Theses and Dissertations

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    An ecological study on the pheasants of Great Himalayan National Park, Western Himalaya.
    (Wildlife Institute of India, Dehradun, 2003) Ramesh, K.; Rawat, G.S.
    The primary focus of the study was to describe the ecological and spatial distribution of three sympatric pheasant species, namely, Himalayan monal (Lophophorus impejanus), koklass (Pucrasia macrolopha) and western tragopan (Tragopan melanocephalus) in the Great Himalayan National Park (GHNP; 31 0 33' - 31 0 57' N and 770 17' - 770 52' E) in Himachal Pradesh, India. The specific were to: (i) review and test the currently available count techniques and provide estimates of relative abundance; (ii) document group size characteristics; (iii) describe habitat preference and investigate species coexistence; and (iv) develop a spatial model to predict availability of the potential habitats and the probability of occurrence of the study species. The study design included three broad approaches, namely, 1) field sampling, to estimate relative abundance and other behavioral and ecological parameters, 2) associative approach, to establish a relationship between the ecological distribution of the study species and habitat characteristics, and 3) Geographical Information System (GIS) based predictive spatial modelling. An area of 16 km2 was selected within GHNP, based on reconnaissance survey and literature, to serve as an intensive study area
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    Habitat and Food Resources Use in Relation to Sex Age and Group Size in Sambar (Rusa unicolor) During Winter in Dry Tropical Deciduous Habitat of Ranthambore Tiger Reserve, India
    (Wildlife Institute of India, Dehradun, 2011) Goswamy, Amit; Goyal, S.P.; Sankar, K.
    The study of habitat use depends on various factors' like environmental conditions, resource availability, physiological condition of an animal and sex. The present research for my dissertation shows that it does exist and it attempts to explain how it is happening. Sambar is a major prey species of tiger and other big cats across most of the parks in India. For the conservation of large predators it is important to evaluate and study the habitat requirement of its major prey species in detail to the level of its age and sex categories. My field study was undertaken between Dec 2010 to March 2011. Intensive study area of 90 sq km was selected in Ranthambhore. to quantify resource availability and use by different categories with respect to sex, age and group size during winter. It was found out that there is a difference in the habitat use of sambar due to sex, age and group size categories, out of the many parameters evaluated and comparisons made it was seen that though in some cases the differences were not profound, and some showed only minor changes, but in majority of the cases the trend observed was as per the expectation. Where smaller body size male animals < 3 yrs) and female associated with fawn and subadults always prefer areas having a good quality resource whereas the adult male and sambar in large group size were mainly in the areas of abundant resource rather than the quality.
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    Habitat Use, Group Size and Activity Pattern of Goral (Nemorhaedus goral) in Simbalbara Sanctury (Himachal Pradesh) and Darpur Reserved Forest (Haryana) India
    (Wildlife Institute of India, Dehradun, 1993) Pendharkar, Anand; Goyal, S.P.
    A study on the habitat use, group size and activity patterns of goral (Nemorhaedus goral) was undertaken from November 1922 to May 1993 in Simbalbara Sanctuary (Himachal Pradesh) and Darpur Reserved Forest (Haryana). Data on availability of habitat types, vegetation types, slope, aspect and cover and their corresponding use (N=230 sightings), were collected along six search paths. Group size and activity pattern data were collected by walking along search paths and using instantaneous scan sampling. The broad habitat types identified were: Valley slope, Grassy slope, Ridge top flat, Nala slope, Valley bottom flat, Ridge top slope and Valley ridge slope. The vegetation types identified in the study area were: Sal forest (SF), mixed forest (MF), mixed forest grassy slope (MFGS), mixed forest riverine (MFR), sal forest riverine (SFR), pine-mixed woodland (PMW) and mixed forests with khai plantation (MFKP).The characteristic features of habitat and vegetation types and seasonal variations in them are discussed.The major findings of availability-utilization analysis were : Goral shewed preferential use of grassy slopes in summer. Valley bottom flat was used less in both the seasons. Mixed Forest was preferred in both seasons, whereas Mixed Forest Grassy Slopes were preferred only in summer. Sal Forest, Sal Forest Riverine and Mixed Forest with Khair Plantations were used less in both the seasons. A preferential use of the steep slopes was observed in winter. In summer there seemed to be no selection for terrain type. South facing slopes were preferred in both the seasons. Extremely low shrub cover and medium grass cover were selectively used by goral. Major features of goral group size and activity pattern were: Goral was predominantly a solitary species forming loose aggregations of upto eleven individuals. Average group size of goral did not vary significantly (N=230, d. f.=3, p=0.05, X" - 0.98) between seasons, but during late evening hours, comparatively larger groups were observed in winter (N=127, d.f.=4, p=<0.02, X2 - 12.42). Group sizes were comparatively larger in disturbed areas (N=230, d. f.=3, i i i p<0.01, = 12.75). A significant difference in proportion of time spent in different activities was observed (N=416, c/.f. = 8, p<0.001, X2 = 37.59), between winter and summer. Nevertheless, activities and proportions of active and inactive individuals varied significantly over different hours of the day (N=192, d.f.=2, p<0.01 , 10.43).