MATERIALS AND METHODS
Study Area
Mizoram (21,087 sq. km, 21°58’N to 24° 35’N latitude and 92°15 to 93°29’E longitude) is a hilly state,
located in northeast India. It is sandwiched by international borders, Bangladesh from the west (318 km)
and Myanmar from the east and south (404 km). It has a state boundary in the north with Manipur, Assam
and Tripura. It lies in the Indo-Myanmar Biodiversity Hotspot Area; therefore, Mizoram is rich in wild
flora and fauna, both in variety and abundance. There are six important bird areas in Mizoram which fall
under IBA criteria A1- A3. The dense natural forest covers 3158.57 sq. km. which is 14.98% of the total
area and this is divided into tropical wet evergreen, tropical semi-evergreen and montane subtropical pine
forests. The medium dense forest accounts for 2628.08 sq. km (12.46%), less dense forest 3738.57 sq. km
(17.73%) and bamboo forest accounts for 67-83.7 sq. Km (31.81%) (MIRSAC, 2009)