Browsing by Author "Qureshi, Q."

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Assessent of prey populations for lion re-introduction in Kuno wildlife sanctuary, Central India
(Wildlife Institute of India, Dehradun, 2005) Johnsingh, A.J.T.; Qureshi, Q.; Goyal, S.P.
Realizing that it is unwise to keep the only free-ranging population of Asiatic lions (Panthera leo persica) in one location (Gir forests), the Government of India made an effort to establish the second population in Chandraprabha Wildlife Sanctuary (WLS, 96 km2), Uttar Pradesh, in 1957. This effort, for various reasons, did not succeed. In 1993-94, with the aim of finding a second home for the lions, a team from Wildlife Institute of India (WI!) surveyed three wildlife habitats in the states of Rajasthan and Madhya Pradesh. Among the three, Kuno WLS (345 km2) was identified as the most suitable site. With assistance from the Government of India, a twenty-year project was initiated in 1995, to establish a disturbance-free habitat here for reintroducing lions. Between 1996 and 200 I, twenty-four villages, with about 1547 families, have been translocated from the Sanctuary by the Madhya Pradesh Forest Department. The Madhya Pradesh Government has also demarcated a 1280 km2 Kuno Wildlife Division, encompassing the Sironi, Agra and Morawan forest ranges around the Sanctuary. In order to assess whether the Sanctuary has sufficient wild prey base, the WII was requested to asses the availability of prey in early 2005. With the assistance of34 forest staff 17 transects totaling 461 km were surveyed over an area of 280 km2 The density of catchable wild prey (chital, sam bar, nilgai, wild pig) by lions was 13 animals!km2. There are about 2500 cattle, left behind by the translocated people which are considered to be the buffer prey for lions to tide over the likely problem of drought periodically killing wild ungulates. With the implementation of the recommendations such as the control of poaching, grassland management, building rubble wall around the Division and water augmentation, we predict a substantial rise (ca.20 animals!km2) in the wild prey base for lions by end of2007. This prey density would be able to support the first batch of five lions (three females and two males) to be reintroduced in the beginning of 2008. Even if all the three females raise cubs, there will be sufficient wild prey by the end of 2009 to support them. Meanwhile efforts should be made to implement all the recommendations given in this report with immediate effect and get the whole hearted support of Gujrat Government to make this historic venture a success.
Assessment of predator, prey and habitats in Kumbhalgarh Wildlife Sanctuary, 2024
(Wildlife Institute of India, Dehradun, 2024) Sadhu, A.; Kanswal, S.; Roy, A.; Rana, A.; Tripathi, P.; Qureshi, Q.
Kumbhalgarh Wildlife Sanctuary (KWLS) is located in the semi-arid western Indian landscape (24°33'54”N, 73°54'22"E] and spans the Pali, Rajsamand, and Udaipur districts of Rajasthan. Camera traps support various methodologies, including capture-mark-recapture for population estimation, occupancy surveys for determining species distribution, and distance sampling to assess animal density and abundance. Camera traps have been widely used as a wildlife monitoring tool due to their objectivity, ease of use, and ability to generate data on a wide range of species. Camera trapping was conducted in Kumbhalgarh from January to March 2024, covering an area of approximately 200 km2, which included all five ranges—Kumbhalgarh, Sadri, Desuri, Jhilwada, and Bokhada. The area was divided into 2 km2 grids, and in each grid, a pair of camera traps was placed. The cameras were set up along trails and near forest roads to maximize the probability of capturing the target species. These locations were selected based on a reconnaissance survey conducted in search of large carnivore signs along gipsy tracks, animal trails, and dry stream beds.
Assessment of the landscape between the Gir Protected Area and the Girnar Wildlife Sanctuary, Gujarat for a potential lion habitat corridor
(Wildlife Institute of India, Dehradun, 2012) Jhala, Y.V.; Qureshi, Q.; Basu, P.; Banerjee, Kaushik
In this report, assess the habitat characteristics, extent of fragmentation and its future trends, prey abundance and perception of the local communities towards lion conservation in the agro-pastoral landscape between the Gir PA and the Girnar forests to help in delineating the important dispersal corridor habitat between the Gir PA and the Girnar Wildlife Sanctuary, suggesting measures for its effective conservation
Black Kite : Summary of Project Report
(Wildlife Institute of India, Dehradun, 2017) Qureshi, Q.; Jhala, Y.V.; Sergio, F.; Kumar, Nishant; Gupta, Purvi
Comparison of tiger population estimated using non-invasive techniques of pugmark, camera trap and DNA based analysis of hair and scat in Ranthambhore Tiger Reserve Phase II: Estimation of tiger population : Executive summary
(Wildlife Institute of India, Dehradun, 2012) Singh, R.; Pandey, P.; Saxena, L.; Qureshi, Q.; Sankar, K.; Goyal, S.P.
