WII Technical Reports/Books/Manuals
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Item Priority areas for ecological assessment along samruddi corridor, Maharashtra, India: preliminary report(Wildlife Institute of India, Dehradun, 2019) WIIGlobal conservation strategies depend strongly on the creation and strengthening of the protected area network. However, several protected areas are facing new challenges of development In their surroundings leading to habitat f fragmentation and species loss. Roads are essential transport infrastructure to support India's endeavors of fulfilling vital transportation needs across the country. In the last decade, negative impacts of road network has been significant. .Special attention. is therefore required to protect wildlife values like corridors and distribution ranges of wildlife species that overlay the alignment of the expressway. The task, therefore, is to foresee conservation beyond protected areas that undergo modification due to growing infrastructural development, which eventually exerts pressure on protected areas. Maharashtra State Road Development Corporation (MSRDC) has proposed to build a smart green expressway connecting Nagpur to Mumbai. The highway aims at strengthening the rural agriculture sector while enhancing mobility. Although, the proposed alignment does not cross through any existing protected areas nevertheless MSRDC has envisaged developing the road as wildlife friendly infrastructure aiming at conservation outside protected area network. The objective of this report is to assist MSRDC and Government of Maharashtra in addressing ecological concerns at an early stage of planning the highway for safeguarding wildlife values. The preliminary report by the Wildlife Institute of India provides a framework for the protection of wildlife along the proposed alignment (701 km) of Nagpur Mumbai expressway, Maharashtra, India. This report aims at developing a roadmap to assess and evaluate ecological implications of future road development in the landscape with special emphasis on wildlife corridor function. Relevant mitigation measures shall avoid these impacts (direct, indirect and cumulative) of road infrastructure on various wildlife taxa and their habitats within the three landscapes of Maharashtra. The consecutive assessments conducted post this report will provide a strategic mitigation plan to present and minimize impacts of the proposed expressway on ecological habitats and wildlife. The Nagpur-Mumbai expressway is planned to be the first of Its kind project, where mitigation measures for wildlife are planned before? the road is built. This report helps in identifying the Important wildlife habltats that may require further assessment to design appropriate mitigation structuresItem Supplementation of Gaur in Bandhavgarh Tiger Reserve, Madhya Pradesh(Wildlife Institute of India, Dehradun, 2025) Nigam, Parag; Gorati, A.K.; Vishwakarma, R.; Bhandari, B.; Habib, Bilal; Mondol, Samrat; Nath, A.; Sen, S.; Krishnamoorthy, K.; Sahay, A.; Nanda, R.; Tiwari, V.R.Reintroduction and supplementation programs have been implemented worldwide to improve the conservation status of wildlife that have experienced a significant decline due to overexploitation, habitat destruction and fragmentation. Genetic drift and inbreeding are the two processes particularly relevant in reintroduction efforts that lead to reduced fitness, deceased survival rates and increased susceptibility to diseases. The MPFD in collaboration with WII has initiated a three year project (2024-2027) titled : Population management strategies for gaur (Bos gaurus gaurus) conservation: supplementation of gaur in Bandhavgarh tiger reserve, Madhya pradesh''. This project aims to ensure the long term viability of the species by enhancing its genetic diversity. To facilitate the smooth execution of field operations, an action plan was developed and released during the Inception cum planning workshop held at Bandhavgarh Tiger Reserve. Conservation translocation have become an important tool in recovering the threatened and locally extinct population. Species translocation are increasing all around the globe to reverse biodiversity loss and restore ecosystem functions. Reintroductions require careful planning as small population size experience inbreeding depression, which leads to decreased fitness and demographic stochasticity. Although genetic diversity is not directly linked to species extirpation, low gene pool results in low species recovery. To enhance the gene pool and long term viability of the restored species, supplementations are crucial, especially in small and isolated populations. The addition of new individuals amplify the gene flow in reintroduced species.Item Unveiling Torputitora presence in Sikkim streams through eDNA(Wildlife Institute of India, Dehradun, 2025) Mane, S.S.; Pant, B.; Kolipakam, VishnupriyaEnvironmental DNA (eDNA) metabarcoding was used to detect the presence of Tor putitora (Golden mahseer) in selected streams of Sikkim. Water samples were collected from six sites based on habitat characteristics conducive to the species survival. The collection of samples was followed by filtration of water samples, isolation of the DNA, PCR and sequencing targeting the COI region were conducted under aseptic conditions. The results confirmed Tor putitora presence at two locations (BR-06 and BR-08) with high certainty (>99%) aligning with previous studies on tis distribution in