PhD Theses (WII)

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Start date: 2022

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    Aspects and determinants of human-carnivore conflict in tiger corridors of Terai, Western Circle, Uttarakhand
    (Wildlife Institute of India, Dehradun, 2024) Ranjan, Vivek; Badola, Ruchi; Dhakate, Parag Madhukar
    Human-wildlife interaction with negative consequences, commonly termed Human- Wildlife Conflict (HWC), is a global conservation challenge. Understanding the cause-effect relationship resulting in HWC is essential to resolve and mitigate the conflict and promote human-wildlife coexistence. However, the increasing human population and rapidly changing demography severely affect the contiguity of forested landscapes and habitats, becoming a major challenge for conserving wide-ranging large mammals. The conservation and protection of wildlife corridors are vital for the survival of wide-ranging large mammals in the landscape. The Terai landscape, located in the foothills of the Himalayas and proximate plains of the Indian Himalayan Region, is one of the most significant and distinct transboundary landscapes worldwide. In recent decades, the Terai region has recorded a rapid increase in human population and industry growth due to its conducive topography for industrial development in the hilly state of Uttarakhand. The region is also home to diverse wildlife, and increased conservation efforts and protection have yielded positive results, with an increased population of endangered wildlife species like tigers in the last few years. With increasing population and shrinking wildlife habitat, human and wildlife's peaceful and sustainable coexistence is distressed, leading to an increased probability of negative human wildlife interaction. The study aims to assess the aspects and determinants of Human-Large Carnivore Conflict (HLCC) in the wildlife corridors and their adjoining habitats in the eastern terai landscape of Uttarakhand state of India. The large carnivores considered for the purpose of this study are tiger and leopard only, which are common in the landscape of the study area. The study has three objectives: to assess the nature and extent of human-wildlife conflict due to large carnivores, the habitat structure and composition of the wildlife corridors and the diet preferences and consumption patterns of large carnivores in the corridor habitat. The thesis has been divided into six chapters, where the first two chapters are a general introduction and literature review, and the following four chapters talk about socio-ecological factors, habitat quality of corridor habitats, implications of habitat changes on HLCC, and diet profile of two sympatric large carnivores of the study area, i.e. tiger and leopard. The study area is part of Terai Arc Landscape (TAL), a Tiger Conservation Landscape (TCL_Id-44) of global importance with the potential for increasing the wild tiger population. The study was conducted in the delineated wildlife corridors for large mammals in the terai landscape of Uttarakhand state of India. The study focuses on the critical wildlife corridor in high tiger density and transboundary areas, providing crucial connectivity of habitats and wildlife populations. The study area is divided into two study blocks for the spatial convenience of the study: Block 1 comprises the Kosi Corridor, and Block 2 comprises theKilpura-Khatima-Surai (KKS) and Boom-Brahmadey (BB) corridor and their adjoining forests. Kosi corridor connects Corbett Tiger Reserve to Pawalgarh Conservation Reserve in Ramnagar forest division. The KKS and BB corridors in Block 2 have contiguous and interconnected habitats adjoining Nandhaur Wildlife Sanctuary in the Haldwani Forest Division of Uttarakhand, connecting to Pilibhit Tiger Reserve and Sukhlaphanta National Park through forest of Nepal. The study area is rich in faunal diversity and home to a few important large mammals, such as the Tiger, Leopard and the Asian elephant. In order to understand the nature and extent of HLCC in the landscape, it was essential to understand the socio-economic conditions and perceptions of the communities. We conducted random household (HH) semi-structured questionnaire surveys and discussions in the villages located in the corridors. The information on HWC compensation records was also collected from the Uttarakhand Forest department to analyze the patterns of conflict incidences. The results show that livestock grazing, fuelwood, and fodder collection from the forest are common and prevalent practices. About 90% of the households have LPG connections at home, yet most HH members still visit forests for collection. The education level among the respondents is low, with maximum HHs having an annual income of less than one lakh. The major occupation as the primary source of income in the study area is casual labour work, and most of the HHs have land holdings of less than an acre. The incidences of HLCC mainly occurred inside the forest areas and later half of the daytime, i.e., from noon to evening. The season of incidence and condition of the body of the depredated livestock show significant association with the place of incidence. The seasonality pattern of HLCC incidences shows nan incidents during monsoon in study block 1, whereas in block 2, it is in winter. The trend of incidences over the last 13 years in study block 1 shows a peak