Conservation status of tiger and associated species in the Terai Arc Landscape, India
(Wildlife Institute of India, Dehradun, 2004) Johnsingh, A.J.T.; Ramesh, K.; Qureshi, Q.; David, A.; Goyal, S.P.; Rawat, G.S.; Rajapandian, K.; Prasad, S.
The Indian portion of Terai Arc Landscape (TAL), stretching from Yamuna river in the west to Valmiki Tiger Reserve, Bihar in the east, spreads across five states along the Shivaliks and Gangetic plains. This unique Landscape consists of two distinct zones: (i) bhabar, characterized by a hilly terrain with course alluvium and boulders, and sal mixed & miscellaneous vegetation communities and (ii) terai, characterized by fine alluvium and clay rich swamps dominated by a mosaic of tall grasslands and sal forests. The terai, in particular, is listed among the globally important 200 ecoregions for its unique large mammal assemblage. Over the decades as a result of conquest of malaria, establishment of numerous settlements and consequent increase in human population, this Landscape has become highly fragmented and degraded. This has led to the local extinction of species such as one-horned rhinoceros (Rhinoceros unicornis), swamp deer (Cervus duvauceli) and hog deer (Axis porcinus), for example, west of Sharda river. Despite its ecological richness and faster rate of degradation and species extinction, conservation initiatives are far from desired in this Landscape, perhaps due to inadequate information and lack of coordinated efforts. Given this circumstance, the Wildlife Institute of India (WII) submitted a proposal to Save the Tiger Fund (National Fish and Wildlife Foundation, USA) to carry out a survey of TAL on the Indian side, which is ca. 42,700km2 with a forest area of ca. 15,000 km2. Save the Tiger Fund allotted US $53,500 and an 18-month project was initiated in July 2002. The project objectives were to (i) develop spatial data base on the TAL, (ii) assess tiger (Panthera tigris) and large ungulate distribution and status, (iii) describe the status of the Landscape and its vegetation characteristics and (iv) document the socioeconomic conditions of the local people and major disturbance factors. Indian Remote Sensing (1C/1D) satellite images with the spatial resolution of 188m (WiFS) and 23.5m (LISS III) pixel sizes, and Survey of India topographic maps were used for habitat mapping and other spatial database. The study team surveyed the entire Landscape twice between October 2002 and June 2003 for assessing the status of tiger and other associated large mammal species, and habitat conditions. Extensive sampling of 246 foot transects covering 1001.2km and 1530 circular plots, with nested design, were carried out across the TAL. Demographic and socioeconomic profiles of people were derived primarily from the raw data of 1991 Census. Owing to the applied nature of the project, it was decided to hold a two-day workshop to share the findings and to attain synergy among Forest Officials, NGOs and other conservation agencies for implementation in the field. The study revealed that the TAL contains homogenous vegetation communities of eight broad types, but the structural components vary highly across the Landscape. The tiger habitats on the Indian side are in nine blocks (referred as Tiger Habitat Blocks, THB) and the largest block (ca. 4,000 km2) is around Corbett TR. The forests in Kalsi, Dehradun and Haridwar Forest Divisions in Uttaranchal and Bijnor Plantation Division, Bahraich and Shrawasti Forest Divisions in Uttar Pradesh were devoid of tiger. Thirteen corridors that potentially connect these nine blocks have been identified. When connectivity with the Nepal side is taken into account, the nine THBs can be pooled into five larger units (referred as Tiger Units, TU). Among these, TU II, which is in the bhabar tract and includes Corbett TR, is the most intact one. TU IV (Pilibhit FD-Suklaphanta Reserve-Kishanpur WLS-Dudhwa NP- Bardia NP-Katernighat WLS) is the most extensive terai habitat. Each piece of habitat and connectivity in these Units are crucial and at the same time, are threatened by anthropogenic pressures. Ungulate distribution and relative abundance in TAL corresponds to the high variation or heterogeneity in habitat features. However, the overall status of prey (ungulate) availability is reasonably better in this Landscape, largely owing to the interspersion of Protected Areas between Reserve