve the only remaining population of wild buffaloes. Illegal utilization of forest products, cattle grazing, poaching and river fishing in reserve area have become the headache for the Reserve.
Background
Koshi Tappu Wildlife Reserve(KTWR) lies on the floodplains of the Sapta Koshi River in the south-eastern Terai. The popular reserve is set against the backdrop of the Eastern Himalaya, including Makalu (8475 m), the world's fifth highest mountain. The reserve was established in 1976 to preserve habitat for the only remaining population of Wild buffalo, Arna (Bubalus arnee) with an area of 65km. later it extended its area to 176 sq.km (DNPWC) in 1980.
It is the smallest wildlife reserve of Nepal. It was declared Ramsar Site, a wetland of international significance in 17th December 1987 (IUCN, 1990).Government of Nepal has declared the buffer zone ( 173.5 sq. km ) surrounding the reserve in 2004. Koshi Tappu is a rectangular shaped reserve, approximately 10 km wide and 10 km long, stretching northward from the Nepal/India border along the Sapta Koshi River.
Flora and Fauna of KTWR
Nelumbo nucifera Arna (Bubalus anree),
The principal habitats in the reserve include wetlands, grasslands and small patches of riverine forest. The last surviving population of Wild buffalo is found here. The estimated population of wild buffalo is around 159 individuals is dwindling. They are distinguished from domestic buffalo by their much bigger horns. The reserve is also home to around 20 other animal species such as Hog deer,Wild boar , Spotted deer, Nilgai, and Rock Python. In addition, there are medium sized predators such as fishing cat, jungle cat, and civets.
According to DNPWC around 441 species of birds-many seen now here else in Nepal (14 endemic species)- have been recorded, including 20 duck species , 2 Ibis species, white tailed stonechat, striated marsh warbler, 30 shore birds, 114 water birds, and the endangered swamp partridge and Bengal florican. The Koshi River is home to 80 species of fish. The endangered Gharial crocodile and Gangetic dolphin have been recorded in the river as well. The Koshi Barrage is an extremely important resting place for many migratory birds, containing 87 winter and trans-Himalayan migratory species. During winter, many of the migratory birds can be seen on the Koshi Barrage and on the river channel. Migration usually peaks around mid March. Much wildlife visits these areas during dusk and dawn.
Flora 514
Birds 485
Mammals 31
Fish 200
Amphibians 11
Reptiles 24
Butterflies 77
Source: Bhuju, 2007
Buffer zone management
KTWR is surrounded by a buffer zone of 173 km2, in which over 80,000 people live, most of whom are dependent on the natural resource base for their livelihoods. The Darwin Initiative project is assisting local communities around KTWR in managing buffer zone wetlands for sustainable livelihoods, whilst enhancing wetland biodiversity, thus reducing the pressure on resources within KTWR (Thapa, 2009).
Issues of KTWR
1. Feral cattle and grazing pressure in the reserve area
2. Over- fishing
3. Human- wildlife conflict
4. Encroachment
5. Genetic erosion of wild buffalo due to inbreeding
6. Ever changing river course
Challenges for KTWR
a) High population pressures and prevailing poverty;
b) Weak institutional, administrative, planning and management capacity;
c) Lack of integrated land and water use planning;
d) Inadequate data and information management
e) Inadequate policies and strategies for biodiversity conservation.
f) Conservation of the reserve
g) Management of Buffer zone
h) Implementing the NPWC Act
Problems of KTWR
a) Destruction of crops by the wild buffaloes.
b) Illegal utilization of forest products, cattle grazing, poaching and river fishing in reserve area.
c) Pollution in Koshi River
d) Stone and sand Collection
Conservation Trials
The NPWC Act 1973 was amended for the fifth time in 2004. (DNPWC)The Government of Nepal and the Government of India have signed a joint resolution to join hands to conserve biodiversity including tigers, and strengthen ecological security in the trans-boundary region in 29 July 2010. Beside India, Nepal has also signed with China for the protection in the field of Forestry and Biodiversity conservation.