in tiger and leopard cases during July and August and forecasts an increase in cases over upcoming years. The annual trend of HLCC in the two study blocks is significantly different. The nature of HLCC in the study area is both tangible, which can be visually observed and intangible, which has imbibed effects with direct and indirect impacts. The tangible nature of large carnivore conflict is the direct impacts in the form of human casualty and livestock depredation. The intangible nature of the conflict with indirect impacts are psychological— fear of large carnivores and sense of insecurity, social — loss of livelihood and family security. The aspects of HLCC are socio-ecological, with both the social factors of communities residing around the forest and the ecological processes influencing the HWI. In rapidly transforming human-dominated landscapes, anthropogenic activities and disturbances significantly impact the ecological processes and landscape characteristics. The habitat quality was assessed using the nested quadrat method for vegetation and camera trapping for large carnivore population estimation and prey availability. The camera trapping was done using the capture-recapture method in 2 sq. Km sampling grids. The results show maximum tree diversity in the BB corridor, with good to fair Sal regeneration in all three corridors. However, most of the tree species show poor to no regeneration. Sixty-one species of trees were recorded from the three corridor areas sampled. As an invasive plant species, Lantana camara is more prevalent and extensive in study block 1 and Ageratina adenophara in block 2. The grassland habitat is shrinking, and less in all three corridor habitats.Anthropogenic disturbance is high in block 2 in comparison to block 1, while tree cutting and lopping are the most prevalent anthropogenic disturbance signs observed in all three corridors at equivalent levels. The medium-sized prey is the most abundant prey base in both the study blocks, with maximum relative abundance of Spotted deer. However, the relative abundance of Sambar deer is higher in the bhabar topography area of corridors and maximum in large sized prey. The study block | has 16 adult tigers and 22 leopards, while block 2 has 31 adult tigers and 40 leopards. The wildlife habitats of the three corridor areas studied have good tree diversity and complexity. However, the regeneration of tree species is poor for most species. The shrub and herb cover are also low for most areas in all three corridors, affecting the lower structure of forest habitats. The extensive growth of weed species like Lantana camara and Ageratina adenophora also affects understory species' composition, structure, and tree regeneration. The poor regeneration and deteriorated lower strata vegetation with sparse undergrowth are unfavourable conditions for breeding large carnivores, which requires dense patches for hiding their offspring. The lack of such patches and high human disturbance forces them out of the forest to use sugarcane farm fields to raise and hide their young ones, as has been observed in many instances in the Terai-Bhabar landscape. Using human-modified landscapes by large carnivores for their life cycle stages is unsuitable for human-wildlife coexistence and increases the vulnerability of negative HWI. ASS Bind Expert in CC EE TTT The implications of habitat transformations on HLCC were assessed by identifying spatial conflict hotspots based on compensation records of the last 14 years and the magnitude of incidents related to large carnivores in different locations. The Land Use Land Cover (LULC) and Enhanced Vegetation Index (EVI) change over twenty years were assessed. The Nighttime Light (NTL), an indicator of human growth and activity centres, was also assessed for a decadal change. The impact of changes in these habitat attributes on hotspots was assessed using the Generalized Linear Model. The model shows that the impact of vegetation health change and human activity or disturbances have a significant effect on conflict hotspots. The very high-risk zones are also located in the delineated corridors near bottleneck areas. The study has highlighted that the implications of habitat changes are significant for HLCC. The implications of habitat changes vary with the landscape and regional attributes, as observed in our study at two sites with varied underlying factors other than habitats. In the present conservation paradigm of large carnivores, it is essential to understand the feeding habits and prey-predator dynamics outside protected areas. Our study fills this gap in our understanding of the dietary habits of sympatric large carnivore species outside protected areas (PAs) in the terai landscape of India. It focuses on the feeding ecology of tigers and leopards in wildlife corridor habitats outside PAs. Our results show a significant dependence of tigers and leopards on medium-sized prey, i.e., Wild boars and spotted deer. It also shows a 93% overlap between tiger and leopard diets in the study area. However, it is crucial to augment wild prey availability in the wildlife corridor habitats, where grazing pressure is high. The problem of stray cattle has further escalated the issue of livestock depredation by large carnivores. Conservation strategists must consider the feeding habits of the predators and how these are changing due to the induced effects of anthropogenic activities.