Forests. The evidence is clear that tiger distribution and its abundance are linearly related to wild ungulate prey such as chital (Axis axis) that has wider spatial distribution. Sambar (Cervus unicolor) and wild pig (Sus scrofa) also contribute substantially in deciding the occurrence of tiger in bhabar and terai regions respectively. The domestic dog was identified as a reliable indicator of disturbance that impedes tiger occurrence. Undisturbed hilly (bhabar) areas such as Corbett TR, which usually have many deep nallahs, providing hideouts and abundant prey (sambar, chital and wild pig) support substantial population of tiger. The terai tall grass habitats, which provide adequate cover, as in Kishanpur WLS and Dudhwa NP, with prey such as chital, pig and swamp deer, is the second best. It appears that in a few years time, tigers may cease to exist in habitats like Sohagibarwa-west (THB VIII), an isolated habitat patch in Uttar Pradesh, which is under enormous anthropogenic pressures. Leopards tend to avoid terai habitats and high-density tiger areas, but are still common in areas extirpated of tiger. Data from the Census of India 1991, for 33 tehsils (units of District) within the study area, indicated that the bhabar, largely west of Sharda river, had significantly lower human density (334/km2) and higher percentage of forest cover (36%). The corresponding figures for terai (east of Sharda river) are 436/km2 and 17% respectively. It appears that the bhabar areas, at present, are in a better position to buffer firewood dependency of the people. Human population increase, ever growing habitat encroachments, poaching, firewood extraction and bhabar grass (Eulaliopsis binata) collection for rope making, stealing of tiger and leopard kills, and boulder mining causing enormous disturbances and fragmentation are the major problems identified. The extensive empirical information (distribution and abundance) collected on vegetation parameters, ungulates and tiger can be used as baseline data to initiate monitoring programmes. In addition, the monitoring should include establishment of adequate number of one-hectare plots and line transects for periodic evaluation of habitat conditions and prey abundance respectively. The study recommends that Chilla-Motichur and Gola river corridors should be established on priority basis and the conservation status of THB IV containing Suklaphanta Wildlife Reserve-Pilibhit FD-Kishanpur WLS should be strengthened. If done, the former will constitute the largest (ca. 8000km2) tiger and elephant habitat anywhere along the foothills of the Himalaya and the latter will ensure the future of one of the finest terai habitats (ca. 1200km2). Initiation of a conservation programme like establishing Rajaji-Shivalik Tiger Reserve is urgently needed to eliminate boulder mining in Yamuna river to ensure the ranging and occurrence of tigers between Shivalik FD and the Kalesar-Simbalbara forests, the western most limit of tiger distribution range. Raising of fuel wood plantations with community participation, use of fuel-efficient chulas, resettling of gujjars (migratory pastoralists) and eight key villages, shifting of one factory and weaning people from bhabar grass collection and conservation education programmes are also recommended. There was a consensus in the two-day workshop held on 6-7 November 2003 in WII that the Nepal model, with a strong scientific foundation and involvement of local people, needs to be adapted for the Indian side of TAL. Cross border cooperation between India and Nepal is a must to ensure the long-term conservation of tiger and its habitat in this Landscape
Conserving biodiversity in the Indian Trans-Himalaya: New initiatives of field conservation in Ladakh : a collaborative project of Wildlife Institute of India, US fish and Wildlife Service and International Snow leopard Trust
(Wildlife Institute of India, Dehradun, 2000) Mathur, V.B.; Bhatnagar, Y.V.; Qureshi, Q.; Chundawat, R.S.; Adhikari, B.S.; Rana, B.S.; Kala, C.P.; Uniyal, V.P.; Vasudevan, K.; Choudhury, B.C.; Vijayakumar, S.P.; Singh, Pratap; Jayapal, R.; Wangchuk, Richen; Hussain, S.A.; Singh, R.K.; Jackson, Rodney; McCarthy, Tom
Demographic outcomes of diverse behavioural strategies assessed in resident and migratory population of black kites Milvus migrans Phase VI
(Wildlife Institute of India, Dehradun, 2024) Kumar, Nishant; Jhala, Y.V.; Qureshi, Q.
