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Sagarmatha National ParkGokyo Wetland Series

Coordinates: 27º57.02' E86º41.58' N

Area: 42.69 haLength: 975mElevation: 4700- 5000m

OVERVIEW:

Gokyo is an oligotrophic lake series in the Everestregion. Partially fed by Ngozumpa glacier, it lies on thehead of the Dudh Koshi River which descends fromworld's 7th highest mountain - Cho Oyo creating a

unique and representative wetland in the world'shighest freshwater lake system. There are 6 main lakesin Gokyo series, out of which Thonak lake is the largestlake at 4834m followed by Gokyo. Dudh koshi is a sub-basin of Koshi River in Nepal, which feeds the Gangesriver basin, safeguarding the livelihood of millions ofpeople downstream.

BIODIVERSITY VALUES:

Flora: Above 80 species of flowering plants have beenrecorded from the Gokyo catchment. It also holds 4endemic species of plants like Kobresia fissiglumis, K.gandakiensis, Pedicularis poluninii, P. pseudoregelina,along with rare and vulnerable plant species, such asNeopicrorhiza scrophulariifolia, Swertia multicaulis,Saussurea gossipiphora, Meconopsis horridula.

Fauna: Wetlands birds found in Gokyo are Brahminyducks (Tadorna ferruginea), Eurasian Wigeon (Anaspenelope), Northern Pintail (Anas acuta), CommonPochard (Aytha ferina), Common Coot (Fulica atra),Wood Snipe (Gallinago nemoricola), EurasianWoodcock (Scolopax rusticola), and Great CrestedGrebe (Podiceps cristatus). It is also a breeding site ofthe at least 6 pairs of Brahminy Ducks (Tadornaferruginea). The lower catchment is also the winterhabitat of musk deer.

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THREATS:

n Pollution due to visitors and their supporting groupsduring the peak season

n Over grazing during the summer seasonn Over harvesting of Dhupi to be used as firewood

during the grazing and tourism seasonsn Potential danger of Glacier Lake Outburst Flood

SOCIO-CULTURAL ANDRELIGIOUS VALUES:

The Gokyo lake is also considered as sacred lake byboth Hindu and Buddhist, where about 500 Hindupeople take a holy dip during Janai purnima (sacredthread festival). The site is worshipped as the residingplace of Naag Devata (Snake God) and a temple ofHindu deities like Lord Vishnu and Shiva is constructedat the western corner of the lake. The faith of “no harm”to birds in the lake provides shelter to wetland birds.

Gokyo lake, situated at the base of Mt. Everest, is oneof the most popular tourist destinations leading toEverest Base Camp in Sagarmatha National Park.Tourism is one of the major sources of income for thelocal communities. An average of over 7,000 touristsvisit Gokyo Lake every year.

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CONSERVATION MEASURES:

Gokyo wetland series falls under the Sagarmatha(Mount Everest) National Park and is under themanagement of the Department of National Parks andWildlife Conservation of HMG/Nepal. Conservation andmanagement within the Sagarmatha National Park andBuffer Zone is supported by buffer zone usercommittees, user groups, local NGOs, hotel ownersand other conservation partners.

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Langtang National ParkGosaikunda Wetland Series

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Coordinates: 28º5.00' E85º24.96' N

Area: 13.80 haLength: 625.55mElevation: 4000m-4700m

OVERVIEW:

Gosaikunda, relating to saint and wetland, is an alpinefreshwater oligotrophic lake series with alpinemeadows, bogs, lakes/ponds, streams, wet steepslopes creating a unique and representative wetland inthe high Himalayan Paleoartic biogeographical region. Itis one of the world's highest freshwater lake system, isan important source of water for Trisuli River originatingfrom trishul dhara in gosaikunda. It produces 20 MWelectricity (from 2 power houses at Trishuli and

Devighat), on which a large downstream populationincluding that of Kathmandu valley depends.

HYDROLOGICAL VALUE:

The water volume is 1.472 million cubic meter anddischarge in outlet is 60 Lit/sec whereas the inletdischarge is 35 Lit/sec.


Flora: About 100 species of flowering plants have beenrecorded from the Gosaikunda catchment. It also holdsendemic species of plants like Meconopsis dhwojii,M.taylorii, Heracleum lallii, Primula aureata, P.sharmae,Pedicularis pseudoregeliana, Rhododendroncowanianum. Other threatened species according toIUCN category are Aconitum spicatum (Vulnerable),Heracleum lallii (Endangered), Jurinea dolomiaea (NearThreatened), Meconopsis dhwojii (Near Threatened),Nardostachys grandiflora (Vulnerable), Neopicrorhizascrophulariifolia (Vulnerable), Rheum australe(Vulnerable), Rheum moorcroftianum (Near Threatened),Swertia multicaulis (Data Deficit). Gosaikunda is one ofthe most important sites for collection of typespecimens of plants for botanical purpose.

Fauna: Phytoplankton 1,548 units/ml. (6 m. depth)with higher Merismopedia sp. followed by Chlorobotryssp., Ankistrodsmus sp., Dinobryon sp., Glenodium sp.,Aphanotheca sp.,and Planktosphaeria sp.

Zooplankton were found 6.4x106 ind./m3 (20 m depth) -Daphnia sp. 52%, Cyclops sp. 35%, and Napuliarlarvae of Cyclops 11%.

also significant for economy of the country not only dueto hydroelectricity but also for adventure tourism.

THREATS:

n Water pollution and waste disposal due to pilgrimageduring the festivals and peak tourist seasons

n Over grazing by livestock, sheep and horsesn Over harvesting of NTFPs for domestic use during

the grazing and festival periodn Unsustainable use of fuel wood for subsistence and

other religious purposes during festive and touristicseasons

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Wetlands birds recorded in Gosaikunda are BrahminyDuck (Tadorna ferruginea) and common teal (Anascrecca). Potential wetland birds listed on that area areBar-headed Goose (Anser indicus), Tufted duck (Aythyafuligula), Common merganser (Mergus merganser),Northern Pintail (Anas acuta) and Brown Dipper(Cinclus pallasii).

Other birds dependent on water in the catchmentincludes Brown dipper (Cinclus pallasii), white-cappedwater redstart (Chaimarrornis leucocephalus ) andPlumbeous water redstart (Rhyacornis fuliginosus). Thelower section of the catchment is the winter habitat ofred panda and musk deer.


Hindu mythology mentions Gosaikunda as a residingplace of Hindu deities like Lord Shiva and GoddessGauri. Hindu scriptures like Bhagawat and BishnuPuran and hindu epics like Ramayan and Mahabharatmentions Samundra Manthan (Sea exploring) which isdirectly related to the origin of Gosaikunda. The holywater of Gosaikunda is used during Gangadashaharaand Janai purnima (sacred thread festival) by thousandsof people visiting the place from Nepal and India tocelebrate the festival. The meandering river Trishuli is


Gosaikunda wetland series falls within LangtangNational Park and is under the management of theDepartment of National Parks and Wildlife Conservationof HMG/Nepal. The Park management has delineatedthe Gosaikunda area as a religious site. Therefore,animal slaughter and grazing in the upper catchment isprohibited. There is a Gosaikunda Area ManagementCommittee, a registered NGO, for overall developmentand management during the festivals, under which,sub-committes together with hotel/lodge owners areresponsible for tourism management. The Goth(herders) Committees are responsible for managementin the lower catchment area of Gosaikunda.

