M Sc Dissertation(WII)
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Item Pre and Post Covid-19 Transformation in the Financial and Marketing Practices of Museums: An Analysis of the Government Museum Chennai and City Palace Museum Udaipur.(Wildlife Institute of India, Dehradun, 2021) Bhaalasaraswathi, J.; Sivakumar, K.The research focuses on the effect of the pandemic on the museum. The two main areas of focus are marketing and finance management of the museums with the case study of the Government Museum Chennai and the City Palace Museum, Udaipur. All three museums are known for the antiquity of their collections, the history of the buildings which house these collections and the architecture of the building. The Government Museum, Chennai, is a museum run by the Government, while the City Palace Museum, Udaipur is a Non- profit Organisation run by a public charitable trust. The research will look at the marketing and the funding transformation in the museum because of the COVID-19 pandemic. The selection of Government Museum Chennai, the City Palace Museum Udaipur and Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Vastu Sangrahalaya, Mumbai gives the research a comparison between museums that differ in ownership, funding and location. All the above-mentioned museums are multipurpose museums that exhibit artefacts and collections on various subjects.Item Patterns of foraging in Olive Ridley Sea Turtle (Lepidochelys olivacea) Population on the East Coast of India and Habitat Characteristics of the Arribada Nesting Ground at Rushikulya(Wildlife Institute of India, Dehradun, 2019) Mudliar, Mohit; Sivakumar, K.; Gopi, G.V.; Shankar, KarthikThis study was conducted and aimed to explore the patterns of spatial segregation of foraging olive ridley turtles which nest on two distinct nesting areas of the eastern coast of India; secondly, to examine the characteristics of mass nesting ground of Rushikulya; and lastly, to assess the status of microplastic presence in mass nesting ground. The study found that the moisture contents and sand particle size were homogenous across the beaches of Rushikulya. The sandbar had most extreme values for four of the five studied habitat characters which might be due to surrounding waters. Sea turtles those stranded during December to February at Chennai as well as Rushikulya seems to be from a similar type of foraging areas as their carbon isotope ratio were not differentItem Patterns in avian assemblages on two islands of the Central Nicobar with emphasis on interactions between the endemic Nicobar Bulbul and Red-whiskered bulbul(Wildlife Institute of India, Dehradun, 2017) Goyal, Naman; Nair, Manoj V.; Singh, Pratap; Sivakumar, K.Bird Communities were studied on two islands of the central Nicobar, namely Teressa (Large) and Bompuka (Small) between 16th December 2016 and 15thApril 2017. • This study aimed to understand the patterns in avian assemblages on these islandsand further understand the nature of interaction between Red-whiskered Bulbul and the Nicobar Bulbul • 4 major habitats were identified viz Primary forest, Secondary forest, Plantations, and Grassland based on an exhaustive reconnaissance survey • In total 110 point counts were conducted within these habitats on both the islands • 56 bird species belonging to 30 families were recorded during the study. Teressa had higher species richness than Bompuka • Bird assemblage on Bompuka was a complete subset of Teressa and nested ness was found to be significant (pItem Ecological responses of Intertidal Benthic communities to certain abiotic factors in Nancowry islands, Nicobar(Wildlife Institute of India, Dehradun, 2017) Kandregula, Samyukta Rao; Sivakumar, K.; Johnson, J.A.The intertidal zone is the amphibious niche between the high and low tides. The invertebrate taxa present here lay bare to several influencing factors and facilitate the flow of energy by participating at each trophic level in the marine ecosystem. This study was carried out in order to assess the community structure of intertidal benthic macro invertebrates. Their associations with various factors known to affect intertidal zones were looked into, in the remote islands of Kamorta and Nancowry in Central Nicobar, Andaman and Nicobar archipelago. Three study sites of varying beach profiles (reflective, intermediate and dissipative) were studied across spatio-temporal scales. Baseline information was drawn 'on the key players of the macrofauna community signals. Replicates need to be studied to confirm the patterns observed. Comprehensive community level analyses (at species) need to be done along with supplementary data through Total Organic Carbon (TOC) analysis and heavy metal analysis (ICP-MS analysis) needs to be done to ascertain the sources and magnitudes of the signals of influencing factors.Item Vegetation Structure Distribution and Carbon Sequestration Potential of Mnagroves Along Soil Salinity gradient in Coringa Wildlife Sanctuary Andhra Pradesh(Wildlife Institute of India, Dehradun, 2015) Anand, Dipak; Gopi, G.V.; Sivakumar, K.; Badola, RuchiThis study was carried out with aim of understanding the mangrove dynamics along with carbon storage abilities of various mangrove species that occur in the Coringa Wildlife Sanctuary and also the various environmental factors that would probably determine the mangrove structure, their