The Black Kite, an opportunist, facultative scavenger in the South Asian urban ecosystems,； is a highly successful bird of prey, adapting to various habitats from natural landscapes to bustling cities (Fig.1 ).This adaptability makes them one of the most hutnerous raptors globally (Ferguson- Lees & Christie, 2001). In the Old World, these kites are resourceful and opportunistic eaters, thriving on abundant food sources from human refuse and prey species like pigeons and rats in urban areas. They readily exploit human-generated waste, allowing them to maintain a healthy population and favourable conservation status (Galushin, 1971). In Indian cities like Delhi, they reign as the top avian predators within the urban ecosystem. Studies since the 1960s suggest their breeding density has remained stable. While most raptors require specific ecological conditions, Black Kites exhibit remarkable flexibility (Kumar et al., 2020a). They primarily nest in trees, indicating a need for green spaces within the city. However, a small portion (less than 5%) utilise man-made structures for nesting (Fig. 2). The ample availability of trees in Delhi provides suitable nesting grounds (Kumar, 2013; Kumar et al., 2019). The abundance of garbage in cities - often amassing in the form of large landfills - provides kites with a readily available food source. Additionally, the positive attitude of residents in South Asia towards these birds allows them to breed undisturbed near human settlements. This human tolerance translates to moderate breeding success, with around half of breeding Fig. 1. A typical congregation of Black Kites in Old Delhi responding to ritual tossing of meat by Muslims that follow Sufi traditions (Jama Masjid area). Photo Credit: Fabrizio Sergio 2 BlacK Kite Project - Phase - VI pairs raising chicks to fledging (Kumar et al.t 2014). The high density of Black Kites in southern Asian breeding grounds offers a unique opportunity for research. Scientists can compare these populations to European Black Kites, which have been extensively studied since the 1950s. Pioneering research in the 1990s on European populations focused on factors influencing chick survival, including hatching order, sibling competition, and food availability. These studies have become benchmarks for raptor biologists (Ferguson-Lees & Christie, 2001; Newton, 1979). A crucial finding from European studies is the link between food availability and brood reduction (where some chicks die in the nest). When food is scarce, chicks compete more intensely, and some may not survive (Vinuela, 1996). Black Kites in Delhi exhibit hatching asynchrony (chicks hatching at different times) and brood reduction, likely influenced by the varying food availability across the city's diverse urban landscapes. To capture these ecological nuances, researchers have been using trail cameras in nests across different urbanisation gradients to study relationships with urban variables. These data are further combined with observations to assess hatching patterns, chick survival, growth rates, and nesting behaviour. Delhi hosts two subspecies of black kites: the resident breeding Milvus migrans govinda (small Indian kite) and the migratory M. m. lineatus (black-eared kite) that arrives from Central Asia and Southern Siberia via the Central Asian Flyway across the Himalayas. GPS-tagging revealed that M. m. lineatus kites migrate 3300-4700 km from their breeding grounds in Russia, Kazakhstan, Xinjiang (China) and Mongolia to Delhi in 3-4 weeks, crossing the Himalayas at elevations up to 5000-6000 m (Kumar et al., 2020b).
Development of Desert National Park as biosphere reserve
(Wildlife Institute of India, Dehradun and BNHS, 2006) Kalra, M.; Rahmani, A.R.; Choudhury, B.C.; Qureshi, Q.
The Biosphere Reserve Programme aims to conserve biological diversity, including the genetic diversity of cultivated crops, and domesticated and wild animals. It also aims to study the natural ecosystems and comparative studies on man-modified ecosystems. In order to conserve overall biological diversity of Earth, it would be desirable to constitute at least one or two biosphere reserves in each of the biogeographic provinces. More than 100 nations have already set apart 482 such reserves, since the UNESCO's Man and the Biosphere (MAB) programme was initiated in 1974. The hot desert in north-western region is a unique and the only habitat of its type in the Indian subcontinent. The Ministry of Environment and Forests constituted a working group in 1988 to draw a project document on the Thar Desert Biosphere Reserve (Anon. 1988). The objective of the Biosphere Reserve (BR) was oriented in such a way that BRs were wtits wherein the biological, socio-economic and cultural elements are integrated together. The main emphasis of this concept is the need for conserving ecosystem capable of being restored to natural condition. In this study we identified 16 unprotected areas in Bikaner, Jodhpur, Jaisalmer, Barmer, Nagur, Jalor and Sanchor districts with fairly large areas ranging from 5-7,091 km'. Each area supports mammals as well as several species of plants. These areas represent excellent animal-plant communities and traditional landuse practices, which together support a large number of microorganisms, small grasses and perennial herbs, which constitute the Thar ecosystem. The main emphasis of developing a Biosphere Reserve was given to Desert National Park (DNP). Vegetation as well as boundary mapping of DNP was done to visualize the land use/cover in and around it. All the villages in and around the Park were surveyed and mapped on GIS domain. This region includes the largest known populations of endangered species such as the Great Indian Bustard Ardeotis nigriceps, and the Chinkara Gazella bennetti and many lesser-known groups of plants and animals. The total area of propsed biosphere reserve is around 4,648 km' of which 76.36 km' will be as core zone, excluding four new areas, which are marked on the map, and 1,486 km2 transition zone. The existing area of the DNP is 3,162 km' which needs to be further extended upto 5 km from the park boundary. This extra (1,486 km') area will be use as a transition zone. In order to protect and enhance the biodiversity and cultural diversity of the Thar Desert, we also propose the concept of Greater Thar Desert (Marusthali) Biosphere Reserve, which should inelude the ON!>, Tal Chhaper, Diyatra and other biodiversity rich areas. We recommend that in the Greater Thar Desert (Marusthali) Biosphere Reserve, Community Conservation Areas (e.g. Guda-Vishnonian, Dhawa-Doli, Khichan etc.) and Conservation Reserves (e.g. Jakharda) should also be included
Ecological impacts of major invasive alien plants on native flora in Rajaji Tiger Reserve, Uttarakhand
(Wildlife Institute of India, Dehradun, 2024) Kumar, Amit; Kumar, S.; Sahu, H.; Patra, R.; Page, N.; Qureshi, Q.
