PHLANG KARUH (Krem)

Herbert Daniel Gebauer - 06/01/2018

An estimated 200 m or 250 m by 50 m wide and about 30 m or 40 m deep collapse doline (note 1) or Twin Sinkhole (rim at 63 m RL / reduced level) descends down to the entrance (at 39 m RL) of a a cave which contains not only a relic and relatively spacious cave passage (abandoned by flowing water, floored at ca. 21 m RL with boulders but at 28 m RL with sand and sand dunes) but also to active stream cave passages with deep pools (water level at 16 m RL) and a rocky stream bed draining approximately south-east to karst springs (8 m RL) at the head of the Phlankaruh stream (note 2). ETYMOLOGY: No autochthonous, indigenous or locally known name has been identified for this cave (note 3), which has been referred to by the name of the nearby hamlet (a kilometre or two south of the cave entrance), viz. Phalangkaruh (note 8) LUM MAWSHUN Pvt. Ltd. (2002: 101) Phankaruh Harper, R C 2001 undated February Mss: Krem PhankaruhPhlan Karuh (note 6) Tyler, A P (2001.05.10 cave plan: Krem Phlan Karuh) Plang Karuh (note 999) RUEDI, M et al. (2014: 6678) Phlangkaruh (note 7) Ghosh, Bose & Associates (s.a. circa 2000 Mss -EIA study of Shale mine at Shella, Lum Mawshun Minerals Pvt. Ltd.) Phlankaruh LUM MAWSHUN MINERALS (2002)Phrang Karuh (note 5) THABAH & BATES (2002) Phrangkaruh (note 4) Survey of India 1912 sheet 78-O/12 Plangaro Harper, R C (2001.02.18 undated Mss: Krem Plangaro); Harper, R C (2002.04.31 megahlay.doc # 27); McManus, Stuart et al. 2001 s.a.)NOTE 999… the single male caught with a harp trap placed at the entrance of Phlang Karuh Cave in the East Khasi Hills of Meghalaya in March 2001 (Thabah & Bates 2002) and the male captured by hand in a dipterocarp forest of Preah Vihear province in Cambodia in December 2000 (Walston & Bates 2001) might not have been roosting in the site of capture (RUEDI, M et al. 2014: 6678). Somewhere else, at Dangar, the headquarters of a G.S. Circle in the neighbouring Mawsynram C.D. Block, it was Simon J Brooks, who cared not only that fortuntely beer was secured but also introduced the strange cave names Krem Samruh (Brooks, S J 2012.02.10 in: Anonymous 2012.03.10 Mss: Meghalaya 2012 Team 2 Diary) and Krem Samruh, Dangar (Brooks, S J 2012.08.09 -Mawsynram GPS - Locations Part 1- personal correspondence), which, however, seem to be variants of a standard Khasi -Krem Simruh- or Bird-Cage Cave (note 10). SITUATION 2002a: The cave entrance to the Phrang Karuh Cave (sic!) lies at an elevation of 170 m asl in the Shella confederacy on the southern fringes of the Shillong plateau and, according to THABAH & BATES (2002), in an unidentified spatial relation near Nongtrai village (N25°11': E091°37') (note 11). SITUATION 2002.2: LUM MAWSHUN MINERALS (2002: Fig. 1.1B: Key Plan of the Lease Area) indicates sinkhole (page 39: about 200 by 50 m wide and 30 m deep) next to a reclining figure -8- at the head of the Phlankaruh (stream) and some 600 or 800 m approximately west of one kilometre stone 37 (perhaps on the Border Road), abot 2 km approximately WNW (1.8 km east, 0.8 km north) from Shella Bazar. LUM MAWSHUN MINERALS (2002: Table 1.1) places Shella Bazaar at a crow fly distance of about 2 km south-east from their Lease Area (N25°11'25”: E091°37'28” to N25°12'00”: E091°38'01” unspecified geodetic datum probably Everest 1830): The general elevation of the lease area ranges between 90 m Reduced Level (RL) and 190 m RL. APPROACH 2001: To reach the cave from Shella (note 12), cross the river Umiew (also: Umiam, Umiang, Umium, Bagra Pani, Shella River) and take a road (perhaps north) towards the village of Nongtrai (note 13). After passing an allegedly nameless river on the left (sic! without orientation), leave the road at the third culvert (without GPS position) for a footpath leading to the right without direction. Follow the footpath over clints (note 14) and turn right (without orientation) through a growth of allegedly wild bananas (if gone, plant more enduring ones) down into a jungle covered dolie. The cave entrance lies at the bottom of north-western head wall, and in the smaller and shallower one of the two depressions inside the NW-SE trending doline (after Tyler 2001.05.10 Mss: Krem Phlankaruh).APPROACH 2002: Starting at an unidentified location (perhaps the village of