Theses and Dissertations
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Item Resource partitioning among sympatric ungulates in Kanha Tiger Reserve, Madhya Pradesh, India.(wildlife Institute of India, Dehradun, 2021) Awasthi, Neha; Jhala, Y.V.; Qureshi, QamarThis study explores the potential mechanisms of how the community of sympatric ungulates in Kanha might partition resources by evaluating i) habitat-specific seasonal densities and spatial co-occurrence of ungulates; ii) demographic parameters; iii) temporal activity and food habits of ungulates and; iv) factors affecting their group size. The study area was ~ 2074 km2 Kanha Tiger Reserve comprising inviolate Kanha National park (core zone; devoid of human settlements and use) and the multiple-use area (buffer zone; consisting of forest and xviii revenue land, used by rural communities for farming and livestock rearing). The study stresses the importance of human free core areas and the need for conservation investments for achieving high ungulate densities and biomass that are essential to sustain source populations of tigers and other endangered carnivores in this landscape.Item An assessment of livelihood dependency and anthropogenic pressures on tiger habitat in Kalakad-Mundanthurai Tiger Reserve of Tamil Nadu, India.(Wildlife Institute of India, Dehradun, 2016) Gupta, Santanu; Mishra, B.K.Kalakad – Mundanthurai Tiger Reserve (KMTR) (8º 20’- 8º 53’ N and 77º10’- 77 º 35’ E) located at the southern end of Western Ghats is famous worldwide for it’s endemic plant diversity, and the reserve is home of endangered animals like lion-tailed macaque (Macaca Silenus), Nilgiri tahr (Hemitragus hylocrius), Asian elephant (Elephas maximus), and tiger (Panthera tigris). KMTR experienced high anthropogenic pressure in past from 145 villages situated outside eastern boundary of reserve as well as from enclave settlements. A number of activities aimed at conservation awareness among various stakeholders, off farm alternate employment generation opportunities for forest dependent families, promoting use of alternate fuels and energy saving devices, and biomass regeneration initiatives were taken up under this project. The impact of ecodevelopment in reducing PA resource dependency and consequent reduction of anthropogenic pressure on park was thoroughly analyzed by integrating ecological and socio-economic assessment. This overall assessment of dependency and pressure on KMTR during ecodevelopment could serve as a feedback mechanism to promote better integration of conservation and development in future. Objectives 1. To quantify the change in dependency of local communities upon PA resources. 2. To assess the change in anthropogenic pressures on the PA resources. 3. To examine the drivers of change with respect to dependency and pressures.Item Ecological impacts of anthropogenic pressures on high altitude forests along Bhagirathi catchment.(Wildlife Institute of India, Dehradun, 2001) Awasthi, Anjali; Rajvanshi, Asha; Rawat, G.S.The forests of Bhagirathi catchment in Garhwal Himalaya (Uttaranchal) have faced anthropogenic pressures since pre-British period. However, human induced disturbances increased during British period when the commercial exploitation of these forests started. It was during this period that the cultivation of potato and apple orchards were introduced in the region. These initial phases of transformation paved way for more recent changes in land-use practices and degradation of high altitude forests. The modern phase of degradation started with the construction of road to Gangotri in the middle of 20th century and opening up of Garhwal for tourism which led to development of infrastructural facilities and influx of mass tourism in the inner valleys. These added pressures on the remaining forests of Bhagirathi valley. 2. Ecological impacts of anthropogenic pressures and patterns and processes of forest degradation have not been quantified in this valley so far. Therefore, the present study was carried out in a part of the Bhagirathi catchment (78015' to 790 E long. & 30030' to 31 008' N lat.). The objectives of the study were: to assess the resource use patterns of villagers, transhumant communities and tourists, to assess the impacts of anthropogenic activities on forests and wildlife and to detect changes inland-cover classes over time and space. The study area is visited seasonally by various transhumant communities who also depend on the surrounding forests for a period of about six months. Four forms of transhumance viz., Nomadism, Semi-nomadism, Transmigration and Nuclear Transhumance were identified in the Bhagirathi valley. -Nomadism is followed by Gujjars, semi-nomadism by Gaddis, transmigration by Jadhs and Garhwalis and Nuclear transhumance by resident Garhwalis. Nomadic people have temporary hutsat both summer and winter settlements whereas transmigrants have permanent houses. Seminomadic and nuclear transhumants have one temporary and one permanent settlement. The impact of 'resource extraction by locals, transhumant communities and tourists on the forests was assessed. It was found that forests located close to villages (zone-I) and temporary settlements (zone-III) were under high lopping/cutting pressure.Item Feeding Ecology of Ibex (Capra ibex sibirica) in Pin Valley National Park, Himachal Pradesh.(Wildlife Institute of India, Dehradun, 1997) Manjrekar, Neema; Johnsingh, A.J.T.The foraging ecology of the Asiatic ibex was studied in Pin Valley National Park Lahul and Spiti District, Himachal Pradesh, between October 1991 and October 1994. The National Park encompasses 675 km2, and has a buffer of 1150 km2. The study area constituted part of the Parahio catchment of the pin Valley. Thango was the base camp for this study. It was a summer settlement of five families from Sagnam, the largest village of Pin Valley. The local people are Buddhists, of Tibetan origin. Apart from cultivating the land adjacent to the villages, in the buffer zone, they use the Park area for cultivation of barley, wheat, peas, mustard, and potatoes. They also graze sheep, goats, yaks, horses and donkeys in the area. Fuel wood, and fodder for stall-feeding, is collected from the Park before winter. Two potential conservation threats to ibex were identified. Firstly, migratory livestock from the neighbouring areas use the area between June and August every year. ' There is no control on the numbers of animals entering the area, and the effects of grazing and trampling need to be quantified.Item Assessing the Efficacy of Select Physical Barriers in Mitigating Human-Elephant Conflict in the Human-Elephant Shared Landscape of Golaghat District, Assam(Wildlife Institute of India, Dehradun, 2021) Das, Gitima; Gopi, G.V.Human-Elephant Conflict (hereafter “HEC”) is one of the most challenging issues both for elephant conservation and people’s wellbeing in the elephant landscapes. Management of which becomes extremely difficult without the implementation of appropriate mitigation measures. Physical barriers, like solar fences, elephant-proof trenches, stone, or rubble walls are installed as mitigation measures in all elephant-occupied habitats at the edge of the forest and human-use areas, globally. However, installations of the same without a proper scientific rationale and assessing and analysing their site-specific efficacy in reducing elephant incursion in the human settlement areas often fail in doing its intended objectives. It is important to note that humans are also a crucial component of conflict, hence research focusing on social aspects are essential for finding solutions. Keeping such concepts in mind, an assessment to determine the efficiency of two types of physical barriers, viz., solar fence and elephant-proof trench (EPT) was carried out in one of the prime elephant habitats of north-eastern India, in Golaghat district of Assam. Located on the southern bank of the Brahmaputra and home to Kaziranga National Park (KNP) on the west and Nambor-Doigurung Wildlife Sanctuary (NDWLS) in the south, Golaghat offers an ideal site for such study. It is realized that even after the presence of barriers in various areas of the district, conflict cases in the form of crop-raiding, human mortalities and human deaths continue to be reported. Handful studies on barriers and their effectiveness were done recently on the northern bank of Brahmaputra. However, no such appraisal on efficiency of barriers has been done in this landscape, where conflict levels are high. Hence, this study attempted to fill these existing research gaps.