Sikkim. These results indicate that these streams serve as habitats for Tor putitora. These findings highlight the potential of these streams to support mahseer populations, reinforcing the need for conservation efforts to protect these critical habitats from ecological threats like ecological pressures, including hydropower and linear infrastructure development. This study adds to the expending evidence concerning mahseer distribution in Sikkim and highlights the critical need for conservation initiatives aimed at safeguarding its essential habitats by incorporating appropriate mitigation measures. Continued research and long term monitoring are imperative to evaluate population dynamics and ensure the sustainable management of Tor putitora in the region.Item Ecology and conservation of the Grasslands of Eravikulam National Park, Western Ghats(Wildlife Institute of India, Dehradun, 1998) Karunakaran, P.V.; Rawat, G.S.; Uniyal, V.K.An ecological study on the montane grasslands of Eravikulam National Park (ENP), the Western Ghats, was conducted during 1992-1996, with the following objectives: (i). to prepare a complete floristic inventory of the grasslands of ENP, (ii). to identify the grassland communities, their structure, function and successional trends along the anthropogenic gradient, (iii). to determine the forage quantity in different ecological conditions and (iv). to study the effect of fire and tree plantations on the grasslands. : The ENP lies between 10° 5' to 10°20' N and 77° to 77°10' E with an area of 97 km? in the Southern Western Ghats. The average altitude of the plateau is 2000 m and the highest peak, Anamudi, reaches 2695 m. Soil was acidic with pH ranging from 4.6 to 4.8. The climate was dominated by monsoon. During the study period the annual rainfall ranged from 4697 to 5540 mm. Winter days (Nov- Jan) were cooler and frost was common. The two distinct physiognomic units of vegetation are grasslands and sholas, unique to the Western Ghats. 3: The study area was stratified into eight landscape units viz., slope without rocky outcrops, slope with rocky outcrops, flat top, valley, bog, shola-grassland edge, cattle grazed and scraped areas. Systematic surveys and vegetation parameters such as species association, frequency, diversity, evenness and richness were studied in each landscape unit by laying 5 m radius. 4. 308 plant species were collected from the grasslands, adding 106 new species to the earlier list. 51 species were found to be endemic to the grasslands and 29 were listed as rare and endangered species. There were 64 species common with Eastern Ghats, 30 species with Patanas of Sri Lanka, 35 with Western Himalaya and 35 with Naga and Khasi hills indicating phytogeographical affinities with different biogeographic zones. D! Vegetation association was derived using ‘TABLE TRANSFER METHOD’ and TWINSPAN (computer packages). TABLE TRANSFER method identified 23 vegetation associations and TWINSPAN identified 15 associations. In both the analyses it was found that Chrysopogon zeylanicus and Sehima nervosum were the two dominant species. The diversity index (H’) of the associations ranged from 1.38 in the Artemisia nilagirica-Heteropogon contortus-Cymbopogon flexuosus (cattle grazed area) to 2.90 in Agrostis peninsularis-Eulalia phaeothrix-Chrysopogon zeylanicus in the shola-grassland edges. Vegetation ordination i.e., Canonical Correspondance Analysis (CANOCO) indicated that clay, pH and sand were important environmental factors which determined the species distribution and abundance.6. Biomass study was conducted at three sites in three dominant communities viz., Chrysopogon zeylanicus, Sehima nervosum and Cymbopogon flexuosus. Clipping was done both inside the exclosure and outside to obtain net primary productivity (NPP). The NPP values showed that these grasslands are between tropical and temperate grasslands . Outside the exclosures NPP was maximum at Eravikulam and minimum at Lakkamkudi. But inside the exclosures all the three sites were having nearly equal amount of NPP. Above ground biomass (ANP) was maximum at Eravikulam inside the exclosures and less at Rajamala, where as below ground (BNP) biomass was more at Rajamala and less at Lakkamkudi. Rate of biomass production was more (3.1 g m day!) at Eravikulam inside the exclosure and less (0.8 gm? day!) at Lakkamkudi outside the exclosures. In all the communities monocots contributed more to the ANP (59-97 %) than dicots (3-41%). In Lakkamkudi Pteridium aquilinum (fern) contributed 10 % to the ANP. Sehima nervosum, Heteropogon contortus and Chrysopogon zeylanicus were the three dominant grass species according to ANP. The annual removal of ANP by cattle and wild ungulate from Lakkamkudi was 68 %. Z. Burning (early and late) was done in S. nervosum (Anamudi) and C. zeylanicus (Rajamala) community. It was found that both in the early and late burnt areas no significant changes were noticed on species diversity, richness and evenness. Regarding the structure of the vegetation, cover value of dicots showed significant difference between early and late burnt in different months. Both early and late burning affected the regeneration of Phlebophyllum kunthianum. 8. A comparison of various sites with different density and age of wattle plantations with unplanted area showed that the number of endemic species and food species of Nilgiri tahr decreased with increase in the age of plantation. The increase in weed abundance with the age of plantation indicated more harm to the natural vegetation. The diversity index (H’) was 2.64 in 10 year old plantation and 1.87 in 3 year old. TWINSPAN identified two plant species associations each in unplanted, 3 year old and five year old plantations, and four in 10 year old plantation. 