Disong?), … continue down road past Krem Maiuong [note 15] five minutes walking take obvious steep road west 20 minutes walk when road starts to descend river is visible on RHS and cave is below cliff on true RHS amid banana palms (Harper, R 2002.04.31 Mss -megahlay.doc- #27). POSITION 2001a: N25°11'10.5-: E091°37'13.8- (unidentified geodetic datum, unspecified precision error, McManus 2001.02.10]: 58 m asl (GPS?). POSITION 2001b: N25°11'10.7-: E091°37'08.4- (unidentified geodetic datum, unspecified precision error, A P Tyler, spring 2001): 55 m asl -- erroneously recorded as N25°11'17.9-: E091°37'14- resulting from misinterpreted N25°11.179': E091°37.140'.POSITION 2002: N25°11' E091°37'(unspecified geodetic datum): 170 m asl (THABAH & BATES 2002: 251), without minutes, hence precision error more than ±1.6 km. POSITION 2012: Krem Phlang Karuh near (ignored horizontal precision error substituted with wishful ±10 m) N25°11'10.5”: E091°37'37.8”: 46 m asl (unidentified recorder Kyle Wayne Baker or Ryan P Baker, undated 2012.02.12), unspecified GPS (Brooks, Simon J 2012.08.09 -Mawsynram GPS - Locations Part 1- personal correspondence). GEOLOGY: The Prang limestone occupies practically the entire area of the proposed lease area and is exposed everywhere. The area is practically devoid of any overburden. However interstitial clay and soil occur in cavities, sinkholes and fissures. The area presents a typical Karst topography and is marked by the presence of caverns in pockets over a thickness of 10 to 45 m from the surface. The ground feature presents sharp edged limestone outcrops intersected by fissures, solution cavities [stream cave passages] and a large sink hole [oline] near the south-western corner of the proposed lease area with a dimension of about 200 m X 50 m X 30 m. Wide channels [cave passages] are also found along fractures, vertical joints and bedding joints. The surface is also strewn with boulder like large blocks of limestone formed by partial collapse and fall of limestone blocks over the cavernous part of the site. The whole deposit is essentially limestone with thin bands of argillaceous limestone towards the upper stratigraphic contact. The rock is medium to coarse-grained, light grey to dark grey. It is well bedded, hard and consolidated with specific gravity of 2.5 to 2.8. The limestone is highly fossiliferous of foraminifer as seen in coarse-grained calcitic rock mass. The limestone is generally uniform in character except at the upper layers close to the Kopili shale contact where the rock tends to change to darker colour and earthy appearance with argillaceous interlayer. The limestone beds are exposed along an E-W monoclie, plunging south and terminate against a fault running E-W along the southern margin of the proposed mining lease area. The limestone bed is characterised by bedding planes. Within the area, the limestone bed shows a general dip towards south-west, the strike being regularly NW-SE. The dip of the bed in the northern part of the area is about 8° to 15°. The shale beds in the south, on the downthrown side of the fault, show an E-W strike with dips ranging 50° to 55° towards south. Three sets of joints are present - one set is parallel to the bedding and the other two are sleepy inclined or sub-vertical along NW-SE and E-W directions. The joints serve as channels for flow of rainwater and resulting solution weathering with formation of caverns in the area (LUM MAWSHUN 2002: 39-40). HYDROLOGY: Loss of the water of the Twin Sinkholes cave river through a network of joints connecting to the Phlangkaruh springs has been proven by tracer tests. Seven fluorescent dye tracer tests have been caried out. Three tracing tests have been carried out on various days inside the Twin Sinkhole cave. The dyes came out from Phlangkaruh spring after approximately 9 to 10 hours. The discharge continued for at least the next 24 hours. The water flow velocity inside the cave is estimated to be 7 cm per second during the tests. The long time before the tracer came out and the long period of dye discharge indicates a tortuous pathway. One dye tracing test is carried out at a swallow hole inside a limestone quarry at far western limit of this part of the Prang limestone at 4.7 km (crow’s flight) west-north-west of the Phlangkaruh spring. A fifth