Sessa Orchid Sanctuary

Last updated

Sessa Orchid Sanctuary
wildlife sanctuary
Coelogyne nitida.jpg
India Arunachal Pradesh location map.svg
Red pog.svg
Sessa Orchid Sanctuary
Location in Arunachal Pradesh, India
India location map.svg
Red pog.svg
Sessa Orchid Sanctuary
Sessa Orchid Sanctuary (India)
Coordinates: 27°12′N92°30′E / 27.2°N 92.5°E / 27.2; 92.5
CountryFlag of India.svg  India
State Arunachal Pradesh
District West Kameng
Established1989
Area
  Total100 km2 (40 sq mi)
Languages
  Official English
Time zone UTC+5:30 (IST)
Vehicle registration AR
Nearest city Bomdila
IUCN category IV
Governing body Secretary (Political), Government of Arunachal Pradesh
Website: SESSA ORCHID SANCTUARY & NURSERY

Sessa Orchid Sanctuary is a 100 km2 protected area of India in the Himalayan foothills in Bhalukpong Forest Division of West Kameng District, Arunachal Pradesh. It conjoins Eaglenest Wildlife Sanctuary to the southwest. It is a part of the Kameng Protected Area Complex (KPAC), which is an Elephant Reserve. See map. The department of Environment & Forests has developed trekking routes for visitors to enjoy the natural habitats of orchids. There are deep gorges and valleys, high peaks and rugged terrain that are rewarding for nature lovers and adventure tourists. A nursery includes representative specimens of various orchid species of the sanctuary and a demonstration farm of Cymbidium hybrids for cut-flower production. Most of Sessa has traditionally been claimed by the Bugun tribe as part of their territory.

Contents

Geography and climate

Sessa and Eaglenest together occupy a rough east–west rectangle with Sessa occupying the north-east quadrant. The Bhalukpong-Bomdila highway (and Pakke immediately beyond) are its eastern boundary. It is bounded to the north by the Tenga River valley. [1] Altitude is 900 metres (2,953 ft) to 3,250 metres (10,663 ft).

Sessa and Eaglenest ridges rise to 3,250 metres (10,663 ft) and 2,700 metres (8,858 ft) respectively and are the first major barriers to the monsoon as it moves north from the plains of Assam. These ridges get over 3,000 millimetres (120 in) of rain on the southern slopes and about 1,500 millimetres (59 in) on the northern slopes. [2]

Sessa sanctuary is drained by the Tippi Naala (Tippi river), which joins the Kameng river at Tippi village on the Bhalukpong-Bomdila highway. [3]

Sessa is part of the Kameng protected area complex (KPAC), the largest contiguous closed-canopy forest tract of Arunachal Pradesh, which includes Sessa, Eaglenest, Pakke, Nameri, and Sonai Rupai sanctuaries and associated reserved forest blocks. The Complex covers 3500 km2 in area and ranges from 100 metres (328 ft) to 3,300 metres (10,827 ft)3300m in altitude. [4]

Orchids

Sessa is noted for the occurrence of more than 200 orchid species with 5 new and endemic species. [5] Sub-tropical types include the genera Dendrobium , Bulbophyllum , Coelogyne , Eria , Phaius and Liparis . The sanctuary is unique in having 7 endemic species of saprotrophic orchids. [6] 12 rare species of different families were found in one study of the area. [7]

Orchid Research and Development Centre

The Government of Arunachal Pradesh in the late 1970s created a post of orchidologist in the Forest Department and in 1989 established the Orchid Research and Development Centre (ORDC) at Tipi, and the Sessa Orchid Sanctuary 20 km awy. The ORDC is actively engaged in exploration and collection of orchid species, cultivation in orchidaria and gardens for their taxonomic study, conservation of rare and endangered species, creation of germplasm collections and multiplication of rare species through tissue culture techniques. The ORDC discovered the following species: Biermannia jainiana , Cleistoma tricallosum , Dendrobium kentrophyllum , Epipogium sessanum , Eria jengingensis , Eria lohitensis , Gastrodia arunachalenisis and Herminium longilonbatum . [8] [9]