Conservation Policies
a) Manage and conserve species and their population
b) Conservation through public awareness and participation
c) Provide skill based training to the people
d) Tourism to increase the income of local people
e) Priority to subsistence needs of people
f) Priority to women, dalit, and poor in the participatory development process
g) Promote alternative energy so that burden on natural forest for fuel is reduced
Lesson learnt so far
KWTR is following ‘top-down’ model without consulting the local people who largely depended on the reserve’s resources for their livelihoods (Bajracharya, Gurung, & Basnet, 2007). It is causing conflicts between the reserve authorities and local people. So, the reserve has learnt that there must be participatory interest in which the local people can also be mobilized for the protection of biodiversity. It has also learnt that without addressing the interest of local people the objective of protecting wildlife reserve cannot be achieved. The reserve has also learnt that the certain amount of revenue should be invested for the management of buffer zone.
Conservation Critiques
The rigidness behavior has become the main problem for the reserve. People nearby reserve directly depend on the forest resources of the reserve. Inspite of security provided by Nepal Army, people still do the illegal activities like cattle grazing, poaching, encroachment, collecting firewood etc (Limbu & Karki, 2003). So that the forest is being cleared up.
Ecosystem Approach
The concept of ecological approach should be introduced in Nepal. Ecosystem approach is the approach where the concerns for ecological, socioeconomic and institutional are satisfied. Protection of biodiversity, people of buffer zone and the effective management must be linked for the achievement of the objective. The main objective of protected areas is to conserve the biodiversity. To conserve biodiversity, local people must be made aware and to make them aware there must be effective implementations of the laws.
After recognizing the threats to the reserve, taking local people’s need into consideration, an ecosystem approach is recommended for KTWR. Rather focusing on the reserve only, activities should be encouraged for ecosystem protection in an integrated way by controlling or regulating illegal activities in the area, providing alternative opportunities for the locals, promoting skill based activities.
Adaptive Management
Lessons should be learned from these activities as part of an adaptive management scheme. The role of human beings as part of the ecosystems should be reemphasized as well as the short and long term consideration of human actions. Conservation areas of Nepal is following the command and control approach to decision making. Only the people of policy level make the decision and order the officers to implement and they impose those decision as the order from the top. Rather adaptive management is to be accepted like participating the locals in the decision making process.
U.S natural resource agencies have begun to recognize the need to build more flexibility into local management experiments. We also can do the same. For example we can review the Acts time to time and change them accordingly if necessary.
Metapopulation
Metapopulation is a term used for the network of sub-populations of a species in dispersed and disjointed patches. In KTWR, there is the movement of animals and from one place to another via land. Birds migrate there from different places and animals also move here and there within the transboundry of Nepal and India. However, in case of marine ecosystem, due to the construction of Koshi barrage, the aquatic ecosystem is at risk. The barrage has fragmented the ecosystem into downstream and upstream (Chaudhary, 2007). The species move downstream through the Koshi Barrage during high water periods but the high currents prevent them from swimming upstream through the barrage.
Conclusion
(Nepali, 2006)KWTR is an area established for the conservation and management of plants and wildlife and their habitat. It is giving its full effort to conserve the endangered species. It is also promoting the awareness programs for the local people so that there will not be the over exploitation of the resources and illegal hunting of species will be stopped. It is also promoting the lives of people through buffer zone management.
Recommendations
The following recommendations have been made on the basis of findings of the study’
Poaching is serious problem created by local people. Patrolling management should be improved to reduce illegal activities and should be provided with modern equipments. Education on the importance of reserve, conservation of natural resources should be given them time to time so they can realize the importance of reserve for present and future generation. KTWR should give more emphasis on use of alternative source energy so that the pressure on forest will be reduced. The law should be strict and same type of punishment should be given both to high class and low class smugglers.