PhD Theses (WII)

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    Ecology of Golden jackal (Canis aureus) in Sariska Tiger Reserve, Rajasthan
    (Wildlife Institute of India, Dehradun, 2015) Chourasia, Pooja
    This study aimed to examine the abundance and occupancy of jackal with the application of photographic captures using camera traps and diet composition through scat analysis, investigate species-habitat relationships from habitat features (non-spatial) and remotely sensed features (spatial) to understand how these variables govern occurrence pattern and predict the distribution of jackal in Sariska Tiger Reserve, Rajasthan. In India, jackal populations achieve high densities in pastoral areas such as Kutch, Maharashtra, Rajasthan, and Haryana. This study will vitally improve our state of knowledge to protect jackal and assist the development of theory on their social structure, behavior and habitat preferences in forested ecosystem. The study will help in suggesting localized monitoring mechanisms wherever necessary as this is important in minimizing surprise cases of extinction. The objectives of this study are as follows:-1. To determine the abundance of golden jackal. 2. To estimate the food availability, food habits and dietary niche overlap between golden jackal and other meso-carnivores.3. To evaluate the den site selection by golden jackal and, 4. To evaluate the habitat use by golden jackal. The study was conducted from 2010-2013 in Sariska Tiger Reserve (79° 17’ to 76°34’N and Latitude: 27° 5’ to 27° 33’ E), Rajasthan. Selected 160 km2 of intensive study area which was divided into four blocks. A total of 160 locations were selected for the placement of camera traps where, each block having 21 camera trap stations. Peafowl was observed to be the most abundant prey species throughout the study period. Amongst the wild prey species, nilgai was observed to be the most abundant wild ungulate prey species followed by, chital, wild pig and sambar in the study area..The Species distribution data was collected from camera trapping, direct sighting records, scat locations and track locations and was pooled for the entire study period 2010-2013, collectively making 413 observed point locations in the intensive study area.
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    Ecology of striped hyena (Hyaena hyaena) in Sariska Tiger Reserve, Rajasthan
    (Wildlife Institute of India, Dehradun, 2019) Mandal, Dibyendu K.; Sankar, K.; Qureshi, Qamar
    This study was conceivedto fill gaps in our understanding of striped hyena population parameters, resource utilization and their sociality. Finally, the findings were synthesized to understand the processes shaping diverse sociality of striped hyenas across varying resources in a comparative context under the framework of RDH. The present study was undertaken in Sariska Tiger Reserve (STR), a protected area situated in the semi-arid region of North-Western India. STR is an isolated system which has a sharp boundary with human habitations.
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    Ecology of leopard (Panthera pardus) in Sariska Tiger Reserve, Rajasthan
    (Wildlife Institute of India, Dehradun, 2011) Mondal, Krishnendu; Shankar, K.; Qureshi, Qamar
    The present study estimated the prey availability and prey consumption, population and survival rate and the home ranges and resource selection of leopard in Sariska Tiger Reserve. The Sariska Tiger Reserve (STR) (N27o05’ to N27o45’ and E76o15’ to E76o35’) is situated in the Aravalli Hill Range and lies in the semi-arid part of Rajasthan for four consecutive years from 2007 to with these objectives: 1. To estimate the prey availability of leopard 2. To study the food habits and prey selection of leopard 3. To estimate the population of leopard and 4. To study the home range and habitat use of leopard. In the present study, food habits and prey selection of leopard were examined during the study period following scat analysis method and kill records. Radio-telemetry technique was followed to estimate the home range and habitat use of leopard as this technique is found to be the most updated and useful practice to gather information on home range, daily and seasonal movement pattern of big cats. The result of this study presented the abundance of prey species of leopard and their consumption by leopard in Sariska TR. The study also estimated the population and survival rate of leopard in Sariska TR. Home range and habitat use of leopard was estimated in the present study and a habitat suitability model for leopard was generated in and around Sariska TR.