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    Distribution of major alien invasive plants and impact assessment of Ageratina adenophora (Spreng.) K & R. in Kailash Sacred Landscape, Uttarakhand
    (Wildlife Institute of India, Dehradun, 2022) Chaudhary, Alka; Adhikari, B.S.; Rawat, G.S.
    The study was conducted to assess the spread, distribution, impact of invasion in Indian part of Kailash Sacred Landscape (KSL) characterized by interspersion of human habitations, extensive forest managed by the State Forest Department and local community institutions (Van Panchayat). The objectives of the study were (i) To model spatial distribution of selected plant invasive species using distribution modeling technique. (2) To assess the impacts of IAPs on native flora and relationship with habitat parameters (3) To analyze people's perception towards the spread of IAPs in KSL India landscape (4) Experimental trials on Eco restoration of habitats and prediction of future spread for better management
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    Genetic assessment of the Non-descript pig breeds across selected regions of Uttarakhand
    (Wildlife Institute of India, Dehradun, 2023) Sahoo, Khushboo; Gupta, S.K.; Gopi, G.V.
    India, which has ancient history of pig rearing, is home to several indigenous pig breeds that reflect the adaptation of Sus scrofa to different environmental and cultural conditions. However, only 13 of these breeds are currently recognized and documented by the National Bureau of Animal Genetic Resources. The present research was undertaken to identify the spatial distribution, socio-economic status, pig husbandry methods of pig rearers, and the impact of Exotic pig breed on the indigenous breed and ecology of the region. As molecular characterization is a valuable tool that provides insights into the evolutionary history and genetic diversity of the current pig breed raise in a region. Hence by incorporating molecular techniques in understanding of the domestic pig breed and their interactions with ecosystems, promote more precise and science-based management that contributes to biodiversity conservation and sustainable husbandry practices. The present study will also aim to evaluate the maternal lineage, genetic diversity and population structure of the domestic pig breeds at the regional scale, using microsatellite markers and mitochondrial DNA sequences. The survey and sampling was done in the planar (Dehradun, Haridwar and Nainital) districts of Uttarakhand, a mountainous state of India that lies in the foothills of Himalayas, where rapid urbanisation and continuous migration make us reconsider the necessity of an organise promotion of the piggery sector due to its multiple ecological implications.
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    A study on predation ecology of large carnivores with special reference to human-carnivore conflicts in Pench Tiger Reserve, Madhya Pradesh, Central India
    (Wildlife Institute of India, Dehradun, 2022) Chatterjee, Anindita B.; Sankar, K.; Qureshi, Qamar; Jhala, Y.V.
    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.
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    Ecology and ranging behaviour of Elephants, Elephas maximus, and its implications for managing human-elephant conflict in Chhattisgarh, India
    (Wildlife Institute of India, Dehradun, 2022) Lakshminarayanan, N.; Pandav, Bivash
    In the East-central region of India that supports the smallest regional elephant (Elephas maximus) population, the elephant ranges have expanded in northern Chhattisgarh (erstwhile eastern Madhya Pradesh) since late 1980s. Chhattisgarh was carved out of Madhya Pradesh during the year 2000, and thence, the State has been witnessing elephant range expansion and concomitant population growth resulting in acute human–elephant conflict. Over 60 human lives are lost every year due to human–elephant conflict, and the trend is only increasing. Chhattisgarh scenario represents challenges facing management of elephant populations undergoing environmental dispersals that typically result from saturated habitat conditions in the elephant home ranges. In response to the prevailing conflict situation, the study aimed to understand facets of elephant ecology and aspects of human–elephant conflict to generate management perspectives. Historic information available as fragments in literature indicates that elephant distribution in the whole of East-central region was marked by both range expansions and local extinctions during the last one century. In particular, the contemporary phenomenon of elephant range redistribution in the East-central region peaked after 1980s, and coincides with large-scale human-induced disturbances to the formerly intact elephant habitats in the region. There were also pull factors like creation of pseudo-habitats (providing only cover for elephants) through forestry operations that possibly attracted elephants to human–dominated areas perpetuating human-elephant conflict. In Chhattisgarh, the elephant distribution during the period 2012 to 2017 was reported from 16 Forest Divisions and four Protected Areas in the north and north-central regions of the state. The elephant population, as enumerated by Chhattisgarh Forest Department during 2021, ranged from 250 to 300.
