PhD Theses (WII)

Seven years of data (2008 – 2015) resulted in phot-capture of 96 unique individual tigers in the study area. The estimated survival rate of individual tigers was high. Survival of female tigers were higher than that of the male tigers but the range was overlapping. Apparent survival and transitional probabilities were best explained by gender specific models. Survival constant was selected as the best model for estimating growth rate of tigers. Calculated annual growth rate was 13% with no observed sex bias.

Large investment in the form of protected areas, human resettlement, law enforcement-patrols and habitat management are made to conserve tigers and reap their benevolent umbrella role to secure India’s biodiversity. The objectives of present study are (i) the trend of tiger and leopard population (ii) demography of tigers and leopards and mechanism of their co existence. The study area was Kanha tiger reserve (area 2074 km2), a major stronghold for both species in central Indian landscape. Study investigate the estimated vital parameters of tiger demography through robust design based classical open population models in which population was open to demographic process. This study used both camera trap based mark-recapture and continuous monitoring known fate information to estimate reproductive parameters along with age specific survival and dispersal probability of tigers.

This study explores the potential mechanisms of how the community of sympatric ungulates in Kanha might partition resources by evaluating i) habitat-specific seasonal densities and spatial co-occurrence of ungulates; ii) demographic parameters; iii) temporal activity and food habits of ungulates and; iv) factors affecting their group size. The study area was ~ 2074 km2 Kanha Tiger Reserve comprising inviolate Kanha National park (core zone; devoid of human settlements and use) and the multiple-use area (buffer zone; consisting of forest and xviii revenue land, used by rural communities for farming and livestock rearing). The study stresses the importance of human free core areas and the need for conservation investments for achieving high ungulate densities and biomass that are essential to sustain source populations of tigers and other endangered carnivores in this landscape.

Carnivores of all groups have unequivocal role in structuring and functioning of their ecosystems. Hence their existence need to be secured to maintain functional ecosystems. In the current scenario of rapid industrial growth and economic development, pressure on natural resources is escalating, which in turn has jeopardized the survival of important species. Hence, to maintain harmony between economic growth and ecological balance, an effective wildlife conservation and management plan should be a priority. The Kanha Tiger Reserve (KTR), spreading over an area of around 2100 km2 located in the central Indian highlands, has immense ecological significance as it supports a wide variety of flora and fauna. The tiger reserve is home to carnivores, including tiger, leopard, dhole, sloth bear, and many small cats. However, there are several conservation challenges exists for the persistence of this ecosystem. A thorough understanding of the ecosystem and its inclusive components is a prerequisite for developing and implementing an effective wildlife conservation plan. And in the case of KTR, despite several pioneer studies, the existing research gap on the ecology of small and meso-carnivores undermines the understanding of the complete ecological functioning. To fill this research gap, I undertook this study focusing on distribution, habitat use and preference of small and meso-carnivores in KTR. I aimed to study the distribution pattern and abundance of non-pantherine carnivores (Sloth Bear, Wild Dog, Jackal and jungle cat) and their niche separation by developing a species distribution and habitat suitability map. I performed camera trapping exercises during three successive seasons in 2014, 2015, and 2016 successively in all the available habitat types to obtain information on the abundance and distribution pattern of the targeted species. The camera traps were placed in a two sq km grid-based manner. I used data from transect surveys, remote sensing techniques and published literature to obtain other ecological variables. I used presence software to run the occupancy model for each focal species separately, considering relevant environmental variables. Similarly, I used the Maxent software to prepare the habitat suitability map for each species individually. I used the kernel density approach in R software to analyze the activity overlaps between these studied species. As a result of occupancy analysis, tiger, leopard, sloth bear, and jungle cats were observed to be inhabited in the cores area of the tiger reserve and associated with dense forest cover, grasslands, and prey abundance. However, dholes preferred the fringe area of the forest, associated negatively with densities of tigers, leopard, and their preferred area, i.e., the core of the forest and positively with the grasslands. In addition, variables such as distance from human settlements, terrain ruggedness, and NDVI also affected the occupancy of these study species in the KTR. Jackal did not follow any particular pattern rather it observed throughout the forest area. Aligning with the occupancy result, the habitat suitability maps prepared by the Maxent model strengthened the observation of the spatial ecology of these carnivore groups in the KTR. The Maxent model showed that the large carnivores at the ecosystem's apex position preferred to live in the core area of the forest with abundant prey and least human interference. However, second and third order carnivores such as dholes, preferred to live outside the core to avoid possible strife with the dominant tiger and leopard. The habitat selection by these meso carnivores also indicates the dominancy iii of the large carnivores in occupying the central position and their influence in the placement of the subordinate group of carnivores in a common ecosystem. We did not observe any effect of tiger and leopard on the habitat preference of sloth bear and jungle cat which indicated the difference in the dietary pattern also play significant role in occurrence of these sympatric carnivores in a multi-predator ecosystem. Tigers and leopards were primarily crepuscular and nocturnal. Despite high activity overlap, their activity peaks were different from each other. Dholes and jackals were active during the day, whereas Sloth bears and jungle cats were nocturnal. The results of temporal interaction among these carnivores were not completely diverged from the pattern of spatial interactions observed earlier. Instead, these results strengthen the findings of the spatial interaction among these carnivores in the KTR. As observed earlier, dholes and jackals shift their activity to avoid possible conflict and become diurnal. In contrast, the activity pattern of tigers and leopards did not influence the activity pattern of sloth bears and jungle cats. The study provides information on the spatiotemporal interactions of a carnivore community in a multi-predator ecosystem in central India. The findings strengthen the earlier understanding of the ecology of large-bodied carnivores such as tigers and leopards. At the same time, it enhances the knowledge of their counterpart i.e. the lesser studies small and meso- carnivores of KTR. Large-bodied carnivores occupied the central and apex position of the ecosystem and regulated the distribution pattern of the meso-carnivores present in their ecosystem. However, species with a different ecological niche were less influenced by these apex predators.

PhD Theses (WII)

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