Theses and Dissertations
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Item Systematics, phylogeography and population genetics of the Golden Jackal, Canis aureus(Wildlife Institute of India, Dehradun, 2013) Negi, Tripti; Jhala, Y.V.The goal of this study was to elucidate the systematics, phylogeny, population genetic structure, genetic variability and the relationship of golden jackal in relation to other canid species. The study outline the general characteristics of family Canidae and golden jackal as a typical member of the family, the theory of conservation genetics, molecular genetics, and the molecular markers, taxonomic affiliation of golden jackal to other jackal species and to resolve their global higher level phylogenetic status in the genus Canis and population genetic structure and genetic variability among golden jackal in Western India, Gujarat.Item Habitat use, ranging patterns and food habits of striped hyaena (Hyaena hyaena) in Kutch, Gujarat(Wildlife Institute of India, Dehradun, 2013) Bopanna, I.P.; Jhala, Y.V.Among the diverse carnivores found in Kutch, the striped hyaena is the one of the largest and the region is also a stronghold for the species. This study was developed for a better understanding of the ecology and behaviour of the species. It aims at providing a better understanding of density, food availability and sociability in hyaenas, at the interface of human land uses. The study was carried out mostly in Abdasa and parts of Lakhpat, Nakhatrana and Mandvi talukas in Kutch district of Gujarat state, for five years from January 2006 to January 2011. During the course of the study, the sudden influx of industrialization in the region changed the dynamics drastically, undermining traditional way of life and value system. This change in dynamics resulted in rapid change in land use patterns and illegal encroachment of prime wildlife areas, directly affecting the wildlife in the region. This study will directly contribute for the conservation of the species in the region and elsewhere and also determined the food habits and foraging patterns of the species in the region and its dependence on anthropogenic food sources.Item Ecology of the Great Indian Bustard (Ardeotis nigriceps) in Kachchh, Gujarat, with reference to resource selection in an agro-pastoral landscape.(Wildlife Institute of India, Dehradun, 2013) Dutta, Sutirtha; Jhala, Y.V.; Rahmani, Asad R.The Great Indian Bustard is an obligate grassland bird endemic to this region with a global population of only about 300 birds. Present study is based on Species's status, resource selection, behavioual aspects and socio-ecological context to reformate viable bustard conservation strategies. The study was conducted during 2007-11 in SW Kachchh (Gujarat, India)Item Feeding ecology and habitat needs of wolves (Canis lupus pallipes) in the Bhal area of Gujarat.(Wildlife Institute of India, Dehradun, 2002) Jethva, Bharat D.; Jhala, Y.V.Present study was conducted in the Bhal region of Gujarat between 1996-2000 to study the feeding ecology and habitat needs of wolves. Food habits of wolves in the Bhal were studied by analyzing 1246 wolf scats from 5 packs. Standardization of scat analysis technique suggested that minimum of20 hair should be scanned per scat to get complete representation of mammalian prey species in that scat. Minimum number of scats that need to be analyzed per pack were different for different wolf packs (ranging from 165 scats needed for Velavadar National Park (VNP) pack to 40 scats from Mithapur pack and 180 scats for the wolves of entire Bhal) because of different diet diversity. Mammalian prey species dominated in the diet of wolves and 80.5% scats were found with only one prey species. Comparative account on feeding ecology provided in the present study by scat analysis and monitoring of radio-collared wolves suggests that wolves depends primarily on wild prey species (blackbuck being major prey) and predation on domestic livestock results in minimal economic loss to the local people. It emphasizes the importance of protected areas for the conservation of wolves. Use of radio-telemetry in the present study provided critical information on territorial behavior of wolves, their population density, size of home range and their relation with prey abundance, habitat use and the size and characteristics of core areas.Item Interactions between forage, recruitment and activity patterns of Blackbuck (Antelope cervicapra)(Wildlife Institute of India, 2005) Priyadarshini, K.V.R.; Jhala, Y.V.In this study based on the seasonality of blackbuck calving in VNP and examined whether birth synchrony exists in this population. I assessed the seasonal patterns in forage vailability, quality, and body condition of blackbuck females, and examined if changes in forage availability, quality and body condition of females influenced calving seasonality. · Forage variables that were measured