9. The study recommends the following research and management strategies for the long term conservation of Shola-Grassland ecosystems and endangered Nilgiri tahr: (a) inclusion of adjecent reserved forests with shola-graslands in the park, (b) boundary verification and better patrolling to check the illegal activities and fire hazards, (c) early burning in selected areas on experimental basis, (d) control of black wattle spreading, (e) eco-development measures for the Lakkamkudi village, (f) better tourism management and (g) long term monitoring of exclosures and representative shola-grassland patches.Item Patterns of Mortality in Free Ranging Tigers(Wildlife Institute of India, Dehradun, 2016) Nigam, Parag; Muliya, S.K.; Srivastav, A.; Malik, P.K.; Shrivastava, A.B.; Mathur, V.C.This study initiated an effort to maintain a centralized database of all tiger mortality events that are reported in India to address this shortcoming. We have initiated an attempt to study mortality patterns of tigers inhabiting landscapes in India based on available reports of mortality events in tigers from this databaseItem Management of Forests in India for Biological Diversity and Forests Productivity, A New Perspective - Volume IV : Garo Hills Conservation Area (GCA)(WII-USDA Forest Service, 2002) Kumar, A.; Gupta, A.K.; Marcot, B.G.; Saxena, A.; Singh, S.P.; Marak, T.T.C.The principal aim of the project was to demonstrate an approach to achieving integration of concerns in India for biological diversity, forest based products, and their sustained flow in support of technological, economic and social benefits to urban and rural sector lifestyles. To accomplish this, the project set forth the following six objectives that addressed ecological assessment in “conservation areas” that included relatively undisturbed forest ecosystems, managed forests with current forestry interventions under a variety of harvest systems, and intervening matrix landscapes that support subsistence and related market based rural economies.Item Management of Forests in India for Biological Diversity and Forests Productivity, A New Perspective - Volume III: Anaimalai Conservation Area (ACA).(WII-USDA Forest Service, 2002) Sajeev T.K.; Srivastava, S.K.; Raphael, Martin G.; Dutt, Sugato; Ramachandran, N.K.; Tyagi, Praveen C.The principal aim of the project was to demonstrate an approach to achieving integration of concerns in India for biological diversity, forest based products, and their sustained flow in support of technological, economic and social benefits to urban and rural sector lifestyles. To accomplish this, the project set forth the following six objectives that addressed ecological assessment in “conservation areas” that included relatively undisturbed forest ecosystems, managed forests with current forestry interventions under a variety of harvest systems, and intervening matrix landscapes that support subsistence and related market based rural economies.Item Management of forests in India for Biological Diversity and Forests productivity, A new perspective - Vol. VI : Terai Conservation Areas (TCA)(WII-USDA Forest Service, 2002) Kumar, H.; Mathur, P.K.; Lahmkuhl, J.F.; Khati, D.V.S.; De, R.; Longwah, W.The principal aim of the project was to demonstrate an approach to achieving integration of concerns in India for biological diversity, forest based products, and their sustained flow in support of technological, economic and social benefits to urban and rural sector lifestyles. To accomplish this, the project set forth the following six objectives that addressed ecological assessment in “conservation areas” that included relatively undisturbed forest ecosystems, managed forests with current forestry interventions under a variety of harvest systems, and intervening matrix landscapes that support subsistence and related market based rural economies. Project Objectives : • Assess, document, and map the kinds, extent and distribution of plant and animal diversity in selected ”conservation areas” through rapid survey methods.• Use existing status and habitat relationships information to set up baseline habitat relationships information system. • From stand-to landscape-level perspectives, evaluate the impact of existing forestry practices and use of forest-based resources by local people, including methods of harvests and collection, fires, operation of varied concessions and rights on micro habitat elements, key habitats, species, communities, the overall forest productivity and diversity. • Rapidly assess the social and economic systems of surrounding villages in terms of varied land use and forest resource dependency, including raising and grazing of domestic livestock, other vocations, skills, economy, and markets. These will be seen in relationship to forest systems. Threats to ecological harmony and economical status of people will be documented. • Use modern ecological concepts to develop practical management tools and practices for bringing about harmony within and between forest and village systems through sustainable land use practices that make social and economic sense. Document problems and threat mitigation prescriptions, and develop site specific field guides to