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Panch Pokhari andAssociated Lakes

CoordinatesPanch Pokhari: 27° 43' 30" N

86° 25' 33.9" EElevation: 4,510 m

Jata Pokhari: 27° 43' 28.8" N86° 25' 18.5" E

Elevation: 4,238 m

Area: 11.41 ha

OVERVIEW:

Panch Pokhari, Jata Pokhari and its catchment area arelocated in the central Himalayan region of Nepal inRamechhap district. The lake is extended from east towest; where eastern part is slightly narrower than thewestern side look like roughly oval shape. The lake is fedby enormous amount of water from eastern hill, partiallylittle quantity of water also added from the northern andsouthern hills. Water of Panch Pokhari Lake flows outfrom south-west and falls into the Jata Pokhari.

The Lakes around Panch Pokhari series are glacial inorigin from Panch Pokhari hills: Batase Danda (Hill) inthe east, Kalo Pokhari, Bhut Pokhari danda in the westand Siddikharka danda in the north and outlet is on thesouthern part of the Panch Pokhari hill.

Jata pokhari lake is below the Panch Pokhari lake. Thelake is extended from east to west; where eastern part isslightly narrower than the western side and the lake looklike roughly in slipper shape. The lake is fed by waterfrom northern bounded Panch Pokhari and passes outfrom internal canal about 100 meters down to south-west and mix up into Ghyang Khola, which is a branchof Khimti Khola. Most of the areas around the lake arecomposed of rock and alpine rangeland.

HYDROLOGICAL VALUE:

Water discharge of Panch Pokhari is 1.0909 m3/s andJata Pokhari is 1.01818 m3/s.

BIODIVERSITY VALUE:

Flora: The area represents a treeless region with range landinterspersed by rocky slopes and alpine pasture. Thevegetation is represented by Alpine pasture meadows andDwarf Rhododendron scrubs. The alpine pasture meadow isdominated by Potentilla microphylla, Rhododendronlepidotum, Rhododendron ciliatum, Bergenia purpurascens,Primula deuteronana, Primula atrodentata, Bistorta affinis,Cassiope fastigiata, Aconogonum molle, Juniperus recurvaand many other species.

Vegetation of this area is associated with a number ofmedicinal and aromatic plants. The common medicinalplants are Bergenia purpurascens, Potentilla microphylla,Swertia chirayita and some species of Aconitum spicatum,Selinum Wallichianum, Saussurea spp. Cordyceps sinensis,etc. The dwarf Rhododendron scrub is composed withRhododendron lepidotum, and Rhododendron setosum,forming an extensive mat of several hectares.

Carex himalaica, Kobresia fissiglumis, Impatiens kharensisare the endemic plants. The threatened plant species foundaround the Panch Pokhari and Jata Pokhari area are:Aconitum gammiei, Aconitum spicatum, Dactylorhizahatagirea, Meconopsis paniculata, Rheum australe, Neo-picrorhiza scrophulariiflora and Usnea longissima.

Fauna: Most birds commonly sighted around the Jata Pokhariare Brown Dipper Cinclus pallasii, White-capped WaterRedstart Chaimarrornis leucocephalus and Red-billed ChoughPyrrhocorax pyrrhocorax. Likewise, the Panch Pokhari Lakehas Alpine Accentor Prunella collards, Winter WrenTroglodytes troglodytes and Himalayan Monal Lophophorusimpejanus as common species. These lakes and catchmentsare excellent habitats for forest and residential birds and otherwildlife species. Panch Pokhari and Jata Pokhari areas holdsignificant population of Himalayan Monal pheasant which isthe protected species and national bird of Nepal.

The endangered snow leopard (Uncia uncia) and HimalayanThar (Hemitragus jemlahicus) roam Panch Pokhari areaduring winter season. Some threatened species like MuskDeer (Muschus chrysogaster), Red Panda (Ailurus fulgens),and Assamese Monkey (Macaca assamensis) are inhabitedin this area.


Nomads are dependent on these wetlands in relation todrinking, grazing etc. The religious importance of the site ishigh. A couple of thousands of people having Hindu andBuddhist religion go to that place on rainy season duringJanai purnima. People of all caste from different places visitthis place while going to worship Shiva (God) and Parbati(Goddess). People of downstream depend on water for thedomestic use. Pilgrims first visit Jata Pokkari, worship andoffer Trident and worship to Panch Pokhari as well. There arethousands of Tridents inside both lakes. Cow milk is foundto be offered by Sherpa herders especially in Jata Pokhari.

THREATS:

■ Over use of fuel wood and NTFPs■ Poaching of wild animals■ Solid waste pollution■ Heavy grazing of alpine meadows


Field visit observations are carried out by the District ForestOffice (DFO) personnel. DFO authority takes care ofconservation and management of the catchment area. Useof Non Timber Forest Product (NTFP) for domestic purposeand traditional use is permitted in the area. It is needed thatproper disposal of garbage is done particularly plastics andbottles disposed by the pilgrims and internal tourists toavoid the pollution of solid waste. It is important toconserve and manage the natural environment of the areafor sustainable use.

Selinum Wallichianum Aconitum Spicatum

Saussurea spp. Cordyceps Sinensis

Khaptad Daha & TribeniWetland system

Coordinates:Khaptad daha: 29° 23' North Latitude

81° 10' 05" East LongitudeTribeni wetland: 29° 22’35" North Latitude

81° 8’15" East LongitudeArea: Khaptad daha: 2.5haElevation: Khaptad daha: 2900m

OVERVIEW:

Khaptad Daha is an important snow-fed freshwaterpond situated in the eastern part of the Khaptadplateau. The oval shaped pond has stagnant water asthere is no inlet and outlet. The Daha is bordered byKhaptadmando Danda and Ghudekomela Danda in thenorthern and southern sides respectively, whereas, thewestern side is bordered by Ballejodi Danda and Daha

patan in the eastern side. The forest litter and cattledefecation have accumulated in the pond therebycausing sedimentation and eutrophic conditions in thepond.

Tribeni wetland system is riverine in nature and issurrounded by the Sailung Khola and Ekle Patan inthe south, Khelaune Patan and Kedar Dunga in thenorth, Lukeshi Khola and Chhedi Patan Khola in theeast and Dudali Patan and Ghat Khola in the west.

HYDROLOGICAL VALUE:

The winter snow and monsoon rainfall are the mainsources of water to feed the pond and water alsopercolates from the surrounding forest. Tribeni lies at theconfluence of Lukeshi khola, Sailung khola and ChhediPatan khola which are snow-fed perennial streams.

Nepal under the 1993 Forest Act for collection, use,sale, distribution, transport and export, whereas,Valeriana jatamansii, Taxus wallichiana and Abiesspectabilis are banned under the same Forest Act forexport except when processed with the permission ofthe Department of Forests.

Economic plantsEconomic plantsEconomic plantsEconomic plantsEconomic plantsThe Khaptad Daha and Tribeni area house several speciesof economically important plants including medicinal andaromatic (Fritillaria cirrhosa, Dactylorhiza hatagirea,Parmelia sp, Bergenia ciliata, Taxus wallichiana, Seliniumtenuifolium, Valeriana jatamansii, Angelica glauca,Skimmia anguetilia etc), wild edibles (Arisaema sp, Alliumwallichii, Aconogonun molle, Rosa serica, Angelicaglauca, Trillidium govanianum, Polygonatum verticillatum,Smilacina purpurea, etc) and many other economic plants(Daphne bholua, Thamnocalamus spathiflorus, etc.).

