Theses and Dissertations

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Author: search.filters.author.Sathyakumar, S.Subject: search.filters.subject.Dachigam National Park

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    Ranging Patterns of Asiatic Black Bear (Ursus thibetanus) with reference to food availability in Dachigam National Park, Kashmir
    (wildlife Institute of India, 2012) Sharma, Lalit Kumar; Sathyakumar, S.
    Asiatic black bear are threatened due to poaching for gall bladder (medicine), skin (ornamental), retaliatory killings to reduce bear-human conflicts, and due to large scale habitat degradation or loss. The present study was carried out during 2007-2011 to address the issues related to movement patterns of black bear in relation to food availability in Dachigam landscape and to understand the food and feeding habits of black bear in different seasons. Habitat characterization and mapping were carried out to assess habitat quality and to understand the level of fragmentation and composition of Dachigam landscape. The forest fragmentation analysis in the present study suggested intermediate level of fragmentation and it is likely to increase because of human encroachment on the forest land. The forested fragmentation can adversely impact the movement of bear in the landscape which may lead to demographic as well as genetic isolation of species, hence leading to population fragmentation and extirpation.
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    Asiatic Black Bear (Ursus thibetanus) Abundance, Habitat Occupany Patterns, and Conflicts with Humans in and around Dachigam National Park, Kashmir.
    (Wildlife Institute of India, Dehradun, 2012) Charoo, Samina Amin; Sathyakumar, S.
    The present study focused on the abundance estimation, habitat use patterns and human - bear interactions in Dachigam National Park and Dachigam Landscape, Jammu and Kashmir, India during the period 2007-2010. The abundance estimation is the basic information needed for any species. In this study abundance estimation of black bears was tried out through various methods: sign surveys, camera trapping and non- invasive genetic method. Sign surveys were carried out to understand the encounter rates of black bears within Dachigam National Park.
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    Aspects of ecology of Hangul (Cervus elephas hanglu) in Dachigam National Park, Kashmir, India.
    (Wildlife Institute of India, Dehradun, 2006) Ahmad, Khursheed; Sathyakumar, S.; Qureshi, Qamar
    The Hangul or Kashmir Stag (Cervus elaphus hanglu) is a highly threatened species that has a restricted distribution confined to the Kashmir region. The Hangul is a one of the four eastern most subspecies of Red Deer of Europe (Cervus elaphus) and belongs to order Artiodactyla (even-toed animals) and family Cervidae or deer family. Compared to a very wide global distribution of Red deer, the Hangul has had a limited global distribution. Hangul were once distributed widely in the mountains of Kashmir in an arc of 40 Km extending from Karen in Kishenganga catchments in Bandipora over to Dorus in Lolab valley and Erin catchments in Bandipora to Chinab valley in Kishtwar. Some population of Hangul also occurred in Chamba district of Himachal Pradesh. However, during the recent past Hangul appears to have drastically declined from its past distribution range, possibly due to large scale biotic pressures owing to poaching, habitat fragmentation and degradation. At present the last surviving population of Hangul occurs only in 171 Km2 Dachigam National Park, although some relic populations also occur in the adjoining areas. The population of Hangul in Kashmir in 1900 was 3,000 and in 1947, there were 2,000 Hangul still surviving. But ten years later, the population got drastically reduced to about 400 individuals, and in 1970 Hangul population estimated was 140 - 170. The recent censuses carried out by the State Wildlife Protection Department in 2004 puts the Hangul population between 209-243 individuals. The most alarming threat to Hangul in Dachigam has been reported to be the excessive over grazing in the alpine meadows of Upper Dachigam by livestock including sheep and goat of the Government Sheep Breeding Farm located in Dachigam National Park. The past studies carried out in Dachigam National Park have shown that the range of Hangul In Dachigam National Park is restricted to Lower Dachigam with eastern boundaries at Gratnar, Waskhar and west of Dagwan. Keeping in view the given background and based on my preliminary surveys in in the first year of this study, the intensive study was carried out upto the above given boundaries of Lower Dachigam. There have been very little studies on Hangul compared to extensive studies carried out on its conspecifics Red Deer and Elk, and Himalayan Ungulates. There is still a lack of baseline information on the aspects of Hangul ecology prerequisite of its effective management and conservation planning. This stl1dy was as such initiated after a wildlife research gap of about 15 years in Kashmir valley in general and Dachigam in particular. This study was aimed at enhancing our scientific knowledge on the aspects of Hangul ecology such as population, habitat use and feeding ecology which are prerequisite of its effective long term management and conservation planning. During the study period (February 2001 to December 2004) a total of 693 surveys were carried out in these transects and survey blocks putting a total of 5668 km and 1839 hours effort, and a total of 326 Hangul sightings were recorded. All these Hangul sightings were recorded in lower Dachigam in an area of 41.20 km2 out of the total area of 171 Km2 of Dachigam National Park.