M Sc Dissertation(WII)
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Item Ecology of Leopard (Panthera pardus) in Sanjay Gandhi National Park Maharashtra with Special Reference to its Abundance Prey Selection and Food Habits(Wildlife Institute of India, Dehradun, 2015) Surve, Nikit; Sathyakumar, S.; Sankar, K.Though information is available on the leopard's ecology from natural habitats, very less information is available on the ecology of leopards from human-dominated habitats in India. Hence the study was conducted at Sanjay Gandhi National Park (SGNP), Mumbai where leopard was found to be the apex predator. The total area of SGNP is 104 sq.km. It is covered , by human habitations on all the sides leaving just a narrow tip on the northern side. Camera traps were deployed in a systematic manner covering the entire study area to get leopard images. Leopard density of 21.55 ± 4.6 (SE) at 95% confidence interval was calculated in the study area using Spatially Explicit Capture Recapture models. The wild prey densities were estimated inside SGNP using 'Distance sampling with the help of line transects. The , maximum density amongst ungulates was shown by chital (14.49 ± 5.2[SE]) followed by sambar (7.52 ± 1.7[SE]). Among primates, maximum density was shown by common langur (48.04 ± 8[SE]) followed by bonnet macaque (30.78 ± 12[SE]). Density for other prey species encountered on line transects like wild pig and barking deer were not estimated as they were sighted only twice on the line transects. Dog density on the periphery of SGNP was ca1culated to be 17.26 ± 0.69 (SE) using mark-recapture technique. Food habits of leopards were studied by conducting dietary analysis using leopard scat. The high density of dogs in the periphery of the National Park also reflected in the leopard's diet. Dogs alone contributed 24.46 % of the total biomass consumed in leopard's diet. Domestic prey contributed to 43% whereas wild prey contributed to 57 % of leopard's diet in terms of relative biomass consumed. The study suggests that the leopards are dependent on both wild as well as domestic prey in the study area. Leopards can coexist with humans even amidst urban environs as long as prey population (both domestic and wild) remain sufficient and their habitat is protected.Item Activity Patterns and Food Habits of the Phayre's Leaf Monkey (Trachypithecus phayrei) in Free-Ranging and Captive Conditions in Sepahijala Wildlife Sanctuary, Tripura(Wildlife Institute of India, Dehradun, 2015) Lama, Pragya Aishwarya; Tyagi, P.C.; Nigam, Parag; Sankar, K.Maintenance of ex-situ populations of species threatened with extinction is a potential tool for ensuring recovery. Ex-situ conservation efforts though ongoing in India have been minimally documented. The present study aimed to fill gaps in information on the activity patterns and food habits of the endangered Phayre's leaf monkey (Trachypitheclis phayrei), a specialist feeder primarily a foliovore. This aspect was studied both in free-ranging and captive conditions. The study site posed a unique feature wherein the captive study species was located only ill one zoo all. over India which also happened to be within its geographical area. Thus, the Sepahijala Zoological Park (SZP) situated within the Sepahijala Wildlife Sanctuary (SWLS), Tripura was chosen as a study site. It was hypothesized that the activity patterns obtained from both the settings would be similar and that the nutrient composition of the food items consumed in wild and offered in captivity would not be much different from each other. A reconnaissance survey was carried out in which the available population, troop size and composition of Phayre's leaf monkey was assessed in both, the SWLS arid SZP. A IS-minute 'scan sampling' was conducted from dawn to dusk for studying the activity patterns of the troop selected for observation in the wild (after habituation) and in captivity. The activity data was analysed keeping in mind different age and sex categories within the wild and captive troops and across the two different settings. Chi square test was used to test for significant differences inactivity patterns within and across the captive and wild troop. The food habits (plants, plant parts and frequency eaten) of the Phayre's leaf monkey were studied on the basis of scans obtained as well as casual observations of the other free-ranging counterparts. Eaten food plants were identified and nutrient analysis was done for positive and negative nutrients after collecting and drying the samples from the field. Subsequently, it was processed at the laboratory in Wildlife Institute of India, Dehradun. The nutrients analysed were compared using the independent samples t-test.Item Habitat and Food Resources Use in Relation to Sex Age and Group Size in Sambar (Rusa unicolor) During Winter in Dry Tropical Deciduous Habitat of Ranthambore Tiger Reserve, India(Wildlife Institute of India, Dehradun, 2011) Goswamy, Amit; Goyal, S.P.; Sankar, K.The study of habitat use depends on various factors' like environmental conditions, resource availability, physiological condition of an animal and sex. The present research for my dissertation shows that it does exist and it attempts to explain how it is happening. Sambar is a major prey species of tiger and other big cats across most of the parks in India. For the conservation of large predators it is important to evaluate and study the habitat requirement of its major prey species in detail to the level of its age and sex categories. My field study was undertaken between Dec 2010 to March 2011. Intensive study area of 90 sq km was selected in Ranthambhore. to quantify resource availability and use by different categories with respect to sex, age and group size during winter. It was found out that there is a difference in the habitat use of sambar due to sex, age and group size categories, out of the many parameters evaluated and comparisons made it was seen that though in some cases the differences were not profound, and some showed only minor changes, but in majority of the cases the trend observed was as per the expectation. Where smaller body size male animals < 3 yrs) and female associated with fawn and subadults always prefer areas having a good quality resource whereas