distribution and carbon sequestration potential, from December 2014 to May 2015.Item Resource Selection and Conservation of Smooth coated otter Lutrogale perspicillata in and Around the Coringa Wildlife Sanctuary, Andhra Pradesh(Wildlife Institute of India, Dehradun, 2015) Prasad, Nadendla Leela; Sivakumar, K.; Johnson, J.A.; Hussain, S.A.Resource selection of Smooth-coated Otter Lutrogale perspicillata was studied in the Coringa Wildlife Sanctuary, where a two dimensional interface of fishermen-otter present: fishermen fishing in the habitat of otter and otters feeding in the aquaculture farms of fishermen. This is resulting in conflict between Otters and Humans in the region. In this context, this study was carried out to understand the extent of this conflict by studying the food habit of otters and ecological factors that could affect the otter distribution in this mangrove ecosystem. 2. The study was carried out from December 2014 to April 2015 in and around the Coringa Wildlife Sanctuary, which is located at the mouth of the Godavari River, in Andhra Pradesh. 3. Food habit of otters was studied by analysing their spraints that were collected from different parts of the Sanctuary. Habitat and distribution of otters were studied using belt transacts along creeks as otters mostly used banks of the creeks. Further, people perspectives towards otter and intensity of human-otter interface was studied using interview based questionnaire surveys. 4. It was found that the fishes cultured in the aquaculture farms were not present in the creeks of Coringa WLS. 6. The diet analysis of 81 spraints collected from December 2014 to March 2015 revealed that fish comprise of 99% of Smooth coated Otter diet. Of this major portion comprised of Mystus gulio, Oreochromis mossambicus and Liza tade. These species were also found in high abundance during the fish sampling from which relative abundance was calculated. This indicates that Otters in the sanctuary are opportunistic feeder rather than selective. 7. Mystus gulio (long whiskers catfish) found to be the major prey of otter in the Coringa . WLS, constituting 17.8% of weight of all food items found in the spraints and this fish was also eaten by many otters (found in 13.4% of spraints). M gulio was also the most common fishes of the Sanctuary. M gulio followed by Oreochromis mossambicus (Tilapia) constituting 14.6% of weight of all food items found in the spraints. 9. Although, all five major aquaculture species offish were found in the spraints of Otter but overall, the aqua farm fishes constituted only the 14.4% of weight of total foods items found in the spraints of otter. Of the total spraints collected, only 17.8% of spraints contained the aqua farm fishes and remaining 82.2 % otter spraints did not have. aqua farms fishes and these otters were seems to be eaten only the wild fishes. 10. The high abundance of invasive tilapia was found in the Ramannapalem creek, which is a less saline creeks adjoining with aqua farms and villages. This fish was the second most preferred diet of otters in the area. This fish breeds in the grasses that are at the banks of creeks. Breeding tilapia was a easier target for otters and therefore, otters were seen close to aqua farms. 11. The factors essential for Otter survival in were found to be more towards land and decrease with increasing distance from land. An ordinal regression model with sign intensity in three ranks revealed that the factors that are playa significant role in Otter distribution are distance from sea had a positive effect on Otter distribution (estimate = 0.403, Standard error =0.225 and P value= 0.073), Width of channel also had a positive effect to an extent (estimate =0.509, Standard error =0.273 and P value = 0.062). Depth of the creek had a negative effect (estimate= -0.624, Standard error = 0.322 and P value=O.053). 12. As the factors that are positively influencing Otter distribution are near villages Otters signs were also found highest in creeks near villages. Thus it was concluded that the presence of Otters mostly towards villages is probably due to presence of suitable habitat near villages rather than fish from aquaculture farms. 13. Fishermen's Traditional Ecological Knowledge of Otters in and around the Coringa Wildlife Sanctuary had also confirmed that otters largely feed in the wild but visit aqua farms occasionally for food or to play. Further, about 79% of people in the region felt that Otters visit their farms at night that confirms the nocturnal behaviour of Otters around human habitation, which is supported by previous studies 14. Further, most of fishermen (75%) believed that otters are high threat to aquaculture when compared to fishing cat and jackals. This is due to group hunting behaviours of otters, whereas fishing cats and jackals visit aquaculture ponds solitarily 15. Interestingly, nearly 11 % of fishermen felt that Otters have caused an income loss of 1-5% followed by 9% of respondents who claimed a loss of 10-30%. But, few farmers (2%) felt that Otters cause nearly 30-50% of loss, who were in the low income group and who can not offer even small loss in income. 16. Generalized Linear Model (GLM) with Poisson distribution revealed that both income and education of fishermen positively influenced their perspectives towards conservation importance of otters in the region. 