Fauna: Khaptad National Park houses 23 species ofmammals, 287 species of birds and 23 herpeto species.A wide variety of colorful butterflies, moths and insects isalso an important feature of the park ecosystem. Thewetland area of Khaptad supports over 20 species ofwetland dependant birds and 9 species of mammals.

Above 50 species of birds, 2 species of mammals(Ochotona roylei and Semnopithecus entellus), 2species of herpeto-fauna; Bajhang frog (Paa ercepeae)and Himalayan ground skink (Asymblepharushimalayanus) have recently been observed in thesewetlands. Among the avian species, 4 species of birdsare added in the checklist of the areas such as Short-eared Owl (Asio flammeus), Black Drongo (Dicrurusmacrocercus), Black-faced Laughing thrush (Garrulaxaffinis) and Rufous-vented Yuhina (Yuhina occipitalis).

BIODIVERSITY VALUE:

Flora: A total of over 87 and 54 species of floweringplant of pre-monsoon season from Khaptad Daha andTribeni wetland respectively have been collected. TheKhaptad Daha area houses a high number ofangiospermic floras in and around the forest, grasslandand wetland ecosystems, in comparison to grasslandand wetland ecosystems of Tribeni. The dense forestof fir-oak rhododendron surrounds the Khaptad Dahafrom the north-south and western sides. Abiesspectabilis, Quercus semicarpifolia and Rhododendronarboreum, are the dominant species in the forest andassociated species include Taxus wallichiana, Sorbusmicrophylla, Sorbus lanata, Prunus cornuta, Acercaesium, A. pectinatum, etc. The eastern side of thedaha is linked with the Daha Patan meadow consistingwith Rumex nepalensis, Euphorbia wallichiana,Anemone sp, Ranunculus sp, Berberis sp, Potentilla

sp, Rosa sericea, etc. TheTribeni wetland is riverineand marshy area and isdominated by herbaceousvegetation. The top of thehillock lying adjoining theTribeni area is dominatedby Abies- Quercus mixedforest. The speciescomposition is more or lesssimilar to Khaptad Daha.

Protected plantsProtected plantsProtected plantsProtected plantsProtected plantsAmong the collected species, 4 species occurredaround the Khaptad Daha and Tribeni are Governmentprotected species under Forest Act, 1993. Of these,Dactylorhiza hatagirea is banned by the Government of


Khaptad Daha is also considered as a sacred site. Atemple of Khaparjagannath (Shiva) is situated along thesouth east corner of the pond. Many people fromKhaparmando village (Bajhang) and adjoining areas visitthis temple during Rishitarpani (Janaipurnima) andAnnantpurnima to worship Lord Shiva and Parvati(Musarani). The idol of god and goddess is brought tothis temple on Rishitarpani from the Khaparmandovillage and installed there till Annantpurnima (about 1month) and returned back to Khaparmando village.During the day of Annantpurnima, thousands of peoplefrom adjoining districts visit there to take a holy dip andpay homage to the god and goddess. Perhaps, it is theonly temple in the country where Dalit (Sarki) perform thefirst ritual then only Brahmin and other upper castepeople take over the worship. But there are two differenttemples, one for Sarki and other for upper caste people.According to the legend, the ancestor of Ghuite Sarkifirst enlightens God Shiva in that place. Thereafter, thedescendents of Ghuite Sarki have been conducting thefirst puja (worship) in the temple.

The daha is a source of water for about 3000 cattle(cow, buffalo, horse, and goat) which graze near the

Protected faunaProtected faunaProtected faunaProtected faunaProtected faunaThe government protected mammals found in the areaare Grey Wolf (Canis lupus) and Musk Deer (Moschuschrysogaster). CITES Appendix I includes 4 speciessuch as Hanuman Langur (Semnopithecus entellus),Asiatic Black Bear (Ursus thibetanus), commonLeopard (Panthera pardus) and Musk Deer (Moschuschrysogaster). Similarly, Appendix II and III include GreyWolf (Canis lupus) and Golden Jackal (Canis aureus)respectively. There is also a record of 1 species ofMoschus chrysogaster endangered and 1 species ofvulnerable Ursus thibetanus and 3 near threatenedspecies as per the IUCN Red List Categories. Amongthe birds, the government protected and CITESAppendix I includes species Lophophorus impejanusand CITES Appendix II includes 5 species viz. Asioflammeus, Gyps himalayensis, Hieraaetus pennatus,Neophron percnopterus and Falco tinnunculus.

Endemic faunaEndemic faunaEndemic faunaEndemic faunaEndemic faunaThe Bajhang frog (Paa ercepeae) is an endemic specieswhich has been found in Khaptad Daha. The speciesis reported only in the Bajhang district of Nepal. TheKhaptad Daha also lies in the same district, therefore,the species is strictly restricted to that area. It isgregarious in nature and the total population isestimated to be approximately 1,000 in the pond.

pond and the cattle herders where more than 50 cattlesheds are erected adjoining the pond. Cattle grazingcontinue for about 4 months (May-August).

The Tribeni wetland is also a most sacred site wherethousands of pilgrims visit from the adjoining districts,mainly Doti, Achham, Bajhang and Bajura, during theGanga Dashara mela (festival) to take holy bath in theriver where Sailenge Khola and Kausiya Khola meet.This festival is usually held during the month of Mayand over 5000 people gather for the celebration. Thefestival is also important for cultural exchange betweenfar west population of Nepal where people enjoy Deudadance and other cultural activities.

THREATS:

■ Deforestation■ Unsustainable harvesting and over-exploitation of

medicinal and aromatic plants, non-timber forestproducts (NTFPs) and animal resources

■ Poaching of wildlife for illegal trade■ Overgrazing


Both the Khaptad Daha and Tribeni area are parts ofthe Khaptad National Park. The land is owned by theGovernment of Nepal and the local authority is KhaptadNational Park. The territorial jurisdiction is owned bythe Ministry of Forests and Soil Conservation and theDepartment of National Parks and WildlifeConservation is a management authority. Theheadquarters of the Khaptad National Park is located inChhedipatan, Bajura and Conservation Officer is theresponsible person of the park. Buffer zone has beendeclared in the Khaptad National Park. A KNP-BZmanagement Plan and pre-feasibility report on tourismdevelopment in Khaptad region has been drafted.

The area fulfills some criteria listed by RamsarConvention, and nomination of this site by thegovernment to declare as a Ramsar site would providefurther support in the conservation of this high altitudewetland.

Kyangjing Wetlands

Coordinates latitude 28°09'50" E latitudelongitude 85°26'00" N longitude

Area 47,600 ha, length-52 km,width-10 m, depth-2m

Altitude 2550 m

OVERVIEW:

The Kyangjing wetland is an alpine fresh water river andis oligotrophic in nutrient content in its upper part. TheRiver is natural in origin and the Langsisa, Langtangglacier are the main sources of water.

HYDROLOGICAL VALUE:

The discharge in outlet is 20 m3/Second for KyangjingRiver at altitude 3,760 m, latitude 28°12'30" N andlongitude 85°33'00" E. The clean, unpolluted andregular supply of water down stream from Kyangjingvalley has high significance not only for the local

communities of Langtang and Syafru VDCs but also tothe down stream people including the electricity usersof the country.

