Theses and Dissertations

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    Genetic diversity, gene flow and mating system in sympatric crocodylian species in National Chambal Sanctuary, India
    (Wildlife Institute of India, Dehradun, 2023) Sharma, Surya Prasad
    The present research was, thus, undertaken to provide information on the genetic status of two freshwater crocodylian species through assessment of the (a) genetic diversity, (b) population genetic structure, genetic differentiation, and gene-flow and (c) mating system using nuclear microsatellite and mitochondrial markers. The biological samples for genetic assessment were collected from two of the largest breeding gharial population in Chambal River (within the National Chambal Sanctuary) and Girwa River (within) Katerniaghat Wildlife Sanctuary) for both the study species.
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    Ecology of Indian Rock Python (Python molurus molurus Linn.1758) in Keoladeo National Park, Bharatpur, Rajasthan, India.
    (SACON, 2012) Ramesh, C.; Bhupathy, S.
    Snakes in India are one among the richest assemblages in the world with about 279 species reported so far. However, studies focusing on their ecology are scanty. In tropical ecosystems, it is important to understand ecology of large bodied snakes such as pythons for proposing measures to conserve them. In this context, assessment of the python habitat and understand burrow ecology, population ecology, diurnal activity, food and feeding habits and breeding biology were investigated. The results provided are based on visual observations on free ranging Indian python in Keoladeo National Park (KNP) Bharatpur, Rajasthan, India between October 2007 and April 2010.
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    Breeding Biology of Olive Ridley Sea Turtle, Lepidochelys olivacea (eschcholtz, 1829) along the Poompuhar Coast, Tamilnadu, South India
    (SACON, 2011) Gokulakrishnan, J.; Bhupathy, S.
    The Olive Ridleys is the most common marine turtle found in Indian waters, and is distributed on both east and west coasts including the offshore island s. Most of the ecological works on the Olive Ridleys in India have been carried out in mass nesting beaches of Orissa. This species nests sporadically all over India, but barring a anecdotal notes, information on the ecology of this species is scanty in sporadic nesting areas. Hence, the present study was carried out to, (1) Understand the nesting habitats of Olive Ridleys along the (Poompuhar) Tranquebar- Pazhaiyar coast (2) Study the breeding biology of Olive Ridleys including offshore activities along the southeast coast. Bay of Bengal (3) Study the mortality and other anthropogenic pressure on marine turtles along the Tranquebar- Pazhaiyar coast, and (4) Conservation of Olive Ridleys along the southeast coast, Bay of Bengal. The present study was conducted along the Poompuhar coast (51 km), Bay of Bengal, Tamil Nadu from November 2004 to May 2010. Fishing and agriculture are major occupations of the local inhabitants.
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    Resource utilization patterns of reptiles in the Tropical Dry Mixed Deciduous Forest of Anaikatty Hills, Western Ghats, India.
    (SACON, 2007) Mukherjee, Debanik; Bhupathy, S.
    The western ghats is one of the 34 globally recognized biodiversity hot spots. Among the 506 species of reptiles reported distributed in India 165 are distributed in the Western ghats. The concept of a biotic community may be defined as tn assemblages of various organisms living together and interacting at all trophic levels. The present study was undertaken with the following objectives (1) to know the suitability of various techniques for sampling reptiles in tropical mixed dry forest (2) To study aspects of population of reptiles in the Anaikatty hills in terms of species richness, diversity and relative abundance (3) to understand the patterns of resource use by reptiles at various spatio-temporal level.