17. Majority of fishermen (65%) believed that there was a decline in the sightings of otters and they have also believed that the population had been declined in the region. However, in contrast, about 13% of them felt that there was an increase in Otter population over years and most of these respondents who have also believed that high loss of income due to otters visits to their aqua farms. 18. Most of the aqua-farm owners admitted that they always scare and chase away otters when they visits their farms. Though only 11 % of them opted for killing does not mean that people have a positive attitude towards Otter. Boxplot analysis to understand the relationship between people's action towards visiting otters to their farms and their income and education, has revealed that the farm owners who had less income have tried to kill the visiting otters due to their poverty. 19. This study found that fishermen with poverty could not bear even the meagre loss caused by otters to them. Further, the study found that less educated people against the otters in the region. Therefore, additional livelihoods and awareness education to those poor fishermen need to be provided for the long term conservation of otters in the region. EGREE Foundation of Andhra Pradesh, a foundation established with support of GoI-UNDP-GEF Project to sustainably manage the Godavari estuarine has already initiated some programme in this regard but their programme should focus more on fishermen who are with low income 20. It is also proposed to have otter proof fencing for aquafarms especially those farms located along the Ramanapallam creeks. Developing eco- tourism in the sanctuary with the involvement of fishermen and small scale farm owners can also change their attitude towards otters.Item Avian Responses to Varying Landscape Parameters in Mangrove Forests of Coastal Gujarat(Wildlife Institute of India, Dehradun, 2015) Kulkadia, Devanshi; Talukdar, G.; Gopi, G.V.; Sivakumar, K.Mangrove systems are the most productive ecosystems on the earth. The mangrove environment provides living space for dependent biota of more than two thousand species of flora and fauna of resident, semi-resident or migratory wildlife. The conversion of large contiguous tracts of the tropical mangrove forests to smaller patches embedded in a landscape matrix surrounded by human-altered habitats is one of the most serious concerns as it would affect their associated species such as birds, fishes, etc. In this context, this study was carried out aiming at discerning the responses shown by avifauna to varying landscape parameters like the mangrove patch characteristics, the level of disturbance and the structure of mangrove vegetation. Therefore, the abundance and diversity of the avifauna in mangrove forests at twenty selected sites on the coasts of Gujarat were investigated using point count surveys for a period of five months (December 2014-April2015). 2. A total of 98 points were laid across the twenty patches o(mangroves and surveyed twice during winter and summer seasons, respectively. Data were collected from the four replicates of each point during the entire study period. The total area surveyed during the study at these twenty mangrove patches was 47.97sq.km. These patches were ranging from various size classes with the smallest patch of the size of 0.125sq.km to the largest patch size was of 10.49 sq.km and were distributed throughout the coastline of 1650 km long. Habitat correlates such as structural and floristic characteristics of mangroves were quantified for each patch to establish their relationship with avifaunal abundances. 3. Despite recording only 7 species of mangroves in the twenty patches, a wide variety of birds totaling to 119 species were recorded from the mangroves during the two seasons, i.e. winter and summer during the study. 4. From the data collected by the variable-width point counts, the mean density of birds from the patches were calculated to be 6.485/ha in winter and 4.898/ha in summer. The diversity of birds varied across the seasons. A total of 104 species of birds were recorded during the summer season as compared to 117 species of birds in winter season. 5. Large contiguous patches of mangroves were found to be supporting fewer species of birds than the smaller patches. The avian species richness of the smaller fragments were largely governed by the adjoining environment settings (matrix) of the patch. Therefore, the study found that the diversity of the birds was not found to be getting influenced by the area of the patch as the species richness was found to be increasing with the number of the surrounding matrix. 6. It was found that the structural composition of mangroves especially the canopy cover was found influence the bird density and diversity greatly as with the increase in the canopy cover, the bird species diversity and density also increased in a patch. 7. The bird assemblages in the mangroves showed a significant response towards the disturbance. The disturbed patches contained an overlapping mixed composition of the forest birds and open country birds in an equal proportion, whereas the undisturbed patches showed less number of open country birds. 