This study focuses on Rajaji Tiger Reserve in Uttarakhand, within the Shivalik hills, to investigate the invasion patterns and ecological impacts of a major invasive plant species
Ecological studies in Sariska tiger reserve, Rajasthan
(Wildlife Institute of India, Dehradun, 2009) Sankar, K.; Qureshi, Q.; Mondal, Krishnendu; Worah, T.; Srivastava, S.; Gupta, S.; Basu, S.
The objectives of study are : 1. To address the distribution and status of tigers and co-predators. 2. To address the distribution and status of prey species. 3. To prepare vegetation and land cover map of Sariska TR. 4. To study the socio economic profile and resource dependency of local people in the notified national park area and 5. To identify potential areas for 'source' population and areas warranting restorative action for corridor connectivity to facilitate gene flow.
Ecology and Management of swamp deer (Cervus duvauceli duvauceli) in Dudhwa Tiger Reserve, U.P. India
(Wildlife Institute of India, Dehradun, 1995) Qureshi, Q.; Sawarkar, V.B.; Mathur, P.K.
Ecology of black kites Milvus migrans subsisting on urban resources in Delhi: Black kite Project Phase - III
(Wildlife Institute of India, Dehradun, 2008) Kumar, N.; Gupta, U.; Malhotra, H.; Jhala, Y.V.; Sergio, F.; Gosler, A.; Qureshi, Q.
The research team working in the National Capital territory, since December 2012, and through major funding support from the Raptor Research and Conservation Foundation (RRCF), envisioned a long collaborative term study around the urban adaptations of a large raptor, the Black Kite Milvus migrans. Supervised since its inception by Profs. Y. V. Jhala and Q. Qureshi from the Wildlife Institute of India, and Dr. F. Sergio of CSIC, Spain, this project is a unique attempt in the Sub-Continent to holistically unravel the adaptations around Black Kite’s densest urban settlement in the world. We have now established how human cultural practices and attitudes may well be the most defining dimensions of the urban niche of synanthropes like Black Kites (Kumar et al. 2018). Thus, the third phase (August 2016 – July 2018), was a comprehensive assessment of the breeding ecology of Black kites, and their aggressive interaction with residents along the sampled urban gradient within the megacity of Delhi. For this, we used the habitat selection criteria of kites (Kumar et al. 2018) and inspected the behaviour of breeding kites at 101 territories (total 657 visitations), and tested their offspring defence (Kumar et al. in review). We found that defence increases with proximity to ritual-feeding sites and availability of offal, apart from progression in the breeding stage. This period also included the beginning of Phase -IV, an attempt to understand the migration of the Milvus migrans lineatus, the subspecies from the Central Asian Steppes wintering in the urban quarters of the Subcontinent from September to April every year. We deployed 13 GSM e-obs tags and 5 GSM tags from Microwave Telemetry Ltd. USA. These efforts were preceded by Phase-I of the project (December 2012 – June 2014) that focused on basic natural history observations (Kumar et al. 2014), and the Phase-II (July 2014 – July 2016) which further extended the efforts to cover more sampling units, focusing on the aspects of habitat, behaviour and population ecology. The project has now entered its intensive publication stage, as substantial data have now accumulated to enable high-level publications on international scientific outlets, with three publications lined up and ready to enter the genetic and disease components, apart from movement ecology. Finally, the project has incorporated through these initial years: (1) a remarkable amount of environmental education of Delhi citizens; (2) the Master thesis and near -completion of a PhD thesis by N. Kumar at an institute of repute (Oxford University, Department of Zoology, Edward Grey Institute of Ornithology); (3) completion of a Master program by U. Gupta at the Department of Geography of Oxford University; (4) training of more than 100 volunteers and some of them joining institutes of national and international reputation. All in all, the overall research team is extremely satisfied of all the progress and research formation attained and eager to move on to expand and intensify the project even more.