tracer is released at approximately 4.8 km west north-west from the Phlangkaruh spring in a spring on the Nongtrai escarpment. The sixth and seventh tracers are also released at a spring, 4.6 km from the Phlangkaruh spring on the Nongtrai escarpment, but slighly further east.The uranine from the swallow hole is found back after little less than threedays in westernmost Phlangkaruh spring. The fifth tracer is never found back and this stream probably drains to the valley west of the study area. The sixth tracer from the Nongtrai spring is not observed to submerge. Repetition of this tracer test with Rhodamine indicates that the tracer does not come out of the higher Phlangkaruh springs, but from a seep a few hundred metres downstream. This is probably the reason why the sixth tracer is not observed to re-appear (LUM MAWSHUN MINERALS 2002: 65). CAVE DESCRIPTION 2001: The entrance is below the doline floor it is 6 by 3 m [note 16]. The passage drops steeply down for 15 m [note 17] to a 10 by 4 m pool, [but short of reaching this] the cave turns right [i.e. west] and continues … [upstream for 200 m either on average or up to 16 m wide and 3 m high] going steadily up. The [floor of the main] cave consists of boulders with areas of sand dunes [sic?] in between. At this point [probably 300 m on foot from the entrance], the passage appeas to bifurcate but right [straight ahead and due west] does not continue, [whilst the] left [south-west] the passage diminishes to a short crawl before entering a bat filled chamber of previous dimensions. The route is to the right down a 2.5 by 7 by 13 m [wide, high, long] rift here it opens up with a high level connection to the bat chamber, the passage becomes a 6 by 3 by 65 m [wide, high, long] initially sand bottomed with a pool then up a steep sand dune [sic?] with a rift passage on the left [south-west] the [main] passage drops down to the streamway. The stream is 3 by 2.5 by 15 m [wide, high, long] with a passage to the left [sink south-west], the stream becomes a large pool but a dry passage goes right [north-west] up a slope then down to regain the stream. To the left [?], the passage sumps, right [?] it follows the left wall [note 18] in a 10 by 3 by 50 m [wide, high, long] boulder stream way, again the water is seen emerging from a tight crack.Half way along the previous pssage on the right [?] is a low arch, entering is a parallel passage upstream … 18 by 5 by 100 m [wide, high, long] of flat sand and then sand ridges and boulders, with a passage to the right [north-east?]. A head is a 5 m climb [up or down?] with a side passage and exposed window going back, ahead the passage continues 8 by 5 by 140 m [wide, high, long] first uphill through small gours, stalagmites and bosses, Then down into a sandy passage passing two passages on the right [south?] (Tyler, A P 2001.05.10 Mss: Krem Phlankaruh). CAVE DESCRIPTION 2002: The largest sinkholes in the area are collapse pits. The obvious collapse pits are collapsed dome caves. The caves present in the area are dome caves as well. The Twin Sinkholes is a textbook example of a collapse pit. The highest point at the rim of the sinkholes lies at approximately 63 m RL (by altimeter). The bottom of the sinkhole is at approximately 20 m RL (by altimeter). The diameter is approximately 200 m. The walls of the sinkhle are partly overhanging, still exhibiting the dome shape of the collapsed cave. At the floor of the sinkhole, a collapsed tunnel is present in the centre of the sinkhole. A cave in the western edge of the sinkhole with an entrance at 39 m RL leads to an intact dome cave at approximately 21 m RL and below. … The only sinkhole in which water is encountered is the cave joining the Twin Sinkholes. Water is encountered at various places at low levels inside the cave. In all cases, the water level is 16 m RL. The water level at the springs feeding Phlangkaruh south-east of the Twin Sinkholes is 8 m RL. The hydraulic connection between the water in the cave and the springs has been established by three tracer tests. The tracers took approximately 9 to 10 hours to emerge from the springs. This is a much longer time than expected on the basis of distance and water flow speed inside the cave. This indicates that the way the water travels to the springs is highly tortuous. This