M Sc Dissertation(WII)

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Author: search.filters.author.Johnsingh, A.J.T.Subject: search.filters.subject.Ungulates

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    Habitat Use by Goral (Nemorhaedus goral bedfordi) in Majhatal Harsang Wildlife Sanctuary Himachal Pradesh, India
    (Wildlife Institute of India, Dehradun, 1993) Mishra, Charudutt; Johnsingh, A.J.T.
    Studied the habitat use pattern of goral (Nemorhaedus goral bedfordi} in Majhatal Harsang Wildlife Sanctuary in the Himalaya to determine its habitat requirements. Of special interest were the roles of forage availability and quality and the antipredator strategy of goral in determining its habitat selection. These factors are of paramount importance in influencing the habitat selection by mountain ungulates. Diet composition of goral in terms of the proportions of graminoids versus browse was determined through pellet analysis. Its escape strategy was determined by direct observation. These results were then related to the actual habitat use patterns, which were determined by obtaining and quantifying locations of goral (n=334) over two seasons, along five monitoring trails. Use of each habitat category was interpreted with respect to its availability. A non-mapping technique was used for determining the availability of each habitat component. I identified nine vegetation types based on physiognomy and floristics. These were: Open Pine Community (OPC), Dense Pine Forest (DPF), Open Oak-Pine Community (OOPC), Dense Oak-Pine Forest (DOPF), Nullah Oak Forest with Low undergrowth (NOFL), Nullah Oak Forest with High undergrowth (NOFH), Euphorbia-Woodfordia-Dodoenia Scrub (EWDS), Open Euphorbia Scrub (OES) and Low Altitude Nullah Forest (LANF). Both forage quality and the antipredator strategy had a profound influence on habitat selection by goral. Goral was a grazer. It was partial to the younger, more nutritive grass phenophases - a prediction that can be made on the basis of its small body size. It preferred open areas with extensive grass cover. Forest cover, along with cliffs, was an important escape area for goral. But it avoided areas with extensive shrub cover. Such areas have little grass. Besides, the shrub cover obstructs visibility and quick movement, and makes the animal vulnerable to predation.
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    Density, Biomass and Habitat Occupancy of Ungulates in Bhadra Tiger Reserve, Karnataka
    (Wildlife Institute of India, Dehradun, 2001) Jathanna, Devcharan; Johnsingh, A.J.T.
    The distribution and abundance of ungulates prey of tiger were studied in the tropical moist deciduous forest of Bhadra Tiger Reserve, Karnataka from November 2000 to April 2001. The species of interest were chital, sambar, Muntjac and gaur. The line transect method was used to estimate absolute densities of the study species in November 2000. Distribution of the study species was studied using dung as an indicator of occupancy. Logistic regression models was used to examine species presence/absence and habitat parameters.
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    Sexual Segregation in the Nilgiri Tahr (Hemitragus hylocrius)
    (Wildlife Institute of India, Dehradun, 1995) Madhusudan, M.D; Johnsingh, A.J.T.
    Studied sexual segregation in the Nilgiri tahr Hemitragus hylocrius from November 1994 through April 1995 at Eravikulam National Park, Kerala, India. This Study covered the post-rut phase of the tahr's annual cycle. The objectives of the study were to examine whether sexual segregation exists in the tahr identify modes of segregation, and compare empirical findings with some theoretical hypotheses advanced to explain sexual segregation. I investigated differences in ,the way the sexes occurred in social units, used space, chose forage and budgeted time. Data on group composition and habitat selection were collected and two trails monitored regularly. Availability of forage was quantified in three habitat strata. Differences in dietary quality were estimated with two faecal indices - crude protein and ash. Data on activity budgets were collected from group scans. Throughout the study period, tahr occurred mostly in female groups, bachelor groups, and 1 to a lesser degree, in mixed groups. They showed marked segregation in the use of habitat types. Male groups used the rolling grasslands at the higher elevations intensively, whereas the female groups were distributed in rocky areas dominated by Plebophylllum kunthianum, and in areas of grass interspersed with cliffs. Male and female groups showed distinct differences in their choice of habitat. Males chose areas of high absolute amounts of graminoid forage, whereas females preferred areas of greater security; these were typically areas high slope angles and percent rockiness. - There were no differences in the levels of crude protein and ash in the pellets of male and female tahr. Differences were also found in the time-activity budgets of the sexes. Although all age sex classes spent equal proportions of time feeding, large males spent a greater proportion of their time resting than either small males or females. Females on the other hand, spent a greater proportion of their time moving than did individuals in the two male classes