M Sc Dissertation(WII)
Permanent URI for this collectionhttp://192.168.202.180:4000/handle/123456789/3
Browse
234 results
Search Results
Item Altered habitat alter habits; Behaviour and space use of Asian elephants in the Valparai Plateau(Wildlife Institute of India, Dehradun, 2026) Komarla, Joshika; Nigam, Parag; Kumar, Ananda; Nath, AnukulAs habitat loss and fragmentation continue to increase, mega-herbivores such as Asian elephants (Elephas maximus) increasingly traverse mixed-use landscapes where human-elephant encounters are frequent. Such encounters may influence elephant behaviour by altering activity patterns over time, modifying the relative frequencies of behavioural events, and shaping the behavioural repertoire exhibited. In this context, I examined the effect of human presence and associated activities on elephant behaviour on the Valparai Plateau, a rainforest-plantation mosaic in the Anamalai Hills of the Southern Western Ghats. Behavioural observations were conducted over a 104-day field season using 370 instantaneous group scans and 499 focal observations of identified individuals. My findings suggest that human presence did not have a measurable impact on the behavioural composition of time activity patterns; however, encounter characteristics – particularly crowd size and human identity – did account for variations in these patterns. Increasing crowd size was associated with a 10 % reduction in predicted time allocated to foraging. Behavioural events such as vigilance, avoidance, and agitation were more sensitive to anthropogenic influence, with effects evident in both coarse- and fine-scale analyses. The odds of stress-induced behaviours were sevenfold in the presence of humans; however, beyond a threshold distance of approximately 70 meters (69.9 meters), the likelihood of such responses declined substantially. Proximity to elephants and human identity were important predictors for this response. Additionally, different human groups elicited different stress-induced responses, with Forest Department personnel eliciting more avoidance and agitation responses than expected; however, this pattern requires further quantitative assessment. Herd cohesion was not affected by human presence and was weakly affected by encounter characteristics, with biological parameters like age and sex explaining the pattern better. Habitat selection analysis using Manly’s Selection Ratio suggests that natural habitats such as forest fragments, riparian sections, as well as Eucalyptus stands were preferentially selected for, and used disproportionately to their availability, whereas dominant landscape features like tea and coffee plantations , were used less than expected relative to their availability, during daylight hours. These findings suggest that elephants inhabiting mixed-use landscapes with a long history of both human use and elephant activity may tolerate human presence at a broad level, but certain encounters may still be perceived as riskyItem Comparison of small carnivores detection rates between two different leopard density regimes in Kuno National Park(Wildlife Institute of India, Dehradun, 2026) Namdev, Srajal; Kawlni, Lallianpuii; Kolipakam, Vishnupriya; Bipin, C.M.The study assessed the detection patterns of small carnivores in Kuno National Park using a camera-trap survey conducted across two sampling areas, blocks representing contrasting leopard density regimes. Camera traps were deployed using a systematic 0.5 km² grid design with approximately 700 m spacing between stations to maximize detections of small carnivores while maintaining standardised sampling. A total of ten small carnivore species were targeted, and Relative Abundance Indices (RAI) were calculated to compare detection rates among species and sampling blocks. Another study design with trail cameras on the same blocks was used to investigate the small carnivore community in two blocks representing high and medium density areas to understand community composition between the two study areas, although some species differed in their relative abundance. Small Indian civet, leopard, and golden jackal were detected more frequently in the high-density block, while jungle cat was relatively more common in the medium-density block. Spatial and temporal analyses indicated that most small carnivore species shared the same habits and were active during similar periods of the day. However, some species delayed their visits after another carnivore had recently used the same location, suggesting that coexistence is maintained mainly through short-term temporal avoidance rather than by occupying different habitats. This study also evaluated the effect of camera-trap sampling scale (grid size) on Relative abundance Index (RAI) showed that common species which were detected consistently through out the camera trap with adequate sample size produced estimates with lower coefficient of variation comparative to rarely detected species which became increasingly