Conservation

The Critical Ecosystem Partnership Fund (CEPF), a consortium of major international and regional organizations, has identified the Eastern Himalayan region around Arunachal Pradesh (Nepal, Bhutan and all of North-East India) as a critical global biodiversity rich area deserving of conservation focus. They identified the North-Bank Landscape (i.e. north bank of Brahmaputra, extending up the Eaglenest and Sessa slopes) and the Tawang region as worthy of particular focus. [10]

Sessa is within the Conservation International Himalaya Biodiversity Hotspot area. [11]

BirdLife International has designated Sessa and Eaglenest Sanctuaries as an Important Bird Area (IBA IN344), with Blyth's tragopan identified as a vulnerable species of the area. [12]

Visitor information

Visitors may contact the DFO Pakke WLS Division, Seijosa, East Kameng District or The Range Officer (WL), Sessa Orchid Sanctuary, Sessa, West Kameng District or the Asst. Orchidologist, Tipi Orchid Center, Tipi, West Kameng District. [13]

Notes

  1. Athreya Ramana M, Kartikeyan S., The Wildlife Sanctuaries in the Dafla Hills of Arunachal Pradesh Sessa Orchid Sanctuary Archived 16 May 2011 at the Wayback Machine
  2. Choudhury A. 2003: Birds of Eaglenest Wildlife Sanctuary and Sessa Orchid Sanctuary, Arunachal Pradesh, India. Forktail 19:1
  3. Army Map Service, Corps of Engineers (1955) Series U502, Sheet NG-46-2, Towang, India; Bhutan; China, topographic map 1:250,000, retrieved 10/2/2007 Topographic map Archived 10 October 2007 at the Wayback Machine
  4. Official website of West Kameng District (6/21/2007) Geography Archived 2007-11-02 at the Wayback Machine
  5. Govt. of Arunachal Pradesh, National Informatics Centre, Arunachal Pradesh State Unit, Orchid Tourism Orchid Tourism Archived 10 August 2007 at the Wayback Machine
  6. State Forest Research Institute, Department of Environment & Forests, Government of Arunachal Pradesh, retrieved 10/3/2007 SESSA ORCHID SANCTUARY & NURSERY, SESSA Archived 10 April 2009 at the Wayback Machine
  7. Padmawathe, R (2006) Edge related changes in species composition in vascular epiphyte in forests of Sessa Orchid Sanctuary, Arunachal Pradesh, Wildlife Institute of India, Dehradun, retrieved 10/3/2007 species composition
  8. ENVIS Centre Sikkim on Tourism, Physical Setting, retrieved 10/2/2007 ORCHIDS-The Jewel of Arunachal Pradesh Archived 10 April 2009 at the Wayback Machine
  9. State Forest Research Institute, Department of Environment & Forests, Government of Arunachal Pradesh,ORCHIDOLOGY-RESEARCH PAPERS Archived 20 June 2008 at the Wayback Machine
  10. Critical Ecosystem Partnership Fund, Project database Eastern Himalayas Region Strategic Directions Archived 2007-11-08 at the Wayback Machine
  11. "Biodiversity Hotspots". www.conservation.org. Retrieved 28 September 2023.
  12. BirdLife International (2006) BirdLife IBA Factsheet, retrieved 10/1/2007 IN344 Eaglenest and Sessa Sanctuaries Archived 22 November 2008 at the Wayback Machine
  13. "The Hindu : Metro Plus Chennai / Travel : Sessa Orchid Sanctuary". 25 June 2006. Archived from the original on 25 June 2006. Retrieved 28 September 2023.