tortuousity facor may be as high as 5. The cave is partly filled with sand (quartz sand) and pebble (rounded shale fragments) dunes. These dunes have a height to 28 m RL. Fresh plant remains on the top of the dunes indicate that during the rainy season the water overflows these dunes. The water level inside the cave may, therefore, rise by at least 12 m during the rainy season. The largest dome of the cave has a diameter of at least 100 m [sic! more likely: 10 m] and is approximately20 m [20 feet?] high. Deeper inside the cave, there are deep and steep funnels and high and narrow triangular galleries to over 20 m [20 feet? or 6 m] high. Stalactites and stalagmites [speleothems] are present, although the stalactites prevail. This indicates that the cave is probably regularly filled with flowing water. The stalactites are concentrated along larger joints in the cave ceilings. Water is dripping from the ceiling, even during the dry season. Therefore, shallow vadose water must still be present between te estimated ceiling level (approximately 50 m RL) and the ground level (approximately 70 m RL). The water percolates through joints and cracks to lower levels like the cave river. This cave is filled with large, loose blocks fallen from the ceiling. Also, a large fallen stalactite is encountered, which is not yet covered by new calcite. This indicates a relatively recent event that has caused the fall. Probably, this could be related to the 1950 heavy earthquake. LUM MAWSHUN MINERALS (2002: 64): … a short stretch, several hundreds of metres long, was investigated by geophysical means. This stretch ran along the Shella Nongtrai road from west of the Twin Sinkholes to a point just east of the sinkholes. … The results (interpretation by induced polarisation modelling) indicated a cavern in this stretch. The resistivity values indicate an air-filled cavern of at least 20 m wide and more than 10 m high between 15 and 30 m below the road level, i.e. approximately 15 to 30 m RL. As this leve is well above the spring levels of Phlangkaruh springs, this cavity may be a part of the underground system connecting to the western spring (LUM MAWSHUN MINERALS 2002: 62-63).CAVE PLAN 1: Stuart McManus (s.a. = 2001), unpublished (243 m BCRA 3b). CAVE PLAN 2: Andrew -Andy- Peter Tyler (October 2001), unpublished (651.76 m). PROSPECTS 2002: Numerous ways on in parts of the known cave have been interpreted as indicating poor prospects (Harper 2002.04.31 Mss). PROSPECTS 2001: There are six known but unexplored leads -- probably repelling due to containing a wet variety of water (Tyler 2001.05.10 Mss). HYDROLOGY: Ghosh, Bose & Associates (s.a. circa 2000 Mss -EIA study of Shale mine at Shella, Lum Mawshun Minerals Pvt. Ltd- chapter 5.3.3 Flow routes, page 5.10) report sinking streams, karst and subterranean drainage from the Phlangkaruh basin (note 19): Apart from the Phlangkaruh river, there is no clear surface water drainage pattern in the area. On the Nongtrai escarpment, some springfed river flows can be followed and these flows disseminate and dissolve as soon as the limestone area is entered. This indicates sinking streams. The precipitation on the karstified limestone forms no obvious surface drainage. Therefore, infiltration rates must be very high or complete. The water percolating into the limestone will follow cavities along joints and bedding planes and form a kind of phreatic and highly variable (as well in time as location) -water-table- The term water-table is not very correct in this context, as the system is highly anisotropic and no actual regional piezometric level exists. The subcutaneous flow will tend to follow the bedding dip and the strike of the joints. The flow direction is therefore generally south to south-easterly. Vertical movement of the water to greater depths occurs through 1. shaft flow, where open shafts or funnels connect to caves or larger cavities at greater depths; 2. vadose trickles, the water descends through solution widenedjoints and reach caves as fast drips of streamlets; and 3. vadose seepage, that feeds slow drips in caves below and that may take months [more likely: minutes] to respond to rainfall events. Vadose trickles and seepage were observed in the Twin Sinkhole caves. The flow of water in the caves occurs in the form of cave rivers