Ecology of leopard (Panthera pardus) in Sariska Tiger Reserve, Rajasthan : Executive summary
(Wildlife Institute of India, Dehradun, 2013) Sankar, K.; Qureshi, Q.; Jhala, Y.V.; Mondal, K.; Gupta, S.; Chourasia, P.
Ecology of the leopard (Panthera pardus fusca) in Satpura National Park and Bori Wildlife Sanctuary
(Wildlife Institute of India, Dehradun, 2007) Edgaonkar, Advait; Chellam, Ravi; Qureshi, Q.
The leopard study was undertaken in Satpura Tiger Reserve to study ecology of species in relatively conflict free area. Even basic information on leopard is poor, except for food habits. Leopards have been in the news in popular media in India largely because of instances of human conflict that have occurred in many places. . There is a perception that attacks on humans have increased in the last few years. It is speculated that the probable causes have been decrease in habitat, decline in leopard prey populations or increase in leopard densities close to human populations. Historical data on leopard or prey abundances in any of the conflict areas are lacking, and therefore the reasons given remain speculative. Management of the conflict would be easier if the reasons were reliably known. The study was conducted from 2001 to 2OO7.The objective of this study were a) habitat use and preference, b) prey preference and food habits, c) validate methods for leopard population estimation and d) territoriality and ranging pattern. We achieved all the objectives except ranging pattern due to problems in radio collaring permissions. By the time we got permission it got too late to capture leopards and meaningfully execute this objective and was thus dropped. The vegetation map of the study area was prepared based on remotely sensed data. Thirteen vegetation and landuse classes were identified. The spatial layer for habitat quality, climate and topographic feature were used for occupancy mapping. The prey occupancy maps with topographic data was in turn used to model predator occupancy. Most of the species were 80% correctly classified. The presence only modeling was used to estimate the area occupied by leopard in the 13 districts of south-central Madhya Pradesh. 'Optimal* habitat was 5.2% of the study area, ranging from 0.5 to 8 percent of each district. As an absolute measure it can be said that approximately 11500 sq km of habitat is likely to support leopard populations. The districts with the most optimal habitat are Betul, Hoshangabad and Chhindwara. Leopard as most diverse diet, the frequency of occurrence of prey was ordered as sambar>chital>hare>langur>birds>rodents>porcupine>wild pig>cattle. The diets of the tiger, leopard and dhole overlap to a great extent. The tiger diet overlaps more with that of the leopard than the dhole because of shared inclusion of wild pig, cattle, rodents and birds in their diet. The dhole-leopard overlap is more than the dhole-tiger overlap because the former species-pair hunt in open areas also and both thus take a significant amount of chital, unlike the tiger. Chital comprises about 20 % of leopard's biomass intake. Along with chital, sambar is a preferred prey for the dhole. Tigers seem to prefer large prey species that are more easily available, the mean size of prey being 115 kg. The leopard and dhole tend to take medium sized prey. The leopard being a solitary animal takes a mean prey size of 27 kg, while the pack living dhole takes larger prey of more than 25 kg. The leopard also has the largest range of prey size, taking small prey like hare, birds, rodents and porcupines that dhole did not kill in this study. There has recently been increased attention to the need for reliable estimates of carnivore density in India, but most of the work has been done on tigers scanty information is available for leopards. Camera trapping has been used in conjunction iii with the mark-recapture technique to estimate the densities of species in which individuals can be uniquely identified based on the coat patterns or other external marks. Large felid populations are difficult to estimate because the species are generally low in abundance, nocturnal or crepuscular and have large home ranges. The mean of the four estimates of density in Satpura Tiger Reserve is 8.87 (S.E. 0.9) per 100 sq km. It is recommended that an index of density calculated using the area of the minimum convex polygon (MCP) be used to compare different sites, and half MMDM used to estimate absolute density until further data are available on movement patterns of leopards. The sex ratios are female biased in all areas except Kamti. The average ratio is 1.68 (S.E. 0.38) females per male. For 4 estimates the capture success for males is higher than for females, and in one estimate they are the same. .The larger spatial area model had a higher predictive accuracy than the smaller scale one as quantified by the higher continuous Boyce Index. This is possibly because the Satpura Tiger Reserve has fewer disturbances and is a less heterogeneous area given its smaller size. Given the high density of leopards in the area and requiring large tracts of contiguous habitat they probably move through and live in habitats that are not highly preferred, but are still inhabitable. Very few areas in the Reserve are likely to be completely unsuitable for leopards. Proportion of dhole tracks found per sampling occasion per section declined from 24 percent to 7 percent over the three years. The decline was continuous for the first two years, before recovering in the last year. Mean proportion of leopard tracks were less variable between years, except for second year summer, where they declined drastically. C-scores were higher than expected only in winter for the four large carnivores, which suggests that competitive structuring and subtle patterns of avoidance, if present, are more likely to break down in summer. In summer habitat selection for all carnivores is likely to be more influenced by the presence of water and shade than by the presence of competitors. The understanding how these carnivore species coexist could be important in managing large carnivores in areas where more than one species is found in sympatry. Interspecific competition is a major process in the structuring of many communities and seems that resource partitioning along a combination of temporal, spatial and dietary axes has structured the large carnivore community.