BIODIVERSITY VALUE

Flora: Most of the lakeshave no aquatic vegetationexcept phytoplankton andsome algae, but pond nearLangtang village supportsa wide variety of emergentplants. There is some Salixscrub in Langtang Kholavalley which grows onriverside gravels and flats. The vegetation is representedby Alpine pasture meadow and Dwarf Rhododendronscrub. Vegetation of this area is associated with anumber of medicinal and aromatic plants. Of theendemic and threatened species such as Meconopsisdhwojii, Zanthoxylum nepalense, Larix potanini andCarum carvi, etc., Cordyceps sinensis is governmentprotected. Similarly, several species are considered asthreatened species under different categories of CAMPand IUCN Red list. About 78 species of floral specieshave been recorded from the catchment.

Fauna: Invertebrates are more numerous at the smallponds near Langtang village and Kyangjing. Of the 345bird species recorded in Langtang National Park (Karkiand Thapa 2001), seven of them are wetland birds.Some water birds those are dependent on water for liferecorded includes wagtails and dippers. Other birdsrecorded during the survey period in the catchment

form of bull and one stone of some what bull shape isoffered 'puja' for this reason. People from Langtang andsurrounding villages visit there during Janaipurnimafestival. People are dependent on the daily livelihooddirectly to the wetland in relation to drinking water,domestic use, grazing and agriculture. The tourism baseof the social economy is partly dependent on wetland.

THREATS:

■ Over use of timber, fuel wood and Non-timber forestproducts (NTFPs)

■ Physical infrastructure development such as hotelsand human induced pollution including from tourism.

■ Poaching■ Overgrazing


The area falls under the ownership of Langtang NationalPark. The Ministry of Forest and Soil Conservation,Government of Nepal, is the legal authority and the parkis governed by the National Parks and WildlifeConservation Act 2029 BS (1973) and Himali RastriyaNikunja Niyamawali 2036 BS (Mountain National ParksRegulation 1979). The upper segment of the eastern partof the wetland area was declared as musk deerconservation area and lower segment as Larixconservation area for management purpose to protectthe area and regulate use of timber and fuel wood use forlarge influx of tourists and associated support members(almost 13,000 in 2002) in addition to the domesticpressure of about 84 households. Effort to regularize andcontrol the use of timber has been taken by Park.Permission of timber for only needy people with closemonitoring is being tried. Joint monitoring by Nepal Army’sPark security personnel, Park staff and sometimeparticipation of local people is being initiated. As this areaprovides biogeographic criteria listed by Ramsar (2006-2008 Vision), nominating this site by Government todeclare as Ramsar would provide further support in theconservation of this high altitude wetlands.

areas were finches, pigeon, monal, thrush and pipit.Himalayan Snowcock (probably resident but rare),Tibetan Patridge (winter visitor, rare), Common Quail(passage migrant, rare) and any bird that are nationallyimportant and rare at catchment are of importance forour study. Pika (Ochotona royle) was abundant in therocky areas of this valley. Yellow throated martin (Martesfluvigula) is seen in the area. The eastern section of thecatchment is designated as musk deer conservationarea that provides the prime habitat of musk deer(Muschus chrysogaster). The lower segment of theeastern section is Larix (Larix himalaica) conservationarea and south side of the eastern segment is red panda(Ailurus fulgens) conservation area. The red pandaconservation area is one of the four prime habitats of redpanda in Langtang National Park (Karki and Zendrovski2001). The endangered snow leopard (Uncia uncia) isrecorded from the catchment (Chalise and Kyes 2005)along with Himalayan Thar (Hemitragus jemlahicus).


The cultural and religious use of wetland is mainly duringthe celebration of Lhoshar and other sherpa festivals.The Gumpa at Kyangjin is one of the site of faith by theLama and Sherpa of Langtang VDC. The Langsisa istaken as a symbol of Mila Repa (Guru PadmaSambhava). It is said that Milarepa is staying here in the

Panch Pokhari Wetlands

Coordinates 28º2.41'- 28º2.54'E Latitude85º42.96'-85º43.25'N Longitude

Area 4.01 haElevation 4,039 m - 4,069m

OVERVIEW:

The Panch Pokhari wetland is a permanent alpine freshwater oligotropic lake. As the name implies to the lakesystem, there are five lakes in a small valley surroundedby ridges in Panch Pokhari. The Panch Pokhari formsone of the important sources of water of IndrawatiRiver, which provides water for production of electricitythrough micro-hydro at Tipni Village of Sindhupalchowkdistrict. This area is important due to its biodiversity,tourism and catchment conservation values.

HYDROLOGICAL VALUE:

The discharge in outlet is 0.25 m3/second fromPanch Pokhari to Indrawati River. Hydrologicalfunction and Values of wetland is high for groundwater recharge, flood control, and sedimenttrapping. It provides water to wildlife and livestockgrazing in the catchment.

BIODIVERSITY VALUE

Flora: Most of the lakes have no aquatic vegetationexcept phytoplankton and some algae. About 35plants were recorded at the Panch Pokhari area with4 endemic plant species. The vegetation catchmentis represented by Alpine pasture meadow and DwarfRhododendron scrub. Vegetation of this areaassociates a number of medicinal and aromaticplants. Some endemic and threatened species suchas Meconopsis dhowji, Berberis mucrifolia, Carum

THREATS:

■ Over-exploitation of timber, fuel wood and Non-timber forest products (NTFPs)

■ Poaching of endangered species■ Water pollution and pollution caused by unmanaged

waste■ Overgrazing leading to the change in floral and

faunal composition and disrupting the naturalsuccession process

carvi, Corydalis magacalyx and Cremanthodiumnepalense, Dactylorhiza hatagirea etc are recorded. Outof these species, Dactylorhiza hatagirea is thegovernment-protected species.

Fauna: Invertebrates are more numerous at the smallponds near Panch Pokhari. Of the 345 bird speciesrecorded in Langtang National park (Karki and Thapa2001), seven are wetland dependent. This site is goodhabitat for migratory and residential birds and otherwildlife species and being among the less disturbedremote area, it is home to endangered species such asmusk deer (Moschus chrysogaster), snow leopard (Unciauncia) and red panda (Ailurus fulgens).


The cultural and religious use is mainly reflected duringJanaipurnima festival when about 10,000 people fromSindhupalchowk area and around visit .The Temple atPanch Pokhari is one of the sites of faith by the people ofall caste from different places. Nomads are dependent onthe wetland in relation to drinking, grazing etc. Otherpeople only visit this place during Janaipurnima.


Panch Pokhari Wetland falls under the ownership ofLangtang National Park. The Ministry of Forest and SoilConservation, Government of Nepal, is the legalauthority and the park is governed by the NationalParks and Wildlife Conservation Act 2029 BS (1973)and Himali Rastriya Nikunja Niyamawali 2036 BS(Mountain National Parks Regulation 1979). NTFPs usefor domestic purpose and traditional use is permittedbut banned for commercial use. Park authority takescare of conservation and management of thecatchment area. As this area fulfills criteria listed byRamsar 2006, nominating this site by Government todeclare as Ramsar would provide further support in theconservation of this high altitude wetland.