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    The conservation of musk deer: integrating ecology and genetics in North-Western Himalaya
    (Wildlife Institute of India, Dehradun, 2023) Sharief, Amira; Chinnasamy, Ramesh; Sharma, Lalit Kumar; Thakur, Mukesh
    This study highlights the combined use of ecological models and genetics of musk deer in the North-Western Himalayas. By employing both ecological models and genetics, this research aims to identify populations and regions that require high conservation priority to ensure the species' survival.
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    Genetic diversity, gene flow and mating system in sympatric crocodylian species in National Chambal Sanctuary, India
    (Wildlife Institute of India, Dehradun, 2023) Sharma, Surya Prasad
    The present research was, thus, undertaken to provide information on the genetic status of two freshwater crocodylian species through assessment of the (a) genetic diversity, (b) population genetic structure, genetic differentiation, and gene-flow and (c) mating system using nuclear microsatellite and mitochondrial markers. The biological samples for genetic assessment were collected from two of the largest breeding gharial population in Chambal River (within the National Chambal Sanctuary) and Girwa River (within) Katerniaghat Wildlife Sanctuary) for both the study species.
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    Study on distribution and relative abundance of large mammals and impact of human disturbance in and arond Mehao Wildlife Sanctuary, Arunachal Pradesh
    (Wildlife Institute of India, Dehradun, 2023) Ahmed, Arif; Gopi, G.V.
    The current study was started to gather baseline data on a few ecological factors (Diversity, distribution, relative abundance, Activity pattern and habitat preference) of selected large animals in Mehao WS. Northeast India. The study period was November 2017 to 2020. The objectives of the study are 1. To estimate the relative abundance and occupancy of selected large mammals in and around Mehao wildlife sanctuary. 2. To develop Habitat suitability model for selected large mammals in and around Mehao WS 3. To analyse the land use/land cover change pattern and to identify the main driving factors.
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    Molecular Phylogeny and Population genetic structure of Northern Red Muntjac (Muntiacus vaginalis) in India
    (Wildlife Institute of India, Dehradun, 2022) Singh, Bhim
    Present study is based on the genetic diversity, phylogenetics, and the population genetic structure of Indian red muntjac in India and also compared with other existing muntjac. The objectives of the study are: 1. To assess the genetic diversity of the Indian red muntjacs among different populations using mtDNA and microsatellites markers. 2. To investigate the phylogenetic relationships of Indian red muntjac with respect to other species. 3. To investigate the population genetic structure, gene flow and demographic history of Indian red muntjac.
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    Spatial abundance of ungulates and role of predation on chital (Axis axis) demography and behaviour in Corbett Tiger Reserve, Uttarakhand, India.
    (Wildlife Institute of India, Dehradun, 2022) Banerjee, Sudip; Jhala, Y.V.; Qureshi, Qamar
    To address the first objective which was to estimate the abundance of ungulates in different habitats of CTR, I have used line transect-based distance sampling approach to estimate the density of four major ungulate species (chital, sambar deer, barking deer, and wild pig) of CTR in ~520 sq. km of the Corbett National Park (CNP) region. Density was estimated using 156 spatial transects replicated 1 to 4 times over four sampling years. Both year-wise and pooled (weighted average of four years) density estimates were highest for chital followed by sambar. Barking deer had the lowest density. Chital density has remained stable over the years. Post-stratifying the densities of the four ungulates by three major habitat types of CNP (grassland, saldominated, and mixed deciduous) exhibited the highest density of chital in the grassland and lowest in the sal-dominated forest. Sambar density on the other hand was highest in the mixed deciduous and lowest in the grassland. Barking deer also exhibited a similar trend of habitat-wise density. A significant part of my thesis was focused on the objective of evaluating the precision and cost-effectiveness of three different density estimation techniques. The diverse ungulate assemblage and complex terrain of CNP provided an excellent environment to conduct this experiment.