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    Ecology of medium and small sized carnivores in Sariska Tiger Reserve, Rajasthan
    (Wildlife Institute of India, Dehradun, 2011) Gupta, Shilpi; Sankar, K.; Qureshi, Qamar
    To assess wildlife population trends, scientifically based monitoring programs must be carried out. A new generation of camera traps and the use of well developed capture-recapture models have led to an increase in the use of remote surveying and monitoring methodologies for nocturnal species. Population estimates can be done for individually identifiable cryptic nocturnal species through camera trap. The study was carried out in Sariska Tiger Reserve (STR), western Rajasthan, India, (79° 17’ to 76°34’N, 27° 5’ to 27° 33’ E) from November 2007 to June 2009. The objectives of study are (1) To estimate the abundance of medium and small sized carnivores such as striped hyena, jackal, jungle cat, civets and mongoose. (2) To study the prey availability and food habits of medium and small sized carnivores and To assess the habitat suitability for these carnivores. In this study, both capture - recapture method and Royle -Nichols (2003) approach was applied to photographic capture trap data to estimate density and abundance of nocturnal cryptic species. The results of this study presented both numerically and also in the form of habitat suitability maps for all the study species in the study area. These finding have potential to develop basis for managing areas for these medium and small sized carnivores in Sariska and other similar habitat in semi arid zone.
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    Ecology and management of savanna vegetation in Sariska Tiger Reserve, Rajasthan.
    (Wildlife Institute of India, Dehradun, 2015) Bhatt, Priyanka; Rawat, G.S.; Sankar, K.
    This study is aimed to document the role of various abiotic and biotic factors playing a vital role in the coexistence of trees and grasses. Attempts have been made to bridge the research gaps related to the structure and composition of forest vegetation, phenology diversity and regeneration patterns along the landscape. Hence, present study was initiated with a view to collect baseline data that would be helpful in monitoring the forest changes in future. It provides information about the savanna vegetation and the dynamics and also deals with the vegetation composition, species diversity, richness and other phyto- sociological parameters, Vegeation structure, composition and factors affecting the savanna vegetation in Sariska Tiger Reserve. Objectives are : 1. To study the phenology of savanna species 2. To study the aut-ecology of dominant savanna grasses and tree species of Sariska with reference to biotic and abiotic factors 3. To study the impact of invasive species and management implications: case study of Adhatoda vasica
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    Prey selection, ranging pattern and habitat utilization of the reintroduced tigers in Sariska Tiger Reserve, Rajasthan, western India.
    (Wildlife Institute of India, Dehradun, 2015) Bhattacharjee, Subhadeep; Sankar, K.; Qureshi, Qamar
    In a forest ecosystem, large felids are generally the top predators in almost every food chain influencing the structure and dynamics of the subsequent descending trophic levels. Evaluation of last fifty years’ presence and absence status of large felids in Protected Areas (PAs) of Indian subcontinent revealed that local extinction was highest in the dry deciduous habitat. Tiger, among all large felids had already become locally extinct from 70% of semi-arid dry thorn and 35% of dry deciduous forest areas. Tigers in dry semi-arid forests with its global western most limit, survive in small isolated populations. The present study assessed the movements and ranging patterns, prey availability, prey utilization and resource selection of reintroduced tigers in Sariska Tiger Reserve from July 2008 to June 2012. After the local extermination of the tiger population in Sariska Tiger Reserve (STR), during December, 2005 with the consent of the National Tiger Conservation Authority (NTCA) and the Rajasthan Forest Department a recovery plan for tigers in Sariska was prepared by the Wildlife Institute of India along with a detailed protocol for tiger reintroduction. The present study was conducted in 400 km2 area which is the notified National Park area of Sariska Tiger Reserve from July 2008 to June 2012 covering all the three seasons monsoon (July to October), winter (November to February) and summer (March to June) with the following objectives: a) to evaluate the prey availability for the reintroduced tigers, b) to assess the prey selection patterns of the reintroduced tigers, c) to study the movement and ranging patterns of the reintroduced tigers and d) to assess the habitat utilization patterns, resource selection and response of tiger to various anthropogenic pressure in the study area. In Sariska, peafowl was observed to be the most abundant prey species throughout the study period.
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    Assessment of hydrologic functional and water budget of Keoladeo National Park watershed.