Parbatikunda

Coordinates: 28° 09’ 3” N85° 15’ 8” E

Area: 3.5 ha including marshes

Elevation: 2500 m

OVERVIEW:

Parbatikunda lies in mid-hills region of Rasuwa district,and is surrounded by a stone wall. The Parbatikundalooks like a tigers’ paw shaped. The perimeter of thekunda is about 700 m. There is a temple of Shiva (God)and Parbati (Goddess) and a resting plate towards thewest of the kunda. About 300 m south-west of theParbatikunda, a famous monastery of about 300 yearsold, called as “Chheding Gomba” exists. This is afreshwater wetland which receives water from itsunderground recharges and seepage from surroundingforests during monsoon. The outflow of the kunda liesin the northern side which flows north-east towards theGatlang village and joins to Gatlang khola. Major part(about 80%) of the pond is covered with grassy marshand only about 20% area is under water. The maximumdepth of the Parbatikunda is about 3 m. Water of all thelake falls to Chilime river via Gatlang Khola which joinsthe Trishuli River in the East.

HYDROLOGICAL VALUE:

The discharge is 0.09 m3/s.

BIODIVERSITY VALUE:

Flora: The small marshy area of Parbatikunda lyinginside the stone fence harbors several species offlowering plant. The Acorus calamus (Bojho/sweet flag)is most dominated species followed by Juncus spp.,Eriocaulon sp., Cyperus spp., Fimbristylis spp.,Pedicularis sp., Polygonum hydropiper, etc. TheSelaginella sp. is common in the spongy ground of thepond. Some young stands of Quercus semicarpifolia,Zanthoxylum armatum, Lyonia ovalifolia, Acer sp.,Prinsepia utilis, Viburnum spp., etc., can be observedin some drier areas. Acorus calamus, Swertia chirayita,Allium wallichii and Potentilla fulgens are the usefulplants found around the Parbatikunda.

The mountain oak (Quercus semicarpifolia),Rhododendron arboreum, Himalayan silver fir (Abiesspectabilis) and Himalayan hemlock (Tsuga dumosa)are important tree species found around theParbatikunda. The marshy land of Parbatikunda isdominated by herbaceous vegetation.

Fauna: Common wildlife in the catchment area of theParbatikunda are Wildboar (Sus scrofa), Barking deer(Muntiacus muntjak), Jackal (Canis aureus), Pika(Ochotona sp.) and Yellow throated Marten (Martesfalvigula).

White ducks or wild ducks (Aquatic birds) can be seen inParbatikunda in spring. Satyr Tragopan (Tragopan satyra)and Kalij pheasant (Lophura leucomelanos) are rarelyseen and Himalayan Monal (Lophophrous impejanus)comes down to lower ranges to Parbatikunda fromupper Mangchet area during snowfall.

Wetland dependent birds recorded in the catchmentarea of Parbatikunda are white-capped water redstart,Plumbeous water redstart and Spotted Forktail.


Local people are dependent on the daily livelihood tothe wetland for domestic uses and irrigationdownstream.

Parbatikunda is believed to be a creation of Shiva (God)for the Parbati (Goddess) and considered a sacred placewhere a large number of Hindu and Buddhists of nearbyplaces visit and take a holy bath and rituals during JanaiPurnia (Full Moon) festival.

The cultural and religious values of Parbatikunda arecelebrated mainly during the Janai Purnima andPhagu/Holy Purnima festivals. The traditional healerssuch as Jhankri, Lama and some skilled people playspecific roles. Jhankri and Lama perform separatecelebration as per their norms. Many local peoplegather in a group, making circles and perform culturaldances with duet in the local Tamang language. Themarriage arrangement and love affairs also starts duringthese occasions. Local Sherpa and Tamang people aredecorated with gold and silver ornaments and

traditional customs. Lama and Jhankris wear specificdresses.

THREATS:

■ Overgrazing■ Unsustainable harvesting of resources including

NTFPs■ Poaching of wild animals


Local communities are interested in taking care of thewetland. The community forest user groups and localCommunity Based Organizations (CBO) are keen to seeits conservation and development. District Forest Officeis responsible organization for national and communityforest along with support from local communities.

District development committee and villagedevelopment committees are supporting for theinfrastructure development. In past, the TRPAP hassupported the tourism related activities andconservation.

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Shey Phoksundo National ParkPhoksundo Wetland Series

Coordinates: 29°10'-29°15' E82°55' - 83°00' N

Area: 494 haLength: 5.15 kmElevation: 3611.5 m

OVERVIEW:

Phoksundo, is a y- shaped alpine fresh wateroligotrophic lake. The lake is surrounded by steepmountain slopes composed of bedrocks along itseastern northern and western sides. The lake is north-

south elongated with a slight bend at the southernparts. Fed with glacier and snow melt, the lake has onlyone outlet on its southern shore, which joins Shuli Gad(river), forming a 170 m high waterfall, one of thehighest waterfall in Nepal.

HYDROLOGICAL VALUE:

The water volume is 408.599 million cubic meter anddischarge is 3715 Lit/sec.


Flora: About 155 species of flowering plants have beenrecorded from the catchment. Other threatened speciesaccording to IUCN category are Neopicrorhizascrophulariifolia (Vulnerable), Dactylorhiza hatagireaDioscorea deltoidea (CT), Aconitum spicatum(Vulnerable), Nardostachys grandiflora (Vulnerable),Podophyllum hexandrum (Vulnerable), Megacarpeapolyandra (Vulnerable).

Fauna: Wetlands birds found are Red-crested Pochard(Rhodonessa rufina) and Ruddy Shelduck (Tadornaferruginea). Other wetlands birds recorded downstreamare Common Moorhen, Common Coot (Fulcia atra),Eurasian Wigeon (Anas Penelope) and Bar-headed

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May, 1989. Until 1998, about 400 tourist went to SheyPhoksundo National Park and 80% of them visitedPhoksundo Lake.

THREATS:

n Domestic pollution and wasten Over grazingn Unsustainable collection of NTFPs for their

medicinal values and household demands.


Phoksundo lake is situated in the Shey PhoksundoNational Park and is under the management of theDepartment of National Parks and Wildlife Conservationof HMG/Nepal. Conservation and management of thepark and the buffer zone is supported by the Usercommittees and groups. Amchis (traditional healers) aremobilized for conservation and sustainable use ofNTFPs. Local people are managing camping site andlodges to promote sustainable tourism.

Goose (Anser indicus). Other birds dependent on waterincludes Brown dipper (C. pallasii), White-throatedDipper (Cinclus cinclus) and White-throated Redstart(Phoenicurus schisticeps).

The catchment is the winter habitat of snow leopardand musk deer.


Traditional Tibetan culture exists in the Phoksundo areawhere Bon (Pre-Buddist) religion is practiced. There aremore than 20 Chortens (stupa) and one Gumba(monastry) in the vicinity of the lake, which are importantsites for worship and for reinforcing people’s ties withthe natural environment. Due to the climatic conditions,the local people practice trans-humance. Tourism usedto be the one of the main sources of income in the past.His Majesty’s Government of Nepal opened thesouthern region of Dolpa district including southern partof Shey Phoksundo National Park, to foreign trekkers in

Rara Lake

Coordinates 29º 31'25"-29º 32'47" E Latitude82º 04'-82º 07'30" N Longitude

Area 1061 ha as water body.Length 5.1 Km, Width:2.7 Km, Depth:167mElevation 2,990 m asl., Shoreline: 14.0 Km.