are, aboveground grass biomass, moisture, crude protein, ADF, lignins, and silica content in grasses. Some of the forage variables showed considerable seasonal changes, while some did not. Biomass was the highest in the cold and late wet seasons and lowest in the dry season. Crude protein content was the highest in wet season and the lowest in dry season. Blackbuck in VNP appear to have a cyclical calving pattern. The dry season calving peak was probably timed to the impending peak in forage quality, which would have benefited the calves when they weaned. The wet season calving peak occurred after a gap that corresponded to inter-calving interval in blackbuck. The females that calved in the wet season perhaps provided greater maternal nutritional investment into the young, which might have compensated for the lower quality forage that was available to the calves when they weaned. In this study based on the seasonality of blackbuck calving in VNP and examined whether birth synchrony exists in this population. I assessed the seasonal patterns in forage availability, quality, and body condition of blackbuck females, and examined if changes in forage availability, quality and body condition of females influenced calving seasonality.· Forage variables that were measured are, aboveground grass biomass, moisture, crude protein, ADF, lignins, and silica content in grasses. Some of the forage variables showed considerable seasonal changes, while some did not. Biomass was the highest in the cold and late wet seasons and lowest in the dry season. Crude protein content was the highest in wet season and the lowest in dry season. Blackbuck in VNP appear to have a cyclical calving pattern. The dry season calving peak was probably timed to the impending peak in forage quality, which would have benefited the calves when they weaned. The wet season calving peak occurred after a gap that corresponded to inter-calving interval in blackbuck. The females that calved in the wet season perhaps provided greater maternal nutritional investment into the young, which might have compensated for the lower quality forage that was available to the calves when they weaned.Item Land, lion and locals: Understanding the distribution of lions and large carnivore human interactions in the Greater Gir Landscape of Saurashtra(Wildlife Institute of India, Dehradun, 2025) Gogoi, Keshab; Jhala, Y.V.Apart from the Gir Protected Areas, Asiatic lions inhabit various coastal forest patches in Mangrol, Veraval, Kodinar, Mahua, and Rajula-Jafrabad areas. They also reside in Girnar Wildlife Sanctuary (WLS) and within human-dominated landscapes across Amreli, Junagadh, and Bhavnagar districts (Mitiyala WLS), as well as along the Shetrunji river, Hipavadli, Palitana, and Shihor. However, the presence of extensive townships, linear infrastructure, and urban development has led to the fragmentation of lion populations. This fragmentation restricts the efficient exchange of individuals across the matrix of multi-use human-dominated landscapes. Historical corridors that once connected hills, forests, and lion habitats, including protected and un-classed forests, have largely succumbed to agriculture and human settlements. To address this pressing issue, it is crucial to identify and conserve existing habitat corridors that connect these lion patches. Failure to do so could exacerbate repropuctive isolation, leading to genetic bottlenecks and reduced genetic diversity within lion populations. To tackle this challenge effectively, I utilized Circuitscape theory to model connectivity among habitat patches in the Saurashtra landscape at a scale of 1km². Additionally, I employed least-cost pathway tools to determine the shortest pathways with the least total costs. My analysis revealed varying levels of permeability among different lion habitats. For instance, the permeability between the coastal forests of Veraval-Sutrapada and Rajula with Gir PA was found to be high. Similarly, coastal patches around Mahua taluka exhibited high permeability with forest patches around Palitana. However, the permeability between Girnar and Gir Forest was moderate, indicating the need for interventions to maintain suitable lion movement. In the eastern part of the Gir protected area, there is notable connectivity between Mitiyala Wildlife Sanctuary and Gir, as well as other habitat patches along the Shetrunjay river. By prioritizing the identification and conservation of these critical habitat corridors, we can enhance connectivity among lion populations, mitigate the risk of genetic isolation, and safeguard the long-term survival of Asiatic lions in the Saurashtra landscapeItem Factors Governing the Spatial Distribution and Density of Asiatic Lions (Panthera leo persica) in Gir Protected Area(Wildlife Institute of India, Dehradun, 2015) Gogoi, Keshab; Jhala, Y.V.; Qureshi, QamarThis study is based on population estimation and spatial distribution of Asiatic