management. • Conduct workshops and seminars to share experiences, disseminate knowledge, and begin the process of training scientists and managersItem A Preliminary Study on the Ecology of the Leopard, Panthera pardus fiisca in the Sanjay Gandhi National Park, Maharashtra(Wildlife Institute of India, Dehradun., 1998) Edgaonkar, Advait; Chellam, RaviA preliminary study of the ecology of the leopard, Panthera pardus fusca, was done at Sanjay Gandhi National Park (SGNP) in Maharashtra. The diet of the leopard was determined by analysing leopard scats. The major prey of the leopards was found to be domestic dogs, domestic buffalos and rodents. Primates, including rhesus macaques, bonnet macaques and common langurs and cervids, comprising chital, sambar and barking deer were also preyed on. Sections of 8 dirt roads, termed as trails T1 to T8, were monitored for intensity of leopard use. An index of prey abundance, human disturbance, stalking cover and density of trees along the trails was calculated. Intensity of use of trails by leopards was not related to the measured habitat parameters of the trails. Instances of leopard-human conflict was analysed using secondary records of the Maharashtra State Forest Department from 1986 to 1996. It was found that most instances of conflict occurred in summer and monsoon seasons. Seventy eight per cent of the deaths were of children. Awareness about leopards and attitudes towards them were quantified using a questionnaire. Tribals showed a more positive attitude score than non tribals. No such difference was seen far awareness. There were no differences in awareness and attitude among literate and illiterate people. A positive correlation between awareness scores and attitude scores was found. Suggestions for the management of leopards in SGNP include the experimental augmentation of the prey base with wild caught ungulates, monitoring for domestic dog transmitted disease, avoiding reintroduction of leopards trapped on the periphery and outside the Park boundaries into the Park and monitoring far inbreeding depression by comparing the percentage of abnormal sperm in samples from male leopards in SGNP with those from a larger population of free ranging leopards elsewhere in the country.Item Conservation of red junglefowl Gallus gallus in India : final report(Wildlife Institute of India, Dehradun, 2012) Sathyakumar, S.; Fernandes, Merwyn; Mukesh; Kaul, R.; Kalsi, R.S.The Red Junglefowl (RJF) is believed to be the wild ancestor of all domestic chicken in the world. there still exist a strong ethno-cultural bond where the wild males are used to invigorate the domestic stock in order to enhance the first generation individuals that are used in the context of cultural and religious relevance. Concerns were raised on the genetic endangerment of RJF due to introgression of domestic genes into the wild population. There needs to address these concerns and maintain uncontaminated RJF population in wild and captivity. keeping this in view, the Wildlife Institute of India, carried out a research project from 2006 to 2011 in two phases that dealt with status, distribution, genetic diversity, interactions between wild RJF and domestic chicken and introgression of domestic genes into the wild and captive stocks. The RJF listed in the “Least Concern” category of IUCN with an extent of occurrence of about 5,100,000 km2. One of the subspecies G g murghi has its distribution within India. In order to address the issues of status and distribution we resorted to using presence-only models. These models overcome the cost and time constraints when dealing with a large ranging species. Species site locations were all collated by using primary field data, network of field biologist, literature records, museum specimens and archived databases. A total of 500 georectified data points were used along with predictable variables such as bioclimatic factors, digital elevation model and forest cover. These variables were used to run maximum entropy models using the product function, the test data has an AUC score of 0.979, the jackknife test for variable importance was annual precipitation and precipitation of the driest quarter that contributed 46% to the model. The total predicted probability suitable area in India is approx 354,978 km2. There are three distinct landscapes within India namely north (12%), central (52%) and northeastern (36%).The central landscape is isolated and does not connect either to the north or northeastern landscape. The north and northeastern landscape is connected to each other through the forest patches in Bhutan and Nepal. PA network accounts for nearly 13% of the area with the National Parks (34) representing 4.32% and the Wildlife Sanctuaries (135) representing 8.52%, while nearly 90% of the area lies outside the purview of the PA network system. The species is still reported from 205 districts out of the 270 districts in range 21 states. Genetic diversity, population differentiation and phylogenetic analysis of RJF populations were assessed in 19 RJF range states of India. In total, 385 samples (306 RJF & 79 domestic chickens) were collected and genotyped with 26 microsatellite markers. Altogether, 628 alleles were observed across five RJF and one domestic chicken population. Observed and effective number of alleles ranged from 9 to 49 and 2.96 to 12.40 with mean (± s.e.) number of alleles 24.15 (± 8.31) and 6.50 (± 2.71), respectively. Effective number of alleles was less than the