M Sc Dissertation(WII)
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Item Effect of land use change on the habitat and abundance of Grizzled giant squirrel in and around Srivilliputhur-Meghamalai Tiger reserve, Srivilliputhur Division, Tamil Nadu(Wildlife Institute of India, Dehradun, 2024) Bevoor, Shilpa; Gopi, G.V.; Kher, Varun; Goyal, S.P.Human activities, especially energy extraction and food production, have drastically altered the global environment, impacting many wild species. Since 1990, around 420 million hectares of forests have been lost mainly due to agricultural conversion, significantly affecting biodiversity. In biodiversity hotspots like India's Western Ghats, agricultural expansion, monoculture plantations (tea, coffee, rubber), and non-timber forest product harvesting have fragmented protected areas, altered plant communities, disrupted nutrient cycles, and reduced carbon sequestration. While monoculture plantations reduce biodiversity, they can still provide habitats for some threatened species. Wildlife such as nilgai, blackbuck, elephants, and giant squirrels in India have adapted to these altered landscapes for food, water, and shelter, demonstrating resilience amidst habitat changes. This study focuses on the impact of converting barren lands into mango and coconut plantations around the Srivilliputhur-Megamalai Tiger Reserve in southern India on the grizzled giant squirrel population and habitat. Over the past three decades, these changes have enhanced connectivity between natural forests and agricultural areas, offering energy-rich fruits that attract wildlife, including GGS. This shift has altered ecological dynamics, making wildlife more reliant on cultivated foods and affecting their movement patterns. Density estimates reveal higher concentrations of GGS and nesting sites (dreys) in plantations compared to protected areas, with mixed plantations showing the highest densities due to the availability of nesting sites and year-round fruiting trees. Seasonal variations in GGS distribution highlight preferences for specific tree species based on fruit availability and habitat characteristics. The study also examines drey site preferences, noting GGS preference for mango trees in plantations over coconut trees due to structural attributes that provide better support and protection. These findings underscore the species' adaptation to plantation environments while emphasizing the critical role of specific habitat features for nesting and overall habitat suitability. Local farmers report conflicts with GGS due to crop damage, particularly affecting coconut, mango, tamarind, and other fruit-bearing trees. Perceived economic losses from GGS feeding habits often exceed actual damage levels, emphasizing the need for accurate assessment and targeted mitigation strategies to reduce conflict. Conservation implications stress the importance of maintaining critical habitats within protected areas, establishing buffer zones between plantations and natural forests, and promoting biodiversity-friendly practices in monoculture plantations. Community-based conservation efforts and adaptive management strategies are essential for mitigating human-wildlife conflicts and ensuring the sustainable coexistence of GGS and agricultural livelihoods in this biodiversity hotspotItem Golden Langur Distribution, Habitat Selection and Corridor – Connectivity: Assessing Patterns and Addressing Threats(Wildlife Institute of India, Dehradun, 2024) Basumatary, Rishi; Nath, Anukul; Gopi, G.V.; Chetry, DilipThe Golden Langur (Trachypithecus geei), is an endangered colobine primate, confined to fragmented forest patches in western Assam, India, and south-central Bhutan. The golden langur has experienced severe habitat loss and fragmentation due to ethnolinguistic and religious conflicts between the late 1980s and late 1990s, followed by developmental activities in western Assam. The primary threat faced by the golden langur in India are the rapid reduction of its natural environment and the fragmentation of its habitat. Factors such as a limited population size, the breakdown of meta-population dynamics, and unique traits of a species often make a population in a fragment more likely to experience local extinction. Due to the significant decline in the range of Golden langur in both Bhutan and India, as well as the ongoing destruction of their habitat in India, it is imperative to safeguard even the smallest local populations. The populations residing in these fragmented Reserved Forests and Proposed Reserved Forests are effectively confined, separated from the primary breeding population, and susceptible to demographic and genetic influences. The objective of this study is to