8. Based on the study, it is suggested that the larger sized mangroves patches are important for their ineffable ecological services, therefore, these patches should be protected and conserved. Similarly, the smaller and fragment of mangroves patches are also equally important as they hold a good number of avifauna! species and hence, we have to adopt some strategies to conserve all the remaining – large contiguous and small fragmented patches of the mangroves from further degradation.Item Evaluating the Impact of Introduced Spotted Deer (Axis axis) on Forest Floor Herpetofauna of Andaman Islands(Wildlife Institute of India, Dehradun, 2013) Mohnty, Nitya Prakash; Vasudevan, K.; Sivakumar, K.It is common knowledge that organism in an ecosystem, are connected to each other through trophic levels. Even though the importance of interactions among trophic levels is well established in theory, demonstration of such interactions is not always easy. Over the years, studies that focus on the trophic interactions among starkly different taxonomic groups have come to the fore. These studies have furthered our understanding of ecosystems by demonstrating relationships between trophic levels so apart, the connection among which may not be apparent at first. Along these lines, the situation of introduced spotted deer in the Andaman Islands presented an ideal opportunity to understand the potential effect of a mammalian invasive herbivore on native, insectivorous forest floor herpetofauna. I hypothesised that herbivory is likely to depress folivorous arthropod abundance, which in turn may lead to a decline of insectivorous forest floor herpetofauna. Additionally, reduction in vegetation cover may render the habitat unsuitable for herpetofauna and make them vulnerable to predation. The objectives of this study were to evaluate the effect of chital on the forest floor herpetofaunal abundance and to determine the pathway of interaction between them. A contrasting effect of herbivory by chital on reptiles and on amphibians in the Andaman Islands was observed during the dry season. Forest floor reptiles, which included agamids, geckos and skinks showed reduced abundance in the presence of chital in comparison to an island where chital was absent. This effect of chital on reptiles was found to be mediated by vegetation cover. Chital significantly reduced the vegetation cover below their maximum browse height (1.5 m) in the Islands and which in turn led to a reduction in reptile abundance. Although, it was not clear if any of the observed species was benefitted in the presence of chital, the semi-arboreal Coryphophylax subcristatus appeared to be affected. Amphibian abundance on the other hand seemed to be unaffected by the use of the habitat by chital. Litter arthropods influenced the densities of amphibians the most. This study brought to light a pathway of indirect interaction between a mammalian herbivore and insectivorous herpetofauna. In doing so it raised conservation concern about the capability of an introduced species to alter an island ecosystem drastically and acutely impact several endemic fauna.Item Species Assemblage and Differential Basking Habitat Use of Freshwater Turtles in a Gradient of Mahanadi Riverine Ecosystem, Orissa(Wildlife Institute of India, Dehradun, 2009) Jani, Chandan; Choudhury, B.C.; Sivakumar, K.Of the seven species of turtles recorded in the Mahanadi River, this study recorded five species of freshwater turtles between Satkosia Gorge Wildlife Sanctuary and Khakadi (Near Cuttack city) during November 2008 to April 2009. Of these five species, four were softshell turtles (Nilssonia gangeticus, Nilssonia hurum, Chura indica, Lissemys punctata) and one was hardshell (Pangshura tentoria). Relative abundance in terms of mean number of individuals sighted per kilometre was estimated. The results showed that Pangshura tentoria was most abundant and was recorded over all the sampling zones, followed by Nilssonia gangetic vs Nilssonia hurum and Chitra indica. The latter three were not distributed as commonly as the former. Lissemys punctata was not included in the report as the species never sighted during the sampling secession. However, the species was found to get captured in incidental fish catch during the study period. The low abundance of Chitra indica and Nilssonia hurum might be due to degradation of their habitats. These two species are known to refer undisturbed and wider river stretches which are diminishing in the Mahanadi River. The habitats of the river stretch between Satkosia Gorge Wildlife Sanctuary and Kakhadi varied significantly and thus, explaining the variation in the species richness as well as abundance. The major habitat variables, which have highly influenced the turtle abundance were river flow, river width and river bank characteristics. Highest abundance of species was found in the non-riparian flow zones and river stretches with rocky and sandy banks, where the habitat heterogeneity was greater. These two sampling zones also experienced the least anthropogenic pressures. Choice in habitat use for basking in turtles was also observed. The choice of the habitat varied between species. Nilssonia gangetic and Nilssonia hurum preferred areas which had greater river bank width with shallow water near the bank. Chitra indica preferred areas where both river depth and river width were higher whereas bank slope, river slope, ground cover, alternative basking substrate and immediate water depth was lower. Pangshura tentoria