ZIRO, Oct 10: As part of the 63rd Wildlife Week celebration, the Hapoli Forest Division conducted a four-day floral expedition to Tale (Talle) valley for the first time recently, which concluded on October 8 last.
The expedition saw 16 participants, including subject experts from the State Medicinal Plants Board, Namdapha Tiger Reserve, SFRI members from Hong and Ziro, Biodiversity Management Committee, NGO Ngunu Ziro, Tour operators, North East Holiday, Ziro Photography Club, Creative Studio Ziro, Wildlife film maker and researchers.
During the four-day floral expedition, with foot walk of 47 km, around 40 species of orchids were recorded. Although it is not the best season for blooming, flowers of 13 orchid species were observed. Besides, 23 globally significant medicinal plants, like Panax spp., Taxus baccata, Illicium griffithii, Polygonatum cirrhifolium, Podophyllum hexandrum, etc and many wild food plants were also found growing abundantly within the Sanctuary.
Scientifically identified plants were digitally recorded, along with geo-coordinates. Endemic bamboos like Pleioblastus simonii and Yushania hirsuta (Syn Sinoarundinaria hirsuta), endangered plants like Angiopteris evecta and Rhododendron groves were also observed.
Continuously monitoring the expedition, DFO Koj Rinya shared that the main objective of the expedition was not only to update the floral inventory of the sanctuary but also to facilitate information exchange between various stakeholders for promotion of ecotourism.
Considering the rare and endemic wildlife of the protected area, four new nature trails have been identified as bird-butterfly trail, rhododendron-bamboo trail, orchid trail and tale trail, she further informed.
Earlier, a nature photography contest was also held to encourage and showcase the beautiful landscape and wildlife of the district.
Tale Wildlife Sanctuary is located in Lower Subansiri district of Arunachal Pradesh. The sanctuary was constituted and notified on 14 June, 1995 by curving out an area of 337 sq km from the Tale Reserve Forest to protect and conserve the biodiversity of the area. The Tale valley is located inside the sanctuary and has been christened after the plant ‘Tale’ (wild onion in Apatani), which is found abundantly in the valley. (DIPRO, with inputs from Hapoli Forest Division)