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    Spatio-temporal and thermal ecology of Indian rock python (Python molurus, Linn. 1758) in Sathyamangalam and Mudumalai Tiger Reserves, Tamilnadu
    (Wildlife Institute of India, Dehradun, 2023) Vishnu, C.S.; Chinnasamy, Ramesh; Talukdar, Gautam
    The Indian rock python (Python molurus) is a Schedule I species in the Indian Wildlife (Protection) Act-1972. It is also listed as appendices I of the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES) since they face immense survival threats due to habitat degradation and poaching. This study aimed to assess those important aspects of this species. Before the major research objectives, I reviewed the snake telemetry papers between 2007 and 2017 and identified the suitable transmitter and anaesthetic for the study. It was found that the VHF AI-2 Hollohill model was the best transmitter for the study due to the animal's body plan, whereas the Isoflurane gaseous anaesthesia can be a suitable anaesthetic agent. Understanding the microhabitats used by a species is essential for its effective conservation and management. This study objective aimed to quantify the microhabitat use of Indian rock pythons in the Sathyamangalam and Mudumalai Tiger Reserves (STR & MTR), Tamil Nadu
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    Ecology and behaviour of travancore tortoise (Indotestudo travancorica) in the Anamalai Hills, Western Ghats.
    (Wildlife Institute of India, Dehradun, 2012) Deepak, V.; Vasudevan, Karthikeyan
    the study was decided to be carried out in two protected areas namely the Anamalai Tiger Reserve and Parambikulam Tiger Reserve. Located in the southern Western Ghats. This study investigated the proportion of the site occupied by Travancore tortoises, their diet, home range, activity and habitat use. The findings of this study along with the existing information were used to formulate a conservation action plan for Travancore tortoise.
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    Reptilian species distribution in response to habitat fragmentation and microhabitats in the rainforests of southern Western Ghats, India.
    (Wildlife Institute of India, Dehradun, 2001) Ishwar, N.M.; Chellam, Ravi
    Habitat fragmentation has long been recognized as a threat to biological diversity and a major cause in the sudden increase in the extinction rates of species. Demographic and environmental stochasticity, habitat degeneration, the decrease in genetic variability and the influx of secondary forest species all lead to the extinction of forest species in the forest fragments. The forests in the various hill ranges in the Western Ghats are under anthropogenic pressure, mainly due to commercial plantations like tea, coffee, cardamom and spices and timber. The construction of dams for irrigation and hydroelectric power projects and roads and rapid urbanization are other ways by which the once contiguous middle elevation rainforests of the Western Ghats have been dismembered into scattered fragments. The rainforests of the Western Ghats is one of the richest biogeograpic zones in the country with more than 50% of the reptiles reported from the area being endemic to these forests. The most serious problem that is faced by the wildlife managers in the Western Ghats is that the remaining forests, especially the rainforests, occur in a highly fragmented state. The effect of rainforest fragmentation has taken its toll on the overall biological diversity with declines in reptile species contributing to this loss. Addressing this conservation problem becomes difficult in any forum, as studies on reptiles are few and poorly represented in literature. In this background, the objectives of the present study broadly defined here were to understand 1) the factors that govern the distribution of reptiles in the rainforests. The factors include both macro and microhabitat variables that the reptiles are know to respond to; and 2) to see if the process of rainforest fragmentation has affected the reptilian distribution and community structure, and to understand the direction of this impact. The study was divided in to two phases, the first phase was devoted to understanding the factors that were likely to influence the distribution of rainforest reptiles, while the second phase looked into the effects of rainforest fragmentation on reptiles. A combination of sampling techniques that included the adaptive cluster sampling (for leaf litter reptiles), the forest transects (for arboreal reptiles), stream surveys (for nocturnal stream dwelling reptiles) and opportunistic sampling was used to sample rainforest reptiles. Three sites in the contiguous rainforests of Kalakad-Mundanthurai . Tiger Reserve (KMTR), that broadly represented the altitude range and the different drainages, formed the site for the first phase of the fieldwork. The fourteen rainforest fragments in the Anamalai Hills were the study sites for the second phase of fieldwork where the effects of rainforest fragmentation were enumerated explore in detail the two major points expressed above, and detailed assessment of what is needed to promote reptile conservation is provided at the end.