variable as sampling scale increased. These findings highlight the importance of using finer camera-trap grids when monitoring smaller species with less movement or home ranges.Item Dynamics of plant and insect communities across shifting cultvation fallow in Arunachal Pradesh, Eastern Himalaya(Wildlife Institute of India, Dehradun, 2026) Sena, MenchoShifting cultivation or jhum is a form of agriculture practice that is practiced by several communities around the world. In jhum cultivation, a patch of forest is slashed, burned, and cultivated for a limited period of time, and later on the patch is left for the regeneration vis a vis recovery of vegetation. Ecologically, such habitats provide a clear disturbance gradient to understand biodiversity recovery, including the process of establishment. Several studies have been carried out in the tropical forest around the world; however limited studies have looked at the recovery in the shifting cultivation landscape of North Eastern region in general and specifically in Arunachal Pradesh. The present study was conducted in Nampong, Changlang district of Arunachal Pradesh to investigate the dynamics of plant communities across shifting cultivation fallows of different ages. The vegetation was sampled across five different age classes vis-à-vis., 1, 5, 15, 25, 35 and forest as a control site. For vegetation sampling, 10m circular nested plots were used to sample for trees and 3.5m circular plots were used to sample for shrubs. To understand the community composition, diversity indices using the vegan package in R, following which a species accumulation was run to check sampling adequacy, were estimated. Following, which a Non-Metric Multidimensional Scaling (NMDS) was run to see how communities changed across fallows, followed by Indicator species Analysis and Similarity Percentages (SIMPER) analysis. Generalized Linear Model (GLM) with Poisson was run to check which factors influence the species richness. Based on the sampling and field observations, change in communities across fallows of different ages, with the forest having the highest species count, was observed. Simpson showed how diversity changed across fallow along with a decrease in 25-year-old which may be due to the presence of several species of Bamboo and Musa. NMDS showed a distinct pattern across age class, though there were overlaps in the mid-successional changes. Further, indicator species analysis was used to understand the association of species with respect to successional stages; such as Mesua ferrea, Terminalia chebula were associated with forest, Agalaia edulis and Albizia sp. with 35 and 25-year-old fallows, and species such as Zanthozyllum rhetsa in the early fallows. The SIMPER analysis showed the dissimilarity in the species across fallows of different ages, which showed that Trema orientalis, Macaranga denticulata, Croton persimilis, bamboo species, and Musa species contributed to differences among successional stages, and species such as Baccaurea ramiflora and Mesua ferrea were the species distinct in forest classes, suggesting the requirement of longer periods of recovery for the fallows. The understory communities of young fallows were dominated by invasive species such as Chromolaena odorata, Erigeron sumatrensis, and Mikania micrantha. Their abundance declined with increasing fallow age, indicating that canopy development and habitat recovery reduce the dominance of invasive species. Older fallows and forest sites increasingly consisted forest-associated species such as Gnetum montanum, Calamus spp., Phrynium pubinerve, and Entada sp., reflecting progressive recovery of understory vegetation. Model selection based on AICc identified fallow age as the strongest predictor of both tree and understory species richness, highlighting the importance of successional stage in shaping vegetation recovery. The influence of topographic and spatial variables was comparatively weaker. The study highlights the importance of protecting the remnant forested areas, and avoiding as well as reducing fallow cycles for the biodiversity to be resilient in the shifting cultivation landscapes of Arunachal Pradesh.Item Density estimation and habitat selection of obligate grassland species in DÉring Memorial Wildlife Sanctuary, Arunachal Pradesh(Wildlife Institute of India, Dehradun, 2026) Sunny, NamaRiverine alluvial grasslands of the Brahmaputra floodplains are among the most dynamic and threatened ecosystems in India. These floodplain grasslands, maintained by annual flooding and sediment deposition, host a unique assemblage of obligate grassland birds dependent on early and mid-successional habitats. However, quantitative information on the population status and habitat requirements of these species is limited especially in the riverine grasslands of D'Ering Memorial Wildlife Sanctuary, Arunachal Pradesh. In this context, the present study was designed to estimate the population density of obligate grassland birds and to