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Report of Field Tours and Surveys Conducted by Biodiversity Sector of PCDP

Download selected reports on field surveys by clicking on the links.

FIELD TOUR REPORT By Rab Nawaz PO Biodiversity Conservation, PCDP, No. 1 (7th - 10th, Dec 2001) 22 kb Pdf

FIELD TOUR REPORT By Rab Nawaz PO Biodiversity Conservation, PCDP No. 3 (10th – 13th February 2002)

FIELD TOUR REPORT By Rab Nawaz PO Biodiversity Conservation, PCDP No. 5 survey of the avifauna of the area (17th – 21st May 2002) 25 kb Pdf

FIELD TOUR REPORT By Rab Nawaz PO Biodiversity Conservation, PCDP No. 7 (14th – 22nd June 2002) 33 kb Pdf

FIELD TOUR REPORT By Rab Nawaz PO Biodiversity Conservation, PCDP No. 8 (10th – 13th July 2002) 148 kb Pdf

FIELD TOUR REPORT By Rab Nawaz PO Biodiversity Conservation, PCDP, No. 9 (24th – 31st June 2002) 345 kb Pdf

KAIGAH FIELD TRIP REPOR,T 3rd Markhor survey, 25th to 28th January 2002 409 kb Pdf

FIELD TOUR REPORT No. 3 (10th – 13th February 2002) Brief

By Rab Nawaz PO Biodiversity Conservation, PCDP

Karoser village as observed from Bunjbek, just below pheasant habitat

Under Immediate Objective 2.i, output 2.15, ‘there is no declining trend in the population in the Palas valley ’, and 2.17 ‘populations of key species of fauna and flora, and extent of key habitat types, not declining or degrading’, the Programme Officer Biodiversity and Conservation, visited Karoser, Bar Palas. The objective of this field visit was to conduct a bird survey with emphasis of pheasant species and in particular western tragopans.

Field visit

The field visit was conducted by PO-BC, one CF, one hunter and guide plus accompanying porters. The team traveled to Karoser on the 10th Feb, conducted two days survey and returned to Pattan on the 13th. The survey was conducted in the forest, west and north of Karoser village.

Content

The team recorded a total of 15 Koklass and 2 Monal pheasants and noted a number of bird species (see final report for details). Unfortunately the field conditions were not exactly suitable for pheasant surveys, which were conducted after three to four days of heavy snow making access and movement in the habitat both difficult and dangerous.

The following table shows the results of the survey

Number and details of pheasants observed during the survey period.

Date and survey period	Time	Species	General habitat	Remarks
11-2-2002, Survey started at approx 0715 and finished 1400	0740	k(female)	n/a	Observed in flight
	0815	k(female)k(female)	n/a	Observed in flight
	0900	m(female)m(female)	n/a	Observed in flight
	1345	k(male)	Mixed coniferous
12-2-2002.Survey started at 0800 and finished at 1000	0810	k	Mixed coniferous
	0815	k(male)k(male)	Mixed coniferous
	0822	k(male)	n/a	Observed in flight
	0830	k(male)k(male)	n/a	Observed in flight
	0910	k(male)k(male) k(male)	n/a	Observed in flight
	0912	k(male)	n/a	Observed in flight
	0925	k(male)	n/a	Observed in flight

Conclusions and recommendations

Conclusion
The absence of tragopans and indeed, the low number of pheasants poses another question about the seasonal movements and ecological mechanisms of pheasant species and bird species alike. The last few years have seen extremes of weather conditions in winter, ranging from heavy snow to completely dry years. Locals, when asked about the whereabouts of the pheasants replied that they had returned to their breeding areas (Kubkot, on the south bank of the valley). However, snow remains in the breeding habitat until March and it is unlikely that they move across this easily. It is probable that the birds move up altitudinal and concentrate somewhere centrally between their winter distribution (in Torband or above Gidar) before flying back over to their breeding habitat.

Hunting is certainly going on, the presence of two tragopan skins in the village bearing proof of this, though the villagers stated that they ‘caught’ them by hand.

Recommendations
If possible a survey should be conducted in March in and around the forest of Gidar/Shambela for tragopan populations (under the same objectives stated above)

An anti-campaign should be initiated or an agreement maybe be made with the community to reduce or ideally stop hunting of tragopans (and other pheasant species)

Miscellaneous information

Geographical coordinates were taken of villages, pheasant habitats and other general habitat types.

Local expressed their willingness to organize themselves with the help of PCDP and they expressed an interest in installing a small water scheme in the village since quality is very low (witnessed by the team).

Thanks!

Thanks must go to Noor Naeen, Raja Kohistein, Mohammad Akram, Rifa Khan and other members of Karoser who made our stay very comfortable. Thanks also to Afreen for driving us in and out of Palas.

Palas
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