lion.Item Abundance, Habitat Relationships and Behavior of the Semi-Fossorial Indian Desert Jird, Meriones hurriancae, in Kachchh, Gujarat(Wildlife Institute of India, Dehradun, 2011) Ramesh, Divya; Jhala, Y.V.; Qureshi, QamarPopulation sizes, habitat relationships and behaviour are among basic ecological aspects pivotal to demystifying a species and its place in the ecosystem. Numerous in species and number, desert rodents offer immense scope for such investigations. The Indian desert jird, Meriones hurrianae, though common, is remarkably little known. This study, conducted in Kachchh, Gujarat, estimates population sizes, examines factors in the habitat likely to influence their occurrence, and elucidates the activity pattern and time budget across 2 land use types, agricultural and natural areas, during winter (December February) and summer (March-May). Animals were caught in 9 colonies using Sherman traps and population estimated under closed population Capture-Mark-Recapture framework in Program MARK, using individual covariates (age class, gender, body weight, site). Colony parameters (length, width, number of holes) were regressed against known Mark-Recapture (MR) population estimates to develop predictive models for estimating population size from indices. Population sizes varied from 2 to 10 individuals. Number of holes in a colony provided robust estimates of the number of individuals in that colony (N=16, R2=0.96, t=18.19, pItem Resource utilization and parental investment in the Indian for (Vulpes bengalensis) in Kutch, Gujarat(Wildlife Institute of India, Dehradun, 2005) Home, Chandrima; Jhala, Y.V.I studied the resource utilization patterns in the Indian fox (Vulpes bengalensis) with respect to diet in Kutch, Gujarat. Resource use and availability by foxes were compared between two habitats and between two seasons. Resource availability was quantified through transects laid in both the habitats for the different prey items: mainly mammals, birds, reptiles, arthropods and fruits. Resource availability differed in both the habitats as well as across seasons (summer and winter). Density of fruiting shrubs (particularly Zizyphus) and gerbil burrows were significantly different between the two habitats. Gerbil population mean obtained from different colonies trapped during the study period showed a significant relationship with the total number of burrows in the colony (R2 =0.969). Scats collected from den sites were used to quantify resource use of the Indian fox. The minimum number of scats that can be used to estimate the annual food habits of the Indian fox in' a dry arid area like Kutch is about 110 scats. Frequency of occurrence of prey species also differed across habitat and seasons. The food habits of the Indian fox comprised of varied items, mainly arthropods like beetles, orthopterans, scorpions and termites. Among the other items, rodents, hares, spiny tailed lizards, birds and eggshells as well as fruits have been found. Arthropods were the most frequently occurring prey items (75% and above), among them particularly the termites. They are seen to be selected more than availability within the habitat. This was indicated by the three methods used to compare use versus availability (Ivlev's Index, Bonferroni's CI, and Compositional Analysis). However the Indian fox is seen to maximize energy requirements by selecting gerbils next in the preference after arthropods being selected more than availability during most cases within the habitat. Density of breeding units evaluated in the scrubland showed a density of 0.1 O/sq Ian. The density of breeding pairs obtained in this particular study was much higher as compared to the ones reported earlier for Kutch (0.04-0.06/sq Ian) due to good rainfall in the preceding two years thereby indicating a good prey base as compared to other years.Item Home Range, Ranging Patterns and Abundance Estimation of Golden Jackals in the BHAL Region of Gujarat(Wildlife Institute of India, Dehradun, 2001) Aiyadurai, Ambika; Jhala, Y.V.Studied Golden Jackals (Canis aureus) in the Bhal area of Gujarat using radiotelemetry. Six jackals were trapped in Velavadar.National Park during November and December 2000 using rubber-padded leg-hald traps. The average home range size of jackals was estimated to be 14. 30 ± 4.06 sq. km. The core areas of jackal home ranges were highly correlated with vegetation cover. Habitats preferred for core areas were Prosopis juliflora and grasslands. Jackals ranged an average distance of 6.8 ± 0.91 km in a night. Most movements were out of the park to surrounding villages, which were rich in food resources for jackals. I evaluated two techniques to estimate jackal abundance namely the track plot method and simulated howling responses method in six areas differing in jackal abundances in the Bhal and Kutch regions. The latter technique gave a better resolution of abundance categories within the study sites.