explore the influence of habitat characteristics on their distribution in this dynamic floodplain ecosystem. The study was conducted across the three management ranges of D’Ering Memorial Wildlife Sanctuary using 252 systematically distributed point count stations. Bird surveys were conducted using passive point counts and call-playback surveys while acoustic triangulation was used to estimate the position of vocalising birds for distance sampling analyses. Habitat selection was assessed using micro-habitat variables, grass species composition, vegetation structure and landscape attributes such as island age and island size. Generalized Linear Models (GLMs) were used to identify habitat variables associated with species occurrence while community level responses were assessed using Non-metric Multidimensional Scaling (NMDS). When comparing survey methods, call playback greatly enhanced detectability of all four focal species by eliciting vocal responses from individuals hidden in dense grasslands. However, passive aural point counts produced more precise density estimates with consistently lower coefficients of variation, indicating that observations made under natural behavioural conditions better satisfied the assumptions of distance sampling. The successful application of acoustic triangulation further demonstrated its usefulness for estimating detection distances of vocally active grassland birds in dense alluvial grasslands where direct visual observations were often not possible. Habitat‐selection analyses indicated that obligate grassland birds were influenced primarily by vegetation structure, grass composition and floodplain succession rather than simply habitat area. The Saccharum spontaneum–Typha latifolia grass assemblage was the most important predictor of species occurrences for all four focal species, and taller grasslands were consistently favoured over shorter vegetation. Three of the four focal species had higher probabilities of occurrence on younger alluvial islands, indicating a strong association with early-successional floodplain habitats maintained by natural flooding. Community-level analyses further demonstrated a clear ecological separation between obligate grassland birds and habitat generalists along vegetation and successional gradients. Obligate species were associated with younger islands dominated by tall-grass communities, whereas habitat generalists occurred more frequently on older islands characterised by increasing woody vegetation. These results emphasize the importance of flood-driven succession in structuring both species-specific habitat selection and overall composition of the grassland bird community .the results demonstrate that conservation of obligate grassland birds requires the maintenance of the ecological processes that sustain floodplain grasslands rather than simply protecting static habitat patches. Passive aural point counts combined with acoustic triangulation provide a robust structure for long-term monitoring of cryptic grassland birds, while maintaining natural flood regimes and a heterogeneous mosaic of grasslands across different successional stages is likely to be fundamental for sustaining the tall-grass bird guild of D'Ering Memorial Wildlife Sanctuary. The study provides the first quantitative baseline on population density and habitat selection of obligate grassland birds from this protected area and offers a foundation for future ecological research and long-term monitoring of riverine grassland ecosystems.Item Nutritional ecology, movement patterns and herd dynamics of Nilgai (Boselaphus tragocamelus) in Kuno National Park, Madhyra Pradesh(Wildlife Institute of India, Dehradun, 2026) Vyas, Tanya; Kolipakam, Vishnupriya; Habib, Bilal; Bipin, C.M.Despite the various types of research done before on the nilgai, very little focus was given to what actually propelled forth their propensity to raid crops. This study was meant to delve into the factors that could possibly lead to crop raiding by nilgai. In context of the semi-arid zone, nutrition played a factor for nilgai that lived in places overrun by invasives, but did not provide any advantage to nilgai with access to natural vegetation. Through Manley’s selection ratios, it was found that nilgai select for savannah, especially at night, proving a negative association with forests. Models run for finer structural cues showed a negative selection for elevations, slope, hills and mixed forests. Avoidance of predators was seen despite lack of actual attack. Herd dynamics showed changes daily and across the breeding season. And finally, many novel behaviours of nilgai were noted; there is potential for further research on their social structure.Item Droppings and densities: can sprainting intensity predict otter abundance(Wildlife Institute of India, Dehradun, 2026) Balaji, Pritham; Pandav, Bivash; Kher, VarunReliable estimates of population abundance are fundamental to understand population dynamics and inform