the adult male and sambar in large group size were mainly in the areas of abundant resource rather than the quality.Item A Study of Vigilance Behaviour of Chital (Axis axis) in Pench Tiger Reserve, Madhya Pradesh(Wildlife Institute of India, Dehradun, 2009) Ghuman, Sartaj S.; Sankar, K.Predation is an important agent of natural selection in animal communities and so vigilance behaviour has very high selection pressure acting upon it. During feeding bouts, unless plant density and biomass are high and food intake is limited only by the processing rates, herbivores tend to experience a trade-off between vigilance and feeding. Thus, vigilance as a behaviour pattern ought to be tightly regulated by the cost-benefit ratios. A study on vigilance behaviour of chital (Axis axis) was conducted at Pench Tiger Reserve, Madhya Pradesh from December 2008 to April 2009. The objectives of the study were to examine the determinants of individual and group vigilance in chital; and also to examine the t effect of conspecific behaviour on individual vigilance. I used scan sampling with fixed interval recording to estimate group vigilance and focal animal sampling with continuous recording to estimate individual vigilance levels. Three main factors that are known to affect :, vigilance from studies on other herbivores were examined: group size, density of animals in the group and visibility. Scanning behaviour was used as an estimate of vigilance. 'Scanning' refers to the state when the animal has its head above shoulder level and the senses of sight, smell and hearing are actively 'scanning' the environment. Individual vigilance was found to decrease with increasing group size, decreasing density and increasing visibility. In large groups adult males, fawns and adult females with fawns were found to be significantly more vigilant than females without fawns and yearling males. Group vigilance level was found to increase significantly with increasing group size, even as the group scan level decreased. Individuals seemed to reduce vigilance with relation to group size rather than the group vigilance level. The results suggest that individual chital do not adopt levels of scanning that maximize cooperative predator detection. The benefits of the group size effect vary with age-sex classes and other probable internal and external predation risk Factors and so vigilance is more likely governed by a combination of dilution and detection hypotheses mechanisms, the focus changing from one to the other with individual risk.Item Food habits of tiger (Panthera tigris tigris) in Sariska tiger reserve, Rajasthan(Wildlife Institute of India, Dehradun, 2003) Avinandan, D.; Sankar, K.; Qureshi, QamarThe present study aims at understanding relationship between tiger and its prey in a semi arid tract. The study was conducted in Sariska tiger reserve, Rajasthan over a period of six months from November 2002 to April 2003. Density estimation of major wild and domestic prey species was done to assess availability to tigers in terms of density and biomass. The line transect method was used to estimation prey densityItem Resource selection and resource partitioning among wild ungulates in the tropical semi-arid forest of Ranthambhore National Park. Rajasthan.(Wildlife Institute of India, Dehradun, 2001) Bagchi, Sumanta; Goyal, S.P.; Sankar, K.This study attempted to explore and describe the pattern of resource selection and inter-relationship in communal niche space of four species i.e. chital, sambar, nilgai and chinkara in dry deciduous semi arid forests of Ranthambhore national park, RajasthanItem Food Habits of Tiger (Panthera tigris tigris) in Pench National Park, Madhya Pradesh(Wildlife Institute of India, Dehradun, 1999) Biswas, Sayentan; Sankar, K.; Chundawat, R.S.Food habits of tiger was studied in a dry deciduous forest area in Pench National Park, Madhya Pradesh over a period of 6 months from November 1986 to April 1999. Density estimation of major prey species was done to assess availability to tigers. Line transect method was used for estimation of prey density. Scat analysis revealed that chital constituted the major part of is tiger prey followed by sambar and wild pig.Item Habitat Occupancy by Wild Ungulates in Pench Tiger Reserve, Madhya Pradesh(Wildlife Institute of India, Dehradun, 1997) Acharya, Bhaskar B.; Sankar, K.This study on the habitat occupancy by wild ungulates was carried out from November1996 to April 1997 in the Pench Tiger Reserve, Madhya Pradesh. the spatial and seasonal difference in habitat occupancy of the major forest types by the wild ungulates viz. chital (Axis axis), sambar (Cervus unicolor), gaur (Bas gaurus), nilgai (Boselaphus tragocamelus) were assessed. The study area was stratified into three major forest types based on floristics and physiognomy as: Teak dominant forest, Anogeissus boswellia mixed forest and Miscellaneous forest. A total of 12 transects were laid in three forest types. Data was collected on ungulate densities, dung abundance and habitat parameters. The Line transect Method was used for estimating ungulate densities. Dung abundance was quantified using a belt transect, at each 200 m point on the transects. Habitat parameters were also quantified at these points. The relationship between habitat factors and the distribution of ungulates were examined using bivariate and multivariate analyses. The results showed that chital densities were significantly lower in Teak dominant forest type in winter, and in the Anogeissus boswellia mixed forest type in summer. Both Teak and Misellaneous forest types showed greater chital densities in summer than in winter. Sambar densities showed no significant differences between forest types both in winter and in summer. Anogeissus boswellia mixed forest type showed a significant increase in sambar density from winter to summer. Chital dung abundance showed no significant differences between forest types, both in winter and in summer, while sambar dung abundance in the Anogeissus boswellia mixed forest type was significantly higher that, other forest types in both seasons. There were significant seasonal differences in chital dung abundance in all forest types, whereas sambar dung abundance increased only in the miscellaneous forest type.