Community Reserves Serve as Refugia Sites for Cavity-Nesting Owls in Northeast India

Abstract

ABSTRACT Community Reserves, which are Community Conserved Areas, form the majority of the Protected Area Network in northeast India. Because this biodiverse region is threatened by a variety of anthropogenic activities, Community Reserves likely serve as refugia sites for stenotopic, cavity-nesting species such as some owls. To test this hypothesis, we conducted nocturnal surveys in 11 Community Reserves comprised of primary or secondary forest and outside Community Reserves in Meghalaya state, northeast India. We then used nonparametric tests to assess differences in the occurrence of owls among these three categories. We found that on average, occurrence of owls was higher inside Community Reserves. Inside Community Reserves with secondary forests, we found significantly higher occurrence of the Asian Barred Owlet (Glaucidium cuculoides) and Collared Scops-Owl (Otus lettia), while in Community Reserves with primary forest, we found significantly higher occurrence of the Brown Wood-Owl (Strix leptogrammica), a declining old-growth forest specialist. Hence, Community Reserves are serving as sites of refugia for owls in northeast India. However, anthropogenic pressures such as logging, shifting cultivation, and developmental activities threaten the forests of the region. Old-growth forests are also scarce in Meghalaya and were present in only two of the Community Reserves. Therefore, we find it of prime importance to conserve these reserves, especially those containing primary forests, and to allocate more areas as Community Reserves in the region.