preferred areas with greater river and bank slope along with greater availability of alternative basking substrate and greater immediate water depth. On the other hand they also preferred the habitat more close to the river with lower bank width and moderate river depth and moderate river width. Major threats to turtles in the Mahanadi river (sampling zones) are due to anthropogenic pressure and habitat degradation. Some of the threats were found to be consistent over the sampling zones. The study shows that Pangshura tentoria was highly tolerant to all prevailing threats in the Mahanadi river but, Nilssonia hurum and Chitra indica were adversely affected by these threats all along the river. This study found that there was a negative correlation between the turtle abundance and presence of threats such as sand mining, pump house, fishing and pollution. Sand mining adversely affected the basking habitat of most of the turtle species. Pump houses were largely avoided by the turtles which may be due to the vibrations or noise created at these stations. Unintentional by-catch of turtles during fishing was also observed especially in the braided flow zones and inundated static flow zones of the Mahanadi river. Sand mining and fishing are identified as the major threats to the turtles in the Mahanadi river, which should be monitored and regulated. Sand mining should not be allowed during the breeding season of the turtles especially in the area of Non riperian flow zone and braided flow zone. These two sampling zones were identified as the Important Turtles Areas (ITAs) in the Mahanadi River. Alternate livelihood options should be identified and implemented in order to reduce people's dependency on fishing in this region. Nature education and awareness programme clearly addressing the reason for declining of turtles and their habitat in the Mahanadi river needs to be launched.Item Nest Site Selection and Effects of Anthropogenic Changes to the Rushikulya Nesting Beah, Orissa on Olive Ridley Sea Turtes(Wildlife Institute of India, Dehradun, 2009) Muralidharan, M.; Sivakumar, K.; Choudhury, B.C.The Olive Ridley sea turtle Lepidochelys olivacea is known to nest both sporadically and in arribada's in the Indian coastline. Of the three mass nesting sites on the Orissa coast, the Rushikulya rookery has been considered as a key factor in maintaining the future populations of the Ridley's in the Indian coast. Though several studies have been carried out on various ecological aspects of the species along the Orissa coast this study looked into a finer scale of behavioural patterns exhibited by the females while selecting the nesting sites. Other aspects that are looked into in detail in this study included the various impacts of anthropogenic activities near the nesting habitat of the turtles including the impact of nest predators. The observed sporadic nesting turtles crawled an average of 47.39 m from the waterline before nesting (Range = 10.7(102m, SD = 21.0481, n = 70). Tests were conducted to check for the possibility of whether turtles were actively choosing their site of oviposition while compared to random placement over varying distances. Beach slope and soil temperature were not found to be significantly different from the nesting sites (Slope - F = 1.289, . Temperature - F = 2.241, df = 8 P>0.05) while compared to sites along the track of the nesting turtles, whereas pH and moisture were found to be significantly different from the nest-site to all sites prior to them (pH - F=37.640, Moisture - F = 44.208, df = 8 P<0.05). This shows the possibility of both pH and slope to be amongst the possible proximate cues used by a turtle in deciding a final nest. The effects of beach lighting on the disorientation of turtle hatchlings at this site has already been studied at various levels and this study re-affirms the results of the previous studies by including the effects of lighting acting upon various distances away from the water-line as well as different photic conditions present along the beach and from the adjoining villages. With areas near the villages showing maximum disorientation while compared to areas shielded from light by Casuarina plantations. Associated human activities near the Rushikulya rookery could also act in supporting and maintaining populations of certain animals (feral dogs, jackals), which have had an increased threat to turtle nests. The plantation of Casuarina adjoining the nesting beaches could also act in providing refuge to such predators apart from the known effect of changing the geomorphologic profile of the beach. These predators are known to be able to thrive even in marginalized habitats sustaining their numbers near human occupied areas. These plantations may thus also be aiding an artificial boom in their numbers thus having an increased impact of their predation on turtle nest while compared to natural levels ·of predation loss. A Passive Tracking Index (PTI) for the predator presence and activity observed a minimum presence before the mass nesting which increased immediately after the commencement of the mass nesting. Protective chain link fencing laid across sections of the beach flanked by Casurina to reduce the predator pressure in these areas may not have proven to be completely successful as high activity was still observed in the weeks following the mass nesting.