    (2007) Singh, Ritu; Choudhury, B.C.
    Keoladeo National Park (KNP) is situated in the plains of Bharatpur (27°7'6"N - 27°12'2"N and 77°29'5"E - 77°33'9" E), Rajasthan, India. It is considered to be the last remaining grassland- wetland complex in the Yamuna floodplains in this region. The wetland Protected Area CPA), located in the semi-arid tract of India is largely dependent on the erratic and short duration of the precipitation time. To enhance the wet characteristics of the protected area, additional water supply provisioning has historically been made from other large water harvesting structures within its watershed. However, due to the development of intense agriculture in the watershed and increased or incessant harvesting of surface water flow in the river systems and catchment combined together, the protected area is facing an acute water problem gradually decreasing the wet regime of its wetlands, this is also further diminishing its functional values. In case of KNP, as it is located in semi-arid region and fed by ephemeral rivers, the affects of water crisis are acute as well as immediate in the Park. Further, the wetlands of KNP perform several important hydrological functions like groundwater recharge that have value not only for sustaining the ecology of the region but also for the surrounding villagers in the area in providing water for irrigation. These functions and values of the national park need to be highlighted. The present study is an assessment of the current situation of hydrological regime of KNP and the watershed. Objectives The main goals of the study are: • to ascertain water budget of the Keoladeo National Park, • to identify hydrological functions of the Keoladeo National Park wetland based on Hydrogeomorphic approach, • to assess the functional value of the wetland and its role in maintaining water table and contributing to quality and quality of groundwater in areas adjacent to the Keoladeo National Park • to know the impact of the hydrological regime on the biodiversity of the Keoladeo National Park
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    Impact of land use changes on the habitat, bahaviour and breeding biology of Indian Sarus Crane (Grus antigone antigone) in the semi-arid tract of Rajasthan, India.
    (Wildlife Institute of India, Dehradun, 2007) Kaur, Jatinder; Choudhury, B.C.
    The Sarus Crane has been recorded all over the northern India and central region of the Indian sub-continent historically. However, this once abundant tallest flying bird species has now become threatened. The present study was undertaken during the year 2000-2002 to i) to determine the habitat use, breeding biology and behavioural ecology of the Sarus Crane in the semi-arid tract of Kota, and Bharatpur in Rajasthan, and ii) to determine the changes in land-use and its impact on Sarus Crane in the semi-arid landscape and to suggest the conservation strategies for the long-term survival of Sarus Crane. The study was conducted in the semi arid tract of Kota, and Bharatpur districts of Rajasthan. District Kota, the first intensive site falls under arid Zone V (the humid south-eastern humid plain zone,) where the development of canal irrigation has made this area rich in agricultural production. The population of Sarus Crane in Kota are dependent mainly on the canal system induced and other natural wetlands. Data on distribution and habitat utilization of Sarus Crane in Kota and in Keoladeo Ghana National Park were carried out
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    Habitat use by sympatric small carnivore in Sariska Tiger Reserve, Rajasthan, India.
    (Wildlife Institute of India, Dehradun, 1998) Mukherjee, Shomita; Johnsingh, A.J.T.
    The present study on three sympatric carnivores, two felids: jungle cat (Felis chaus), and caracal (Caracal caracal) and one canid, the golden jackal (Canis aureus) aimed at studying their spatio - temporal use of food resources. The hypothesis are as follows : 1) Jungle cat is relatively more eclectic in the kind of habitat it inhabits than the jackal. 2) The felids are mostly nocturnal whereas the jackal is both diurnal and nocturnal ( cathemeral). 3) Diet of the three carnivores differs between seasons. 4) Small mammals «1 kg. body weight) form the major diet of the felids and are taken in proportion to their abundance. 5) Jungle cat and caracal are dietary specialists relative to the jackal. The study was conducted in Sariska Tiger Reserve (STR) which is located between 74° 17' to 76° 34'N and 25° 5' to 27° 33' E. STR encompassing an area of BOO km2 has three core areas of which core 1, with an area of 273.B km2 forms. the proposed National Park. This area functioned as the study site and the intensive study area was approximately 30 km2.