conservation management. However, obtaining robust abundance estimates for rare and elusive species remains challenging because rigorous population estimation methods are often not feasible on large scales, require long survey periods, resources and technical expertise. Consequently, wildlife monitoring efforts frequently rely on population indices derived from indirect evidence of the species of interest or proportion of sites occupied. Although the relationship between these indices and population abundance is seldom evaluated. This uncertainty is particularly relevant for otters, which have primarily been studied using their indirect signs which were developed to monitor population status. Smooth-coated otters (Lutrogale perspicillata), a semi-aquatic carnivore for which ecological studies have traditionally relied on indirect signs to study their habitat and diet preferences. Despite its threatened status, there is very little quantitative information on population sizes and trends. This study aimed to estimate the population status of smooth-coated otters inhabiting three Himalayan foothill rivers using multiple complementary approaches and to evaluate whether spraint encounter rates could provide a reliable indication of relative abundance. Camera trap distance sampling, N-mixture modelling based on direct sightings were used to estimate otter populations in each river. Sign surveys were conducted to obtain relative abundance indices such as encounter rates or occupancy probability from each river. By incorporating the use of camera traps, insights into their activity pattern was analysed in these rivers which are outside a protected area that vary in levels of anthropogenic disturbance. The N-mixture model produced highly uncertain abundance estimates because of low detection probability and high variability in count data, indicating that direct-sighting approaches are unlikely to provide reliable abundance estimates for smooth-coated otters under similar field conditions. Camera trap distance sampling generated substantially larger datasets and yielded more precise estimates of detection probability and density, demonstrating greater potential for estimating otter populations. Nevertheless, the number of detections remained insufficient to estimate abundance independently for each river, highlighting the need for increased sampling effort and more rigorous approaches, such as non-invasive genetic approaches or telemetry information, to obtain robust population estimates. Single-season occupancy modelling was of limited value for comparing relative abundance because otters occupied nearly all sampling units within the study area, providing no variation in occupancy estimates between rivers. Similarly, indirect sign surveys for spraint sites failed to show a significant relationship with camera trap encounter rates or estimated population status. Although Khoh exhibited substantially higher camera trap encounter rates than Kolhu, spraint encounter rates showed the opposite pattern, suggesting that sprainting intensity alone is not a reliable proxy for smooth-coated otter abundance in these river systems. These findings support evidence that social behaviour, communal latrine use and habitat-specific detectability can weaken the relationship between spraint site encounter rates and population size. Activity pattern analyses revealed that smooth-coated otters were primarily diurnal and crepuscular. However, otters in the more disturbed Khoh River exhibited a pronounced shift towards crepuscular and nocturnal activity compared with those in Kolhu. This demonstrates the behavioural adaptability of smooth-coated otters to human disturbance in their habitat. Therefore, this study provides one of the first quantitative assessments of smooth-coated otter populations using multiple abundance estimation frameworks in the Himalayan foothills. Although constrained by sample size and limited to two rivers, the study establishes important baseline estimates and demonstrates both the potential and limitations of current monitoring approaches which have been used for other taxa. The findings suggest that camera trap distance sampling currently represents the most promising non-invasive method for estimating smooth-coated otter populations, whereas spraint encounter rates should be interpreted cautiously and not used as a standalone indicator of abundance. Future studies incorporating larger spatial scales, increased sampling effort and rigorous abundance estimation methods will be essential for validating these findings and improving conservation monitoring of this threatened freshwater carnivore.Item Understanding habitat use and its drivers for small carnivores in the Nilgiris(Wildlife Institute of India, Dehradun, 2026) Rohan, R.; Modi, Shrushti; Habib, Bilal; Sadhu, AyanSmall carnivores play a critical ecological role but remain historically understudied, particularly within highly modified landscapes like the Indian subcontinent. This study investigates the habitat use, and structural drivers of the small carnivore assemblage, along with spatial and temporal patterns in the Nilgiris, a high-altitude biodiversity hotspot in the Western Ghats 2. Using a paired camera-trap deployment of 64 stations yielding 2477 trap nights across a 100 km² matrix, spatial ecology was evaluated for focal species groups—Leopard Cat, Mongoose, and Civet—using Generalized Linear Models (GLMs) against PCA-derived environmental gradients representing remoteness and habitat complexity. 