or streams. Flow velocities are comparable to those of surface streams. The cave streams may loose water to lower levels again through the same vertical flow components as described above. LUM MAWSHUN Pvt. Ltd. (2002: 101): Phalangkaruh Springs -- As one of the source of water for the Phlangkaruh River is the water springs coming out near the mine site. These streams meet together and form one stream that ultimately meets with Phlangkaruh River. One of the water sample was collected from stream 1(W11), stream 2(W12) and stream 3 (W13) while one water sample (W14) was collected from stream 4 (combined stream of stream 1, 2, & 3). One another water sample (W15) was aso collected downstream from the meeting of stream 4 at Phlangkaruh River. Water samples collected from sampling locations W11, W12, W13 and W14 were alkaline in nature and pH values ranged between 7.0 to 8.1 during all four seasons. pH was always higher in water sampling location W14 and ranged between 8.0 to 8.1. The pH of water sample (W15) from the downstream of the Phalangkaruh river was found to be between 7.0 to 7.9 due to the dilution effect. Bacteriological contamination has been reported only at W11 & W12 during premonsoon seasonW11 during monsoon season W11 &W12 during post-monsoon season and W11 during winter season. The levels of the Total Alkalinity (as CaCO3) recorded at the origins and downstream of the Phalangkaruh river were found to be in the range of 82.4 to 108.5 mg/l, indicating that the waters are slightly alkaline. Fluorides (as F) have been recorded in all the water samples collected from the springs of Phalangkaruh river and values ranged between 0.32 to 0.56mg/l. The overall study of the water samples collected from the study area reveals that none of the parameters tested are above the permissible standards of IS10500: Drinking Water Standards. The alkalinity of the water sample is on the higher scale in the nearby areas to the mining area.CULTURAL HISTORY - human use: Fishing ground. CAVE CONSERVATION 2001: … The Ministry of Environment & Forests hereby accords environmental clearance to the above limestone mine by fully mechanised method (for 2.0 million TPA), involving lease area of 100.00 ha … (v) Blasting operations should be carried out only during day time. To ensure slope stability and minimum damage to sub-surface caves and channels, controlled blasting should be adopted. … (vii) Scientific monitoring within 1 km radius around the lease area should be carried on monthly basis for … collapse of caves and cavities within and around the ML area and blockage of sub-surface water channels. … (xii) The twin sinkholes and the surroundng vegetation should be left undisturbed during the entire mine life and protected as a reserve of site biodiversity … (JAIN, K K 2001.08.01: environment_clearance_9th_august_ 2001.pdf). CAVE CONSERVATION 2001: Monthly monitoring of flows of all the springs, hills slopes and collapse of caves and cavities is being carried out. Six monthly compliance reports for April 2009 to September 2009 submitted to MoEF, Regional Office, Shillong and current reports for October to March 2010 contains information on monthly flows of all the springs, hills slopes and collapse of caves. No caves have been observed inside the mining lease area. Twin sink holes and cave are located out side the mining lease area. Detailed mapping of these caves have been carried out and these have been marked on the plan. No mining operation in the area of sink hole and cave is done. We are also carrying out physical observation of the sub surface water channels and we have not found any blockage of the channels due toany mining activities. We wish to inform you that LUMPL, in partnerships with the Nongtrai village Durbar, has launched Geo and Bio Diversity Protection Programme in the year 2008, which is an initiative for protecting the caves located in the vicinity of Nongtrai Limestone Mine site. As a first step protective enclosure is constructed around the entrance of about approximately 125 m long cave (JAIN, K K 2001.08.01: environment_clearance_9th_august_ 2001.pdf). CAVE CONSERVATION 2012: During the 16-day expedition (February 7 to 22), Daly said a total cave passage of … 6 km was explored and mapped in East Khasi Hills taking the expedition total to 12.8 