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By Aayushi Sharma
The tropical rainforests in India, primarily located in the Western Ghats, Northeastern states, and the Andaman and Nicobar Islands, are under significant threat. These biodiverse ecosystems face deforestation, habitat fragmentation, and degradation due to logging, agricultural expansion, and infrastructure development. Conservation efforts are ongoing but are challenged by illegal activities, insufficient enforcement of environmental laws, and climate change impacts.
This World Rainforest Day here are some critically endangered species in the rainforests of India:
Austen’s Brown Hornbill: The Most threatened Hornbill in Northeast India
Austen’s Brown Hornbill (Anorrhinus austeni) is found in parts of northeastern India, Myanmar, Thailand, Laos, Vietnam, and Cambodia, and is categorized as Near Threatened (NT) on the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species (BirdLife International 2018). In northeastern India, it has been reported from Jeypore Reserve Forest and Barail Wildlife Sanctuary in Assam, and from several parts of Arunachal Pradesh. Studies recorded Austen’s Brown Hornbill in Nagaland in 1992 but declared it ‘locally extinct in most areas.’
Additionally, a hunted casque of this species was recorded from Manipur, although there have been no sightings in the wild there. Austen’s Brown Hornbill is considered the “most threatened hornbill in Northeast India” due to its restricted local ranges. So far, there have been no published records of Austen’s Brown Hornbill from Meghalaya.
Sholigari Narrow-mouthed Frog
Sholigari Narrow-Mouthed Frog (Microhyla sholigari) is currently listed as Endangered on the IUCN Red List. This leaf-littering endemic species inhabits the riparian grasslands and rainforests of the southern Western Ghats of India, mainly from the Biligirirangan Hills in Karnataka to Wayanad in Kerala. It is found at an altitudinal range of 600m to 1,800m.
Microhyla sholigari is not only important for its role in the ecosystem as a predator of small invertebrates but also as an indicator species of the health of the Western Ghats rainforest ecosystem.
Namdapha Flying Squirrel
The Namdapha Flying Squirrel (Biswamoyopterus biswasi) is a critically endangered species of flying squirrel, found only in the rainforests of Namdapha National Park in Arunachal Pradesh, India. Described scientifically in 1981, this elusive species is known from only a single specimen collected at that time, making its current population status highly uncertain. The squirrel inhabits the dense, subtropical, and tropical rainforests of the park, thriving in high canopy layers.
Major threats to the Namdapha Flying Squirrel include habitat loss due to logging, agricultural expansion, and human encroachment. Conservation efforts are hindered by the lack of recent sightings and limited ecological data, underscoring the urgent need for comprehensive field surveys and habitat protection to ensure the survival of this enigmatic species.
White-bellied Heron
The White-bellied Heron (Ardea insignis) is classified as Critically Endangered on the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species (BirdLife International 2022). Currently, its distribution spans tropical rainforests of northeastern India, northern Myanmar, and Bhutan. The species is believed to be extinct in Nepal, Bangladesh, and other parts of India. Its range has been rapidly shrinking due to habitat loss, human disturbances, hunting, and other anthropogenic pressures. In India, the only known nesting populations are located in the Namdapha Tiger Reserve and Walong, both in Arunachal Pradesh.
Up until 2018, the Namdapha Tiger Reserve was the only known habitat of the White-bellied Heron in Arunachal Pradesh. However, in 2019, a camera trap image of the White-bellied Heron was captured in Kamlang Tiger Reserve. Three sightings of a lone adult bird suggest the potential regular presence of the White-bellied Heron in Kamlang Tiger Reserve.
References:
http://nbaindia.org/content/105/30/1/pbr.html
https://www.andamantourism.gov.in/admin-pannel/docfile/46-biodiversity.pdf
https://indianbirds.in/pdfs/IB_18_6_PatgiriETAL_WhitebelliedHeron.pdf
http://datazone.birdlife.org/species/factsheet/white-bellied-heron-ardea-insignis
https://www.indianamphibians.org/microhyla-sholigari
Images:
https://www.wildhawaii.org/our-work/conservation/hawksbill-sea-turtle-recovery