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">West Kameng district</span> District of Arunachal Pradesh in India

West Kameng is a district of Arunachal Pradesh in northeastern India. It accounts for 8.86% of the total area of the state. The name is derived from the Kameng river, a tributary of the Brahmaputra, that flows through the district.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Nyishi people</span> Largest Ethnic group in Arunachal Pradesh in north-eastern India

The Nyishi community is the largest ethnic group in Arunachal Pradesh in north-eastern India. The Nyishi language belongs to the Sino-Tibetan family, however, the origin is disputed. Their population of around 300,000 makes them the most populous tribe of Arunachal Pradesh, closely followed by the tribes of the Adi according to 2001 census.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Bomdila</span> City in Arunachal Pradesh, India

Bomdila is the headquarters of West Kameng district in the state of Arunachal Pradesh in India. Bomdila is one of the 60 constituencies of the state of Arunachal Pradesh.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Nameri National Park</span> National park in Assam, India

Nameri National Park is a national park in the foothills of the eastern Himalayas in the Sonitpur District of Assam, India, about 35 km from Tezpur. Nameri is about 9 km from Chariduar, the nearest village.

<i>Japalura austeniana</i> Species of lizard

Japalura austeniana, also known commonly as the Abor Hills agama or Annandale's dragon, is a rare species of lizard in the family Agamidae. The species is endemic to Asia.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Rufous-necked hornbill</span> Species of bird

The rufous-necked hornbill is a species of hornbill in Bhutan, northeastern India, especially in Arunachal Pradesh, Indian Subcontinent and Southeast Asia. It is locally extinct in Nepal due to hunting and significant loss of habitat. There are less than 10,000 adults left in the wild. With a length of about 117 cm (46 in), it is among the largest Bucerotine hornbills. The underparts, neck and head are rich rufous in the male, but black in the female.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Bhalukpong</span> Town in Arunachal Pradesh, India

Bhalukpung is a small town located along the southern reaches of the Himalayas in West Kameng district of Arunachal Pradesh in India. The town is located at 213m above sea level, 100 km from Bomdila, 52 km from Tezpur and 5 km from Tipi. It lies along the Kameng river and is the headquarters of Bhalukpung circle. A road leads to Bomdila via the Tipi Orchidariurm, and the inner line check post is located at Bhalukpung. It has a railway station namely Bhalukpong Railway Station, connected to Rangiya Murkongselek rail line at Balipara. It has 3 platforms. One pair of trains runs daily to and from here.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Bugun liocichla</span> Species of bird

The Bugun liocichla is a passerine bird species from the family Leiothrichidae closely related to the Emei Shan liocichla. First spotted in 1995 in Arunachal Pradesh, India, it was described as a new species in 2006. The description was made without the collection of a type specimen as they were too few to risk killing one. It is thought to be an endangered species, with a small population, and a very restricted distribution range within which commercial development threatens the habitat.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Eaglenest Wildlife Sanctuary</span> Protected area of Arunachal Pradesh, India

Eaglenest or Eagle's Nest Wildlife Sanctuary is a protected area of India in the Himalayan foothills of West Kameng District, Arunachal Pradesh. It conjoins Sessa Orchid Sanctuary to the northeast and Pakhui Tiger Reserve across the Kameng river to the east. Altitude ranges are extreme: from 500 metres (1,640 ft) to 3,250 metres (10,663 ft). It is a part of the Kameng Elephant Reserve.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Black-backed forktail</span> Species of bird

The black-backed forktail, occasionally referred to as the black-throated forktail, is a forktail species in the family Muscicapidae. The species was described in 1836, from a specimen collected in Nepal. It is a medium-sized forktail, weighing between 25 and 29 grams, with a length of 20.5 to 23 centimetres. The species has a broad white stripe across its forehead. The crown, face, and mantle are black, while the bird's underparts are white, sharply divided from the black above. The wings are largely black with a broad white stripe across the greater coverts. The tail of the species, similar to that of other forktails, is long, graduated, and deeply forked. The tail is black with a white tip and three white bands created by shorter tail feathers. The beak of the bird is black, while the feet and legs are light pink, and the iris is brown. The species is monomorphic.

The Kameng Elephant Reserve is an Elephant Reserve located in the Himalayan foothills of Arunachal Pradesh, India, in the districts of West Kameng and East Kameng.