understand the current distribution, suitable habitat, and connectivity of corridors for the severely fragmented southern population of golden langur in India. Additionally, the study aims to examine the specific habitat preferences and demographic patterns of langur groups, as well as evaluate the threats that this fragmented population faces. The study was carried out in nine fragmented forest patches that includes Wildlife Sanctuary (WLS), Community managed RF (CMRF) Reserved Forest (RFs), and Private Rubber Plantations and Adjoining Forests (PRP_AF). In the present study, a total of 123 trails, ranging from 0.4 km to 1.6 km, were walked, covering a total distance of 118.72 kilometers. During these surveys, a total 51 troops (including 8 multi-male multi-female troops and 5 all-male groups), consisting of 499 individuals were encountered. The mean group size and age-sex ratio between different protected regimes that include wildlife sanctuary (WLS), community managed RF (CMRF), reserved forest (RF) and private rubber plantation and adjoining forests (PRP_AF) were compared. The overall mean group size of the langur was 9.78 (± 0.69 SE). Of the total 499 individuals, 13.22 % comprised of adult males, 41.88 % adult females, 16.83 % sub-adults, 10.02 % was juveniles and 18.03 % was infant. The average age-sex ratio of adult males to adult females was 0.287 (± 0.04 SE), juveniles to adult females was 0.224 (± 0.02 SE) and infants to adult females was 0.407 (± 0.04 SE). The infant to female ratio was found higher in wildlife sanctuary as compared to other reserved forests in the study area. The current study revealed that approximately 883 km² of the area is highly suitable for the endangered golden langur. Percent forest cover was found to be the most important variable in determining the probability of occurrence of golden langur in India. The corridor connectivity analysis showed high conductance for corridors namely Bamungaon and Khoragaon RF. Similarly, the connectivity is permeable between Kakoijana and Bamungaon. Other corridors identified in the study are Bhumeshwar Hill, Nakati RF and Kakoijana RF. On the other hand, there is high conductance among corridors of Chakrashila WLS and Nadangiri RF. Additionally, fine scale habitat selection study showed that tree species diversity, canopy cover and food plant density are the key in determining the occurrence of golden langur. In the last six years, a total of 56 mortality and injury incidents were reported from the study area which include 45 deaths and 11 injuries. Electrocution accounted for 29 cases, especially near forest edges, while 21 road accidents occurred mainly on national and state highways, as these roads are broader and have higher traffic volumes compared to village and town roads. Most accidents happened in the corridors between Chakrashila WLS-Nadangiri RF and Kakoijona RF-Bamungaon RF. Specific measures need to be taken to minimize electrocutions and road accidents of golden langur in the region. Mitigation measures like insulating electric lines and road safety protocols such artificial canopy bridges (ACB) and metal animal overpasses (MAOP) are essential for safe and easy movement along these corridors for the golden langur's survival in fragmented habitatsItem Assessing the distribution and density of the Fishing Cat in Bhitarkanika mangroves of eastern India by(Wildlife Institute of India, Dehradun, 2024) Ashik, C.S.; Mukherjee, Shomita; Gopi, G.V.; Pandav, BivashIdentifying the areas of occurrence, population, and the factors affecting the species distribution is critical in conservation and management. The Fishing Cat (Prionailurus viverrinus), a smaller feline native to South and Southeast Asia, is globally vulnerable and adapted to wetland habitats, with a diet primarily consisting of fish. This makes Bhitarkanika, a mangrove ecosystem, an ideal habitat for the Fishing Cat. This study was conducted to estimate the species density, determine the factors affecting its distribution, and assess the effect of lunar illumination and tidal fluctuation on Fishing Cat activity. Despite known occurrences of Fishing Cats in this area, there has been no proper assessment of their population or other ecological studies. Camera traps were deployed in 109 grids, each covering 1km², across a total of 145 km², for 2878 trap nights. Camera trap locations are unbaited, with two cameras used to capture both flanks. Spatially explicit capture-recapture (SECR) was used to estimate the density, resulting in 0.6 ± 0.1 individuals per km². The abundance was also calculated, with an estimate of 99 ± 16 individuals. These density estimates from this study are close to recent high-density estimates for the species. The canopy