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    POPULATION AND RESOURCE UTILISATION BY REPTILES IN UPPER NILGIRIS, NILGIRI BIOSPHERE RESERVE, WESTERN GHATS, INDIA
    (SACON, 2005) ARMSTRONG, A. MATHEWS NIXON; Bhupathy, S
    Herpetofauna (reptiles and amphibians) are important components of both terrestrial and wetland ecosystems as they play a major role in energy flow and nutrient cycling. Both of them are also excellent indicators of environmental degradation. Being poikilotherms, reptiles tend to partition time and space more often than homeotherms as their physiology and behaviour are closely linked to environmental conditions. However, quantitative data on the population and resource use by reptiles are scanty in India. Resource use can be studied with respect to the three most often recognized niche axes: spatial (habitat use), temporal (activity period) and trophic (food). Herpetofauna of India, one of the most diverse taxa, is poorly known regarding their ecology and population characteristics. Major objectives of this study was to (1) assess the population status of reptiles and factors determining their distribution in various habitats of Upper Nilgiri plateau (2) determine the habitat use and food habits of reptiles, and (3) to understand the resource use at spatio-temporal and trophic levels by reptiles in Upper Nilgiris.
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    Spatial Dynamics and Drivers of Nearshore Aggregations in Olive ridley Sea Turtles along the Gahirmatha Coast by
    (Wildlife Institute of India, Dehradun, 2024) Sarkar, Arnab Dey; Prabakaran, Nehru; Kumar, R.S.; Pandav, Bivash
    Olive ridley sea turtles (Lepidochelys olivacea) exhibit a well-documented phenomenon known as nearshore aggregation during their breeding season. These aggregations, comprising large numbers of turtles in shallow coastal waters, are a common feature observed along most of the mass nesting beaches. The ecological benefits of such aggregations are multifaceted, potentially including enhanced predator avoidance and increased opportunities for mate encounter. The importance of studying these nearshore aggregations stems from their vulnerability during this period. Olive ridley turtles within these aggregations are susceptible to various threats, including bycatch mortality from fishing gear. Understanding the spatial and temporal dynamics of these aggregations is crucial for developing effective conservation strategies. The Gahirmatha nesting site presents a unique case due to the influence of the Brahmani-Baitarani River system. The substantial freshwater inflow and sediment discharge from this river system have resulted in a vast area of shallow seabed compared to other nesting grounds. This distinct ecological setting necessitates a dedicated investigation into the dynamics and influencing factors of nearshore aggregations specific to Gahirmatha. The study examined the distribution and density of olive ridley sea turtles near Gahirmatha, India, a critical nesting site, with a particular focus on how environmental factors influence the location of these nearshore aggregations. Surveys were conducted throughout the breeding season, recording turtle sightings and environmental data. The findings reveal that olive ridley turtles are not distributed randomly in the nearshore waters. Instead, they form concentrated aggregations in shallow depths (less than 5 km offshore and 5-15 meters deep) before nesting. The location and density of these aggregations were not static but shifted throughout the breeding season. During the pre-nesting season, turtles were more dispersed across a wider area. As the season progressed and nesting approached, the aggregation grew denser and shifted closer to the nesting beach. The study also identified distance from the coastline and the nesting beach as the key factors influencing the distribution of these nearshore aggregations. Additionally, the unique shallow seabed near Gahirmatha, created by the discharge from the Brahmani-Baitarani River, might influence the preferred depth range of turtles compared to other nesting sites. Understanding these dynamic aggregation patterns is crucial for effective conservation efforts. Protecting these areas is essential for the well-being of this globally significant olive ridley population. However, it's important to acknowledge that the exact locations of these aggregations can vary between years. This year's lower nesting numbers suggest fewer turtles arrived in the nearshore waters, potentially impacting the size and distribution of the observed aggregations. This study emphasizes the need for long-term studies to gain a more comprehensive understanding of these variations and the factors influencing them. The study suggests a targeted approach of focusing on areas with high turtle usage. By implementing stricter patrolling measures within these zones, the forest department can significantly reduce threats like bycatch mortality from fishing activities. This targeted approach would be more effective in safeguarding the turtles compared to focusing on reducing illegal fishing in the entire sanctuary, considering the limited resources available.