M Sc Dissertation(WII)

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Response of wild mammalian species to human-mediated resource base in Chamoli district of Uttarakhand India
(Wildlife Institute of India, Dehradun, 2017) Shrivastava, Nimisha; Sathyakumar, S.; Ramesh, K.
This study focuses on the wild animals that occur in human-modified landscapes, in line with the proposed national strategy to manage wildlife in such landscapes. With the aim of focusing on the factors that drive or facilitate species to thrive in human modified areas, I carried out an investigation on the ‘response of wild animals to human modified landscape in Mandal Sub-basin (ca 140 km2), Chamoli district, Uttarakhand’ from December 2016 to April 2017. 2. For the study, I assessed distribution and use of various land use types (human inhabitations, crop fields, secondary scrub around villages, moist and dry natural forest/habitats) by wild mammals using camera traps deployed within grids (1 km2) for a period 10-15 days. Local peoples’ perception surveys were also carried out. Major findings of the study includes a) there are species that are largely dependent on modified landscapes while others that are dependent mostly on natural habitats, b) there appears to be an adaptive strategy to avoid human interaction by adjusting activities in different time scale between natural forests and human dominated areas, c) factors that are responsible for occurrence of these species in various land use types, and hence getting an idea of what future holds for these animals and d) positive perception of local people that shows a light of hope on the conservation of animals in their lands. However, it cannot be done if locals do not get direct benefits by the presence of wild animals.
Resource Tracking by Three Species of Hornbills in Rajaji National Park, Uttarakhand, India
(Wildlife Institute of India, Dehradun, 2009) Warrier, Rekha; Ramesh, K.; Rawat, G.S.
Resource tracking is the ability of organisms to adjust to variations in resource availability through numerical or functional responses. Numerical responses may be manifested, by changes in demographic processes or, through changes in movement patterns. Altered space use patterns can result in abundance fluctuations from the local to the landscape levels. An in-depth knowledge, of how resource fluctuations affect patterns of space use and abundance of a species can augment the conservation efforts which are underway for many species. Through this study, responses of three species of hornbills viz, Great Hornbill (Buceros bicornis), Oriental Pied Hornbill (Antharcoceros albirostris) and Indian Grey Hornbill (Ocyceros birostris), to the spatio-temporal variation in fruit abundances were studied in Chilla Range of Rajaj National Park, India. The study was carried out between December 2008 and April 2009, using a grid based occupancy framework and systematic sampling procedure. A total of 28, 1 km grid cells (spatial replicates) were sampled on nine occasions (temporal replicates) for quantifying hornbill responses to fruit abundance patterns. Fluctuations in fruit abundances were assessed by means of phenology transects, which were monitored once every month. Ecological Niche Factor Analysis was done to index the fig fruit availability by modelling fig tree distribution with Eco-geographic variables. Hornbill responses to fruit availability were analysed at two spatial (habitat types and fruit patch level) and temporal scales (winter and summer). Of the three species targeted, data could be consistently obtained only for Oriental pied hornbills. Great hornbills were rarely encountered and Indian grey hornbills were seen commonly only towards the end of the study period. Thus the detailed analysis focused only on Oriental pied hornbills. During the study, non fig fruit availability showed severe variations across areas, and over time. The month of March seemed to be the period of absolute non-fig fruit resource shortage. Figs, especially Ficus rumphii, were the only species that fruited and helped sustain the frugivore community during this period of scarcity. Thus, Ficus rumphii is a potential key stone species for the area. The bias corrected occupancy estimates revealed that Oriental pied hornbills frequented the forest types (Miscellaneous forest) that had high fruit availability in both seasons. At the patch level, intensity of grid use was positively correlated with abundance of non fig fruits in winter (r = 0.5, p

M Sc Dissertation(WII)

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