cover, the width of the creek, canopy cover and the distance to the aquaculture farms significantly influenced the Fishing Cat habitat use, indicating the need for the conservation of natural mangrove habitats and regulation of aquafarms present near the forest. In contrast, the presence of Saltwater Crocodile showed a negative effect on the distribution of Fishing Cats. The Fishing Cats were more active during the brighter nights of the moon phase (μ= 266.783, r= 0.051, p< 0.01) due to better visual detection. The activity was influenced both by the tidal fluctuations in terms of food resources from waterbodies and it is further enhanced by the lunar illumination during the night. Pairwise non-parametric tests showed that the probability distributions of Fishing Cat activity under lunar illumination and tide fluctuation (D= 0.125, p-value = 0.9885 and D= 0.125, p-value= 0.9899) were similar, indicating minimal differences between each probability distribution. This study underscores the importance of protecting the mangrove habitat and controlling aquaculture expansion to ensure Fishing Cat survival in the Bhitarkanika National Park.Item Visitation Pattern of Mammalian Communities at Waterholes in Tadoba-Andhari Tiger Reserve(Wildlife Institute of India, Dehradun, 2021) Yathumon, M.A.; Nigam, Parag; Habib, Bilal; Gopi, G.V.Waterholes are an important component of management practices in wildlife conservation, especially in arid and semi-arid regions. It is of high conservation and management significance as it is a spatially restricted resource for wildlife. I studied visitation pattern of mammals at 54 waterholes in the core zone of Tadoba - Andhari Tiger Reserve, a dry deciduous forest in the central India. Visitations of mammal species were monitored continuously for four months using camera traps. Visitation frequencies of mammals at the waterholes were checked and compared between winter and summer seasons. Influences of (i) physical attributes of waterholes, (ii) distance between the waterholes and adjacent permanent water sources, (iii) distance to nearest road and (iv) the presence of tourism in the nearest road, on the visitations of mammals at waterholes were studied. It was found that there are differences in the number of visitations, total time spent and the average time spent in a visitation between mammal species and between same species in different seasons. Size of waterholes and artificial water supplementation influenced the visitations of some mammals at waterholes. Overlaps in the temporal visitation patterns of the prey species with that of the predator species were different for ambush predators and pursuit predators.Item Assessing the Efficacy of Select Physical Barriers in Mitigating Human-Elephant Conflict in the Human-Elephant Shared Landscape of Golaghat District, Assam(Wildlife Institute of India, Dehradun, 2021) Das, Gitima; Gopi, G.V.Human-Elephant Conflict (hereafter “HEC”) is one of the most challenging issues both for elephant conservation and people’s wellbeing in the elephant landscapes. Management of which becomes extremely difficult without the implementation of appropriate mitigation measures. Physical barriers, like solar fences, elephant-proof trenches, stone, or rubble walls are installed as mitigation measures in all elephant-occupied habitats at the edge of the forest and human-use areas, globally. However, installations of the same without a proper scientific rationale and assessing and analysing their site-specific efficacy in reducing elephant incursion in the human settlement areas often fail in doing its intended objectives. It is important to note that humans are also a crucial component of conflict, hence research focusing on social aspects are essential for finding solutions. Keeping such concepts in mind, an assessment to determine the efficiency of two types of physical barriers, viz., solar fence and elephant-proof trench (EPT) was carried out in one of the prime elephant habitats of north-eastern India, in Golaghat district of Assam. Located on the southern bank of the Brahmaputra and home to Kaziranga National Park (KNP) on the west and Nambor-Doigurung Wildlife Sanctuary (NDWLS) in the south, Golaghat offers an ideal site for such study. It is realized that even after the presence of barriers in various areas of the district, conflict cases in the form of crop-raiding, human mortalities and human deaths continue to be reported. Handful studies on barriers and their effectiveness were done recently on the northern bank of Brahmaputra. However, no such appraisal on efficiency of barriers has been done in this landscape, where conflict levels are high. Hence, this study attempted to fill these existing research gaps.