Ecology of tigers in Pench Tiger Reserve, Madhya Pradesh and Maharashtra
(Wildlife Institute of India, Dehradun, 2013) Sankar, K.; Qureshi, Q.; Jhala, Y.V.; Gopal, R.; Majumdar, Aniruddha; Basu, S.
The present study aimed to map land use/land cover patterns and to assess spatial structure and configuration of landscape; structure and composition of vegetation types in landscape; and varies ecological aspects of tiger (Panthera tigris) in a tropical deciduous forest of Central India from 2005 to 2013. Prey species availability was estimated using line transect method in an intensive study areas of 410 sq km between January 2007 and June 2012.
Evaluating tiger habitat at the tehsil level
(Project Tiger Directorate and Wildlife Institute of India, 2006) Qureshi, Q.; Gopal, R.; Kyatham, Shirish; Basu, S.; Mitra, A.; Jhala, Y.V.
Key areas for long term conservation of Galliformes I- Uttarakhand
(Wildlife Institute of India, Dehradun, 2011) Ramesh, K.; Qureshi, Q.; McGowan, P.
Management of human wildlife interaction and invasive species in India
(Wildlife Institute of India, Dehradun, 2015) Mathur, V.B.; Bist, S.S.; Kaushik, M.; Mungi, N.A.; Qureshi, Q.
Human – carnivore conflict is perceived as one of the most negative interactions in wildlife and humans, owing to the direct loss of human life associated with the presence of carnivore. Tiger, lion, leopard, snow leopard, wolf, dhole and bear are the most conflict related species. Studies on conflict related to tiger, lion, snow leopard and leopard are available while that for wolf, dhole and bear are rarely conducted. Owing to the conservation value of tiger and lion, guidelines and policies have been centered to the conflict related to these flagship species. In almost all the cases, management system has guaranteed economic compensation. Standard operating protocol (SOP) is developed for identifying and removing an individual that has repeatedly reported in conflict with humans. As few of these carnivores need healthy habitat and ample prey species for their sustenance, co-existence with increasing human pressure seems distinct from the present facts. Thus, in order to minimize the negative interaction, it is essential to relocate human settlement from the protected areas inhabited by these species. Attack by leopard on humans is amongst the major conflict cases. As leopard and snow leopard also inhabit in areas dominated by humans, it is of immense importance to amplify the social carrying capacity through awareness camps and increasing the vigilance during peak activity time of a species in the shared area. Frequency of conflicts associated to leopard in human dominated areas has triggered concern about the sustenance of these species, as shown by recent series of studies invested on subject. Results of these studies were adapted to form guidelines in order to avoid and mitigate the conflict issue and the SOP is being developed for conflict scenario management. In all the cases of carnivore conflict, economic compensation has helped to elevate the social carrying capacity. Hence, timely facilitating the desired amount of compensation can reduce the negative perception associated with conflict case. In case of snow leopard, the medical and life insurance policy has helped in building positive perception towards snow leopard conservation. However, such solutions are possible by joint efforts from multiple sectors and active participation of governmental agencies; and hence should be considered for managing conflict of other species as well. Human - Herbivore conflicts are mainly centered towards the loss of agricultural crops. These losses are high if the crop fields are present around Protected Areas or in the forest used by herbivores involved in conflict. Nilgai, Wild pig, Elephant and Black buck are ranked as species with highest conflict records owing to their vast distribution across India and habitat overlap with human settlements. While conflict caused by Rhino and Wild ass though restricted in few parts of the country, is similar conflict case. Particularly, in case of elephants, agricultural fields are used as corridors for colonizing or moving across adjacent protected forests. Conflicts with herbivores are speculated to be caused due to habitat degradation, absence of predator, absence of quality forage in the forest, etc. However, these speculations are not tested in field. Nevertheless, looking at increased individual and group raiding on the crops, it is essential to put a control on the reproductive rate of these individuals to avoid long-term conflict. Reproductive control needs an understanding of optimal demographic age and sex ratios to be maintained for sustenance of species. Hence, it should be practiced only in addition to the ecological