3. To overcome low empirical detection rates of the endemic Nilgiri marten (Martes gwatkinsii), semi-structured social surveys (N=110) were conducted to synthesize traditional knowledge and community perceptions among local sakeholders. 4. The fitted models indicated non-linear associations between photographic capture counts and the PCA-derived gradients of remoteness and habitat complexity. Predicted intensity of use was generally higher at intermediate to moderately high values of these gradients. To minimizeItem Drivers of community and functional assemblages in rocky intertidal ecosystems of the Goan coast(Wildlife Institute of India, Dehradun, 2026) Prashant, Shreyas; Ghanekar, Chinmaya; Dutta, Sutirtha; Johnson, J.A.Rocky intertidal ecosystems have long served as natural laboratories for testing fundamental ecological theories. However, much of our understanding of community assemblages in these systems comes from temperate shores. In contrast, tropical intertidal ecosystems remain largely understudied. The disparity in environmental conditions between the temperate and the tropical zones limits our understanding of ecological processes. Therefore, investigating how environmental and biotic factors drive tropical community assemblages is critical for assessing the generalizability of existing ecological theory. This study examines the effects of environmental stress gradients ranging from the upper to the lower intertidal zones on community and functional assemblages in Goa’s rocky intertidal ecosystem. The influence of predation on community composition is also investigated within this ecosystem. To understand the effects of the environmental stress gradient and multiple fine-scale habitat characteristics on the community, a transect-quadrat method was employed across three study sites. The environmental stress gradient was found to be the main factor influencing community composition and structure, while sand cover, wave action and substrate complexity operated at finer scales within the broader gradient. Functional traits were compiled for the organisms found within the quadrats. This trait matrix was then used to assess whether motile and sessile animals respond differently to gradients of environmental stress and algae cover. Motile animals showed functional dispersion along the biotic gradient, while sessile animals showed a functional trait shift along the stress gradient. This suggests that motile animals may respond through biotic facilitation, driven by the combined effects of decreased stress and increased algal cover. Lastly, predator-exclusion cages were deployed to investigate whether predators considerably affect community composition. The experiment used Indothais blanfordi, a predatory sea snail, as the focal predator of Brachidontes mussels. Indothais had a strong effect on both Brachidontes mussels and community composition. Together, the results show that the environmental stress gradient structured the community through environmental filtering. However, the mechanisms through which this occurs are nuanced and depend on organismal life histories, biotic interactions and fine-scale habitat mediators. These findings extend environmental stress gradients and environmental filtering theory, developed primarily along temperate shores, into an understudied tropical system. In doing so, it provides an ecological foundation and methodological framework from which further questions can now be pursued.Item Factors influening basking site selection and basking behaviour of freshwater turtles in a disturbed landscape(Wildlife Institute of India, Dehradun, 2026) Majumdar, Srinjan; Das, Abhijit; Gopi, G.V.Ectothermic animals such as Freshwater turtles rely on behavioural thermoregulation- basking, to maintain proper body temperature. It is the time of the day when turtles are exposed to predators and disturbance. Anthropogenic disturbance might hamper the basking behaviour resulting in a cascading consequence affecting body temperature, metabolism, locomotion and ultimately survival. The Chambal River is home to a great diversity of freshwater reptiles while anthropogenic disturbance is very high along the river primarily due to sand mining, illegal fishing, agriculture, livestock grazing and presence of humans. Boat-based surveys with habitat characterization at macro and micro scale were performed to understand the impact of anthropogenic disturbance to basking site selection for turtles. In