km. However, he said the downside of the expedition was the refusal of the village committee of Nongtrai to give permission to the team for accessing a cave in its area (The Telegraph 2012.03.01 Expedition team finds new cave). VEGETATION: The local vegetation is tropical semi-evergreen forest with a high plant diversity including lianas,cane, ferns, herbs, epiphytes and trees such as Ficus sp., Trema sp., Hibiscus macrophyllus, Gmelina sp., Albizzia sp., Wallichina sp., Rubiacea sp. and wild banana. Cultivated areas in the vicinity include cash crops such as beetlenut [Areca catechu], bay leaf [note 20], broom, and pepper (THABAH & BATES 2002: 251). CAVE LIFE: Andrew -Andy- Peter Tyler (2001.05.10 Mss) reports several species of bats (Chiroptera: Microchiroptera) and 2 kg White Tiger fish. R Harper noticed bats, spiders, large and small catfish or loach (or so). THABAH & BATES (2002: 251-253): Adora Thabah collected (2001.03.17 at 19h15) a specimen of the elusive (note 21) Wroughton's fre-tailed bat (Chiroptera: Microchiroptera: Molossidae: Otomops wroughtoni Thomas 1913) in a harp trap as it tried to enter Phrang Karuh Cave (170 m asl). The adult male specimen (field number 20.1) is held in the Zoological Survey of India's (ZSI) Shillong zoological collection. It is similar in size and morphology to those descried by BATES & HARRISON (2001) from Barapade Cave (Karnataka: Talewadi / Talevadi village, circa 2080 km in a direct line approximately south-west) and, again in 2001, by WALSTON & HARRISON (note 22) from Chhep district (Cambodia, 1920 km south-east). THABAH & BATES (2002: 252) describe specimens of O. wroughtoni collected (17th March 2001) caught at the Phrang Karuh Cave (Meghalaya: East Khasi Hills district: Nongtrai village): The recent discovery of O. wroughtoni in north-east India is of particular zoogeographical interest. At 25°11'N, it is the most northerly record of the genus, nearly 10° north of O. martiensseni (MATSCHIE 1897) in Yemen at 15°28'N [note 23] and O. wroughtoni (15°25'N) in Karnataka [note 24]. … Currently, O. wroughtoni is listed as one of the 15 most critically endangered bat species [note 25]. This was based primarily on the fact that only one roosting colony has ever been located and that is extremely vulnerable to disturbance and/or destruction. However if current molecular studies support the view that the specimens from Cambodia, north-east and south-west India area of the same taxon, this status may have to be reviewed. RAMAKANTHA, GUPTA & KUMAR (2003: Bats and rodents) mislead with placing the colony of Wroughton's free-tailed bat in Meghalaya erroneously in Dobhakol (Siju village, South Garo Hills district) when actually it is found in Krem Phlangkaruh: Wroughton’s Free-tailed Bat (Otomops wroughtonii) … has now been reported from Siju Cave in South Garo Hills of Meghalaya in North-east India, and also from Cambodia. The Government of India has listed the Wroughton’s Free-tailed Bat in Schedule I of Wildlife (Protection) Act, 1972. RUEDI, M et al. (2014: 6678): Concerning Wroughton’s free-tailed bat Otomops wroughtoni (Mammalia: Chiroptera: Molossidae): … it is unclear whether the isolated bats found elsewhere are vagrants found far away from their breeding colonies, or whether they are part of yet unknown resident population. Indeed, the single male caught with a harp trap placed at the entrance of Phlang Karuh Cave in the East Khasi Hills of Meghalaya in March 2001 (Thabah & Bates 2002) and the male captured by hand in a dipterocarp forest of Preah Vihear province in Cambodia in December 2000 (Walston & Bates 2001) might not have been roosting in the site of capture. if current molecular studies support the view that the specimens from Cambodia, north-east and south-west India area of the same taxon, this status may have to be reviewed. RAMAKANTHA, GUPTA & KUMAR (2003: Bats and rodents) mislead with placing the colony of Wroughton's free-tailed bat in Meghalaya erroneously in Dobhakol (Siju village, South Garo Hills district) when actually it is found in Krem Phlangkaruh: Wroughton’s Free-tailed Bat (Otomops wroughtonii) … has now been reported from Siju Cave in South Garo Hills of Meghalaya in North-east India, and also from Cambodia. The Government of India has listed the Wroughton’s Free-tailed Bat in Schedule