OVERVIEW:

The Rara Lake is an alpine fresh water lake and is rich innutrient content. Rara is the largest lake system in Nepaland is a unique and rare example of natural wetland typein the high Himalayan biogeographic region.

HYDROLOGICAL VALUE:

Water volume is 1.039 Km3. The water has coliformswhich indicate that it can not be used for drinkingpurpose without treating. Suspended solids are higher inthe outlet area (263 mg/l) compared to lake (<1.0) butlower than the WHO value (1000 mg/l)

BIODIVERSITY VALUE

Flora: Lake margin is surrounded by reeds (Phragmites),bushes (Juncus) and sedges (Fimbristylis). There arePhytoplanktonic algae and aquatic plants in the Lakewater. Leathery leaves of Polygonum form oily floatinglayers and sessile plants (Myriophyllum) cover shallowarea of Lake. The Meconopsis regia, Primula poluninii(terrestrial) and Cirsium flavisquamatum (Aquatic) arepotential endemicspecies found in thecatchments.Dactylorhiza hatagirea,Nardostachysgrandiflora andNeopicrorhizascrophulariflora areamong the mostthreatened speciesfound based on theavailability and fieldassessment.

Fauna: Zooplankton is higher in Rara Lake (1.62x105

ind/m3) which could support moderate fish population inLake. Some of the groups of zooplankton recorded areChironomid larvae, aquatic insects, Diaptomidae, andmollusk. The lake has a rich invertebrate aquatic fauna,Dytiscid beetle, mayfly (Ephemeroptera) and caddis flylarvae. Watershrimp (Gammarus sp.), Lumbricolidworms, snail (Limnea and Planoribs) and ram's horn(Planorbis) are abundant and serve as food for snowtrout and migratory wildfowl.

deer, Red panda and Himalayan black bear. Snowleopard sometime passes through the upper part of thecatchment (Chuchemara lake).


Thakur Babas temple is located towards the SE cornerof the lakes 500m upwards. There is a belief thatThakur god had thrown an arrow to discharge thewater of lake to reduce the potential damage by overflooding/damming. People are not much seen to bedependent on the daily livelihood directly on the lake.The tourism base of the social economy is dependenton wetland. Rara has not received over 200 tourists inany year and their number is going down since 1995.

THREATS:

■ Overgrazing and erosion■ Unsustainable harvesting of resources including NTFPs■ Pollution due to the

sedimentation fromthe adjacent hills,discharge of domesticsewage/solid wasteand wallow ofdomestic cattle.


Rara Lake is situated in the Rara National Park and isunder the management of Department of NationalParks and Wildlife Conservation (DNPWC), Governmentof Nepal. The Park is protected with the help Nepalarmy and buffer zone with the help of localcommunities. As this area provides criteria listed byRamsar 2006-2008, nominating this site byGovernment to declare as Ramsar would providefurther support in the conservation of this high altitudewetland. The Buffer Zone has been declared and planpreparation is in process.

Of the 235 birdspecies recorded,49 species arewetland birds andmost of them aremigratory. Ofthem Ruddy

Shelduck (Tadorna ferruginea) is said to breed in Raralake. Coot (Fulica atra) is plentiful in the lake and severalof them stay even for the whole year. Resident wetlandbirds such as Eurasian Woodcock, Brown Dipper, LittleGrebe and Wood Snipe are recorded from here. GreatCrested Grebe and Black-necked Grebe are wintervisitors and are suspected to be residing all the yearround in lake Rara. Common Kingfisher, CrestedKingfisher, Black-crowned Night Heron, GreatCormorant are summer visitors and suspected to breedin the Lake Rara.

It is the habitat and resting site of winter visitor waterbirds such as Gadwall, Mallard, Northern Shoveler,Common Teal, Tufted Duck, Common Golden eye,Common Merganser, common Coot, and SolitorySnipe. There were records of 50 individuals of Tuftedduck, 200 individuals of common coot, 85 individuals ofgreat crested grebe, and 15 individuals of Black-neckedGrebe (Scott 1989). 232 individuals of 5 wetland birdspecies were recorded in Asian waterfowl census 1994.The globally threatened bird cheer pheasant (Catreuswallichii) is found in the catchment area (Salleri,Lamichur, Bamichur and Rara) in the southern slopemixed with grassland, shrubs and scattered trees.Similarly, the other globally threatened bird Wood Snipe(Gallinago nemoricola) is probably the resident bird ofRara with rare status (5% chance-Giri 2005). Threeendemic species of snow trout (Schizothoraxmacropthalamus, S.nepalensis, S.raraensis) arereported from the lake out of total 8 endemic fishspecies of Nepal. Endemic frog Paa rarica is also foundin abundance here. Smooth otter (Lutra perspicillata) iswell represented mammal in the Lake. Otherendangered mammals in the catchment area are Musk

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Kangchenjunga Conservation AreaSingjema Wetland Series

Coordinates: 27°45.44' E87°46.81'N

Area: 25.23 haLength: 835 mElevation: 4671 m

OVERVIEW:

Singjema lake, where people believe to see thereflection of their own future and fortune, is an alpinefreshwater oligotrophic lake with steep slopes creating aunique and representative wetland in the high Eastern

Himalayan Eco-region complex. It is an importantsource of freshwater for Tamor River, one of thetributaries of Koshi river in Nepal feeding the GangeticRiver basin.


Flora: About 32 species of flowering plants have beenrecorded from the Singjema catchment including 3endemic species of plants with rare, endangered andvulnerable species. Potential endemic plants found inthis area include Lauener (Aconitum staintonii ), Klotz(Cotoneaster staintonii ), and Kitam (Cremanthodiumnepalense). Other threatened species according toIUCN category are Nardostachys grandiflora(Vulnerable), Neopicrorhiza scrophulariifolia (Vulnerable),Rheum australe (Vulnerable), and Swertia multicaulis(Data Deficit).

Fauna: Brahminy Duck (Tadorna ferruginea) andcommon Pochard (Aythya ferina) have been recordedfrom the wetlands of Kangchenjunga Conservation Areabut needs further observation in Singjema. Other birdsrecorded in the catchment are snow pigeon, whitecapped redstart and finches. The catchment is habitatof snow leopard and lower section of the catchment isthe winter habitat of red panda and musk deer.

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THREATS:

n Unsustainable collection of NTFPs for traden Over grazing resulting in the growth of unpalatable

and toxic plantsn Hunting of wildlife specially musk deer for cross-

border trades


Singjema lake is considered by the local people andherders from Tibet as a wish-fulfilling lake. Unmarriedwomen come to lake to worship in hope that theywill get a handsome husband. People believe thatslaughtering of animals within the vicinity of the lakeangers the deity of the lake. Therefore, hunting isprohibited in the area and hunting musk deer isconsidered to deplete social status and property.The lake is also a freshwater source for cattleherders and down stream people.

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Singjema lake falls within the KangchenjungaConservation Area (KCA). The KCA ManagementCouncil and its associated institutions have beenempowered to manage their conservation area. TheKCA Management Council has also applied to theGovernment through the Ministry of Forest and SoilConservation for community management of KCA.Currently, the Management Council together with usergroups, mother groups and sub-committees like SnowLeopard Conservation Committee are activelymanaging the conservation area.

