Wethtigan Wildlife Sanctuary
Location:
20°34'N, 94°38'E; one km west of Salin Town and 50 km NNW of Minbu, Minbu District, Magwe Division.
Area:
440 ha.
Altitude:
60m
Biogeographical Province:
4.4.1
Wetland type:
14
Description of site:
The sanctuary comprises an oval lake of approximately 200 ha, featuring minor bays and indentations, and surrounded by marshes. It lies some 16 km west of the Irrawaddy River and two km east of the Salin River. The catchment area of the lake is limited, and there are no perennial inflowing or outflowing streams. Water depth varies from less than 0.5m to 2.Om, depending on the season. The basement sediment comprises unconsolidated, anaerobic organic material, and the lake is highly eutrophic.
Climatic conditions:
The sanctuary lies within the dry zone, and has an average annual rainfall of only 750 mm. The southwest monsoon from June to October is strongly attenuated; there is a cool season from November to Febuary and a hot, dry season from March to May.
Principal vegetation:
Tall secondary scrub and scattered trees grow on the shore, whilst dense stands of Typha sp, up to 2m high, fringe the lake. Water lotus, possibly Nymphaea sp, covers large areas of open water. The lake and marshes are surrounded by secondary forest and cultivation.
Land tenure:
No information.
Conservation measures taken:
The site has been protected as a Wildlife Sanctuary since September 1939. The original sanctuary notification granted farmers the right to scare birds off crops, albeit without recourse to inflicting injury. Local people were given rights to graze and water their cattle, and to collect lotus leaves, fruits and grass without restriction. Forest Department staff patrol the lake twice daily to curb hunting and fishing, and attempts to remove squatters and to control agricultural expansion in the sanctuary have been made (FAO, 1982b).
Conservation measures proposed:
In 1982, it was recommended that (a) the sanctuary retains its present status; (b) activities should be restricted to those specifically mentioned in the original notification; (c) a full time officer should be appointed to the sanctuary; (d) the boundary should be clearly demarcated; (e) water levels should be monitored and, if necessary, some vegetation cleared to maintain open water habitat; and (f) comprehensive faunal surveys should be undertaken (FAO, 1982b).
Land use:
The sanctuary is heavily used for livestock grazing and the collection of lotus leaves, fruits and fodder, while illegal hunting and fishing are widely practiced (FAO, 1982b). The environs of the protected area are fully settled, and there is a monastery adjacent to the lake.
Disturbances and threats:
The principal problem is the small size of the sanctuary. Hunting, egg collection, fishing and habitat destruction all threaten the value of the site (FAO, 1982b), and both human habitation and cultivation have encroached on the sanctuary. Uncontrolled growth of lotus and Typha may eventually result in filling in of the lake and reversion to dry land.
Economic and social values:
The sanctuary was established for waterfowl protection, and is valued as it covers a habitat that is rare in Burma, namely marsh and freshwater lake. Wethtigan is the only protected freshwater wetland in the country.
Fauna:
Tun Yin (1954) lists 64 species of birds known to occur in the sanctuary. Waterfowl recorded during a brief survey in June and July 1982 included Tachybaptus ruficollis, Ixobrychus cinnamomeus, Bubulcus ibis, Dendrocygna javanica, Sarkidiornis melanotos, Nettapus coromandelianus, Anas poecilorhyncha, Porphyrio porphyrlo, Himantopus himantopus and Charadrius dubius (FAO, 1982b). However, the greatest numbers of birds are said to occur between November and Febuary, when migratory ducks and shorebirds predominate. Some 200 Anastomus oscitans were observed in nearby rice paddies in July 1982, along with six Mycteria leucocephala and ones (Luthin, 1984).
Special floral values:
No information.
Research and facilities:
The sanctuary was briefly surveyed in 1982 (FAO, 1982b). It has not been developed as a tourist attraction, and there are no facilities for visitors.
References:
FAO (1982b & l985a); IUCN (in prep); Karpowicz (1985); Luthin (1984); Tun Yin (1954).
Criteria for Inclusion:
1b.
Source:
See references