I of Wildlife (Protection) Act, 1972. RUEDI, M et al. (2014: 6678): Concerning Wroughton’s free-tailed bat Otomops wroughtoni (Mammalia: Chiroptera: Molossidae): … it is unclear whether the isolated bats found elsewhere are vagrants found far away from their breeding colonies, or whether they are part of yet unknown resident population if current molecular studies support the view that the specimens from Cambodia, north-east and south-west India area of the same taxon, this status may have to be reviewed. RAMAKANTHA, GUPTA & KUMAR (2003: Bats and rodents) mislead with placing the colony of Wroughton's free-tailed bat in Meghalaya erroneously in Dobhakol (Siju village, South Garo Hills district) when actually it is found in Krem Phlangkaruh: Wroughton’s Free-tailed Bat (Otomops wroughtonii) … has now been reported from Siju Cave in South Garo Hills of Meghalaya in North-east India, and also from Cambodia. The Government of India has listed the Wroughton’s Free-tailed Bat in Schedule I of Wildlife (Protection) Act, 1972. RUEDI, M et al. (2014: 6678): Concerning Wroughton’s free-tailed bat Otomops wroughtoni (Mammalia: Chiroptera: Molossidae): … it is unclear whether the isolated bats found elsewhere are vagrants found far away from their breeding colonies, or whether they are part of yet unknown resident population if current molecular studies support the view that the specimens from Cambodia, north-east and south-west India area of the same taxon, this status may have to be reviewed. RAMAKANTHA, GUPTA & KUMAR (2003: Bats and rodents) mislead with placing the colony of Wroughton's free-tailed bat in Meghalaya erroneously in Dobhakol (Siju village, South Garo Hills district) when actually it is found in Krem Phlangkaruh: Wroughton’s Free-tailed Bat (Otomops wroughtonii) … has now been reported from Siju Cave in South Garo Hills of Meghalaya in North-east India, and also from Cambodia. The Government of India has listed the Wroughton’s Free-tailed Bat in Schedule I of Wildlife (Protection) Act, 1972. RUEDI, M et al. (2014: 6678): Concerning Wroughton’s free-tailed bat Otomops wroughtoni (Mammalia: Chiroptera: Molossidae): … it is unclear whether the isolated bats found elsewhere are vagrants found far away from their breeding colonies, or whether they are part of yet unknown resident population if current molecular studies support the view that the specimens from Cambodia, north-east and south-west India area of the same taxon, this status may have to be reviewed. RAMAKANTHA, GUPTA & KUMAR (2003: Bats and rodents) mislead with placing the colony of Wroughton's free-tailed bat in Meghalaya erroneously in Dobhakol (Siju village, South Garo Hills district) when actually it is found in Krem Phlangkaruh: Wroughton’s Free-tailed Bat (Otomops wroughtonii) … has now been reported from Siju Cave in South Garo Hills of Meghalaya in North-east India, and also from Cambodia. The Government of India has listed the Wroughton’s Free-tailed Bat in Schedule I of Wildlife (Protection) Act, 1972. RUEDI, M et al. (2014: 6678): Concerning Wroughton’s free-tailed bat Otomops wroughtoni (Mammalia: Chiroptera: Molossidae): … it is unclear whether the isolated bats found elsewhere are vagrants found far away from their breeding colonies, or whether they are part of yet unknown resident population if current molecular studies support the view that the specimens from Cambodia, north-east and south-west India area of the same taxon, this status may have to be reviewed. RAMAKANTHA, GUPTA & KUMAR (2003: Bats and rodents) mislead with placing the colony of Wroughton's free-tailed bat in Meghalaya erroneously in Dobhakol (Siju village, South Garo Hills district) when actually it is found in Krem Phlangkaruh: Wroughton’s Free-tailed Bat (Otomops wroughtonii) … has now been reported from Siju Cave in South Garo Hills of Meghalaya in North-east India, and also from Cambodia. The Government of India has listed the Wroughton’s Free-tailed Bat in Schedule I of Wildlife (Protection) Act, 1972. RUEDI, M et al. (2014: 6678): Concerning Wroughton’s free-tailed bat Otomops wroughtoni (Mammalia: Chiroptera: Molossidae): … it is unclear whether the isolated bats found elsewhere are vagrants found far away from their breeding colonies, or whether they are part of yet unknown resident population if