Thulo Pokhari &Associated Wetlands

Coordinates: 27° 41' 06"- 27° 42' 24" Latitude87° 13' 15"- 87° 13' 05" Longitude

Area: 16.163 haElevation: 3,900m to 4,210m

OVERVIEW:

Thulo Pokhari and other associated wetlands areglacial originated alpine fresh water lakes and areoligotrophic in nutrient content. Thulo Pokhari Lakesystem forms headwater of Ishuwa Khola, one of thetributaries to the Arun River.

The downstream area of the Thulo Pokhari lies inside theMakalu-Barun National Park and its buffer zone. Ishuwakhola, which mixes with Arun at Ishuwa Dovan is thedischarge of Thulo Pokhari. The clean, unpolluted andregular supply of water downstream from Thulo Pokharihas high significance not only to the local communities ofnearby villages but also to the downstream people.

HYDROLOGICAL VALUE:

The discharge in outlet is 0.355 m3 /second from ThuloPokhari to Ishuwa Khola. The lakes are fed by glaciersduring the winter and water from surrounding hillsduring the rainy season. Water from Keke and Siptonpeaks constitute the main source. The average depth ofthe Thulo Pokhari is 50m. Hydrological function andvalues of wetland is high for ground water recharge,flood control, and sediment trapping.

BIODIVERSITY VALUE:

Flora: The endemic plants possibly found in ThuloPokhari area are Pedicularis pseudoregeliana, Carexhimalaica, Kobresia fissiglumis, Ranunculus himalaicusand Ranunculus makaulensis. Similarly, several speciesare considered as threatened species under differentcategories of CAMP and IUCN Red list.

fish or fingerlings due to its high altitude climatic condition(4,030m). Due to no public land and buffer zone in theThulo Pokhari area, the forestry use is limited to fewlocations for decoration, timber and fuel wood requirementfor cattle shed and teashops.

The religious importance of the site is high. Hundreds ofpeople from Hindu and Buddhist religions go to thatplace on rainy season during Janaipurnima. Nomads aredependent on the wetland in relation to drinking, grazingetc. Other people only visit this place duringJanaipurnima and rest of the rainy season. People ofdownstream depend on water for the domestic use.

THREATS:

■ Overuse of fuel wood and non-timber forestproducts (NTFPs)

■ Poaching of endangered animal species like muskdeer

■ Pollution caused by visitors and trekking tourists■ Overgrazing leading to the disruption of the natural

succession process and increase in the onset of theinvasive, unpalatable species


Thulo pokhari falls under the ownership of Makalu BarunNational Park. The Ministry of Forests and SoilConservation, Government of Nepal is the legal authorityand the park is governed by the National Parks andWildlife Conservation Act 2029 BS (1973) and HimaliRastriya Nikunja Niyamawali 2036 BS (Mountain NationalParks Regulation 1979). NTFPs use for domesticpurpose and traditional use is permitted. National parkauthority conducts regular field visits and also takes careof conservation and management of the catchment area.As this area provides criteria listed by Ramsar Convention2006, nominating this site by the government to declare aRamsar site would provide further support in theconservation of this high altitude wetland.

About 56 species of rare andthreatened plants have beenrecorded from the Makalu-BarunNational park (MBNP) area bysurveys done earlier by MBNP.Some of the potentially threatenedplants around Thulo pokhariinclude Aconitum gammiei,

Aconitum spicatum, Dactylorhiza hatagirea, Meconopsispaniculata, Rheum australe and Neopicrorhizascrophulariiflora.

Fauna: Previous studies have shown that among the421 bird species recorded in Makalu-Barun Nationalpark, 3 species are entirely wetland birds and 26 speciesare wetland dependent. Himalayan Monal (Lophophorusimpejanus), Olive-backed Pipit (Anthus hodgsoni) andBlyth's Pipit (Anthus godlewskii) are the bird speciesfound during the direct observation. This site is habitatfor migratory and residential birds and other wildlifespecies. Sheep and Chauri herders confirm the sightingof Snow Leopard and Ghoral etc.

Pika (Ochotona sp.) was common in the rocky areas ofthis valley and scat of Yellow Throated Martin (Martesflavigula) was seen in the area. The south section of thecatchment is a habitat of Musk Deer (Muschuschrysogaster). The endangered Snow Leopard (Unciauncia) is said to be found at the upper part of thecatchment along with the Himalayan Thar (Hemitragusjemlahicus).


The cultural and religious importance of the wetland isreflected mainly during the rainy season. People from allcastes from different places visit this place while going toworship Shiva Dhara and Parbati Cave. Limited people alsovisit Thulo Pokhari alone for religious purposes except forJanaipurnima. The Thulo Pokhari itself does not produce

Coordinates: 27o 26.25’ N88o 03.44’ E

Area: 26.73 ha

Elevation: 4,343 m

OVERVIEW:

Timbung Pokhari lake system in Taplejung disctrict is aunique and rare example of natural wetland type in thehigh Himalayan biogeographic region. It lies in the centralHimalaya towards the northeast part of Nepal adjoiningSikkim, India at an altitude of about 4343 m. It provideswater to the Kabeli River that drains ultimately to KoshiRiver, one of the four major rivers of the country in Nepal.

Timbung Pokhari is naturally originated lake. The lake issurrounded with steep rock cliffs along the eastern andnorthern sides. The drian is in the south and worshipingsites in the west. Most of the area is rock and alpinerangeland.

There are six irrigation canals downstream of the lake anddrinking water for grazing animals from Iwa river.Temperature may range up to -20 °C. The lake gets frozenfor about 3-4 winter months and melts slowly by the end ofFeb and early March. The summer is mild with pronouncedrain from June to September. The rest of the months aremild cold and are optimum for tourism purpose.

HYDROLOGICAL VALUE:

Water discharge of Timbung Pokhari in monthly basisranges from 8.77 l/s (April) to 219.23 l/s (August).

The depth of the Timbung Lake is said to be 70 m asper local people and their information is based on aforeign technical team. Water level of Timbung Pokharirises during snow melting time (April-May), during rainyseason (July-August) and decreases from midSeptember to March.

BIODIVERSITY VALUE:

Flora: About nineteen common species of plants havebeen recorded in the core area of Timbung Pokhari:Rheum australe (VU), Saussurea tridactyla, Androsecspp., Bergenia ligulata, Heraclium spp., Rhododendronlepidotum, Primula spp., Rhodiola spp., Potentila spp.,Meconopsis regia, Meconopsis grandis, Neopicorrhizascrophulariiflora (VU), Dactylorhiza hatagirea (EN),Lichens, Lobelia pyramidalis, Laggera alata, Aconitumbisma, Aconitum spicatum.

Among them Rheum australe and Neopicorrhizascrophulariiflora are vulnerable species and Dactylorhizahatagirea is endangered species.

Heraclium lallii

Khokkim (Rheum australe)Saussurea tridactyla

Timbung andAssociated Lakes

Padamchal (Rheum nobile)

Fauna: Timbung Pokhari area is the resting site ofwetland birds, Common pochard (Aythya ferina) andgloabally threatened Wood snipe (Gallinago nemoricola-Vu-IUCN) and many other species.

Twenty seven species of wetland birds excluding RuddyShelduck have been suspected to occur from thecatchment of Timbung Pokhari. Since 5-6 years, RuddyShelduck is not observed in this lake.

Rare and vulnerable species Snow leopard (Uncia uncial),Musk Deer (Muschus chrysogaster) and Red Panda(Ailurus fulgens) are also found. Snow leopardoccasionally passes through the upper part of thecatchment area. The Musk Deer and Red Panda use thecatchment area.