population monitoring. Techniques used in reproductive control are new to the country and should be executed by expert research team. In case of a species like wild pig that can cause repeated conflict, provision of declaring such species as vermin for a particular area is available. In case of managing the on-going crop raiding, bio-fencing around the crop fields, night vigilance, alarm alerts and barricades should be used. Elevating the social carrying capacity by forming a self help group in the conflict prone villages that includes people from various sectors can provide immediate and economical solutions. Human - Non-human primate conflict is one of most serious issue in the negative interactions in human and wildlife. Though Rhesus macaques, Bonnet macaques and Hanuman Langur carry cultural respect from the dominant society, their increasing population in human settlements is increasingly resulting in negative interactions. Devotees and animal lovers feel gratified in feeding monkeys in temples, highways or roof tops and consider it a religious deed. Apart from many monkeys getting diseased and killed due to these habits, they have become habitual of snatching food from people and attacking them. Macaque troops involved in conflict are often translocated to the forests or enclosures in many parts of the country. Often these empty habitats are re-colonized by the surrounding macaque troops, and the conflict continues. Reproductive control is the most convenient and long term solution for controlling the negative interactions, but should be carried with regular population monitoring to keep the densities at optimal low levels. Methods such as oral administrative contraceptives, intra-uterine devices, and blockade of tubal patency following transcervical administration of polidocanol foam should be used for female monkey sterilization. Removal of specific macaque individuals that show persistent aggressive behavior or learnt raiding behavior should be implemented. Additionally social awareness about Solid waste management and proper disposal of rural organic waste as well as prohibition on feeding of monkeys in public places is of immense importance; as most of these troops colonize the area due to readily available food. Management of prioritized invasive species by 2020 is India’s 4th target of Fifth National Report to the Convention of Biological diversity. In total, 21 species were identified as high concern invasive species for 4 different ecosystems of India viz., terrestrial ecosystem (Lantana species complex, Prosopis juliflora, parthenium hysterophorus, Mikania micrantha, Chromolaena odorata, Ageratina adenophora, Ageratum conyzoides, Xanthium strumarium, Mimosa diplotricha, Hyptis suaveolens, Senna tora and Great African Snail (Achatina fulica)) island ecosystem (Axis axis and Hoplobatrachus tigerinus), freshwater ecosystem (Oreochromis mossambicus, Salmo trutta fario, Clarias gariepinus, Cyprinus carpio, Ipomoea carnea and Eichhornia crassipes) and marine ecosystem (Kappaphycus alvarezii). As a response to the impacts of these species, many regional managerial interventions are carried to remove the species. Most of these management practices are guided by the umbrella legislation of Wildlife (Protection) Act, 1972 and National Biodiversity Action Plan, 2008. It was also concluded during the workshop, that restoration of the native ecosystem should be the focus of management in the terrestrial ecosystem and hence the removal of any species should be followed by active/passive restoration of native ecosystem. The major gap that was observed was in the information about distribution and magnitude of invasion across country for any invasive species; and in the studies of restoration techniques in terrestrial ecosystem. The repeated introduction of fishes via aquaculture and escape through the controlled culture are the main invasion pathways in freshwater ecosystem. It should be addressed by enhancing the present quarantine techniques to identify the fry of these species during the import, and safeguarding the outlets of culture discharge (particularly in the floods).
Mapping of the protected area (PA) and surrounding areas in Pench Tiger Reserve, Madhya Pradesh
(Wildlife Institute of India, Dehradun, 2000) Sankar, K.; Qureshi, Q.; Mathur, V.B.; Mukherjee, S.K.; Areendran, G.; Pasha, M.K.S.
In this study the task included the preparation of baseline maps of Pench tiger reserve and surrounding areas consisting of features relevant to PA management and ecodevelopment activities. The maps were digitized and incorporated in Geographical Information System (GIS) domain. As part of assignment the spatial database developed for the Pench tiger reserve has been installed in the PTR office at Seoni.