current molecular studies support the view that the specimens from Cambodia, north-east and south-west India area of the same taxon, this status may have to be reviewed. RAMAKANTHA, GUPTA & KUMAR (2003: Bats and rodents) mislead with placing the colony of Wroughton's free-tailed bat in Meghalaya erroneously in Dobhakol (Siju village, South Garo Hills district) when actually it is found in Krem Phlangkaruh: Wroughton’s Free-tailed Bat (Otomops wroughtonii) … has now been reported from Siju Cave in South Garo Hills of Meghalaya in North-east India, and also from Cambodia. The Government of India has listed the Wroughton’s Free-tailed Bat in Schedule I of Wildlife (Protection) Act, 1972. RUEDI, M et al. (2014: 6678): Concerning Wroughton’s free-tailed bat Otomops wroughtoni (Mammalia: Chiroptera: Molossidae): … it is unclear whether the isolated bats found elsewhere are vagrants found far away from their breeding colonies, or whether they are part of yet unknown resident population if current molecular studies support the view that the specimens from Cambodia, north-east and south-west India area of the same taxon, this status may have to be reviewed. RAMAKANTHA, GUPTA & KUMAR (2003: Bats and rodents) mislead with placing the colony of Wroughton's free-tailed bat in Meghalaya erroneously in Dobhakol (Siju village, South Garo Hills district) when actually it is found in Krem Phlangkaruh: Wroughton’s Free-tailed Bat (Otomops wroughtonii) … has now been reported from Siju Cave in South Garo Hills of Meghalaya in North-east India, and also from Cambodia. The Government of India has listed the Wroughton’s Free-tailed Bat in Schedule I of Wildlife (Protection) Act, 1972. RUEDI, M et al. (2014: 6678): Concerning Wroughton’s free-tailed bat Otomops wroughtoni (Mammalia: Chiroptera: Molossidae): … it is unclear whether the isolated bats found elsewhere are vagrants found far away from their breeding colonies, or whether they are part of yet unknown resident population if current molecular studies support the view that the specimens from Cambodia, north-east and south-west India area of the same taxon, this status may have to be reviewed. RAMAKANTHA, GUPTA & KUMAR (2003: Bats and rodents) mislead with placing the colony of Wroughton's free-tailed bat in Meghalaya erroneously in Dobhakol (Siju village, South Garo Hills district) when actually it is found in Krem Phlangkaruh: Wroughton’s Free-tailed Bat (Otomops wroughtonii) … has now been reported from Siju Cave in South Garo Hills of Meghalaya in North-east India, and also from Cambodia. The Government of India has listed the Wroughton’s Free-tailed Bat in Schedule I of Wildlife (Protection) Act, 1972. RUEDI, M et al. (2014: 6678): Concerning Wroughton’s free-tailed bat Otomops wroughtoni (Mammalia: Chiroptera: Molossidae): … it is unclear whether the isolated bats found elsewhere are vagrants found far away from their breeding colonies, or whether they are part of yet unknown resident population if current molecular studies support the view that the specimens from Cambodia, north-east and south-west India area of the same taxon, this status may have to be reviewed. RAMAKANTHA, GUPTA & KUMAR (2003: Bats and rodents) mislead with placing the colony of Wroughton's free-tailed bat in Meghalaya erroneously in Dobhakol (Siju village, South Garo Hills district) when actually it is found in Krem Phlangkaruh: Wroughton’s Free-tailed Bat (Otomops wroughtonii) … has now been reported from Siju Cave in South Garo Hills of Meghalaya in North-east India, and also from Cambodia. The Government of India has listed the Wroughton’s Free-tailed Bat in Schedule I of Wildlife (Protection) Act, 1972. RUEDI, M et al. (2014: 6678): Concerning Wroughton’s free-tailed bat Otomops wroughtoni (Mammalia: Chiroptera: Molossidae): … it is unclear whether the isolated bats found elsewhere are vagrants found far away from their breeding colonies, or whether they are part of yet unknown resident population. Indeed, the single male caught with a harp trap placed at the entrance of Phlang Karuh Cave in the East Khasi Hills of Meghalaya in March 2001 (Thabah & Bates 2002) and the male captured by hand in a dipterocarp forest of Preah Vihear province in Cambodia in December 2000 (Walston & Bates 2001) might not have been roosting in the site of capture.