Timbung Pokhari is the sign of hope of people. Peopleare closely tied up with Timbung Pokhari to reduce theunwanted problems and protect from the evils. Similarly,this area provides large amount of water to the people oflower belts including drinking water, irrigation facilities,fishes and material (sand and stone etc).

According to the Hindu ancient religion, Timbung Pokhariis considered as an emblem of Sakshat Bishnu, the godof saver. Normally the purpose of people to visit andworship of Timbung Pokhari is to fulfill their own internaldesires that are not easily achievable. People are notallowed to take bath at Timbung pokhari. Pilgrims have totake bath at Kanchhi Dhara, nearby to Timbung Pokhari.

At Timbung Pokhari, normally, pilgrims visits four timesin a year at 15 Shravan (~July 30), Nag Panchami (~18August), Janai Purnima (~28 August) and at KrishnaAstami (~4 September) festivals in a year ranging from740- 875 pilgrims.

THREATS:

■ Overgrazing■ Unsustainable harvesting of NTFPs■ Killing of wildlife■ Solid waste pollution■ Unsustainable firewood collection


Different user groups and committees have been formedfor the conservation and management of the TimbungPokhari area.

The Mountain Institute (TMI) has establishedPastureland management committee to regulate thepastures and management of rangeland. TMI hasplanned to build an incinerator. A notice board is alsoerected by an NGO funded by TMI that to aware peoplenot to leave rubbishes elsewhere. Kangchenjunga UsersCommittee (KUC) is working actively at Yamphudin andits territory. It mobilizes people to control poachingregularly and aware people for the conservation andsustainable utilization of natural resources. AtYamphudin, newly established Timbung PokhariCommunity Forestry users group has started to patrolover its area to avoid the illegal collection of NTFPs byoutsiders. To reduce the pollution, PasturelandManagement Committee (PMC) is trying to manage thecattle’s and rangeland. At core area of Timbung Pokhari,about 4 years ago, a people from Surumkhim, namedKishor Rai has started to manage the rubbish of thesurrounding area of Timbung pokhari. After hisinnovative initiation, nowadays 2 herders are managingthe rubbishes of core area of Timbung Pokhari, in co-ordination with Kangchenjunga Landscape ConcernGroup (KCG). KCG has started to raise awareness aboutRhododendron and improved cattle farming at their ownhome for better livelihood option and to protect thefragile Himalayan forest and environment.

Warmi Lake System

Coordinates: 28° 39' 29.9" North Latitude83° 06' 29.7" East Longitude

Area: 15 haElevation: 4490 m

OVERVIEW:

The Warmi lake is a freshwater lake and oligotrophic innutrient content. The lake is bowl shaped withsouthern end straight and northern end dentate andlies at the base of Churen mountain. The lake systemis composed of three lake series, Hepu, Warmi andParmi, the drainage from which supplements Gustungriver system. Gustung and Monsoon rivers join justbelow 1 km distance from the Monson mela and bothform and provide services to the downstream residents.The villagers of Hukam, Maikot, Taksera use the waterfrom the river. The Gustung River originates from the

glaciers of Churen mountain and is fed by Warmi,Parmi and Hepu lake systems. The river forms a steepforested valley from which the high and ruggedmountain range Chaluke range rises (Wegge 1976).

HYDROLOGICAL VALUE:

The lake has two prominent inlets or glaciers fromwhich the water volume of the lake is maintained. It hasonly one outlet on its southern shore, which joinsGustung River while passing through rocky cliffs andgorges. The level of water is high in rainy season andafter the melting of ice. The water users downstreamare few traditional ghatta users and many domesticusers who reside distant from Gustung and WarmiRiver confluence.

BIODIVERSITY VALUE:

Flora: The most expensive medicinal plant speciesCordyceps sinensis is available at the catchments ofWarmi Lake. Primula, Potentilla and Anemone specieshave a large presence in the lake catchments. Thegenera Pedicularis, Potentilla, Primula, andRhododendron possess the higher number of species.Several threatened plants such as Cordyceps sinensis,Dactylorhiza hatagirea, Taxus wallichiana,Neopicrorhiza scrophulariflora, Abies spectabilis andPinus wallichiana under IUCN, Government of Nepaland CITES category and number of endemic plantshave been recorded from the catchment and lakeareas. Podophyllum hexandrum, Nardostachysgrandiflora, Taxus wallichiana, Prunus carmesina aresome of the threatened plants around the Warmi Lake.


Warmi Lake is sacred and has a religious importanceas a pilgrimage. There was a tradition to pay homageand offer coin to the lake while crossing the area.According to a local belief, a person who sees the lakethe first time is called Panthe and this person shouldoffer coin to the lake. The research team found acopper coin from late king Prithivi Narayan Shah clearlyrevealing that the site had sacred and pilgrimage valuesince very early times.

The water users reside at a distance from Gustung andMonson River confluence. Mainly the users of Hukam,Maikot, Taksera villages consume water for their needs.The traditional usages are mainly for drinking water byhuman beings and livestock of the villages. A trailalong the Warmi and Parmi lakes was reported beingused as a trading route to carry salt from Tara Bhot,Charka Bhot and Tibet, but now it is not used afteravailability of iodinated salt from nearby markets.

THREATS:

■ Encroachment■ Overgrazing■ Over-exploitation of the non-timber forest products

(NTFPs), especially highly threatened species■ Hunting and poaching■ Pollution caused by visitors and trekking tourists■ Overgrazing leading to the disruption of the natural

succession process and increase in the onset ofthe invasive, unpalatable species


Warmi Lake system falls under the ownership of theDhorpatan Hunting Reserve. The Ministry of Forestsand Soil Conservation, Government of Nepal is thelegal authority and the park is governed by the NationalParks and Wildlife Conservation Act 2029 BS (1973)and Himali Rastriya Nikunja Niyamawali (MountainNational Parks Regulation) 2036 B.S (1979). Grazing isallowed as traditional right and game hunting ispermitted after paying royalty to the government andwith community's consent. Collecting timber and non-timber forest products is permitted to locals throughthe permission of the chief conservation officer andbanned for any commercial purpose.

Fauna: Satyr tragopan, Koklas pheasant, Cukorpartridge, Blood pheasant, Red and yellow billedcough, Egyptian vulture, Crag martin, House martin,Finches, Upland pipit, Black stork, Wall creeper,Oriental skylark, Danphe (Lophophorus impejanus) areimportant birds of the reserve. Himalayan snow cock(Tetreogallus himalayensis) and snow partridge werealso observed in this area. Catreus wallichii (Cheer) isdecreasing by 18.75% in Dhorpatan Hunting Reservedue to the hunting, habitat fragmentation anddegradation, predation and inbreeding.

Two wetland birds, Ruddy shelduck (Tadornaferruginea), Shoveler (Anas clypeata) are found in theWarmi Lake. Yellow billed chough (Pyrrhocoraxgraculus) and Large billed crow (Corvusmacrorhynchos) are dominant at Warmi and itscatchment areas.

Present study did not find any herpeto fauna in Warmilake. Fish species were not recorded in the Warmi Lakeduring the survey which may have been due to theclimatic conditions. Faecal matter of snow leopard wasabundant around Warmi and Hepu Lake and Monsonmela. Foot prints and fresh grazing signs of blue sheepwere observed at Warmi Lake.

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