Pakke Tiger Reserve, is a Project Tiger reserve in the East Kameng district of Arunachal Pradesh in Northeast India. The 862 km2 (333 sq mi) reserve is protected by the Department of Environment and Forest of Arunachal Pradesh. It was known as Pakhui Tiger Reserve, but renamed in April 2001 by the Governor of Arunachal Pradesh. It has won India Biodiversity Award 2016 in the category of 'Conservation of threatened species' for its Hornbill Nest Adoption Programme.

The Trans-Arunachal Highway (TAH), which includes an existing 1,811 km (1,125 mi) route comprising NH-13 and parts of NH-15, NH-215 and SH-25, is an under-construction 2-lane more than 2,407 km (1,496 mi) long highway passing through 16 districts in Arunachal Pradesh state in India. It runs from LAC in Tawang in northwest to Kanubari in southeast at tri-junction of Assam-Nagaland-Arunachal Pradesh. It connects at least 16 districts of Arunachal Pradesh.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Environment and Forests Department (Arunachal Pradesh)</span>

The Department of Environment and Forests of Arunachal Pradesh (DEFAP) is a state-sponsored agency responsible for conserving the environment, identifying, establishing, and conserving protected areas in the Indian state of Arunachal Pradesh.

Arunachal Frontier Highway (AFH), officially notified as the National Highway NH-913 and also called Bomdila-Vijaynagar Highway (BVH), connecting Bomdila Airstrip ALG & HQ in northwest to Vijaynagar Airstrip ALG & HQ in southeast via Nafra HQ-Sarli HQ-Huri Helipad ALG & HQ-Nacho HQ-Mechuka Airstrip ALG & HQ-Monigong HQ-Jido -Hunli HQ-Hayuliang Airstrip ALG HQ-Chenquenty-Hawai HQ-Miao HQ including 800 km greenfield section and network of new tunnels & bridges, is a 2-lane paved-shoulder under-construction national highway along the India-China LAC-McMahon Line border in the Indian state of Arunachal Pradesh. The 1,748 km-long (1,086 mi) highway itself will cost 27,000 crore and total cost including 6 additional inter-corridors is 40,000 crore. In some places, this highway will run as close as 20 km from the LAC. To be constructed by MoRTH in 9 packages, all packages will be approved by the end of fy 2024-25 and construction will be completed in 2 years by 31 March 2027. Of the total route, 800km is greenfield, rest brownfield will be upgraded and tunnels will be built. This highway in the north & east Arunachal along the China border, would complement the Trans-Arunachal Highway and the Arunachal East-West Corridor as major highways spanning the whole state, pursuing the Look East connectivity policy.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Geography of Arunachal Pradesh</span>

Arunachal Pradesh is primarily a hilly tract nestled in the foothills of the Himalayas in northeast India. It is spread over an area of 83,743 km2 (32,333 sq mi). 98% of the geographical area is land out of which 80% is forest cover; 2% is water. River systems in the region, including those from the higher Himalayas and Patkoi and Arakan Ranges, eventually drain into the Brahmaputra River.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Outline of Arunachal Pradesh</span> Overview of and topical guide to Arunachal Pradesh

The following outline is provided as an overview of and topical guide to Arunachal Pradesh:

Pakke Kessang is a town in the Indian state of Arunachal Pradesh. It is located in Pakke-Kessang district, which has been carved out of the East Kameng district along with five administrative units, namely Pakke Kessang, Seijosa, Pijerang, Passa Valley, and Dissing-Passo with district headquarters at Lemmi.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Pakke-Kessang district</span> District of Arunachal Pradesh in India

Pakke-Kessang is a district located in the state of Arunachal Pradesh in the Northeast of India. The district used to be a part of the neighboring district, East Kameng, and was created out of its five southernmost administrative units: Pijerang, Passa Valley, Pakke-Kessang, Dissing Passo and Seijosa. The district headquarters of Pakke-Kessang is located at Lemmi (near Boundary of Papum pare