observed number of alleles for all the loci. The overall observed heterozygosity ranged from 0.23 and 0.79, with mean value of 0.52 ± 0.13, while expected heterozygosity ranged 0.62 to 0.92 with mean value of 0.82 ± 0.08. PIC value ranged from 0.56 to 0.91 with mean value 0.80 (±0.09) and therefore all microsatellite markers were informative in the present study. Mean observed number of alleles & mean observed heterozygosity was highest in Northern RJF population, i.e. Na 21.12 ±7.14 & Ho 0.61 ±0.17 and lowest in central RJF population, i.e. Na 1.92 ±0.89 & Ho 0.35 ±0.42, respectively. Total number of private alleles ranged from 1 to 179 in South-Eastern and Northern RJF population, respectively while no private was found in Central RJF population. The analysis of molecular variance (AMOVA) revealed a total of 6% variation was attributed to among populations while 94% variance was within population. The minimum population differentiation or maximum gene flow was between Northern and Eastern RJF population (Nm 10.846) while maximum population differentiation or minimum gene flow was between Central and Eastern RJF population (Nm 0.911). The overall, Nm values were quite high, suggesting the high gene flow among RJF populations. Nei's genetic distance indicated that the Central Indian RJF population is least similar or most distant (DA= 0.942) with domestic chicken, while the northeastern RJF population is most identical or least genetically distant (DA = 0.255) with domestic chicken. The UPGMA dendrogram was generated based on Nei’s genetic distance. The RJF populations in India formed three clusters: (i) central and southeastern, (ii) northern and eastern, and (iii) northeastern and domestic chicken. The multi-factorial correspondence analysis also revealed the similar pattern of clustering the RJF populations. In order to study interactions, observation were recorded from 13 sites with mixed groups all observations were in the pre-dawn hours. A total of 51 encounters were recorded. The interest was to elucidate whether an interaction between the wild and domestics fowls was mutualistic or agnostic during the breeding and nonbreeding season. From the 10 observation recorded during the breeding season there were no interaction between the wild and feral population suggesting that there might be a spatial segregation between these two populations. While interactions during the nonbreeding season suggest that that males are intolerable to each other when in close proximity, while the females are tolerated and move about freely within the groups. Genetic characterisation and maintaining studbooks is the key step towards formulating management action plan for conservation breeding or release program for any captive species. We collected 220 RJF samples (blood/feathers) from 14 captive centers and investigated population genetic structure and admixture analysis of RJF with domestic chicken using 23 highly polymorphic microsatellite markers. Bayesian clustering analysis revealed three distinct groups that indicated the genetic integrity among the birds of 14 centers. We presumed genetic integrity would have been resulted due to exchange of birds between zoos or the founders would have been introduced from the same wild population. The global performance of STRUCTURE assigning individuals was 169/220=76.81% while 8.63% individuals remained unassigned to any of three clusters. Each RJF stock was independently investigated for admixture analysis with a pooled domestic chicken population and ten birds were found to be hybrids out of 220 birds collected from 14 captive centers. based on the study, we recommend the following As this study could not survey all areas within RJF’s distribution range, we suggest that there is a need to increase efforts to understand whether the species is prevalent within forested tracts outside the PA network, especially Bihar, Haryana, Punjab, Sikkim and Uttar Pradesh where the present distribution is highly fragmented with growing pressures on the existing PA of these States. Similarly, in the States of Andhra Pradesh, Jammu & Kashmir and Maharashtra, extensive field surveys should be carried out to ascertain the presence/absence and exact distribution limits of RJF as these States encompass the limits or edges of the distribution range of this species. Special focus surveys/studies are required at range overlaps between G.g. murghi and G.g. spadiceus (northeastern States) and also between RJF and Grey Junglefowl (central India). Based on our samples collected from zoos/captive centres (Table 5.1), admixed bird were identified (Table 5.4). These admixed individuals (hybrids between RJF and domestic chicken) that are kept in zoos/captive centres should be removed from these captive stocks to avoid any further hybridisation. They should not be exchanged with any other zoos/captive centres and should not be released back into the wild. The list of individual birds in the zoos/captive centres that have been identified as ‘not admixed’ have been provided to these centres. For RJF individuals in zoos/captive centres that were not sampled during the study or born or added after the sampling, similar genetic analysis should be carried out. Such individuals should not be used /exchanged for any breeding programme. As there are chances of silent breeding between RJF and domestic chicken, hence the use of domestic hens as foster parents should be avoided.
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