macro scale, Nilssonia and Batagur showed strong avoidance against highly disturbed stretches. The effect was buffered in the presence of mid-river basking sites. At micro scale, Nilssonia basking site selection was driven by type of Site (shoreline vs Mid river sites) and distance from waterline, while disturbance was not a predictor in the top model. Behavioural observations were done from morning till evening. Basking duration for identified Nilssonia individuals were seen to decrease by 1/3rd under high disturbance, while basking bouts were also shorter. Nilssonia individuals spend more time basking on mid-river sites away from the disturbed shoreline, while the basking bouts were significantly longer on sandbars as compared to disturbed sandbanks. Thus, mid river sites buffer the negative effect of disturbance both in site selection and behavioural aspects. Since mid-river basking sites have limited area, crowding on such sites result in increased negative social interactions. The impact of disturbance was highest on juvenile Nilssonia as they were repeatedly removed from mid river basking sites by larger Nilssonia. Thus, juveniles basked for significantly lesser duration during high disturbance phases as they were unable to utilize mid river basking sites. After the removal of disturbance, it was observed that basking bouts were equally long on sandbank and sandbars and time spent on mid river basking sites were also lowered. This suggests that usage of mid-river sites cannot be simply attributed to thermal properties of the site, but is also, at least partially driven by disturbance at banks. Based on individual ID, the study also revealed how disturbance may impact different individuals in different manners. Thus, mid river basking sites are critical habitat features that allow turtles to bask away from the disturbed shoreline under high disturbance. Even though they buffer the effect of disturbance, it cannot completely remove the negative impact of disturbance. Thus, regulation or removal of disturbance should be first priority for conservation of these species, followed by protection of these critical habitats (primarily from sand mining). The study also suggests to focus on multi-species, multi-scale response to understand how disturbance might be affecting various aspects of its habitat usage and behaviour, along with focusing on individual level responses to develop effective conservation strategies.Item Civet-izens of Balpakram: Seed fare, pattern of foraging and frugivory of civets in Subtropical and semi-evergreen forests(Wildlife Institute of India, Dehradun, 2026) Touhid, Sumedha; Lyngdoh, Salvador; Adhikari, B.S.Civets belong to the family Viverridae and are nocturnal and omnivorous mesopredators that also practice frugivory. Their ecological importance is exploited in the production of civet coffee, where coffee cherries ingested and defecated by the civets are collected and sold for an exorbitant amount. Their diet as frugivores enables them to play a crucial role in the seed dispersal within forest ecosystems. Endozoochory is a key seed dispersal mechanism in tropical forests, with civets (Viverridae) playing an important role by consuming fruits and dispersing intact seeds. Despite their ecological significance, little is known about how resource availability influences their foraging behaviour or how they coexist with sympatric carnivores. This study investigated the effects of fruit abundance on civet feeding behaviour, assessed seed dispersal effectiveness through seed viability, and examined coexistence mechanisms in Balpakram National Park, Meghalaya India. Fieldwork was conducted from December 2025 to March 2026 across a 25 km² area in the Mahadeo Range of Balpakram National Park, South Garo Hills. Camera trapping recorded 216 independent wildlife detections, including 50 civet captures representing the Large Indian Civet, Common Palm Civet, and Small Indian Civet. Fruit abundance was quantified around camera stations, while 33 civet scats were collected for tetrazolium-based seed viability analysis. Temporal and spatial overlap with sympatric species were analysed using kernel density estimation, the Dhat1 coefficient, and Pianka's Index. Ground fruit availability significantly increased Large Indian Civet detections, indicating opportunistic foraging on fallen fruits. Civets coexisted with sympatric species through multidimensional niche partitioning. Moderate overlap with Common Palm Civets was likely facilitated by vertical habitat segregation, high overlap with Leopard Cats was permitted by dietary differences, low overlap with Clouded Leopards suggested predator avoidance, and low spatial overlap with Wild Boars reflected differing microhabitat preferences despite dietary similarity. Microcos paniculata occurred in most scats, and seeds recovered from scats showed significantly higher viability than control seeds, highlighting the positive influence of civet dispersal on seed survival.